Work at Book Market. (A/N:  get it “Bookmark it” lol) Avoid the dance studio. Go home. Sleep. This had become my daily summer routine to pass time before school starts. But today was a bit different. My internal conflict between whether to continue dancing or not finally coming to a breaking point. For two months now I’ve been trying to avoid Dream Street Dance Studio by convincing myself that I didn’t miss dancing, but my heart, and limbs, ache so much that I had to make a compromise. I may not be able to dance but that doesn't mean I can't watch others right? Leaving my dancing past behind, something that was such a vital and defining part of my identity was much harder than I thought. At least watching others do what I loved satisfies me a little.

There’s no harm in watching others, okay? You’re not breaking your promise. This is okay.  

I try to convince myself and suppress the guilt bubbling up inside of me as I walk towards the dance studio for the first time in almost two months. Once again the studio is crowded with fans and bystanders watching the crews practice. I overhear that the male group is Bangtan, while the girl group is F4. Like last time I’m fascinated by how synchronized both groups are and how much they seem to enjoy what they’re doing. I feel a bit of jealousy and envy that I can’t be as carefree as they’re or pursue my passion due to my promise. I’m so focused on their coordinated movements that I almost don’t notice when my ringtone starts playing. I look down at my phone and see Unknown displayed on my screen. Uncontrollably, my hand immediately starts shaking as I’m flooded with memories of the last time I answered an unknown number.

Mom... Dad...

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves which proves futile as I shakily unlock my phone.

“ h-hello?”

“Ari-ya!” My eyes widen as I recognize the voice as Haneul's. But her tone is so distraught that I begin to worry. Something must be wrong!

“Haneul what’s wrong? Is everything okay?” I question, holding the phone closer to my ear.

“Where are you right now? Aren't you off work, I wanna get foooood” she whines over the phone.

I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding, as relief rushes over me. But that quickly turns to anger, “Yah! You got me all worried about nothing. I thought something happened to you!”

“Sorry... I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she says in a tone a child would use after they are scolded.

Pushing the hair out of my face I start feeling guilty realizing I didn't have to react like that. “I’m sorry, I shouldn't have yelled and assumed the worst.” I take a deep breath feeling my muscles relax. “ So where do you want to meet? At the bbq restaurant? Okay, I’ll meet you there.”

I end the call and turn to leave, but my foot catches on one of the many outstretched shoes. As I stumble forward trying to regain my balance, I lose the grip I have on my coffee cup and I watch in horror as it splashes all over a girl’s face and drips down onto her crisp white shirt.

I inhale a sharp breath, “ Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!” I take a few napkins out of my purse and try to hand them to her but her high-pitched shrill has me halting in my steps. The girl wipes the coffee off of her face then proceeds to flicks her long fingers in my direction, showering my face with milky droplets.

“You’re sorry? Do you know who I am?!” she scoffs and her eyes close into small snake-like slits as she advances towards me. “You haven’t even seen sorry!”

She lunges at me with her claw-like hands, but I sidestep her easily. I sigh like she isn't worth my time because honestly, she isn’t. She stumbles and trips over herself landing face-first into the ground since she wasn’t expecting me to move out of the way so quickly.

“YAH! ” one of the girls that were standing next to her glares at me, “Are you okay?” she asks rushing over to her friend.

“I said sorry, what more do you want from me,” I say as the rude girl gets back on her feet. I don’t know if it’s from the long shift I just worked or my heart still racing from that phone call with Haneul, but I’m in no mood to deal with this.  The altercation has caught everyone's attention, including Bangtan and F4 who have stopped dancing once they noticed their audiences' attention elsewhere.

I turn around when I hear the door to the studio open and see F4 and Bangtan walkout. People start whispering and yelling out their “opparhs” names. Bangtan stays by the door while F4 makes their way towards us parting the crowd as if they are Moses.

, I've really messed up now.

I try to still my rapidly beating heart as I watch them approach us. I maybe kind of have a girl crush on F4...they're really impressive dancers okay!

One of the F4 members stops right in front of me. Her long coal-colored hair is pulled up into a messy bun, even though she's wearing sweats and a loose tank top she manages to look flawless. “She said sorry Jae Hwa, what else do you want? Her to buy you a new shirt too?”

The rude girl who I’m assuming is Jae Hwa turns to me, and looks me up and down, “I don’t think she could even afford to with the way she’s dressed. This shirt costs $250, it’s probably more than her whole outfit.” Her little remark gains laughter from her posse and a few others in the crowd.

She then turns back and glares at the F4 member, “As for you Hwang Mina, stay out of this. Just because you're dating J-Hope doesn’t mean you can act like you own the place.” A few bystanders nod and murmur