Don't Make Me Dance Alone || Bangtan

~09~

Just after Jungkook smirked at her Hobi raised his hand as if on cue.

Mr. Baek motioned to Noel to pause the song before nodding in Hoseok's direction, "Yes?"

"Sorry to interrupt but... Don't you think Dally is a bit of a girl dance song? It'd be extremely difficult for a guy to make it work..."

Mr. Baek pondered what Hoseok had said with a contemplating look. He spoke up after a few seconds of humming to himself, "I'm going to have to agree with, uh, Hoseok," he let out after looking at the list of names in his hand, "Jungkook will have to dance to something else then."

The man beamed at Noel and she could actually feel the smoke that came out of her ears. Her jaw set as she threw daggers at Jungkook's smug, puffed up glory.

"What's it going to be then?" Noel exclaimed loudly, drawing the class's attention.

If she weren't so caught up in her hot, bubbly anger she would have felt self-conscious at all the pairs of eyes that had settled on her then. But in that moment she couldn't focus on anything else other than the arrogant boy, smiling mockingly at her from across the room. No one ever got under her skin like this; she wouldn't let him win.

Mr. Baek looked around the class and sucked on a tooth when no suggestions were made. He faced Noel again, "We'll leave it up to fate then. Noel, click on shuffle," he instructed.

She exhaled through her nose as she did what she'd been told. Music filled the room again and Noel wanted to put her head through a wall at the unbelievable luck Jungkook possessed. It was Cookie by R. Kelly.

Jungkook laughed skyward and faced the mirror as he waited for the beat to drop.

Noel put her phone down and went back to her place next to Hoseok, her gaze stuck on the boy standing at the front of the class. Suddenly she felt really nervous, anxious at how good he was going to be. Would his talent rival her own?

When he started moving Noel didn't know where to look. He moved so fast and yet all his maneuvers were sharp and precise. She wasn't even blinking as she watched him. He hit every damn beat expertly, and his stage façade was maintained throughout. Not once did he break character; that was one of the biggest challenges dancers faced.

Noel took a glance at Hobi who didn't seem at all surprised. Instead, he was watching Jungkook with pride and admiration shining in his eyes, the corners of his mouth pulling up in a smile. She looked forward again.

"He's the best dancer I know, after me of course," Hoseok laughed. Noel looked at him from the corner of her eye. "He has worked so hard to get here. He never thought he'd make it, and yet here he is."

She could hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke about his youngest friend, and then she put two and two together. The edge in Hobi's voice and the vibe Jungkook gave off when he danced.

The thing that pushed him to move forward, to get even better at what he loved was the pain of the consequences of choosing this path to follow. She felt her chest squeeze at how much she could relate. It wasn't a façade he put on; it was his face without the mask. The mask we all wear to hide behind. The mask we use to conceal our fears and our feelings, our weaknesses.

Before she knew it Jungkook had stopped moving and the only thing that disrupted the room's pin drop silence was his harsh intake of breath. He turned around to face the class and he was met with wide eyes and mouths hanging open. He smirked internally and looked at the teacher, waiting for him to speak his thoughts.

Mr. Baek blinked slowly at him until a voice spoke up, "Uh, sir?" said Noel, waving her hand.

The teacher's eyebrows rose to meet his hairline as he jumped, "Ah, yes yes!" he looked at Jungkook again and his mouth opened and closed, trying to form words.

"I think the best dancers in this class just became two," said Mr. Baek.