The alarm clock on your phone startingly went off with a piercing pitch, waking you up. You sleepily grumbled, your hand searching all over your bed to shut it off. You set the time earlier today so you could get to the dance studio before anyone else would arrive. You wanted to practice the dance by yourself and make sure you had everything down perfectly. You wouldn’t let Kai make you seem like a fool. If anything you wanted to be the one that made him look good, not the other way around.

Wincing as you got out of bed, you tried to walk quietly to your closet without waking Eun Bi. You grimaced as you heard your joints crack all over. Luckily you heeded Director-nim’s advice at not staying out late, not many others did however. Eun Bi was one of them that stayed out too insane hours of the night, you walked home with a small group that thought the same like you and then went straight to bed.

Tugging a crop top over your head and putting on a pair of tight black yoga-like pants, you shuffled your feet into an old pair of moccasins and left. You followed the mental path in your head to get to the dance studio, happy that you memorized it better and had a lot less trouble of locating the room.

You gripped the handle and pulled. Nothing, it was locked. You groaned out loud, why can’t it just be open? Gripping it harder this time and you jiggled it with more force, hoping that it’d pop open. Still nothing, you exhaled angrily. Now you’d have to find some of the private dance rooms and practice there.

Starting to walk down the hallway, you actually physically winced when you started to recall, once again, the memory of the tour Kai gave you. Following that you managed to find the hallway with rows and rows of the private dance rooms. Walking past them, the doors were tinted except for a thin see-through line in the middle. You wanted the very last room in hopes that no one would bother you. Walking through the hallway you stopped suddenly as you heard the same song from yesterday’s practice. A sound of curiosity escaped your mouth and you couldn’t stop yourself as you leaned forward and peeked in, looking through the thin transparent part of glass.

Kai’s back faced you. “That jerk... Of course,” you muttered angrily. It looked like he was lost in his own world of dance. Focusing and concentrating every ounce he had on making his body move the way he wanted. It unfortunately looked decent.

“He’s too good for his own good,” you mumbled.

Narrowing your eyes, lines creased on your forehead with displeasure. Whatever. I’ll just practice twice as hard as he is. I bet he’s worried about the competition. A sly smirk appeared on your face as you thought that.

Plugging your phone into the empty jack, you hit the song and let it start playing. You had a weird routine to get yourself ready for a hard critical practice with yourself, you would stretch and warm up, listening to the song and mentally imagining what your body would look like when you hit the moves. It mentally prepared you and you always felt more ready after the song was finished.

Clasping your hands behind your back, you closed your eyes and started to focus on the rhythm and beat as you started to bend your body. You felt your body choke with tension as you envision Kai’s hands on your hips, then moving down to your back.

You groaned out loud with annoyance that your concentration was broken. “I need to focus ___... Just let it all go,” you said, trying to give yourself a pep-talk.

*****

Two hours had passed and you were happy with the progress of your early dance practice. Your muscles were sore for screaming at you for pushing your body. You scarfed down a protein energy bar to gain back some of your energy in order for the actual grueling practice yet to come.

Exiting your private dance studio, you made your way for the main one. All the dancers were up now and milling around the area. Talking on their phones, eating breakfast, or gossiping with each other, they all looked busy. You were at peace of mind however, even though you practiced until almost exhaustion, your mind was now calmer and eased of worries.

“____!” you heard a familiar voice call.

Turning around, it was your new friend, Eun Bi, “Good Morning Eun Bi,” you said as you greeted her with a smile. “Tired from last night?”

“Nah, that was nothin’! You should see when I really get going,” she said obnoxiously. The two of you walked into the main dance room and immediately went to the ballet bar and started stretching.

“It was odd though... Kai left right after you,” she stated as you were taking off your leg warmers. “You didn’t see him?”

“Uhhh, no?” you said with a confused tone.

“Maybe he went to a club! It wouldn’t surprise me with kind of guy he is!” she said and laughed, turning away from you to begin with her own stretches.

That kid is such a mystery yet such an obvious jerk... I don’t get him.

The room was quickly starting to fill and noisy chatter was heard as everyone was doing similar stretches and tests of their own flexibility. Walking away from Eun Bi, you grabbed another energy bar from your bag, trying to gain back as much energy as you could before Director-nim came.

“Stop stuffing your face,” you heard a gruff male voice.

“Huh...?” you stuttered as you turned around.

You were greeted with a sly smirk of no one else’s, but Kai’s. “Are you deaf?” he said sarcastically.

Your face hardened and you shoved the rest of the bar in your mouth, “I wish I was so then I didn’t have you hear your excruciatingly painful voice,” you said, chewing with your mouth wide open.

He grimaced then rolled his eyes and walked away. At least he’s leaves me alone faster now.

With that, the director came into the room, suddenly taking everyone’s attention and having it focused on him. Everyone automatically surrounded him in a wide circle.

“Well kids, I sincerely hope you didn’t stay out too late last night. There’s a long day ahead of you- some it might be completely easy or others this will be a challenge,” he said simply. A small smile lit up your face, your practiced to almost perfection, you would definitely ace this test.

He continued on, “Because today, I’ll be testing the partnership of you and your partner. I’ll see how well you can get along with a stranger, this is more than crucial in the dance world. So...” he said, a smiling coming alive on his face, “I decided that all of you are going on a date with your partner!”

Hello everyone! :) 
I sincerely hope you all like this update!

I'll have a longer one next time. :) 

This is random but amazing news; I got a scholarship to one of the top 

Japanese camps in the country!! I am so excited and cannot wait for those two weeks. :')

Gah<3

Love always- Minji~