“Lip,” I was now home on the phone with Kim Lip and in bed, my feet dangled over the edge of the bed.

“Did you find anything?” she asked.

I sighed, “No, I’ll keep watch of it in the meantime. Tell me when’s the next deal, I’ll stake out that day.”

“Roger that, so has anything interesting happened at school?” she giggled.

“No,” I sighed again, “Better that it doesn’t, I’ll be back soon enough if nothing happens.”

“Awe,” I could see her pout over the phone, “Why not experience something for me?”

“Like what?”

“Romance,” she cheered.

I scoffed, “Lip, my priority right now is returning to South Korea and taking on more missions.”

She sighed, “Whatever you’re hopeless.”

“Am I really?” I asked.

“Yes you are, now enjoy your time there before I have to come myself. See you,” she hung up.

The next day at school I found a stairway that overlooked part of the campus that not many students used. I didn’t have my creative writing class today but just dance and college calculus. I stood there looking at the notifications that came to my phone when a voice spoke behind me.

“You know you’re a weird one?” Hendery smirked.

“How so?” I asked.

“Well who goes into a bar and orders almond milk?”

I gave him a small smile, “I wasn’t feeling any drinks.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned his back against the railing, both of his arms spread out to support him, “Yea that’s why. I see you’ve found my secret spot on campus,” he tilted his head back so that he could get a better look at the sky.

“This is your spot? Sorry I didn't see a name anywhere.”

“It’s fine,” he turned his head so that I could see his face, “I don’t mind sharing it.”

“Right,” I looked away from him, down at the students that were walking to their classes.

“We should get to class,” Hendery lifted himself off the railing and walked down the flight of stairs first. I followed right behind him.

“Jinsoul! Hi!” Lucas beamed when Hendery and I walked into the practice room. The students who were already there stretching turned at Lucas’ loud booming voice.

“Hi,” I waved at him.

“Come stretch with us!” Lucas waved Hendery and I over to where he, Ten and Sicheng were already sitting.

“Come on,” Hendery tilted his head towards Lucas and the others and made his way to them, plopping himself down on the ground. I placed my bag against the wall and took a seat next to Lucas, giving Ten and Sicheng a small wave. Sicheng returned my wave with a smile, while Ten just rolled his eyes and continued stretching. Yangyang avoided making eye contact with me.

After a while Ms. Yu entered the practice room, her clipboard in hand. “Alright class, I hope you brought your pointe shoes today, if not well up to you to decide if you want to do it barefoot I could care less,” Ms. Yu shrugged. “But we’ll be doing ballet, today we’ll be doing fouette turns. Everyone will get a turn to demonstrate to the class what they can do and we’ll even have a small competition,” Ms. Yu seemed happy. “Now everyone find a spot, preferably a bit away from those around you, you’ll need space.” The students began to spread out in the practice room. I kicked off my shoes like some of the other students had and stood in between Sicheng and Lucas. Ms. Yu stood in front of the class where everyone could see it, the rest of us were in neat rows behind her. “First you begin in the fourth position as we’ve discussed in our last ballet lesson, then up, kick off, turn, turn, turn, turn, move your leg in and out to keep you going, up and down, up and down,” she demonstrated. Ms. Yu came to a stop and posed, “Simple right? Now everyone try.” The students looked around at one another before starting. Some fell as soon as they tried to kick off, others were able to successfully do the fouette once, but not keep it going. Ms. Yu had demonstrated it effortlessly, but hardly anyone was able to get it on the first try.

The door opened and a figure walked it, it was the male on the subway train from last night.

“Xiaojun nice of you to join us today,” Ms. Yu looked disinterested in the male, but greeted him nonetheless. Our eyes met and he held his gaze even as I looked away. “Well don’t just stand there, stretch and get in line,” Ms. Yu instructed him, “We’re doing fouette turns today, I suggest you start practicing, shortly here everyone will demonstrate in front of the class.” Xiaojun didn’t say anything but took a spot behind me.

“Did you oversleep again?” Sicheng asked him as he passed by. Xiaojun nodded but didn’t say anything else. Around us other students had gone back to practicing their fouette turns. Ten was able to get it on the first try and was just trying to keep it going, but he had done so effortlessly. Ms. Yu walked around giving pointers to each student but just nodded in approval at Ten before moving onto the next student. I stumbled as I did my first fouette turn, but regained my balance and started over. After another try I was able to get back into the groove of it and keep it continuing, I kept turning and turning even as Ms. Yu stood in front of me to critique me. She just nodded and moved onto Lucas who was struggling with his longer legs. After Ms. Yu had seen every student individually she walked back to the front and clapped her hands together, gaining everyone’s attention. “And now, we start the competition,” she beamed. “I want everyone to continue doing fouette turns until you can’t anymore. The last person still doing fouette turns will be the winner.” Students in the back groaned, even Lucas groaned at her proposal. “Uh uh uh, now let’s begin,” she clasped her hands together, “One two three,” she counted off and students began their turns. I started at the same time everyone else had and continued doing my turns. Lucas next to me did one turn before his legs flailed under him and he fell to the ground and sat there watching as others continued to turn. Sicheng next to me was able to keep his turns consistent. “Move to the side once you’re out please,” Ms. Yu instructed. As we continued more and more students moved to the side of the practice room. Not long after Sicheng lost his footing and fell, he quickly brushed it off and moved to the side of the practice room. Eventually it was just me and Ten that were still going. I felt tension in the room start to rise as the other students intently stared at us. “Both of you stop,” Ms. Yu held out her hand to stop the both of us. Immediately I did as she said and stopped, Ten who stood about three feet away from me also stopped, his hands on his hips.

“Let’s make it more interesting, you two,” she pointed to two random students that were standing on opposite sides of the practice room, “I want you two to count their turns. We’ll determine the winner on the most turns they can do.”

Ten rolled his eyes, “Fine by me.”

“Alright then, ready, start!” Ms. Yu smiled, she didn’t even bother to get my input. I started the turns again and continued. “How many so far?” Ms. Yu asked after a bit of time had passed.

“Twenty,” the student who was watching Ten had answered.

“Fifteen,” the student who was watching me answered.

“Thirty-two,” the student who was watching Ten announced as he came to a stop. His legs had given out and he sat on the floor massaging one of his legs. I continued with the turns as my legs started to get tired. I was so focused on watching Ten that I lost my footing and stumbled a few steps back until someone caught me.

“Are you alright?” Sicheng smiled at me, his arms were under mine to keep me from falling.

I nodded, and stood up straight, taking a few steps away from him, “Yea thanks.” Eyes around the room were watching us, or rather me. Even Yangyang, who had been avoiding me earlier, was staring at me. Xiaojun was leaning against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest, watching. Hendery and Lucas were squatting on the floor, looking as though they were about to get up.

“Thirty-four,” the student who was watching me announced.

“What?” Ten yelled out.

Ms. Yu held out a hand to silence Ten, “Thirty-four you say?” she asked the student. The male nodded his head and avoided looking at Ten. Ms. Yu smiled, “Well we have a victor if I say so myself. Fun fact, in the Black Swan the dance only has thirty-two turns. That being said, if anyone in this room wants the role of the Black Swan besides Jinsoul or Ten, then I suggest you practice. Well class is dismissed for the day, after everyone gives our victor a round of applause,” she began clapping. At first students didn’t clap, but one by one they did. Ten who was still seated on the floor just looked away. I gave a small bow to everyone to acknowledge their clapping.

A/N: Hi long time no update, just wanted to let everyone know that I haven't abandoned this fanfic just yet and don't intend to. School and other responsibilities have just consumed so much of my time.

As for the recent news involving Lucas, I'm not sure what to think about it. At first, the accusations were debunked but then more accusations were made and more victims have come forth. SM has only released one statement regarding the situation and Lucas has posted an apology but what is true and false are hard to identify. Hopefully, SM is able to thoroughly investigate the matter with authorities and get into contact and compensate the victims.

In regards to this fanfic, I would hate to have to rewrite the characters since I already had an ideal plot and character development in mind for each character. However, out of respect to the victims and those who are affected by the recent news, I will possibly have to rewrite the fanfic to not include his character if the accusations are true. As of now, I plan to rewrite the chapters I already have drafted to make his character play a more minor role. I hope you can support my decision and understand that the Lucas now represented in this fanfic is just fiction and not affiliated with the one in reality.