“So,” the music professor twirls a strand of hair that had come loose out of her bun, taking a large breath in, “There’s, Schumann, Erlkönig; Wagner, The Ring Cycle; Stravinsky, Rite of Spring; Schoenberg, Pierrot Lunaire —“ 

A pause. Wow, that’s … 

“Oh I forgot, Berlioz, Symphonie Fant— ” 

Oh, she wasn’t done. "Wait, what else?” The history professor noted her co lecturer was still on the same breath. 

"Stravinsky, Le Sacre du printemps.” 

Dahyun rolls her eyes, “Seriously? No. You just said that.” 

But the name did feel familiar to Dahyuns ears. The memory, she could feel it and if given different circumstances she’d let her mind wander. What mattered right now were her impromptu lessons plan adjustments.

Chaeyoung smirks,"Might as well add Fire Bird and Petrushka in there as well onto that list of yours.” 

Dahyun finally looks up from the mess of scattered scores, programs, books and notes they’ve spread out onto her once pristine desk. 

"We only need 1.” The history professor punctuated, her eyes focusing towards her colleague. The music professors mouth still open, waiting for the cue to continue. "That’s singular. Just one piece from an important composer. Not their whole discography.”

But the name resonated at a memory Dahyun couldn’t quite recall.

Rite of Spring, Rite of Spring, Rite of Spring, the history professor repeated to herself. 

She let out a frustrated sigh. 

Fine! Time for the old memory hacks! Okay. Toast, butter, oranges, Chaeyoung’s shortness, sunshine, potatoes… Ah!

Finally, like a switch, the memory emerged so furiously she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten her own origin story. The history professor quickly filters through the piles of papers until she sees the familiar red and yellow flames of the program. 

Seeing the history professor sorting through more notes, the music professor takes that as a cue for her second breath to continue. 

"But technically they’re all important!” The music professor exclaimed, holding all three scores in her hand towards the history professors face. 

Shocked at the sudden action the history professor looks up and observes her colleagues eyes. 

Not this look. 

Chaeyoung throws down the three scores onto her desk, a few papers flying off. The small, music professor now expressing her distress in exasperated hand motions. 

"You can’t have the Rite of Spring without Fire Bird and Petrushka birthing its creation. The physical riots that happened during Rite of Spring, OH! You think mosh pits are crazy? Can you imagine the amount of chaos that occurred during the premiere of this ballet?? OH! And don’t get me started on rehearsal 13? The syncopations were unorthodox! Oh fun fact —" 

Instantly, Dahyun pinches the bridge of her nose, succumbing to the next 10 minute tangent and the onset of a very prominent headache. 

Honestly, Dahyun could live without another fun fact in her life but she also couldn’t really say no to Chaeyoung.  However, the lack of productivity in their weekly collaboration sessions were becoming more frequent and the semester was calling for more material that their self made syllabus did not prep them for. And every week, without fail, Chaeyoung's tangents were a frequent thing. 

“So it’s like this. His cousin owned the theater and helped him in his big break-"

Dahyun raises her hand, halting her over enthused co-lecturer. Her eyes quickly filtering through the program in her hand, stopping at a familiar name. There in the list of dancers, a featured premiere of Mina Myoui, performing as “The Chosen One” in the “Sacrificial Dance” in Act II. Dahyun eyes quickly scan the rest of the program and spots Professor Myoui’s picture and the short biography following it. The history professor jaw opens. 

How could she forget this performance… The one that she resonated so deeply with. The one performance that led to dreams of— 

“Hey, isn’t that Professor Myoui?” Chaeyoung, now leaning over the desk to peek at the program, asked nonchalantly. 

 Dahyun still in disbelief, eyes shifting between the picture of a then 18 year old Mina and her colleague. “Do you know how old this program is?” Dahyun points towards the program, staring at her co lecturer incredulously.

Chaeyoung scoffs, “Shouldn’t I be asking why you’re hoarding programs that are that old?” 

Dahyun dismissed the insult, “You really shouldn’t because this,” she points to the picture of Mina, “Is going to be my guest lecturer for the upcoming section.” 

Dahyun closes her laptop and shoves it in her bag. 

“Hey! Wait!” Chaeyoung reaches out, trying to stop Dahyun. “I thought I was your co lecturer!” 

Dahyun walks passed, not phased by the sad, kicked puppy eyes, Chaeyoung looks at her with. The signature look just slightly less impactful after some time hanging out with her co lecturer. 

“Well,” her hand on the door, shooting one last look at Chaeyoung, “I’ll see you around partner.” 

With a last solute, Dahyun leaves a mopey Chaeyoung in her office. 

— 

In her peripherals she can see the fidgeting student sitting in front of her desk while she continues typing out an email. Promptness didn't just extend to herself but also to her appointments. The student had knocked on her office door about 3 minutes ago for their 2:30 appointment. 

Her fingers continued typing as the student waited for any form of acknowledgement. If her intuition didn’t nudge her to do a brief background check before their meeting she would already have spared a glance. But her intuition was always right. 

“I apologize for intruding, I just wanted to know, is there anyway to raise my grade in your class?” 

She lifts an eyebrow, unperturbed to look away from the email she had to send to the director of her department, “And this is my responsibility?” She asks incredulously. 

The student shifts in their chair, the urge to beg for any sort of mercy increasing every passing second. 

“I was just asking…” 

Professor Myoui interjects, “And you’re wasting your time asking instead of working on fixing your grade yourself.” 

Done and send. 

Professor Myoui finally shifts her gaze from her laptop to the pitiful student and folds her hands across her desk.

“Look, the semester isn’t over and you’ll have plenty of chances to get the grade that’s acceptable to pass if you choose to.” 

Professor Myoui observes the student, hoping a spark of motivation would arise. Sadly, the students shoulders slump lower in defeat.  

“But I needan A in this class.” The student begs. 

Professor Myoui lets the student sit in silence for a moment, she can see the desperation settling in their eyes. 

Just because you ask, doesn’t mean you’ll receive. A voice Mina shakes out of her head.

 She leans forward toward the student, her voice a whisper, “Then do the work that deserves an A.” 

The students head falls and sighs in defeat, “Yes, Professor Myoui,” they lean down to pick up their bag, standing up to leave, "Thank you for your time.” 

The student rushes out the door, almost running into the incoming professor trying to knock. 

“Whoa there, no need to rush.” 

The student keeps their head low, saying a quick “Sorry,” before they rush down the hallway. 

Dr. Kim points back to the student, still standing at the entrance towards Professor Myoui’s office, “Should I ask?” 

Professor Myoui waves her hand, dismissing the question. “Dr. Kim please, come in.” 

Dahyun quickly closes the door behind her and rushes toward the history professor. 

“Stop with the formalities! I already told you, call me Dahyun.” Dahyun takes a seat in front of her colleague. 

Mina sighs, “Ah, sorry. It’s a habit.” 

“You’ve been hanging out with me and Chaeng for two months now. We’re only called doctors on paper.” 

Mina laughs, her face reflecting the bright smile Dahyun is giving her because for the two months they’ve been hanging out she’s only experienced warmth from their bright smiles. 

Mina gives a curt nod, “Right. So what brings you here?” 

Dahyun eyes were shining and it was infectious. Both Dahyun and Chaeyoung shared a certain rawness that Mina wasn’t too comfortable with, yet. Mina always wondered how one could have such a strong gaze. A gaze that showed such strong convictions for every action. A gaze that showed the innocence of life to live without regrets. A gaze that showed the unyielding fire of their passions. It was a gaze Mina knew faintly, after all the manufactured desires she’d possess, a small remnant still lived somewhere. 

This time Mina observed Dahyuns gaze that shined transparent admiration. She tilted her head in confusion. 

“I have a proposition, my good ol’ department buddy.” Dahyun starts. 

Dahyun, who seemed to be overflowing with energy, places the program in front of Mina. 

Mina’s eyes flickered down towards the all too familiar cover. The flames of red and orange from posters covering every corner of her city. The scratchy lettering of the title clawing at her eyes forcing her to remember. Memories instantaneously resurfacing after dormant years of suppressing them. In an instant it felt like air had simultaneously been out of her while her vision clouds over. 

The professor blinked a couple times, composing herself, trying to understand where Dahyun may lead the conversation. 

Dahyun points at the program, almost jumping off her seat, “I have A LOT of questions regarding this ballet here. I mean A LOT. Like, wow, you don’t understand how much this show means to me.” Dahyun shakes her head, refocusing. “My reason for walking literally a hallway down was to ask you in person if you’d like to be a guest lecturer for a day to talk about ballets?” 

Mina’s mouth hangs open. 

Dahyun laughs at a speechless Mina and takes the opportunity to quip, “For someone whose always composed, like, that one time a fly landed on your face, I think I’ll take this as a point for me.” After wiping a tear from her eye she continues, “I’ve been talking in circles with Chaeyoung about lesson plans. We both know that she can’t really go a full minute without bursting in with a past experience or fun fact of whatever piece we’re covering.” 

Dahyun reaches over to grasp Mina’s hands in hers. “It’ll only be one class day and that’ll be it. Just one class to help everyone focus and not just Chaeyoung talking about that one time she messed up her cue entrance and had a baton flung at her.” 

Dahyun smiles hopefully at Mina. 

Mina takes a deep breath in to collect herself and sighs heavily. She looks up at Dahyun and seeing their transparent personality already tells Mina they knows nothing of her inner demons. 

Mina sighs again, giving in. 

“Just tell me when.” 

--- 

At that moment, Chaeyoung could hear an all too familiar scream from down the hallway.  

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a/n

alright I'm still really rusty at this and I just finished finals so in celebration of break another chapter! 

thank you for taking the time to read this story!!

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