Dance to This [kth]

t e n

"Your vertical lines are top notch," he comments, but he is distracted, "I've never seen anything like it."

A shy smile spreads to my cheeks. I suppose I'll take that as a compliment. "Thank you."

It's fascinating that Jungkook became so shocked after watching me dance for the first time. I'm appreciative that he has respect for my art form, especially given that it's not of his own forte. It is encouraging me to be interested in film for the sake of simply enjoying the medium.

He remains in intense concentration for the next few minutes. I look down at the table and it appears that Jungkook is sorting through many different tiny photographs that are part of a reel of film. I lean further on the table, squinting slightly to see the small photos.The color is distorted and can barely be seen. Jungkook flips on a light box before exhaling deeply.

I'm sucking on my inner cheek when I ask, "what can I do?"

"Not touch anything," he muses in repetition.

I want to scoff and roll my eyes at his response. "You're the one who told me I need to know all of this for an exam."

He makes a vague noise of incoherent words at my complaint. My dorm room is becoming more and more appealing as each second ticks away. A clock on the wall steals my attention for just a moment as I watch the smaller hand rotate, indicating to me that time will wait for no one. It runs away. I wish I could run away from all of my responsibilities at the moment.

"When I developed the film," Jungkook finally speaks, "the photos came out as negatives."

"Oh?"

"They are inverted in color," he laughs pathetically at my confusion, "now, in order to make the final print, I'm going to expose the film to light in order to create the image. Okay?"

"Mhm," I nod. Jungkook continues to sort the small objects with gentle hands.

"Without the light, the photos will never become what they really are. Total darkness doesn't allow for their true nature to show. It's a perfect balance."

"Light equals a good picture. Got it," I give a fake enthusiastic smile. Behind it I'm already overwhelmed.

My chest feels heavy thinking that I will have to retain this information for a possible quiz. I allow my chin to fall into my leaning arm with a deep sigh and a nod. I'm trying not to feel stressed— but, I'm hopeless. The amount of deadlines, exams, assignments and lack of sleep that I'm getting is starting to accumulate.

My silence prompts Jungkook's gaze away from the small film as he is readying himself to cut it up with a scissor. He dictates his attention to me when he sees my expression.

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm not."

"Eunha," he merely accuses. "I've been analyzing your change in expression for weeks now."

I groan at the thought. An unwanted sensation erupts from my spine just thinking about the many photographs Jungkook must go through every day in order to pick for his portfolio. He only needs 24, and yet he must have already gathered more than a hundred by now.