Chapter 14

"Do you ever think, when you're all alone, all that we can be, where this thing can go~ Am I crazy or fallin' in--"

The phone was opened as hands blindly grabbed for it. Sleepy eyes squinted as they read the small lettering of the message on the bright screen.

Meet me at the usual place in an hour~?

Kai

The reader cracked a smile and sat up in bed, the soft clap of her phone snapping shut as she did so. Blankets covered her, concealed her, and she threw them off of her and ran a hand through her disheveled hair. She blinked a few times and looked around her dark room. The curtains were drawn over her window, but a frigid stillness settled in her closed off space. She stepped out of bed, felt the cold begin to seep through her skin. She drew back the curtains, and was greeted by crystalline snow, sparkling like diamonds in the morning sun.

Haejin smiled as she took in the beauty of winter. It brightened her day, and it wasn't because of the glittering snow. She loved the untouched stillness of the cold season, how the slightest sound of nature could be heard from miles away. Everything seems to be frozen in time as it inhales the scent of powdered snow and cloudy skies.

However, she still couldn't believe how fast the time flew. Four months already...

She turned from the window, and went to her closet, picked out a flexible long-sleeved shirt, a black tank top, and she grabbed a pair of black yoga pants. She proceeded to lay them out on her bed, and then went to take a shower and get ready for the day.

.................

Haejin mentally checked off every item that was in her bag once again, while checking herself in the mirror.

Tennis shoes, water bottle, perfume, extra shirt, mp3 player, cell phone, hair ties.. at this point, Haejin checks her wrist to see the three bands there. That should be it... We're usually there for three hours at the most. She grabbed her winter coat from the closet by the front door, and slid into it. She pulled out a pair of black boots, and wiggled her feet into them.

With that, she walked out the door, down the driveway, and towards her destination.

................

Haejin entered the building, and found it empty. She raised an eyebrow and pulled her phone from her coat pocket, checking the time.

8:51.

"I'm early," she said aloud. She shrugged and took off her coat, placing it on a nearby chair, where it lay haphazardly. She sat down in the chair next to that one and pulled off her boots. Sitting them under the chair, she took out her tennis shoes from the bag that she lay next to her, and began tying them. As she did so, she looked around her.

A dance studio. One wall was entirely composed of mirrors, and a rail lay horizontally across them, two feet off of the ground. Two pairs of speakers were placed just below the ceiling everytime the walls met. The wooden floor was polished, but it had seen better days, as scratches sliced through the beige wood. Lighted fluorescently, no windows and one glass door, where Haejin sat next to, the dance studio was often passed by, unnoticed because of its fairly small size.

Kai had been coming here for the past couple of years when school was on break, just as it was now. Because of its small size, he rarely had to worry about other people coming in. Haejin didn't either, now that she was practicing with him. Their winter break began two weeks ago, and would continue for another month at least. Kai had shown her the studio as they were walking home from school one evening, inviting her to join him when break began.

"Since we won't be able to practice at school until break ends," Kai had explained to her.

Obviously, Haejin had known this, and so she took his offer to join him during the winter holiday. Now, she stood up after stretching, and giving the studio one last glance of admiration, she pulled her mp3 player from her bag. With it in her hand, she walked over to a corner of the room, where she plugged it into a stereo. Scrolling through it, she picked a song, and she quickly scampered over to the center of the studio, waiting for the music to start.

She soon felt the music coursing through her veins as she began to dance, slowly, rhythmically, and she lost herself in the song. She let it guide her, control her, let it decide her moves and what to do next. A pop there, a wave there... It all took her breath away, and her eyes closed, feeling her excited heart thud in her ears.

Engrossed in ecstasy, Haejin didn't notice that someone was watching her, studying her from the doorway. Kai stood there, his arms crossed and leaning against the doorway, and a smile traced his lips. He watched his friend dance her heart out, and it nearly took his breath away.

Haejin...

The music stopped, and the only sounds heard were the hum of the air conditioner and breath escaping parted lips. Haejin straightened up, and shook her bangs out of her eyes, stretching a little.

"Have I told you lately how amazing you are at dancing?" Haejin turned to the voice, and saw Kai walking toward her. Instantly, her face flushed and she smiled.

"Oh, stop," she laughed and hid her face out of embarrassment. She felt hands on hers and could see Kai pulling her hands from her face, a grinning expression and sparkling eyes composing his face. Haejin batted him away playfully and heard him chuckle. She took a step forward and hugged him, and he returned the gesture,squeezing her tightly.

"How long have you been here?" Haejin asked once she pulled away. Kai gestured to himself.

"Long enough to get ready and gawk at you," Kai replied, and smiled when Haejin rolled her eyes at him and laughed. He handed her his ipod, and began stretching a little.

"Go put that in; I gotta show you something."

Haejin nodded and jogged over to the corner, and she kneeled down and unplugged the mp3 from the jack. She replaced it with Kai's ipod and looked back at him.

"What song do you want?"

"There should be a song in there called 'Baby Don't Cry'," came Kai's reply. Haejin scrolled through the song list, and found the one he requested. She pressed play.

The crisp melody of music wafted around the room, and Kai started to play an imaginary piano. Haejin tilted her head; she had never seen this before in her life. But Kai was always full of surprises, and he stopped moving his fingers throughout the air and suddenly executed a few sharp moves.

"There he goes," Haejin murmured, smiling. Kai heard her and he grinned involuntarily, but quickly gained his composure and continued dancing. His moves were smooth, clean, just as they always were. He would transition from slow moves to quick ones...

So baby don't cry, tonight~

Kai spun as the song reached its chorus. He seemed to bounce a little, even though his feet never left the ground. They made eye contact. Haejin shivered at his passionate gaze. She was lost in those brown eyes, lost in his paradise.

Her friend truly was a master at dancing.

Kai finished the song by spinning once, twice... His fingers lingered in the air, playing the piano that wasn't there, the one that threatened to appear in thin air, and he breathed. The song faded away, and he was motionless, looking at the ground, almost silent; the sound of his slightly labored breathing was heard. When he looked up, the last embers of his passion were fading in his eyes. He broke out of the position and shuffled his feet a little, sudden;y becoming shy.

"So... what do you think?"

Haejin was always surprised by how quickly Kai's personality changed. When dancing, he was an incredible human being who almost didn't seem real; he was just too perfect with every move, every gesture, every subtle twitch of the muscles... She sometimes wondered if he was just a machine, made from artificial material by a perfectionist.

And then there was the Kai that stood in front of her, this nervous boy with an awkward smile and a dorky grin. This boy who shuffled his feet and looked at her with soulful eyes.

Haejin truly felt that Kai was a genius either way, who could change at a moment's notice.

"I..." She had to remind herself to breathe. "It's perfect."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!!" Haejin looked at him as if he had lost his mind, and Kai chuckled and put up his hands in response.

"Okay, okay! I just wanted to know; I've been working on it all week," he dropped his hands. Haejin grinned.

"It's truly amazing." She gave him a thumbs up. Kai smiled thankfully and walked over to the ipod, giving Haejin a hug on the way there.

"Ah, no, you're sweaty," Haejin teased,

"I let you hug me," Kai accused. Haejin stuck her tongue out at him as he kept walking. Haejin jogged over to the center of the room, giggling.

"Whatever; I'm going to put this on shuffle. You ready?"

"You know it," Haejin replied.

.................

"I seriously liked that move you did, though. You spun around and kinda bounced, but you didn't leave the ground." Haejin and Kai were walking from the dance studio, and were discussing the day's practice. They decided to walk through the park on their way home and enjoy the scenery; the sun kissed the snow, making it look like a sea of crystals amongst trees that dripped with ice cold water. Haejin was in awe, taking in the breathtaking sight, and she tuned Kai out involuntarily.

"You just have to let your knees relax..." Kai suddenly looked at Haejin, then at the snow, and stopped walking, an idea forming in his head.

Haejin suddenly didn't hear a second pair of feet shuffling beside her, and she stopped.

"Hey, Haejin!"

Haejin was about to turn when something hit the back of her head.

A/N: Hi guys!!!

How is everyone? ^^ Did you guys like this chapter? I kinda made it a cliffhanger, but I made it a little obvious as to what's going to happen next ^^

So it appears that I'm hitting milestone after milestone with this fic...

You know why??

I'VE GOT OVER 500 VIEWS NOW!!!! T_T How...? T_T Guysssss...... aigoo....

YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!

MACRO SPAM TIME!!! :D