chapter thirty.

                                    

                                          
"You're telling me what now!?"
                          
"Saeyoung please? We have no other choice." the girl pleaded. 
                          
"Okay Wonyoung, let's not push her alright?"
                          
But that did not stop Wonyoung to stare at Saeyoung with a pleading look in her eyes. The girl scanned the people inside the room and it seems that the dancer's attention was given to her. Saeyoung pursed her lips and sat down.
                          
"B-But, I'm not good at dancing. What if I let the team down? And isn't this against the rules of the competition?" she complained trying to find her way out of the situation. As much as she wanted to help her friends, she can't. It feels like she's violating the rules and its kinda unfair for the other teams too.
                          
She was happy to know that Soul's team is welcoming her to watch they're team practice, and only watch. But as soon as she entered the room, a frown was visible among the members faces and had a worried look in their eyes. They also don't look like they were practicing at all.
                          
That's when she heard from May that Min Seo, a fellow member of the team, got injured and was directed at the hospital just yesterday. Min Seo was given an important role in this upcoming competition but now she wasn't given the chance to even participate because of a leg injury.
                          
The timing was so unexpected and at the same time, wrong.
                          
With Jieun's sudden suggestion, Saeyoung was instantly approached and was offered the role in replacement of Min Seo.
                          
"Oh please! I read the competition rules and there was nothing that says that a student from a different school can't possibly join and dance with the opposing school. I mean they aren't even specific with it! Besides, this will only even happen once."  explained Jeongseob.
                          
Saeyoung sighed. "What's the theme for this competition?"
                          
"Ballroom dance! Or in the most common and easiest term, a couple dance."  Saeyoung chocked on her water.
                          
From all of the categories, it really had to be ballroom. But at least it's going to be a bit more easier for her since hip hop or modern dance is quite difficult to pull off when she's barely even a dancer.
                          
"Couple dance!?"
                          
"I just said that." Yoon pulled Soul's arm, pushing him close to Saeyoung. "And Soul is your partner for this dance!"
                          
"Wait what?"
                          
Min Woo gave Saeyoung a pat in the back.  "It's not like we are pairing you up on purpose- which at the same time we are but Min Seo was originally Soul's partner for the dance and since you're her replacement then...you know what that means."
                          
"But why me? From all of the students who's willing to dance in Min Seo's place in Hyevin, why me? You could just hold an audition-"
                          
"Exactly! We don't have time for an audition. The competition is in two weeks time and we have to what? Make posters and sit our asses down as we watch students dance in front of us for hours? How many days will the audition cost us when the participants still needs to sort out their own choreography and not to mention that we still have school. "
                          
"Sayoung please!" Wonyoung pleaded once again.
                          
Saeyoung pursed her lips.  "Do you have anything that could help me, you know? Not get recognized by my team when we perform the dance?"
                          
Jeongseob chuckled.  "The good thing about this competition, is that it's a ballroom dance."  the boy picks up an item from the floor and showcases it in front of his friends.  "A mask will help you, Saeyoung. Just wear that during our performance and for sure no one will recognize its you-well it depends on how lucky we are."
                          
Saeyoung thanked Jeongseob.  "So shall we start practicing?"  the team nodded and went to their first formation. Its her first practice with Hyevin's team, so she doesn't know where to actually go. "Where should I stand by the way?"
                          
"Since you are Soul's partner, you go up in front. The middle of course. Since he's the team captain, it's only natural that he always go up front."
                          
"R-Right."
                          
Facing Soul, Saeyoung noticed that the boy was staring at the ground with both of his hands behind his back. She could tell that he was nervous.  "Soul, you okay?" she asked.
                          
"Y-Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine. S-Shall we s-start?" the boy stuttered making the girl chuckle. 
                          
Soul's hands were trembling and he looks like he was hesitating to touch her, so Saeyoung took the step and helped him. She intertwined her left hand to his right, and gently placed his left on to her waist. He was really nervous.
                          
"This is a ballroom dance, so I'm quite sure that this is a common position when you dance."  Soul bit his inner lip and quietly nodded at her.  "Soul, relax. I won't bite you or anything." she joked.
                          
"Sorry to ruin your little moment but, should we start practicing and stop flirting?" Zihao teased.
                          
"Sure" the two replied in unison.
                          
With that, Soul slowly led and taught Saeyoung the choreography of their dance. The theme is ballroom but since its already the modern days, and for the love of being unique, the team added some hip hop inspired moves that could go with choreography. Because for sure, Adroit and the other schools will also include those type of steps in they're performance.









                          
"Don't worry, I'll make sure that I'll talk to Miss Yoo and Mister Ten about it." 
                          
"If you say so. But if you need help, me and my team are just a call away."
                          
Saeyoung hummed in response.  "Don't worry, I will."
                          
Seeing the bus parking right in front of them, Saeyoung grabbed her bag from the bench and gave a small smile to Soul.  "Thank you for today. I guess I'll see you again tomorrow?"
                          
Soul smiled back.  "Tomorrow. Get home safely and rest well."
                          
Saeyoung gave him a nod of reassurance.  "I will. You need to rest up too okay?" about to enter the bus, Saeyoung felt Soul's grip on her arm preventing her from going on any further.  "Anything else you need Soul?"
                          
"I-I....I..nevermind. Good night."
                          
"Night." she says finally entering the bus. She waved Soul good bye from the window and as the bus starts moving, the girl sighed and went on to find a seat. The bus wasn't really crowded at all, there were only three passengers. One, an old man who was staring outside the window. Two, it was Ni-ki and Takara. Takara had her head resting on Ni-ki's shoulder with his arm around her, while the boy just looked surprised to see the girl who just entered the bus.
                          
She remembered, the two just went out on a date. Saeyoung faced away from him and sat down farther away from them. The couple were sitting at the back so Saeyoung chose a seat somehow near the front. Settling down, she puts on her headphones and started listening to her playlist while she tried her best not to fall asleep, or else she'll miss her stop.
                          
As the music started playing, Saeyoung was surprised to hear 'Just a Dream' nightcore version playing. She immediately clicked on the next song and it weirded her out when Little Mix's 'Secret Love Song' started playing. Again, she proceeded on to the next song which sadly played 'You Belong with Me' by Taylor Swift.
                          
Saeyoung sighed in frustration. She took off her headphones and dumped it inside her bag. She actual liked the songs she were hearing earlier but it just came out wrong especially when Ni-ki and Takara is just at the back and it made her feel like her playlist is attacking her or something.
                          
She gets that what Ni-ki and she has had in the past, were now nothing but history.