On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids-a-Milking

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

Six Geese-a-Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens

Two Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

From the moment Hyukjae had woken up that Saturday, nothing had gone right. First of all, he had slept through his alarm and was 40 minutes late getting to the studio. On a day like today, every minute counted. In his hurry, he hadn't had time to eat breakfast and surely wouldn't have time for a meal the rest of the day. 

The bad news only continued to pour in with his arrival at the studio. Hyoyeon had a large red bruise on her neck that she swore was from her curling iron but gave off the impression of a hickey. Thirty-five minutes had to be spent on covering the mark with powder to ensure that no one would start rumors the day before the showcase. Hyukjae had never had much heart for scandals, and although he wanted to believe her, he couldn’t help but agree with the rest of the staff that the mark looked too suspicious.

A backup dancer had twisted his ankle the night before, and Hyukjae ended up having to change three of the routines. This cut into time he could have been watching everyone run through the routines in the practice rooms or correcting lighting and music cues.

The worst news came just a couple hours before lunch. Choi Siwon himself had come to speak with Hyukjae, pulling the choreographer out from the middle of watching an idol group practice. Apparently, the board was considering pulling two of the dance performances, one of which was Hyukjae's solo and the other of which was Hyoyeon’s. Siwon was still fighting as hard as he could to keep the routine. He didn't at the moment quite know what had happened, but the rumor was that Lee Taemin's father, a very influential donor, had threatened to withdraw money due to the excessive time allotted for non-idol dancers a.k.a. Hyukjae and Hyoyeon's dances.

"Hyoyeon." Hyukjae had finally found the ballerina in practice room C6 staring into a mirror as she swung her body in different directions. She was completely absorbed in the music and her blond wavy hair kept sticky out in different directions even though it had been pulled back into a pony tail at the back of her head. 

She finished the next few steps before stopping to breathe, her hands on her knees and her face beet red as she tried to get her lungs and heart back to a normal rhythm. Hyukjae walked over and turned the volume of the stereo down, letting the dance number continue to play quietly in the background. 

"Mr. Lee," she spoke up as she straightened and turned to him, her hands on her hips and a smile all over her face. "I was just running through that second verse for the solo. I think it's almost there. I just need to get my left foot dragging a bit quicker." 

"That's good." Hyukjae smiled heartily. "You've been working really hard." He couldn’t manage to get his enthusiasm to the point that his student deserved, knowing what he was about to tell her might make the precision of a single dance step that had been tripping her up for weeks seem unimportant. 

"Well, that's because my instructor has been working even harder. He sets a great example." She swept a sweat-sticky strand of hair from her forehead. "How's the prep for rehearsals going? You guys need me for something?" 

"The preparation is going well." He had no idea how to tell her. "We won't need you down there for a while. I did need to talk to you about something though." Hyukjae’s lower lip stretched to reveal a row of teeth as he tried to expel his nervousness. He had worked so hard to prepare Hyoyeon for this performance. She was ready to experiment with an entire new form of dance and had traded her pink slippers for purple high-tops. 

"Mr. Lee," she laughed despite her next works, "You sound so serious. Don't tell me you're firing me." 

Her laughing continued but slowly died when Hyukjae remained silent. "Okay, now you've got me worried. What's going on?"

In all his years of choreographing for CSW, Hyukjae had never had to cut someone's solo. He knew how hurtful it could be and had swore when the high school dance team cut his solo after the rumors about his uality started that he would never take that moment from someone. "I'm not firing you, Hyoyeon."

She waited for the rest but Hyukjae remained silent. "What's wrong, Mr. Lee?"

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his lips together before nodding to himself. "You just keep working hard, okay? I have to take care of something."

This solo was more important to Hyoyeon than Hyukjae's little high school number had been. As Sungmin had said the night before, this was Hyoyeon's first time on a stage since...She needed this. He wasn't sure how quite yet, but Hyukjae would find make sure that she got her solo even if he had to give up his and possibly give up something else.

Now he just needed to find where he had left his cell phone. 

It wasn't until a couple hours later that Hyukjae spotted his phone in a back room at the CSW Galleria. He found a few minutes for himself and called the one person he knew that could fix everything.

"Hyung, I need a favor." Hyukjae paced along the mostly hallway.

"Of course, Hyuk. Anything you want." 

"I'm so sorry that I have to ask you this, and I would never do this if I could think of something else.” The redhead let out an exhale at the idea of having to ask this favor but still hoping that something could be done to save Hyoyeon’s solo. “Do you know Lee Taemin's father?"

“Mmhm. Who doesn't know him?"

"Apparently the board of CSW wants to cut out the solos for the showcase tomorrow. Siwon thinks that it is because of Taemin's father threatening to pull funding for the event over something or another. I need--"

"Wait. They want to cut your solo?"

"Yeah, but that's not what I'm worried about. We've invested a large amount of money in Kim Hyoyeon's solo and she herself has invested an enormous amount of time and energy."

"Hyuk, this showcase is shown all over Asia and this solo will be your first solo as well. Stop worrying about others for a minute and--"

"Hyung, please. Just help me figure out how to save the solo." Hyukjae meant Hyoyeon's but knew that Jungsoo wouldn't give diddly squat about Hyoyeon's solo. In Jungsoo's opinion, this solo would be what set Hyukjae on course for truly establishing himself as a choreographer and dancer. 

"I'll do what I can."

"Hyung, I don't need you to do stuff. I just need advice."

"Don't worry, Hyukjae. It will all get taken care of. Just go get ready for the rehearsal tonight."

Hyukjae went back into the dressing room that was reserved for him over the next couple days to set his phone down where he would remember it. Halfway across the room, it vibrated in his hand. 

Incoming Call: Donghae

A quick deliberation over whether or not he actually had time and Hyukjae decided to spare a few minutes.

"Lee Hyukjae speaking." He continued further into the room.

Donghae's laugh sprinkled through the line. "Why are you answering as if you didn't know who this would be? I'm shocked you actually answered though. Where are you?"

"I'm at the Galleria right now." Hyukjae saw his reflection smiling back at him in the mirror as soon as he walked up to the vanity table in the small room. Immediately, he dropped the smile, embarrassed at himself for having such a reaction just from hearing Donghae's voice on the phone. 

"When can I come by?" Hyukjae's heart burned when he heard Donghae's eager question and he knew it wasn't just indigestion because he still hadn't had time to eat. 

"I'm just running around getting things ready for tonight. The rehearsal doesn't start until about seven." He leaned against the vanity table, the smile threatening at the corners of his mouth again. "Aren't you busy today?"

"I had a schedule early this morning, but now I'm just laying around the house bored and everything."  A small tapping sound started in the background. 

"Ah, So you just want to come up here and see me because you're bored? I see how it is." His own playful accusation had him in full grin. Yes, some would probably call this flirting, but Hyukjae liked to think of it as friendly banter that might possibly have been flirting if the guy on the other line had any actual interest in the same .

"You've got the last part wrong. I just want to come up there to see you."

Hyukjae bit lightly on his bottom lip. "I think you would be even more bored just following me around all day."

"I'd never get bored around you." 

He knew he was red again and was glad that no one was there to see it. "You're just being--"

"Oh, hold on a second, Hyuk. I've got a call." 

The redhead turned around to look in the mirror and smooth his hair out when he heard the click of Donghae switching lines, wanting to make sure he looked presentable if the actor did indeed end up coming early. All thoughts of the solo getting pulled had practically vanished. 

"Hyukkie?" Donghae sounded slightly out of breath when he switched back to the line, and then Hyukjae heard a car door slam, keys jingling, and the roar of an engine. "I'm sorry. Something just came up. I'll come up there in time for the rehearsal. I promise."

"Alright. But is every--" The double tone sounded and Hyukjae realized that Donghae had already dropped the call. 

"Eunhyuk, we need you on stage for a second." A short man had poked his head in through the door and Hyukjae set his phone down on the glass surface before following the man out.

"I just tried him again and couldn't get through." Sungmin flipped the phone shut and stuffed it down into his pocket as he rubbed Hyukjae's shoulders. 

The nervous dancer sat in front of the mirror in the dressing room. He still wasn't sure if he would even be able to dance this solo tomorrow and hadn't figured out how to save Hyoyeon's comeback stage yet. Jungsoo said he was taking care of everything, but hadn't said anything definite. "Mm. Well it's just the rehearsal right?"

"Hyukjae," Sungmin sat down in the small chair beside the nervous dancer, "Why are you so anxious for Donghae to come tonight?"

"Eh? I'm not anxious. I just don't want him to end up being late because maybe he forgot or something." That sounded convincing enough, right? The short conversation they had over the phone earlier had pretty much dissolved all of Hyukjae’s defenses against Donghae’s charm. It was so hard to think of the other man as only a friend when things such those are said over the phone.

Sungmin his lips and let out a quiet sigh. "Do you like him?"

"N-n-no. W-what makes you think that?"

"You know that he's straight, right?"

The two Lee cousins sat in the second row of theater seats watching some of the idol group rehearsals. Sungmin pulled out his cell phone and announced he would call Donghae one more time. "Why am I even the one calling?"

"I don't even know where I left my phone." Hyukjae shrugged, crossing his fingers for good luck where Sungmin couldn’t see them.. 

Sungmin's eyes widened and Hyukjae could hear a bunch of noise coming through the phone. 

"Donghae?--Ah, well, is he around?--Hyukjae was--Oh I see." Sungmin turned to look at Hyukjae with an expression the latter couldn't read. "No thanks. No message." The round faced man ended the call and dropped his phone in his lap. 

"He's not coming, Hyukjae."

It wasn't until he heard those words that Hyukjae realized how much it would hurt. The dancer felt crushed. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." Sungmin rolled his eyes. "According to Kim Heechul, Donghae was too busy getting a down at 9 Ladies Dancing to come to the phone." 

Hyukjae's eyes filled with tears but he refused to cry over something foolish. It was just the words over the phone earlier had gotten his hopes up so high. Now, not only was Donghae ditching Hyukjae's rehearsal, he was doing so just to watch women strip on a pole at the trashiest join town. 

"Hyuk," Sungmin's plump hand rested on top of Hyukjae's thinner one. "You really deserve better than that dimwit anyways. Even as his fan, I know that he is a complete loser when it comes to love."

The rehearsal was a mess. The crush was fun while it lasted, right? Hyukjae missed half his cues and completely fumbled over every step. Maybe he didn't deserve a solo dance anyways. Hyoyeon's rehearsal was spot on. She nailed every turn. 

Feelings of immense inferiority flooded Hyukjae as he slung his duffle over his shoulder and left the dressing room. Sungmin was waiting in the hall with a pat ready for his cousin. "You'll kick tomorrow. Don't worry about that." 

The two dragged their way down the hallway. Hyukjae just couldn't make his feet move any faster. They were as heavy as anchors digging into the ocean floor, trying to stop the ship from running right into an iceberg. Every step he took brought him closer and closer to having to face reality after a week of living in a fantasy land.

Three young idols passed by to the left, bowing to Hyukjae and Sungmin as they did so. They were in a 15-member group that Hyukjae had worked quite extensively with and he made sure to compliment them on their rehearsal performance.

Then two other idols came down the hallway. One was a good friend of Hyoyeon's from the girls’ school days and Hyukjae had met her a few times while working with the renowned ballerina. 

"I thought that they were broken up for good." The youngest, known as Seohyun, with a cute face and long brown hair gossiped to Sunny. 

"Well, things happen. I even heard he was out celebrating with friends tonight because they were getting back together." Sunny, Hyoyeon's friend, showed her phone to the other woman. Hyukjae and Sungmin found themselves both listening in without even trying. It seemed no one had taught these two girls how to be discrete and the two men weren’t really saying much beforehand. Neither one really had anything to talk about after how the night had gone. 

Seohyun flipped her long brown hair to one side. "Aren't you her best friend? You should know whether or not her and Aiden are getting back together without having to look at a tabloid site."

Both Hyukjae and Sungmin looked at each other.. Now they were determined to hear what this was really about, keeping pace with the two girls as inconspicuously as possible. 

"Well," Sunny lowered her voice dramatically, but not too quietly for Hyukjae to hear what she said next. "I know for sure that they have kept in touch. Hyoyeon even said last week that she would be willing to forgive him for everything if she could have him back."

The knock at the door startled Hyukjae who had been in the middle of splashing warm water over his face to rinse the soap away. He grabbed a hand towel and started to dry his face as he shouted out a "Come in."

Jungsoo appeared in the doorway while Hyukjae smoothed into his pores. 

"Hey, Hyung!" Hyukjae whipped around with his gummy smile to greet Jungsoo. 

The older man smiled softly. "How ya doin', kid?"

Hyukjae kept the smile on his face but let out a more telling sigh of exhaustion. "Not too bad. Oh yeah, about earlier--"

"It's already been taken care of." Jungsoo's smile grew even warmer. "You'll both get your solos tomorrow."

His eyes had questions but Jungsoo waved them off, and Hyukjae kept quiet. "Thank you," he half-whispered as Jungsoo wandered back into the bedroom. 

Hyukjae followed and sat at the head of the bed across form Jungsoo who had taken a seat at the foot. "Hyung, how long do you think it takes to heal from a heartbreak?"

Park Jungsoo was probably the only person that Hyukjae could ask such a question to and not have to worry about answering as to why he had wanted to know such things. Honestly, Hyukjae didn't even mind if Jungsoo found out about his feelings for Donghae. He trusted his hyung more than anyone, and although they hadn't done so for a while, the two often used to have late night talks like this and just tell each other everything. 

Out of all the people in Hyukjae's life, Jungsoo was the one who knew most about heartbreak. Unlike Hyukjae, he didn't open his feelings up for others very easily. When he did, Jungsoo gave everything. Both times that Jungsoo had fallen in love, he had ended up completely shattered by the end of it. The recent break-up was so bad that Hyukjae was afraid his hyung would end up in the hospital from trying to drink himself to death or worse. 

The few months since Jungsoo's boyfriend (would have been fiancé had Jungsoo been given the opportunity to propose) left without a word, the composer had very slowly started to live his life again. He still absolutely refused the idea of ever loving someone again but was back to his old ways of messing around. 

"Hyuk, it does happen eventually." Jungsoo shifted to make room when Hyukjae extended his feet under the covers. "It's very painful, but it does happen. You just have to be braver than me and be willing to love more easily." 

"You're the bravest person I know, Hyung." Hyukjae grinned widely. "I would be lucky to turn out as good a man as you are."

Jungsoo shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't think Seoul could handle another me." Hyukjae laughed at this and nodded. "Besides, Hyukjae, I think that experiencing heartbreak will teach us valuable things about ourselves. If I hadn't went through what I did, then I probably would have never given someone like Heenim the time of day."

Hyukjae arched his eyebrow at the name. "You mean Kim Heechul?"

Just with the sound of the name in the room, Jungsoo became brighter. "He's crazy, I know, but he keeps me sane. I feel less lonely having that whacky diva around the past few days." 

The redhead, who had ended up tucking his legs under the covers, quickly scrambled forward down the bed and kissed his hyung on the cheek, wrapping his arms around the older man's neck and giving a big squeeze. 

When he pulled away, Hyukjae wiped a hand across his eyes. 

"Are you crying, Hyukkie?" Jungsoo's question was more of a chuckle. 

"N-no." Hyukjae's lips pouted as he continued to dry his red eyes, the tears coming faster. 

"What on earth are you crying about?" Jungsoo gave Hyukjae a look that indicated he didn't believe the lie for a minute. 

"I don't want you be lonely, Hyung." Hyukjae finally confessed. 

Jungsoo chuckled again and ruffled Hyukjae's hair, "Well, I'm not now, so stop crying, silly."