Sorry for the wait!! I'll publish another one by tomorrrow ;) And again, I'll love your inputs if there is any scenario you'd like to be incorporated in the next chapters (I have some leads but it is still very much amendable at this stage and more suggestions are welcomed:))
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Bada nearly collided with Amaia as she made her way to the main lounge.
"Whoops! Sorry, I didn't see you there," Bada said, catching Amaia by one of her shoulders.
"All good! Where are you going?"
"Hmmm, actually, just to grab a fresh drink. Wanna come?"
Amaia flashed a friendly smile. "Sure, I need a refresher as well."
"All that fighting with Yeni-Cho got you worn out?" Bada laughed.
"I swear it was a whole workout," Amaia chuckled in agreement.
The girls made their way to the bar, and Amaia decided to initiate the conversation. "So, how did you celebrate your win last night?"
"We were so tired, haha. We literally only ordered food and just had a group dinner."
"Honestly we didn't do much either, we were beat as well. Is your Airbnb big enough to host such dinners though ? You must have quite the living room" Amaia wondered, clearly impressed.
"Oh, absolutely! We lucked out with this place. It has this amazing terrace in which we can easily all dine together, the view at night is great as well" Bada shared.
"You have a terrace? That's great! When I lived in Barcelona, I used to have my own little veranda. I had the best time, like I would spend hours reading, dancing, or just studying," Amaia recalled fondly.
"Haha, well, you'll have to come over to check it out for yourself," Bada said, almost smacking herself mentally for the awkward comment. Thankfully, Amaia didn't take it weirdly.
"I'd love to! Living in LA has made me really claustrophobic, haha." Amaia said wincing.
"I'm not surprised haha, honestly, I'd feel the same! I've only been there a few times, but I was surprised to see how few parks and open spaces there were," Bada remembered.
"It's true, even though Seoul is probably the same, right? We visited a bit when we arrived, but I didn't have a chance to explore the entire city just yet," Amaia inquired.
"I mean, there are a lot more parks, and people are much more respectful of the environment, so it is more enjoyable for sure. And there are a lot of hidden gems," Bada said.
Amaia could almost sense an implied invitation in the air, a subtle I'll show you around if you'd like, but Bada seemed determined to keep the conversation casual and tone down whatever tension had been present between them previously. Not that Amaia minded; it was actually nice to be able to chat casually.
"Do were you in LA right before we jumped into the competition?" Bada inquired
"Yeah, mostly. I was actually helping out Audrey on her tour for Jackson Wang," Amaia explained.
"Oh, that must have been very interesting. What exactly were you responsible for?" Bada asked, genuinely intrigued.
Amaia shrugged"A bit of everything, really. I was kind of like the unofficial tour manager and the unofficial backup dancer if anything happened to anyone on the crew. I helped with rehearsals, overall logistics, planning... yeah, multitasking at its peak."
Bada raised an eyebrow. "And is this something you want to pursue later on?"
"After the competition, you mean? I'll probably have one or two more dates, at least one for sure in Singapore for the Formula One Grand Prix," Amaia admitted.
"Oh my God, that's going to be so amazing! Singapore is really great if you have a few days to spend there," Bada exclaimed.
"Well, actually, I won't have much time because it's during the competition, if we remain here in the next two weeks," answered Amaia. "But if we're talking beyond that, I think I'd like to train much more first, either joining a crew formally or working as a backup dancer for different artists. Ultimately, I think I'd love to be a teacher."
"That's very nice. I also found that teaching adds another dimension to dancing, which I really enjoyed, and it made me progress in many respects," Bada shared, speaking from her own experiences.
"Are you mostly a teacher or a backup dancer, would you say?"
"I mostly do choreography for KPOP artists. Then, I'm often part of the dance crew for live performances and events. And whatever time I have left, I dedicate to teaching open classes," Bada explained.
"Wow, so you have the dream life basically"
"Well, the margin for progression is still huge, so I'm not quite there yet, I would say," Bada replied modestly. "Also, I really want to broaden my horizons and have more international opportunities to travel the world. I envy your freedom in that sense," she admitted.
Amaia chuckled. "Well, I haven't done much yet."
"Girl, you moved abroad to pursue your passion, and in less than a year, you've already booked international productions. I'd say that's quite an accomplishment, and it's ten times more than I would have done at your age," Bada insisted.
Amaia blushed slightly. "Well, thank you, but I really don't think it's comparable in terms of the quality of dancing."
Bada playfully nudged her. "Just take the compliment, will you?"
"Fine, fine," Amaia replied, a smile tugging at her lips.
While the girls chatted away, Kirsten observed the exchange from a distance, her head tilted to the side. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about Bada's behavior didn't sit right with her. It felt like Bada was flipping a switch, going from intense moments, literally bruising Amaia, to water battles and peaceful chitchats. Kirsten really hoped that Bada wasn't leading Amaia on. Despite Amaia's playful way of describing their interactions, Kirsten could sense that the younger dancer was becoming quite attached. She had overheard Amaia talking to Audrey about it multiple times, and beyond the usual gossip and excitement of off-set experiences, it was clear that Amaia was genuinely thrilled to share these moments with Bebe's leader. Kirsten hoped this wasn't some game to mess with Amaia's feelings. It didn't seem like Bada's style, but Kirsten decided to keep a watchful eye on the situation, just in case.
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the large TV screen lighting up with a message from the judges. A hush fell over the pool as everyone gathered around the screen, and when the faces of Riehata and Aiki appeared, the majority of the girls erupted in cheers and excitement. They soon learned that the next mission would be a mega crew performance, and they would convene the next day to select a theme out of three options imposed by the judges. Kirsten glanced at her team, feeling confident that this mission would be a breeze for them.
As the announcement settled in, the dancers took a break from their various activities, everyone rejoining their respective crews to immediately start strategizing.
"Girls, we have to pick the Outdoor Theme. If we have the time, we could even go back to New Zealand and film there!" Kirsten enthusiastically shared her plan with her team.
"Oh my God, you're absolutely right! That would be so cool!" Latrice exclaimed.
"Okay, we have to wait until tomorrow to officially get the theme, but we should start looking at flight tickets right away," Kirsten added, her mind already focused on the next steps.
The celebratory atmosphere didn't last long after the announcement. Every girl agreed that they needed to return home, catch up on rest, and begin planning for the challenges that lay ahead. Still, they all were elated to have had this bonding time with each other, and the competition did feel healthier at the end of the day. Before heading their separate ways, Bada approached Amaia. "Sorry we got interrupted, but I'll see you soon."
Amaia waved back with a smile. "Sure thing! See you tomorrow!"
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The girls were in complete agreement about choosing the outdoor theme. As they settled into Kirsten's room for a briefing session, they quickly reached a unanimous decision: Piha Beach was the dream location to film their performance.
Amaia couldn't contain her enthusiasm as she flipped through Kirsten's choreography notes book. "Giirlll it's only the beginning but I am SO excited about this mission". Kirsten nodded. "Absolutely. Also, we need to split the choreography into three parts to manage the dancers better and make the most of the space."
"Agreed. It's the moment to showcase our versatility and it starts with the use of the theme to its maximum" added Latrice.
Audrey reminded her teammates "Sounds great but while we're at it, let's start reaching out to our contacts to recruit as many dancers as possible. We've got to have at least 30 dancers to meet the assignment's requirements."
Everyone started to type message and post stories to have as many people participating in the performance as possible.
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The next day, the vibe among the girls was chill. They were confident in their plan, even more so when they noticed no one had picked the Outdoor theme; a vast majority preferring the Structure theme. Everyone but Bebe, who went for the All-gender category. JR and Bebe exchanged a knowing glance, acknowledging their similar strategy.
Both teams reconvened for lunch again, and Amaia couldn't help but wonder for a moment when this had become a daily habit. She paused, looking around at her fellow contestants, contemplating if she had missed out on the friendships that had blossomed while she was with Bada or Tatter. It was evident that Lusher and Latrice had forged a bond since their duo performance for the subleader class mission. Kirsten went over to greet Bada, while Ling and Minah engaged in lively conversation.
Amaia shook her head and made her way over to Tatter, Bada, and Kirsten. "So, All-gender theme, huh? It's challenging but could be incredible if you know plenty of male dancers," Kirsten remarked.
Tatter answered "Yeah, Bada's probably got the most connections in the industry for male dancers. It's not just an advantage; it's gonna give our competitors a run for their money."
Bada asked "So, where will you stage your Outdoor performance guys?"
"We are actually flying back to New Zealand asap, like tomorrow morning, as we have the perfect location in mind." Amaia said. Bada's eyes widened, a mix of curiosity and surprise. "So you're leaving? How long are you will you be gone?"
Kirsten filled them in "We're leaving for 7 days at least, time for us to recruit, film, produce, and then have the time to come back here."
As JR's departure news spread among those around them, a buzz of surprise and chatter filled the air. People were clearly taken aback by the announcement. Before the contestants scattered for their individual interviews, Bada gestured for Amaia to come closer.
"Hey, want to grab some bubble tea after your interview? I can wait for you," Bada offered with a warm smile.
Amaia's eyes widened briefly. "Sure, that's very sweet of you! I should be back pretty quickly."
If her teammates exchanged knowing look between each other, Amaia decided she had not seen them.
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Bada found herself waiting somewhat anxiously in the studio's parking lot.
"Bada, the Uber's here," Tatter called, a bit ahead of her.
"Go on without me. I'm gonna hang here for a bit," Bada replied, her attention fixed on the studio entrance.
Tatter looked puzzled. "What's up? Don't tell me you are waiting for..."
"-for Amaia, yeah," Bada interrupted, feeling there was no use in hiding it. Tatter glanced back at the rest of the group, who were now giving them curious looks.
Tatter walked back to Bada. "Look, whatever you're up to, make sure you know what you're doing. You can't just wing it and expect no consequences."
Bada felt a bit cornered and pushed back. "Can't I just be friends with her?" she said with a hint of frustration.
Tatter didn't let up. "Don't give me that crap. Stop pretending you're clueless. If you keep taking one step forward and three steps back, she'll think you're playing games."
Bada tried to defend herself. "Tatter, I'm seriously just being nice to her and seeing where things go."
Tatter looked at Bada intently. "And you know I'm not buying it. Take the time to actually ponder your actions," she insisted, her tone unwavering. "Audrey told me they had seen a BRUISE on her arm 3 days ago. That's not a friendly behavior symptom." Bada's eyes widened in surprise. "My point stands," Tatter continued, her expression serious. "Figure out what you're doing instead of being irrational and doing stuff you wouldn't want to be doing."
Bada was left speechless, her thoughts swirling as she watched Tatter join the rest of the team in the Uber.
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up next, bubble tea (the remake, almost date this time haha), saying goodbye, realization for Bada ? Let me know what you would like to see on the storyyy
Thanks again for the constant support :)) <3333