it's you and me in this world [heeseung]

chapter one: the comeback

THE PIERCING SOUND OF A BLENDER jolts Elle awake from her slumber, causing her to sit up and take a deep breath. It's become a regular occurrence, and she's grown accustomed to such rude awakenings. Following the noise, Elle makes her way to the kitchen of their small yet cozy apartment, where her friend Maggie is responsible for the early morning commotion. "Good morning, Mags," Elle greets, stifling a yawn.

Maggie seems lost in her own world, oblivious to Elle's first attempt at acknowledgment. Elle raises her voice, trying again. "Good morning, Maggie!" she exclaims, startling her friend. Maggie turns to face Elle, finally shutting off the blender. "Jesus, Elle. You scared the crap out of me."

Elle chuckles, amused by Maggie's reaction. "Why the blender at 8 am? Our neighbors already have enough reasons to want us out of this apartment." It's a known fact that Maggie's mischievous antics over the past year have given Elle second thoughts about living under the same roof. But loyalty means a lot to Elle, especially in a foreign country, and Maggie has been the one constant who stood by her side when others chose to walk away.

"I'm making a green smoothie. I read they're fantastic for the body, so I've decided to have one every morning, starting today." Ah, the monthly goal-setting ritual. Maggie consistently sets ambitious targets, though her follow-through tends to wane. She rarely lasts more than five days with any routine, not even a full week. Nonetheless, Elle plays along until Maggie inevitably grows tired of her latest pursuit. "Want one?" Maggie offers, and Elle gratefully accepts.

"Are you heading to the studio today?" Elle inquires, sipping the surprisingly palatable green smoothie. For the past year, both Elle and Maggie have been working for HYBE, a prominent company in the entertainment industry. They went from being independent dancers to exclusive performers for the company's artists.

"Yeah, Jo is teaching us a new choreography. I'm pretty excited," Maggie responds. Jo, their technically superior boss, is more akin to an older sister figure to both Elle and Maggie. She is the choreographer for HYBE's artists and the one responsible for securing their jobs at the company. "But do you know which artist we'll be dancing for? Jo didn't mention it."

"I'm not sure, but I hope it's LE SSERAFIM. I love spending time with them," Elle confesses, her voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. She has formed a friendship with Chaewon, the group's leader. Working for HYBE has been an incredibly fulfilling experience for Elle. The artists and staff members are exceptionally kind, a far cry from her previous job. Merely reminiscing about her past sends shivers down her spine.

"You know, it's been quite a while since we last danced for a boy group. I kind of miss it," Maggie remarks. "I wouldn't mind dancing for ENHYPEN. They're pretty cool, not to mention the eye candy that comes with them, if you catch my drift," she adds with a playful wink. Elle rolls her eyes at Maggie's comment, acknowledging the undeniable attractiveness of ENHYPEN's members. However, she also recognizes that they can only be admired from a distance, never truly approached.

Elle, too, has a penchant for dancing with boy groups. Their choreographies often encompass powerful and dynamic movements, meticulously crafted with intricate formations, synchronized steps, and precise timing, resulting in captivating performances. The incorporation of hip-hop, her favorite genre to dance to, further adds to the appeal.

Like Maggie, Elle too misses the thrill of participating in such choreographies. The only aspect where they differ is their preferred dance partners. Elle isn't keen on dancing for ENHYPEN, despite her fondness for them. Being near them, especially in the presence of Heeseung Lee, fills her with an unexplainable sense of shame.

"Anyway, I'll take a quick shower. Finish your smoothie and get ready. I'll be waiting for you in the lobby in 15 minutes. Be ready," Elle instructs before retreating to her room.

~ Elle's point of view ~

It's you and me in this world, naegero dasi wa tie me.

Nal guwonhal georamyeon, just come kiss me and bite me.

It's you and me in this world, i eodum sogeseo light me.

Gihoereul jul georamyeon, just come kiss me and bite me.

Yeah.

As we finish rehearsing the choreography for what feels like the hundredth time, we collapse to the floor, our bodies exhausted. I can't deny my love for this dance, especially since it involves a rare partner routine. I consider myself fortunate to be paired with Hyunseung; we've worked together in the past, and our understanding is unparalleled. "I have to admit, this is one of my favorite choreographies ever," Maggie's voice drifts from a distance.

"It's impressive, but it seems like the focus is more on the girls," Hyunseung comments.

"And what's wrong with that?" I raise an eyebrow, fixing my gaze on him.

"Dude, you better think twice before saying something you might regret," Angelo, Maggie's partner, warns. Hyunseung responds by mimicking the act of zipping his lips with his fingers. "But seriously, any idea which artist we'll be dancing for?" None of us have a clue. We've been rehearsing with a placeholder track because the actual artists haven't recorded the track yet. Jo informed us that they wanted us to start practicing early to ensure we have enough time to perfect the choreography if needed, as she stated, "This dance is the centerpiece of their comeback."

Footsteps draw near, alerting us to someone's impending entrance. We quickly rise to our feet, expecting one of our superiors to enter the room. Our tension eases when we see Jo stepping in. "How's the choreography shaping up?" she asks.

"We've finally learned it. It's looking pretty good. Want to see?" Maggie offers, though the rest of us glare at her. We're too exhausted to even consider the steps at this moment. Maggie sheepishly takes a step back, whispering a half-hearted apology under her breath.

"That's alright, Mags. You can show me tomorrow. For now, you all need some rest. You've worked incredibly hard," Jo reassures us. "Actually, I came to inform you that the actual rehearsals will begin tomorrow. And this time, the girls will be dancing alongside the artists themselves. The boys were here only to help you get accustomed to the partner dance moves."

My eyes widen to the point where I fear they might pop out of their sockets. The boys around me seem unfazed, confirming Hyunseung's earlier sentiment that the girls would be the primary focus. I glance over at Maggie, who wears an enormous grin from ear to ear. "So, who are we dancing with?" she eagerly asks.

"You'll be dancing with Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, Ni-ki, and Heeseung from ENHYPEN."

Well, damn.