Seoul Men's Academy [EXO fanfic]

028: What is Love

Jiyeon and Kai went backstage once pairs started performing. They don't want to feel the pressure, so they decided not to watch their competitors' performance so they won't compare themselves to others.

"Bye, Jiyeon," Taemin waved his hand to Jiyeon as he and his partner, Victoria, proceed to the stage. She knows Taemin and Victoria are tough competitors, but she won't let that affect her performance.

Jiyeon heard a big round of applause after Taemin and Victoria's performance. And she suddenly felt the pressure in her bones. And it would be her dignity at risk if Taemin and his partner would overthrown them. Because Jiyeon got cocky around Taemin last time when they were practicing with Kai when she said, "Maybe you won't win because I'm not your partner."

'I should've not said that. I should've not said that,' she thought, with full of regrets. "Ugh."

"You 'kay?" Kai asked Jiyeon, worried, while putting on a golden sequenced sweater for his intermission number with Luhan, Taemin, Henry and Eunhyuk. Jiyeon nodded saying that she's fine. "Good. See ya later." Kai ran to Luhan near the stage, who was eyeing them for quite some time, while the emcee was introducing them.

Jiyeon ran to the audience once again so she can watch their intermission number. And after their intermission number, they'll be next after one pair before them.

The music started playing with 5 figures standing strong on stage.

"Jiyeon!" Jiyeon turn around when someone called her.

She saw Jei, running into her. Jei smiled at Jiyeon, "You look amazing."

"Thanks." And then, they both watch the boys' intermission.

"Don't you find him so talented?" Jei asked Jiyeon, smiling and adoring their performance.

"Yeah, he's so talented—he can act, can dance, and he's so smart," Jiyeon uttered while looking at Luhan.

Jei flinched, and looked at Jiyeon with furrowed eyebrows. "I was talking about Kai."

Jiyeon blinked once and felt stiff, she suddenly couldn't face Jei. Jiyeon laughed awkwardly, "Ha-ha. Of-Of course." She has to be careful on her words because Jei might take her praises to Luhan the wrong way. "I-I was talking about Kai. Who else?" She then stared back to the stage, then realized: 'Does she still likes Kai?' Jiyeon frowned, hating the thought. But she just shook her head, and optimistically thought that maybe she's simply praising Kai, because Kai is undeniably a great dancer.

A thought suddenly crossed into Jiyeon's mind. "Wait, do you know Thunder? Because I saw how you two looked to each other yesterday."

Jei lost her focus from watching Luhan with Jiyeon's question. She couldn't look properly at Jiyeon. Jei coughed to clear her voice, then said, "I'm not going to lie, but I know him."

"What?!" Jiyeon exclaimed in a controlled voice. "Then, why did you two introduced to each other like strangers?"

"It's a long story."

"What do you mean?" Jiyeon asked, puzzled. "I've known him for several years."

"I'm so sorry, Jiyeon. I'm afraid I cannot answer your question. It's too personal. I'm really sorry."

"Oh, personal." She nodded, understanding Jei. But, Jiyeon leaned back a little from a snide thought. "If it is personal, then why are you so sorry?"