Days and weeks go by without halting, trainees struggling and getting removed along the way without hesitation by the company. Joohyun knows it’s a phase, one that she will have to get over with time, but it doesn’t make it any less upsetting. She doesn’t have prior experience in the entertainment industry, no, but her dance teams back in school worked the same way. Students who couldn’t keep up with the rigorous routine had to be dropped sooner or later, or they’d bring the entire team down. It never felt good being the bearer of bad news but Joohyun could live with that kind of guilt, being the eldest and the leader.

Back to the present time, Joohyun is sitting in the corner of the dance studio as she watches her closest friend get yelled at by their dance coach again.

Momo’s arms are akimbo, staring daggers at the quiet trainee in front of her. She’s so busy trying to control her temper that she completely misses the girl’s visible flinch. “How many times have I told you to keep up with the beat? You’re dancing off beat repeatedly!”

“Actually, Miss Hirai…” Joohyun raises her hand timidly, only to get shut down with an equally fierce glare. Sana is capable of getting mad too, but she’s far too weak to do so now. “Do not, Unnie, I’m fine.”

Sana is a girl with many emotions, consistently trying to keep everyone’s spirits on a high in these trying times. She knows some trainees talk about her in whispers, wondering if there is something up her sleeve. Most trainees keep to themselves because well, it’s a bloody competition at the end of the day. It’s also that same sense of anxiety that makes Sana want to change things, she wants people to get along and be healthy. So, you can say Sana is considered an oddball, but she’s so genuine that Joohyun wants to keep her protected and safe.

“You’re not fine, Sana.”

The dance coach throws her hands up in the air and paces around for a bit, confused at the exchange between the two trainees. “Is someone going to explain to me what’s happening or are you two going to start a fight here?”

Joohyun glares at Sana one more time before getting up from her seat, gesturing for the dance coach to follow her.

“Sana wasn’t feeling well last night, but she insisted on coming because she’s not weak,” Joohyun rolls her eyes, making inverted commas with her fingers. If she could tie Sana to the sofa, she would have. “I’m not a doctor but if someone is up all night and basically bathing in cold sweat this morning…”

God, this stubborn girl.

Momo thanks Joohyun and marches back to where Sana is, the girl now sitting on the floor with her face buried into her knees. All the little tell-tale signs are coming together like clockwork in her brain; Sana is constantly out of breath and bending down with her eyes closed. She might be a strict dance coach with absolutely no tolerance for laziness and slipshod work but this is overdoing it on many levels.

“Sana, go back to the dorms and rest.”

No response.

“Sana?”

Joohyun a brow, walking towards the two of them. She bends down and nudges her friend, shrieking in fright when Sana falls onto the floor lifelessly. “SANA!”

Good God, Momo quickly lays the girl onto the floor before placing her head on her lap; it shouldn’t be anything worth bragging about but Sana isn’t the first one to pass out during practice. She takes off her own outerwear and drapes it across the tank top-clad body to prevent Sana from developing the chills; this happens on the one day she chooses to wear two layers, thank goodness? Taking the practice schedule from her pocket, Momo folds it into half and begins to fan the unconscious girl. Is she really that much of a tyrant that sick trainees still need to practice?

Come on now.

“I’m going to refill her water bottle and see if anyone has medication with them. Be right back.” Joohyun runs out of the studio before Momo can get a word in, completely forgetting about her vocal lesson.

In the silence of the dance studio, Momo can’t hold herself back from staring at that perfect, flawless face. Being a dance coach is more than she ever asked for; her ambition at one point in time was to be a back-up dancer, it didn’t matter if no one knew her face. Now, she’s recognized as a choreographer and a dance coach collectively, Momo is satisfied for now. All the years she spent improving her skills and charging towards her goal, she managed to push out the loneliness with ease. Sure, she has friends but romantic involvement?

There was just no time.

“Sana, wake up…” Momo mumbles, patting the younger girl’s face gently. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to put Sana’s head on her lap because her breath is starting to tickle her thighs.

God can be merciful, it seems, because Sana begins to stir.

“You’re awake. How are you feeling? Do you wanna go back to the dorms?”

“One question at a time…” Sana whispers, her eyes still shut. She may still look unwell but really, she just doesn’t dare to look up because she knows she’s lying on Momo’s lap. “Just let me rest for a bit and we can continue the lesson…”

An obnoxious scoff echoes around the dance studio; Sana must be delusional if she thinks she’s allowed to do anything other than rest for the next two days.

“Once you’re strong enough to get off my lap, I’m taking you to the doctor and no, I will not accept any argument. You’re my trainee so you’re my responsibility and that is what I will do.”

Even while she’s being reprimanded, Sana feels like she’s soaring high up with how firm and snarky Momo sounds. The dance coach was already a hottie in her eyes ever since she saw her at the audition, but Momo is certainly more attractive when she’s bossy. Clearly, another trait Sana can admire other than her beautiful body lines and dance techniques. Sana bites down on her lower lip hard, trying to stop herself from smiling like an idiot at the mere thought of Momo taking care of her. Sure, dating shouldn’t be on her mind but she can enjoy the thought, right?

“Get up, you idiot.”

Oh, Joohyun.

Sana laughs awkwardly and pushes herself up from the floor, knowing she won’t be able to escape the hell of a scolding she’s about to receive. “I’m up… please don’t scold me, I’ll buy you tteokbokki.”

Momo sits cross-legged on the floor with a small grin, observing the two friends bicker over their health and whatnot. She doesn’t show any emotion as much as possible, not to trainees and certainly not at work; trainees must go through hardship and Momo can only do that if she’s stoic.

“Unnie, I’m thankful you’re here but don’t you have a vocal lesson to go to?’

The look of terror takes over Joohyun’s entire face and she pauses in mid-air, jaw dropped and eyes wide. She was so preoccupied with making sure Sana was okay that she had completely forgotten about her own lesson. “ing hell! Wait sorry, ignore that. I didn’t mean to curse in front of you, Miss Hirai!” Joohyun is on the verge of pulling her hair out and jumping off the nearest bridge; she has fumbled way too many things in the past hour. She quickly snatches up her bag and makes a run for it, shoving the door open with a loud bang.

She is so screwed.

With every step she takes, Joohyun struggles to think of what she can possibly say that will actually be believable. Her impression goes from bad to worse in a blink of an eye.

Until she runs into the most dreaded person of the day.

Literally runs into her.

“Can you watch where you’re going? This isn’t a playground!”

Joohyun hurriedly bows a few times, apologizing profusely to Seungwan; everything is just out to mess with her today. “I’m so sorry, I was rushing to the studio for our lesson!”

Oh, she looks pissed.

Seungwan will gladly take the fact that she woke up earlier than usual, skipped breakfast and drove herself here because Joohyun wanted to have an extra lesson to the grave. Instead, she waited there in the booth for almost forty-five minutes on an empty stomach, maintaining her patience unlike her usual style. No trainee has ever requested for extra lessons and have the audacity to come late with no prior notice whatsoever. It’s safe to say Seungwan has run out of her quota for being nice.

“If you weren’t going to turn up or be late, you could have told me. I wasted my time waiting for you when I could be enjoying my free time today or coaching another trainee.”

“I was late because –”

“Save it, Joohyun. I’ll see you for your designated lesson next Monday.” Seungwan utters, choosing to look at anything else other than Joohyun’s eyes; she might falter if she stares any longer.

Joohyun feels like she got stabbed in the gut, not because she didn’t say anything earlier but because Seungwan basically revealed she came to the company for her. They were also making good progress in terms of each other’s impression... and now?

It’s all dust.

The hallway corridors have always felt lonely in some form, the trainees passing by one another with more animosity than friendliness as the months go by. Joohyun has experienced both sides, and can possess both sides if necessary. The one thing she never expected... is this feeling of emptiness and disappointment, almost like her heart is a void chasm. Trainees and coaches rarely get along as friends but they’re usually civil at least; Seungwan is unlikely to be nice to her again. Being professional is where she draws the line, but Joohyun knows... today would have changed that.

“Joohyun? Please make your way back to the dorms safely. Good night.”

Very polite, very courteous.

A little too polite.

“I will... thank you, Miss Son.”

Unsurprisingly, the weather is horrible when she comes out from the main doors; it’s not like fate ever helped her in any way. Joohyun all but screeches when banging, crashing thunder echoes alongside sizzling, electrifying lightning tainting the night sky. It’s good that Sana is either at the dorm or already safely on the way; the only win Joohyun has today.

Maybe the storm is an ominous sign of the impending calamity that’s going to strike.

Before Joohyun can put a single toe out of the sheltered foyer, she’s yanked back by a strong grip on her sweater. She turns around and gasps at the person in front of her.

“Are you crazy? Do you think it’s smart for you to leave the company when the weather is so dangerous? What is wrong with you?”

Seungwan might be screaming and hurling angry words at her but all Joohyun can hear is calm, melodious music; she’s in a trance. Hallucinations don't normally hint at anything positive but Seungwan has flowers and rainbows around her… along with a halo and a pair of wings. Imagine sitting in the front row of a cinema, with the background music being a mismatch with the actual movie itself.

“I don’t want to stay here all night and I don’t have an umbrella so…”

“Gosh, you’re so…” Seungwan’s words die down as she begins to utter words under her breath. She grabs a hold of Joohyun by the wrist and turns her around. “Put this on.”

Joohyun's eyes widen at the jacket in her hands, “but, what about you?”

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