dancing seoul
death by a thousand cuts
Starting a new life
The idea of living in a strange country was really terrifying but Sana got nothing to lose anymore, she is ready to risk it all. She planned this moment and there is no way that she would step back right now, especially when she is already on the plane. As much as she is nervous right now, the girl seating next to her with a hime haircut is twice as nervous as her. So she tried to start a conversation to check if the lady is doing fine.
“Uh... miss? Are you all right?” Sana anxiously asked.
“Ah... I’m not sure with that, my hands are really shaky right now” the girl responded.
“Is this your first time riding on a plane?” Sana laughs. “Well me too”
“Oh not really, this is just how I feel when I’m not seated next to the window” the stranger replied.
Sana picks up what the girl wants immediately and decided to stand to exchange seats with her.
“Oh! No no no, you don’t have—“
“It’s no biggie” Sana laughs while reaching the anxious girl’s hand to help her stand up.
“You’re so nice” the stranger smiles genuinely as a thanks to Sana’s politeness.
While exchanging seats, the stranger accidentally dropped her things and Sana saw her passport information unintentionally finding out that they are just the same age.
“Oh my gosh, we’re both born in 1996?” Sana enthusiastically asks.
“Wow you too? No wonder why we click so well...” They both laugh and comfortably seated next to each other. The awkward air between them is slowly leaving their space too.
“Oh, by the way my name’s Sana” Sana introduces herself while reaching out her hand to the girl whose same age as her.
“I’m Momo, nice meeting you!” Momo shakes Sana’s hand without feeling anxious anymore.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome onboard Flight 9JAL2 with service from Japan to South Korea. We are expected to be on air approximately 5 minutes from now. We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. Please turn off all personal electronic devices, including laptops and mobile phones. Thank you for following and listening, please enjoy your flight.
Throughout the almost two-hour flight, Sana and Momo was able to talk to each other about their personal lives and they feel like they have known each other for a long time by just talking to each other in a small period of time. They both find it funny how they click so easily and both of them wish they knew each other back then in Japan. The thought of living alone was frightening but Sana realized that she was not going to be by all herself, since she already made a friend who is going to a strange country like her to start a new life.
After settling down in Seoul, Momo and Sana realized that they have so much things in common. They found out that both of them are into dancing and they decided to take advantage of that by putting up a small dance studio and make profit from it while the two of them are having fun at the same time. At first Sana was hesitating since they do not have an idea where are they going to get the funds to build a studio but since Momo’s parents are supportive her worries disappeared and later upon checking her bank account she found out that her parents transferred a huge amount of money into her account too. Sana was about to contact them to ask why did they do that despite of her leaving them with a heavy heart. But Sana wants to give herself a peace of mind and decided not to give them a call at all for now.
Everything was going well according to their plans. Since money is not a problem anymore, they were able to build the studio just how they imagine it will look like and the girls agreed to name their studio as “Dancing Seoul”.
“What do you think of our studio’s name?” Momo asks.
“Hmmmm... I like it. It’s kinda catchy actually hehe” Sana gives her approval with a big wide smile on her face.
“Right right” Momo agrees. “I hope that everything will go well”
3 years later, Dancing Seoul Studio is now one of the most popular dance studio in South Korea. Due to their hard work and determination both Sana and Momo are well known choreographers in the country too. A lot of entertainment companies are doing their best just to hire anyone of them to choreograph the dance of their K-pop groups. Since a lot of people are signing up to get dance classes from their studio they hired skilled dance instructors to help them in catering a lot of students who wants to learn to dance. The YouTube channel of their studio is the most subscribed dance channel in the country too, that is why both of them now are unstoppable.
Feeling overwhelm from the love that they are receiving, even both Sana and Momo are busy they decided to open their Instagram to go live and talk to their fans even just for a bit.
“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii everyone, it’s been a while!” Sana started to talk first and the comments and hearts start popping up.
“Hello, I missed you all” Momo says while waving her hand in front of the screen.
“We’re on live right now because we want to tell you all that our YouTube channel just reached 10 million subscribers!!!” Sana excitedly announced the good news.
“We’re so happy right now guys! After our work we’ll eat dinner together with our instructors to celebrate this milestone... Oh no, I think we need to go before I ugly cry here” Momo jokes as she trying to stop the tears from falling down.
“Ahahahha right, our fans might take screen shots and use you as a meme again” Sana said as she pats Momo’s head and trying her best to hold her hysterical laugh.
“Later when we arrive at the restaurant we will do a live again guys so don’t be sad we’ll be back later We love you all” Momo reassures her fans.
“Yes that’s right, I love you guys” Sana waves her and blowing kisses to the screen as she turned off the live.
While packing up, Momo noticed that the smile from Sana’s face faded when they turned off the live and she is aware what is on Sana’s mind that keeps bothering her these days. Momo is hesitating whether she should open it up or not but she decided that they she must ask Sana so that she will better.
“You haven’t still talk to your parents?” Momo anxiously asked her friend.
“Oh no, Momo not now” Sana is doing her best to avoid Momo’s eyes.
“C’mon Sana, that’s must be the reason why you’re sad these days. I know you miss them, It’s been years.” Momo tries to convince her friend.
“I know, but I don’t think I’m ready to talk to them” Sana said in conviction.
“Okay okay, whenever you’re ready! I’m just really worried about you since you’re not like yourself these past days” Momo reaches out for Sana’s hand trying to calm her down.
“Thank you, Momoring” Sana tighten the grip of her hand to assure Momo that she will be okay soon.
“Enough drama, now let’s go our favorite barbeque place!” Sana said in a cheerful tone to break the mood.
“You’re so annoying, you’re about to kill me with those glares a while ago and now you’re acting as if nothing happened” Momo sulks while Sana is trying her best not to laugh.
“Go ahead first with the instructors and I’ll fetch up Mina first from her work hehe” Momo picked up the keys from her bag and walk the way to her car.
“Okay, whatever! Bring Mina safe at the barbeque place or I’ll kick your ” Sana waves to Momo and searches for her own car keys.
“Oh noooo, I’m scared” Momo rolled her eyes and started to drive.
Sana shakes her head as she sees Momo’s car disappeared from her sight. “Gosh... Unbelievable, if there’s someone should be scared right now, that should be me because you left me here all alone in the parking lot!” Sana shouts as if the other girl will hear her.
But you’re not alone though
Sana did her best to stay composed despite of being afraid all alone while looking for her car
“Ah... Gosh... Where are the other instructors? I thought Eunha wants a ride with me but how come she keeps ignoring my texts?” Sana is thinking out loud right now to lessen the anxiousness that she is feeling right now.
I told you, you’re not alone. I’m here.
Sana was able to find her car and started to walk as fast as she could so that she could leave the place and while doing her best to stay calm. Upon grabbing the door of her car an unfamiliar girl popped out in front of her that left her speechless.
“Sana! For once can you stop pretending not hearing me!”
Sana was frozen and cannot think straight. She wants to shout but is stopping her to do so.
“Gh-gho-ghos—" Sana was now unconscious in front of her car due to shock, and the “ghost” started to shout for help in the parking lot feeling guilty for what she did to the other girl.
Momo illegally parked her car, since all the parking spaces near the hospital are full already. Momo is high key hoping that no one would notice what she did because she desperately wants to see her g̶i̶r̶l̶friend right now.
On the way to the entrance of Mina’s workplace she saw an ambulance carrying a patient to the emergency room and Momo automatically look at the opposite view because she is afraid to see blood and pities the patient.
“Oh, I really feel bad seeing situations like this” Momo sighs.
Momo has been always afraid to go to any hospitals but if it is for Mina, she will not mind it because Mina and her are friends. She will do anything for Mina because they are friends. As Momo was able to go inside the hospital, she quickly wants to find Mina so that both of them could leave the place already. Momo heard her phone buzzed but she does not need to check it to see who texted her she already knew that it was Mina who texted her by heart.
[Mina]:
Hi. I need to attend a patient right now who was just brought into the ER, as much as I want to leave but I can’t since the other Doctors in a meeting or currently in operation. It will be just a bit since I just need to check the patient. You can leave already if you want, just text me the place and I’ll go there by myself later :)
[Momo]:
But I can wait :(
[Mina]:
Okkkk, just stay at the lobby then ;)
Before Momo could text Mina back she recieved another text from the girl.
[Mina]:
OH MY GOSH MOMO, I THINK YOU NEED TO COME HERE.
Momo rushes to the ER without asking Mina why. Few minutes later, she saw two familiar faces. She saw Mina putting the IV drip on Sana who is unconscious right now. Momo was shaking, seeing Sana so pale, laying on hospital bed makes her feel bad right now. But thank God, Mina was next to her. One of the best doctors in this hospital. Sana is in good hands, nothing bad will happen to her.
“What happened” Momo asks Mina.
“When she was being placed by the nurses here, they said that she passed out in front of her car and upon checking her temperature she has a fever but don’t worry it will go down soon, she just need some rest.” Mina assures Momo who is currently holding Sana’s free hand.
Few moments later, Sana wakes up in an unfamiliar place surrounded by Mina and Momo who are both worried with her. She tried to get up but Mina stopped her from doing so.
“You need to rest” Mina said in an aggressive tone. “I’m saying this as your doctor not as your friend, okay?”
Sana laughs “Whatever, you both are really annoying” Sana’s smile was washed-out when she realized the reason why she’s in hospital right now. She tried to check her surroundings and both of friends noticed her feeling anxious.
“What’s wrong?” Momo asks.
“When I passed out in the parking lot, I felt and saw something unusual—” Sana does not really want to elaborate what happened earlier because Mina and Momo might think she is just having delusions but both of their look is encouraging her to tell them more about it. “—and I think? I saw a ghost?” It was obvious on Sana’s look that it was really hard for her to tell this but she got annoyed to see Momo holding her laugh. So she glared at her best friend wanting to pinch her skin. “Okay my bad, I’m sorry. I just think that it was so funny that ghosts exist—“ Mina elbowed Momo and the girl suddenly stop talking and started being serious again. “A ghost? Really?” Mina genuinely asked Sana. “Yes, she showed up in front of me while I’m trying to open my car.” Sana’s hands were trembling by just remembering it. Meanwhile, Momo’s eyes widen when she realized and remembered when Sana told her story about her parents. Momo made an audible gulp before telling Sana what is on her mind. “Perhaps, Sana you’re thinking of what I’m thinking too, right?”
“It could be” Sana’s voice was shaking upon answering her friend.
“What do you guys mean?” Mina interrupts.
Momo let Sana explained to Mina “That there’s a possibility that I inherited the ability of my parents to see ghosts” The atmosphere changed and all the three of them started to feel uneasy.
“W-wait maybe it’s just because you’re sick that’s why you’re seeing unusual things a while ago” Momo tries to reassure her friend
“N-n-no, I-i-i d-d-don’t t-t-t-think so” Both Momo and Mina are having a hard time to understand Sana since her voice was getting shakier this time, all they understand is that the girl is really nervous.
“Why do you say so? How sure are you?” Momo aggressively ask.
“ᴵᵗ'ˢ ᵇᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ˢʰᵉ'ˢ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵘˢ ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ⁿᵒʷ, ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ᵇᵉʰᶦⁿᵈ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ ᴹᵒᵐᵒʳᶦⁿᵍ” Sana said in a low tone of voice hoping the ghost will not hear her.
“I can still hear you” The ghost laughs. “My hearing is still great even if I’m already dead”
Sana shouts. Momo started shouting and Mina too.
It was a complete mess. Everyone in the ER was looking at the 4 of them (Oh. Actually just 3 of them, since Sana is the only one who can see the wandering ghost).
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