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Fog clung to the mirror of the half lit practice room. The pair could barely see themselves any more through the thick heat their bodies produced. Still, that didn't stop Park Seojin from feeling the way his steps didn't flow quite right; or how he could no longer feel the beat the way he had at the start of their session four hours ago.
“Let's take a break.” hummed Haneul from beside him, chest heaving. Their hair clung to the back of their neck from the sticky sweat accumulating.
Seojin shook his head in disagreement, “You can. I'm not there yet.” His voice was sharp, displeased even. Not with Haneul, no, never with them. Yoon Haneul was his entire world. His entire reason he tried so hard, pushed himself to his limits, kept going even after feeling like collapsing in a heaving pile. The duo was iconic within the company even before debut. How could they not be? Two monstrously talented trainees joining together after an entire lifetime of dancing in the same academy would pull attention no matter which talent agency they chose.
Seojin and Haneul had grown up on the same street in a quiet suburb on the outskirts of the big city. Both had been moving to the music from the moment their little legs could support them, and even a little before that too. When they met in the local playground before they were capable of forming complete sentences they chose to communicate in dance. “Little bumblebees.” Their parents called them. They were inseparable from that day on; a worker and his queen bee.
The pair managed to convince their parents to enroll them in a dance academy in the city during elementary school. They spent their afternoons and weekends there instead of playing on the swings or soccer fields. Each and every style they tried added to an ever expanding roster of skills enhanced by natural talent. Seojin was sharp, calculated, and controlled. Even as a child, his dark eyes added a sense of intensity to each movement. Those eyes were often focused on Haneul and the way they moved during classes. Haneul could turn on that sharp calculated control Seojin was adept to, but they could also move like silk through water. There was a fluidity and grace that made the boy jealous - not that he'd ever admit it.
“Let's be idols together.” Haneul suggested one night while laying on Seojin's bed, head hanging off the side to stare at the boy on the floor.
Seojin's eyebrows furrowed in skepticism, “And what if only one of us debuts?”
“Then neither of us debut.”
They were halfway through their first year of middle school when they applied to the agency. Every day, Haneul checked their emails with painted nails frantically refreshing the app.
“Just be patient. I haven't heard anything either,” Seojin tried while placing his hands over Haneul's. This action only received a groan and an eye roll from behind the lightly mascaraed lashes. It didn't do anything but draw a small laugh from Seojin and an arm around their shoulder to force them to walk towards class.
“Ignore it.” Seojin said sharply when a comment came in their direction from another student. A girl with a vendetta against Haneul for no other reason than their appearance. They had been relentless since the start of the year when Haneul began to experiment with makeup and nail polish, and especially now that their hair brushed their shoulders. A sigh from Haneul rang out above the clinking of their beaded bracelets. There wasn't much they could do besides what Seojin said.
The acceptance came with huge celebrations. At home, at school, at the dance academy, but especially between the pair. They could both remember vividly the hug they shared the moment they passed auditions.
Seojin remembered it well for the butterflies he felt when Haneul was that close, body pressed up against his and arms around his neck. He had to bend down slightly to allow the shorter access but he didn't mind it. He was too focused on the flush on his cheeks and the way his heart began to race. He tried swallowing down those feelings but they arose each time Haneul smiled, or laughed, or called his name. It crashed over him harder when they danced together or shared a takeout meal in the practice room during late night training sessions. The flip side was the jealousy or anger when another trainee talked to Haneul, or god forbid, made a comment about their appearance or attitude. He could feel it boil deep inside his stomach but instead of clenching his fists, he'd throw an arm around Haneul possessively.
“You've been going non-stop, Jinnie.” Haneul countered, placing a hand gently on Seojin's shoulders as they looked at him through the foggy mirror. “You need to take a break.”
A heavy sigh fell from Seojin as he tilted his head back to look at the exposed pipes on the studio ceiling. They were painted black in an attempt to mask their presence. “Can I tell you something, Sky?” he asked after a long moment of silence.
“Of course.” Their voice rang clearly with the light airiness it always had. The tone was calming, in a way, but in another it was sending Seojin's stomach into a spiral.
“I think I'm in love with you.” he admitted but didn't move for a long while until a soft hand guided his head. It was Haneul's, gently forcing him to face the reality of what he had just said. Instead of the shock or anger he had expected to find, there was a soft smile and a rosy dusting across their shimmering cheeks.
“I'm sorry I shouldn't ha-” He blurted but was cut off prematurely by glossed lips pressing against his. In an instant, all those butterflies that had lived in his stomach for years came spilling out. His arms wrapped protectively around Haneul, pulling them as close as they could.
“I love you too.” Haneul answered simply after pulling away, foreheads still pressed together. “Now take a break with me, okay?”