Your stomach was filled with nerves. It felt like hungry snakes writhing and twisting around inside of you. You looked at your phone again for the millionth time. 10:15. You’ve been curled up, laying on your bed for three hours. Trying to decide whether or not you’d meet Kai’s challenge and go down to the private dance rooms. A lot of yourself was telling you not to go. I mean, what did you have to prove to him? Plus, you could get in trouble for wandering around the building at weird hours. And maybe Eun Bi thought you got kidnapped! Okay, you had to admit, that reason was a little irrational... Even with all those thoughts floating in your head, there was something telling you to just to go. Just a little bit of you was telling you to go, and whatever it was, it was stronger than everything else telling you the opposite.

You waited for the next hour to begin, and then slipped out of your room. Even though Eun Bi wasn’t there you felt like you had to be extremely quiet and secretive. She was out anyway. Again. “A glamorous night out on the town”, is what she called them. Eun Bi and yourself were almost the complete opposite of each other but still, you got along with her and it was always easy to talk to her about anything. Almost anything though; you haven’t told anyone about the Kai issue. Not even your best friend back home, which you haven’t even had the chance to talk to her a lot lately. But you just didn’t feel like sharing it either, besides maybe they’d think you’re overreacting.

As you were getting closer and closer to the lengthy hallway of the private dance rooms your stomach was forming into even more knots. You felt like acid was boiling in your stomach and your mouth had become as dry and rough like sandpaper. As you continued walking you felt your steps getting more timid and shorter. Your hands were clasped in front of you, sweat had begun to form on your palms. You weren’t even sure why you were so anxious, although it was probably because you didn’t know what to expect and what would happen.

As you arrived at the entry of the hallway, you stopped and looked at the one door with the light on. It was the second to the last and on the left side. The fluorescent lighting poured through the glass, and you could see a figure passing through it, giving the light shadows to play with.

Taking a deep breath, you gulped. Confidence, remember what mom said, remember why you’re here. Remember the promise you made to yourself. You can do this.

You reached for the doorknob and turned. Opening the door slowly you peeked your head in and squinted your eyes closed so they could adjust to the bright light. You could hear music mixed with bass playing softly, it wasn’t korean music though. Your ears instantly classified it, it was the music a lot of k-pop groups listened too and got inspiration from. American hip-hop/pop music.

As your eyes finally adjusted to the light you could see that you weren’t the only one in here excluding Kai. Several other guys were placed around the room randomly. Your eyes immediately found Kai first, who was practicing with two other guys. They were around the same height as him and both dressed casually. One had soft, wispy blonde hair and a feminine face, while the other had curled shorter black hair with an angular face.

Once you walked in however, your observations were quickly stopped because they all started observing you. You stopped at the front of the door prepared to ditch this place and go back to the safety of your dorm. Unfortunately, all their attention was on you and every one of them had stopped what they were doing when they saw you walk in. Kai had already noticed you as well.

“___, so glad you could make it,” he said slyly, giving you a devilish smile.

You squeezed your hands together trying to gather any amount of confidence, “Yeah...” How embarrassing, was that really all the confidence you could gather?

Kai then continued, “Well as you can see I brought some judges that could honestly tell the true winner here.” Some of the guys chuckled at that, while the rest just continued observing you.

“I just came here because once I win this thing, then maybe you’ll finally stop whining and accept your place as a dancer,” you said sharply. Your face quickly heated up because of your brash words, now they were definitely paying attention to you. The two boys that were dancing with Kai, smirked at what you said and then they both elbowed Kai.

“Whatever. I’m picking the music, and it’ll be free-style. You okay with that?” he asked even though his tone didn’t sound much like a question at all.

“Why not,” you replied unenthusiastically, even though on the inside your mind was in panic mode.

The blonde guy came up to you and offered a smile, “I’m Luhan,” he said, “and the other guy that was dancing with us is Lay,” he told you as the person who you thought was Lay came up and stood by Luhan.

“Yep, I’m Lay. The other guys and us will judge you and Kai. Good luck, maybe you can show him up, no one has been able to in years,”

You meekly gulped, “Well thanks.” Your eyes traveled to what Kai was doing. You rolled your eyes when you say, of course. He was swinging his arms opened and closed and then cockily cracked his neck while shaking out his shoulders.

You closed your eyes, shutting out everything around you even if it was just for a second. Taking a deep breath, you filled your lungs with rich oxygen and felt your diaphragm contract. Opening your eyes, everything felt clearer. More crisp, the colors were more vibrant and you then smiled to yourself because this is how you always felt as you were about to dance your heart out. You felt truly alive, you could feel your blood rushing through your veins and your heart beating just to make your mind happy. Because your heart truly knew this is where you belong, and this is what you were meant to do.

You jogged lightly to the middle of the floor where Kai was waiting. He looked up at you, peering through his slightly damp bangs. You gave him a bright smile. A new song started playing, it was the very recent and popular hit by Macklemore called Thrift Shop. You laughed out loud because you were probably one of the only people in this room that could understand anything he was saying.

The obnoxious yet catchy beginning started playing, you looked at the stereo and saw Lay turning it up. And then it became the only thing you could hear. The bass was going to the beat of your heart, or the other way around. Lay gave you a quick thumbs up and it looked like Kai was going to go first.

He dramatically flipped his hair out of his face and started moving his legs to the rap, popping his shoulders and arms his dance was giving off a confident air about him. Which was unluckily for you, matching the song perfectly. He ended his first opening dance and flicked his arm towards you, telling you that it was your turn. He then popped a hat onto his head and crossed his arms, waiting for you to start. Too soon enough it felt like, it was now your turn and adrenaline started automatically pumping into your bloodstream.

Jumping right into the chorus, you immediately dropped onto the balls of your feet and slowly made your way up. You rolled your body as your feet pushed you up inch by inch until you were finally standing. Strutting arrogantly, you walked towards Kai and quickly snatched the hat off his head. He jumped away from you and a playful grin appeared on his face as you walked away backwards, heavily dragging your feet. You turned around and winked at the “judges” before then turning around back to your challenger and then signaling him that it was now his turn.

He energetically jumped right into the song, and completed a copycat move which you just did. He grabbed the buckle of his belt and rolled his hips in a sensational way. Then biting his lip, he looked up at you and gave you a wickedly attractive smirk. Straightening himself up, he leaned towards the right and then the left in an angular way. Then starting to pop at the second chorus, it seemed like he was pulling out all the moves. His body jerked, and contorted, and twitched at perfect time to match the song- he truly looked incredible. It was hard to admit to yourself after all, and how would you be able to top that?

His turn ended and so without thinking you jumped into dance, you started with similar moves you were doing before, trying to make up time to think of something original to do next. It had to be something to shock and impress everyone.

Including Kai.

Completely doing something that was unexpected, you tightened your muscles and pulled yourself into a ballet arabesque as the music stopped and it was just Macklemore rapping now. Then you stood on the tip of your toe as you were in arabesque form and then pulled your foot in tightly and started spinning. Elegantly straightening your shoulders and elongating your neck, you twirled powerfully around once, twice, and a then a third time. Landing on both of your feet, you pulled your hat down over your face more. You walked towards Kai darkly, this time a devilish smile appeared on your face as you quickly flicked your head upward, hoping he’d catch the flash of your teeth. Popping your hips out dramatically, and extending your arm, you curled your index finger motioning to him to come you way. You made your way up to him still and then jerked to a halt right before him. Hastily you robotically moved right up to his body and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

The song was ending as you bent slightly backwards pulling Kai down with you. Kai became completely frozen as your face was merely inches, which felt like centimeters away from his. You rigidly stopped, and grabbed his collar even tighter. With your grasp you forced to press his chest into yours, you then moved your face from his and slowly moved down his neck all the while doing one last body roll. You felt him shudder and heard his breathing hitch. Your smile widened.

With the last beat of the song ending, you pushed him away and jumped to the middle of the floor. Finally breaking into a “end position”, with you looking at the floor. Sweat spiked the back of your neck as you inhaled profoundly.

Your heard loud cheers and yells as all the boys jumped up from their seats on the floor. Suddenly then you distinctly heard Luhan’s voice, “I think we have a winner!”

Hello lovlies;

I worked really really hard on this chapter so I hope you all like it, :3

Comments/subs/feedback WHATEVER always makes my day :') Seriously though, it does.

I hope to update soon, although I've been really busy and have been procrastinating things like school (ew) to do this,

Shame on me right? :3
Oh well.. lol

Anyway, thanks for reading! ^^
<3- Minji