The next five weeks have flown by much too quickly. Erin’s days consisted of working at the cafe, gossiping and planning with Jin, keeping up with Marie, and dance practice.

Working part-time at the cafe is more exhausting than one would naturally assume. Erin and Jin are the main employees (due to the incompetence of the others). This often leads to them working extended shifts and most weekends. On the days their shifts overlap Erin would talk to Jin about dance practice and how little progress has been made between her and Jungkook. That conversation is usually followed by Jin yelling at her about being a total chicken . The whole situation just frustrates her because she knows her best friend is right. How can she expect anything to change without doing anything?

It's not like her doubtfulness is stemmed entirely from her anxiety, Jungkook is hard to read. Sure, their first meeting was awkward, but they managed to end it with some type of conversation and he even seemed confident about the next practice. Three sessions a week for five friggin' weeks and the only thing they can produce is awkward greetings and hesitant, confusing eye contact. Just the thought of it makes her want to scream.

It's finally the weekend of week five and Jin decides to have a small gathering at their house after their shift. Erin is truly grateful for her best friend because she really needs to unwind.

Through a grueling game of rock, paper, scissors (through group text) Jin had dominated, he assigned himself and Erin to be in charge of dinner while Namjoon, Yoongi, and Jimin were responsible for drinks--lots of drinks. And dessert.

~~

Later that night everyone is gathered in the living room. They have gone through three bottles of soju and Erin is starting to feel the effects. She looks to her friends and her heart flutters and then sinks.

Namjoon and Jin are lost in their own love bubble, as per usual. Yoongi and Jimin, the newly formed couple, are engaging in skinship and heavy eye contact. Damn, don’t they look good together.

Erin’s fluttering heart momentarily takes over as she hums in appreciation for the beautiful couples before her. She takes another shot of soju. "You know.." She trails off as a hiccup escapes her. "Yoon-gee, Chim-mee, you two are sooo hot. Like together..and separate." She giggles after another hiccup fit.

Jimin and Yoongi look to her with hooded eyes as they laugh.

“I-I would just love to squ-wish myself in between you-you two. But like not in a ual way--not in a ual way. It just looks so-so cozy and like it would be, like, warm.” She starts giggling again. "Jinnie-oppa is much-much too territorial, but I love him. I love-love all of you. And my heart is sooo happy--it is." She pauses and reaches for another shot of soju, which Jin automatically slaps out of her hand. She scrunches her features. "Ugh, par-tay pooper!" She waves him off and continues. "But you know what doesn't make my heart happy? Being Jeon Jungkook-less." She makes a ‘what-the-’ expression and shrugs her shoulders.

The guys just watch and patiently wait for her to explain.

"Like is he into me or nah? I was the one who-who initiated the speaking like." She counts her fingers. "Like f-iii-ve weeks ago--yeah! Is it stupid that I have been w-waiting for him to do the speaking first this time?"

“You know I always wondered why you two are so weird around each other. Now I know why,” Jimin giggles.

Erin is pouting. "Not funny Chim-mee." She retorts with sarcasm laced heavily in her tone.

Namjoon is pouting with her. Unlike the others, he understands her overthinking and hesitation.

Jin and Yoongi simultaneously offer her advice with stern voices.

She can't disagree with either of them, so she makes a deal. Another shot of soju and she'll confront Jungkook next practice.

~~

Unfortunately for Erin's anxiety, Monday rolls around quicker than she had hoped. Even though she was absolutely blitzed that night with the guys, she remembers their deal. Here she is at the dance studio--fifteen minutes early and pacing around the dance floor. About five minutes into her nervous laps, Jimin gains her attention. She approaches him and is bombarded with a series of random questions. Erin confidently answers each question even though she's a bit skeptical of Jimin's motives.

A set of heavy footsteps enter the studio.

Erin’s stomach plummets like she’s on a roller coaster zooming down a steep decline. She already knows who it is--the one person that is insane enough to wear Timberlands to dance practice.

Jimin is smiling over her shoulder and waving. “Wow! Jungkookie! You’re here early today.”

Jungkook laughs.

Erin nearly dies. His cackling is like music to her ears. There is definitely something wrong with her.

"Yeah, yeah." He responds to Jimin sarcastically.

Jimin sticks his tongue out and shouts his next comment. "We're doing something different today!"

Erin’s head snaps up to Jimin. She is both confused and terrified.

'Don't worry'. Jimin mouths to her and winks.

Erin is most definitely nervous. She goes back to pacing the room while Jungkook disappears into the back.

Once out of view he rushes into the locker room and tosses his things on the bench. He wasn't anywhere near just now and he's already feeling like this--whatever this is. He knows he needs to calm down before practice begins. He walks the short distance to the bathroom. Once inside he looks to his reflection; skin flushed, eyes dark with uncertainty, and brows knit.

What is happening to him? What happened to his confidence from five weeks ago? Why is it so hard for him to approach her? He's never had this issue before, so why now? Why her?

He splashes water onto his face and dries up before exiting. He manages to join the group just in time to hear what Jimin is saying.

"So, my lovely dancers--today we are going to do something a bit different." There is an untrusting smirk upon Jimin's face as he continues. "Hoseok and I have brainstormed over the weekend. We have decided to split everyone into groups based on dance style and music preferences. Now some groups may be smaller than others, but maybe that can be advantageous."

Hoseok jogs to the music table, grabs a clipboard, then jogs back to Jimin. They are both smiling uncontrollably. Before anyone has a chance to prepare themselves, names are flying out of the instructors' mouths. Groups are quickly being formed.

“Erin...and...Jungkook.”

They both pale when their names are called. Neither of them moves; they're waiting for other names to be called into their group. Nothing. That's when they realize their names were last on the list. They look to each other with half smiles.

Jungkook sighs before mentally psyching himself up. He walks toward Erin.

Her mind turns to putty as she watches Jungkook stride across the room. For some reason he’s moving in slow motion--muscles flexing underneath the fabric of his fitted clothes. She gulps.

Jungkook feels confident walking to her. The way her set of emeralds watch him (he will definitely make a move today). He settles next to her. Their proximity causes their arms to brush against each other. Tingles rush up their arms. Erin tries her best to stay focused on Jimin and Hoseok.

"Get to know your members well; you will be spending a lot of time together. You all have two weeks to create choreography to a song, or songs, of your choosing." Hoseok says as he looks directly at Erin and Jungkook.

“We will be here for you every step of the way,” Jimin assures. “You may begin now. Fighting! ”

Hoseok and Jimin look too excited and too suspicious. They immediately pull out their phones as they snicker to each other. This was obviously premeditated.

Jungkook clears his throat. “So, do you have any ideas?”

Erin’s attention snaps to Jungkook. Her mind is blank--only managing to swallow and shake her head.

Jungkook smiles at her.

She takes a mental picture because that smile has been missing for weeks.

“Alright then--what artists do you like?”

"Uh, I pretty much like everything. But these days I'm really into Daniel Caesar, Zayn, Daley..." She trails off as she thinks of more artists seeing as though Jungkook didn't react to any of the others she just mentioned. "Oh! Troye Sivan?"

Jungkook’s face lights up. “Yes! I really like Troye Sivan; he has great range.”

“Okay,” she beams--it feels good to discover a similarity.

Jungkook reflexively grabs Erin by the wrist and leads her to an empty spot in the corner of the studio. Her body naturally follows along, almost as if it is something she has always done. They plop down to the floor sitting cross-legged and face to face. They pull out their cellphones and begin their search for a song.

"Hey, there's this one song that I stumbled across recently--it's called DKLA. Do you know that one?" She asks Jungkook.

“Um, it sounds familiar. Can you play it for me?”

Erin suddenly gets a little nervous. Hopefully, he likes her choice. “Yeah-yeah.” She presses play. And for the next four minutes and fifteen seconds, she nervously watches Jungkook. He has mastered the poker face. "So, Jungkook, what do you think of the song?" She asks while testing his name on her tongue again.

Jungkook whips his head to her. “Yes--I think yes.” A moment of silence passes between them. He speaks up first. “I also think that we’ll need to practice more than three days a week for this song--it has a lot of layers.”

Erin is caught off guard but manages to nod in agreement.

"Should we listen to the song on repeat until we almost hate it?" He asks her.

She smiles. “I think yes.”

~~

After a while, they become lost in conversation while Troye Sivan's voice plays in the background. They don't even notice that the studio is slowly becoming empty.

By this point, Erin is doubled over with her eyes screwed shut and an arm draped across her abdomen. She would have never guessed that Jungkook is this funny or lives such an exciting life. Her life seems monotonous in comparison.

Jungkook is watching Erin with amusement. He should probably feel raw from revealing so many of his embarrassing moments this soon, but, truthfully, when he saw how much delight Erin took in his stories he just couldn't help himself. Her smile and dimples are addicting. "Yah! Alright, enough laughing at me," he says with a smile on his face.

Erin attempts to gather herself, but as soon as she looks at Jungkook she is taken over by another fit of giggles. His wide smile and bunny teeth are too much to handle. Add in his feigned look of innocence, well who could blame her. She inhales deeply. "Okay. Okay! I'm-I'm sorry. I'll quit laughing now." She says with glistening eyes and a tense jaw; dimples threatening to appear once more.

Words are battling in Jungkook's head. He looks at her, his mood more serious. He wants to tell her how beautiful she is; how wonderful she sounds laughing, how he doesn't want this moment to end. But he doesn't say any of that. He doesn't say anything.

They sit there for a moment just looking wondrously to each other. There is a little voice within them urging them to take advantage of this moment--to record every detail and store it into their memory.

Their moment is soon interrupted by the previously scheming pair. Earlier, Jimin and Hoseok had played a game of rock, paper, scissors in order to decide who had to pop Erin’s and Jungkook’s bubble. Jimin lost.

“Hey guys, um, we gotta start locking up,” Jimin says sheepishly.

Jungkook and Erin break eye contact, both immediately reddening. They nod in understanding. Jungkook gets up first and offers his hand to Erin. She accepts his gesture and he proceeds to help her to her feet.

Jimin and Hoseok are terrible at hiding their giddiness. Good thing Jungkook and Erin aren't focusing on them.

Jungkook still has his hand wrapped around Erin’s and lightly pulls at her.

She looks to their joined hands, then to Jungkook. Her eyes widen a little before revealing a small, shy smile and following him to the locker room. Erin's stomach is being assaulted by butterflies as she packs up her things. The corner cubby had become hers and ‘coincidentally' Jungkook had been next to her every time.

Jungkook is full of mixed emotions: nervous and anxious, which is absurd because they were just walking hand-in-hand. He turns to her abruptly. "Erin, let's trade phone numbers. Um, because it would be easier for us to schedule practices."

She instantly reddens. “Ye-yeah. Okay. That makes sense.” She pulls out her phone and unlocks it. Just as she’s about to select the contact icon the screen changes to an incoming call. The sudden sound of Marie's assigned ringtone causes her to jump. It's unusual for her cousin to call her at this time. "Jungkook, I'm sorry I have to take this," she says with concern laced in her tone.

He hums in understanding and backs off.

"Hello...Barry? What's wrong? Slow down. Wait, what? Are you--oh my god." Erin pales and her eyes widen in panic. The hand cradling the phone slowly drops to her side. Her eyes fix on Jungkook; there's a distant look in her eyes. "I have to go." She says with a shaky voice. She slings the bag over her shoulder and rushes toward the door. Before exiting she looks back to a confused and worried looking Jungkook. She desperately wishes to say something, but there are no words. She turns away and is gone before Jungkook can react.

He stands there, in shock, trying to process what just happened. He finally seized the moment--had her in his grasp and she slipped through his fingers; vanished in an instant. He is absolutely bewildered. Questions are quickly filling his mind. But will they ever be answered?