CHAPTER 2

Jinu was in front of the mirror and was being groomed for his interview with Gabby. Gabby already sent the questions in advance. Jinu was reviewing the questions. It was mainly about how Joyous Dance started and some questions about the competitions and work done by Joyous Dance over the past years. Somewhere below the questions, Mino was mentioned. Jinu sighed.

“Tired?” Jinu heard his friend Seulgi asked as she was fixing his hair. “I’m almost done.”

“I’m fine, Seulgi. I was just reviewing the questions and thinking of the answers I will give.” Jinu showed Seulgi the script he was reading. He pointed at the question about how Joyous Dance started.

Seulgi took the paper and read the question as she sat beside her friend, “Well, if I was asked this question, I’ll tell them it’s all you.”

Jinu shrugged in disagreement. “That’s not true. We put this up together.”

Seulgi knows remembering how Joyous Dance started will also remind Jinu of his heartaches. So she would rather remind her friend how incredible and talented he is. “Well, you are Kim Jinu. Before you became known as the handsome CEO of Joyous Dance, you are already popular in our school. We joked about how we started with two students but admittedly more students came when we put up your face in front of the studio.” Seulgi laughed as he remembered students swarming in front of the advert of Jinu when it was posted. Calls were queries and enrollment on his scheduled classes. “You had to quit your other jobs as the requests for your class increased. Do you even remember the older lady who enrolled in your class and was insisting on a private class?”

Jinu grimaced, “Why do you have to remind me that?”

Seulgi laughed, “Okay, I’m sorry. But kidding aside, you are great even before all of this glitter and glamour. Always on top of our classes, the champion of the school.”

Jinu looked down. Seulgi knew what the other was thinking. Seulgi is probably the only person who knew what happened in the competition that somehow determined his friend’s life. She was the only one who was with him when he was crying buckets when he danced again after losing in that competition.

“Some of our students were our juniors in school who admires you. Some are even from other schools who saw you perform and they would rather join the competitor’s dance studio than their own seniors’.” Seulgi looked Jinu in the eye, “And that is something you achieved through your talents.”

Jinu smiled, “Thank you.”

A knock came from the door and Don’s head appeared in the small opening he made. “Everything’s ready.”

Jinu and Seulgi stood up. Jinu put his arm around his friend and they walked together towards the door. He was thankful Seulgi was with him from the beginning, even during his darkest and lowest times.

xxxx

“Speaking of Mino, fans are noticing how close with each other you became.”

Jinu straightened his seat and his eyes glanced at someone from behind the camera. Mino was silently greeting everyone as he has just arrived. He returned his attention to Gabby, “Yes, we have become close. He is friends with everyone in Joyous Dance. Mino, hmmmm…. He is a nice person and it’s not difficult to genuinely like his person.” Jinu quickly glanced at Mino and gave a small smile. “After working with Mino, we were introduced to different artists. His friend, Bobby, also hired us for his song ‘Looking for Love’. A lot of opportunities came after we worked with Mino.”

“You seem to give a lot of credit to Mino.” Gabby said. Jinu was nodding in agreement. “But we made a little research about your career prior to Mino happening or even Joyous Dance.”

Jinu became nervous. What is the extent of their research about him before Joyous Dance?

“We asked some of your students and found out how popular you were in your university and how legendary are your pieces among the students of your school or even in the competitor’s university. So as a last part of our interview, we made this portion of ‘Jinu reacts to his old video’”

Jinu’s eyes widened a bit, his heart is racing. He was told they will play a game at the end just to finish it well but was never told of the concept of the game. What video were they going to show? “This is scaring me a bit.” A lot, actually, as Jinu gave a nervous laugh.

“We asked your students and juniors in your school what’s their favorite piece that you did while in school and almost everyone said it is this piece. I haven’t seen the video, too.” Gabby told Jinu and she looked at the camera, “So, viewers, the reaction you will see from me will also be my first reaction. C’mon, let’s play it”

A staff set up the laptop in front of them. Gabby and Jinu moved their chairs so they are seated beside each other and in front of the laptop. Jinu was nervous as he looked at the laptop screen. Flashing there is his white pale face with red eye liners and slightly disheveled hair. He tried to gulp but his mouth suddenly became dry. His hands are starting to sweat and he was wiping them against his pants.

“This was chosen by a lot of people and this video is entitled Duality.” Gabby clicked the play button and an image of Jinu stand on Hoon’s shoulders showed up.

The video started playing. Jinu don’t know how to react so he just put on his rehearsed smile. Thankfully, Gabby was too focus on the video, also with little reaction, that Jinu is not pressured to give reactions as well. He don’t know if the beats he hears are from the music or his heart is beating too much. He watched as his younger self was lifted up by the younger Hoon. Hoon removing his top and painting him red. He feels like his breathing but not really enough. A few minutes later the video ended.

Gabby with mouth agape turned to Jinu. “Oh my gosh, Jinu. That piece is a masterpiece, I want to cry but I’m too amazed that I can’t right now. And am I right, is that Lee Seunghoon with you?”

Jinu swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh. “Yes, that was Lee Seunghoon with me.” Jinu tried to avert the discussion from Hoon by explaining the piece instead, “Duality is a piece I choreographed because I wanted to showcase the duality of a human being. We both have a good side and an evil side. And I think we constantly have inner struggles with these two opposite nature we have.” Jinu looked at Gabby who still looked astonished. “Did you like it?” Jinu laughed.

“Greatly.” Gabby said with eyes wide. “I mean the concept, the choreography, your movements in this dance, it’s just perfect. And what a pleasant surprise, Lee Seunghoon.”

“Thank you for liking the piece. That piece was memorable to me as well” Jinu said as he nod his head and settled his sight on the laptop who is now showing him and Hoon standing beside each other. He was being honest. The piece is memorable as it was his glory and heartache.

Endnotes:

This is the reference of the Duality performance. This routine was also the piece that made me fall in love with Huang Xiao’s talent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjlNbT6HMdk performance starts at 0:51 time mark.