Jikook Short Stories from Writing Prompts

1

Writing Prompt:

"Can I buy you a coffee, for old times sake?"

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I woke to the sound of my 5am alarm.  Just another day.  My life isn't bad, it's just been harder lately.  After highschool, I finished my dance degree at university.  Now I worked for that same school, teaching students only a few years younger than myself.  It's the beginning of a new university year, and some of my favorite students are back.  Others are new, unfamiliar faces I'm still connecting names to.  Still, others graduated last year, missed when I count attendance.  One student in particular was missing, having graduated this past spring.  He was my star pupil, gracious with me for my first year of teaching.  He was a great dancer, always willing to improve.  When we first started, he had all skill and no emotion.  We spent private study hours working on "feeling" the music.  Many late nights I'd find him in the studio practicing.  Slowly, I began to see a new side of him, one more raw and human.  He shared his passion for song and dance, even sharing with me a few songs he'd been producing for another class.  The more we talked, the better his dancing became.  The closer we grew, the expression of emotion in his dance became clearer.  By his last year, he was top in the school for dance and vocals.  I'd never admitted it, but I grew fond of him, more so than just a proud teacher.  Of course I didn't say anything, he was my student after all.  Professionalism was just as important to me as my happiness, and I decided to value my job and his education over my feelings.  Now he was gone, off into his own world, unaware of how much I still struggled to move on months later.

I decided to place my futile emotions aside for a good day, and I stretched my stiff muscles as I climbed out of bed.  The wood floor was cold beneath my feet, so I slipped on my favorite pair of house shoes before getting ready for my morning class.  I went about my morning rituals, allowing my thoughts to wander about the new students in my class this year.  There was one pupil, a young girl, who showed great potential if she could learn to be more fluid with her muscles.  I made a mental note to do some private ballet lessons with her for her study requirements.  I pulled my blankets tight as I finished making my bed, pulling out my backpack and beginning to pack up my dancing clothes for the day.  Two t-shirts, two sweatpants, one pair of leggings (for my ballet session), some socks, my dance shoes, and a couple headbands.  

Once I was all packed, I jumped in for a quick morning shower.  I was flustered with my thoughts, unable to distract them from thinking about "him".  Ugh, why do I still feel this way?  He wasn't coming back, he was off into the world, finding his own career and own calling.  I had found mine, I needed to be content with the blessings I have.  It's not like I won't find someone to be happy with someday, it's just that he felt so right, like we fit perfectly together in all ways mental and emotional...I dare not think about the physical.  I shook my head under the hot water in an attempt to keep my thoughts from wandering deeper.  (It's okay Jimin, just take a deep breath.  Just focus on being happy for him, and think about how happy you are with your career.)  

I managed to calm myself down, jumping out of the shower and quickly combing my hair into it's side part, the orange locks drying quickly as I moved throughout my home.  I emerged from the bathroom and looked at the clock on my desk.  "5:45am" it read.  I smiled, plenty of time for me to stop by the coffee shop before heading to the university.  I quickly put on my slacks and a button up, followed by my windbreaker.  I grabbed my bag off the bed before tracking into the kitchen.  With my water bottled filled up, and my bag all packed, I slipped on some shoes and left my apartment around 6am.  

When I exited the lobby of the apartment building, the breeze took my by surprise.  There was the smell of fall, not enough to need a winter coat, but enough for a scarf and some warm clothes.  I smiled, enjoying my favorite season and all the nostalgia that accompanied it.  Memories of childhood bonfires, hay rides, pumpkin carvings, and so much more flooded my mind as I made my nearly-daily route to my favorite coffee shop.