The one in which Jaemin learns that he can actually dance a dance that Jeno has never had the opportunity of learning.
By some miracle Jeno and Jaemin had somehow managed to draw both of their alleged dance partners into one of the corners of the cafeteria for a much needed explanation. Jaemin thought it only sensible to conduct the meeting in a room full of witnesses, since there was no real knowing of how Jeno would react when they were right in front of them. Both Felix and Changbin had been avoiding them ever since that day neither of them had shown up in their practice room.
Initially Jeno had apologized and simply assumed that Changbin had got the room number wrong, it came as quite a shock when he responded shortly after their reunited dance that there had in fact been no mistake.
No, the number of the room is right, but your dance partner isn't me.
Have fun you two, use protection ;)
Frankly Jeno would have appreciated just the first part of that message, but he should have expected nothing less from a man whose known him for half of his life. After consulting Jaemin about their situation, the two had decided to get force a confession as well as an explanation.
It was a miracle that they found them alone in the cafeteria, unsuspecting until they were already cornered.
"Before you start, I thought I was doing you a favour!" Changbin explained through his mouthful of pepperoni pizza. Jeno could do nothing but shake his head, his arms crossing against his chest as he remained standing while Jaemin collapsed onto one of the closet chairs.
"I was coerced into this situation," Felix declared, both of his hands being raised palm-side up in surrender. "Changbin threatened me with blackmail material that I would much rather bury for all entirety than have exposed to the general public."
"So you signed both of us up together," Jeno's voice was deep, eyes locked with Changbin from across the table. The transferee sat smugly beneath his best friend's gaze, happily chewing on one of the grapes from Felix's lunch tray. "What's your endgame Bin?"
"Must I reveal my master plan so soon?"
"Considering the fact that you already know my feelings relating to this topic." Jeno placed the palms of his hands against the table, his lips curling in that threatening grin Jaemin had only ever seen Jeno use against two people in his life; Chase and Lucas. "You better start talking."
"Before I begin my explanation," Changbin coughed, shifting around in his chair clearly uncomfortable with the familiar glare. "Can you remind us how you two even got to know each other?"
"You know why." Jaemin deadpanned, stretching across the table to steal Felix's chocolate muffin. "Jeno agreed to fill in for my cheating ex-boyfriend after he broke his leg and since he already knew the routine it was an easy swap. What wasn't easy was the fact that we had to develop such a high level of trust in such a short space of time in order to accomplish it."
"But you guys developed such a bond that it transferred into your dancing, the emotion that came across when you both danced was incredible!" Felix announces, speaking his thoughts out loud.
His lips pressed themselves into a thin line almost immediately after. It was public knowledge that Jaemin and Jeno didn't like talking about their trust-building process, most thought it was because that was when they first started realizing their feelings for each other. But that was just rumor.
"Which is why I thought I would do you both a favour and submit your names as a pair for the project!" Changbin chuckled. "This project is the perfect opportunity for you two to dance together again, to show the Kim Jongin the incredible routines you two can create together. This project also goes towards your final grade, so why shouldn't you both give it your best -which in case you both haven't realised by now- is when you're working together."
"We haven't danced together since the accident." Jaemin tried to explain their joint emotions, but their best friends seemed uninterested.
"We both know that's bullshit." Felix shouts, gaining the attention of the students sitting at the table closest to them. "We have known you both a little longer than you've known each other, so we know that you danced together that day in the practice room. Neither of you would have allowed an opportunity like that to slip through your fingers."
"You need to stop hanging out with Haechan" Jaemin sighed at the same time that Jeno announced: "you need to stop hanging out with my cousin."
"Look if it really bothers you that much, we can go and talk with Jongin. He might be willing to hear you guys out since we did sign you guys up as a duo without your consent." Changbin tried to make light of the situation, but Jaemin could see the disappointment spread across Felix's face.
He had known about his best friend's crush for a while, and had even encouraged him to make a move countless times before. It was a shame that the only time he decided to do it was also when he signed Jaemin up with Jeno. But Changbin was right. Jeno was his best bet at scoring a high grade in a class he once thought he wouldn't have the ability to attend. After all it was Jeno who he started this whole journey with, so it should be Jeno that he finished it with.
"No." He whispered, voice barely audible over the loudness of the cafeteria. However, his words did seem to be heard by someone. Jeno's head instantly snapped to look at him, surprise in his eyes as he waited for Jaemin to go on. "No." He declared, louder this time. "Neither of you are going to go to Jongin about this." It felt weird to address his uncle so informally. "You're both right anyway, dancing together should be something we do to finish off our chapter here at SM. We graduate pretty soon and I think it would be a good surprise for everyone if we give them something that they've wanted for years."
"You have to agree." Felix gushed, feeling brave enough to throw a grape at Jeno who -despite the hit- wouldn't take his eyes off Jaemin.
"You trust me enough to do this?" Jeno sounded surprised, his entire demeanor changing as he slowly stepped away from the table, eyes unmoving from Jaemin's face. "This is a huge commitment Jaemin, I don't want you to regret it."
"After three years you still doubt me," the pinkette giggled, forcing himself to stand from his chair. He slowly approached the latter whose eyes could only widen at his actions. "Lee Jeno, it's not your fault that I was injured. I would be honored to share the dance floor with you again."
"Are you sure?"
Jaemin shook his head smiling wide as he wrapped his arms around Jeno's shoulders and pulled him impossibly closer. "Thousand percent," he whispered into the air between them. "All you have to do is agree."
"You know I would never miss an opportunity to dance with you again." Jeno chuckled, allowing his arms to slip comfortably around Jaemin's waist, no longer nervous to hold him there.
Jaemin felt his body become riddled with excitement as countless dance sequences flooded his imagination, maybe they could try and do a lift again? Everyone seemed to really enjoy that the last time they managed to pull it off.
Without thinking, or at least with his body being on pilot-mode, Jaemin breached the gap between them and delicately pressed his puckered lips against Jeno's sharp cheekbone, the latter freezing against him from the shock.
"See you in the practice room!" He called over his shoulder as he rushed from the room, hoping that no one would see the bright red blush developing on his cheeks.
"Don't say anything." Jeno hissed to Changbin who sat with the widest fucking grin on his lips.
-×-
As the weeks rolled on and the entire dance class focused on preparing their duets, Jeno was surprised to find himself and Jaemin returning to old habits. As neither of them had ever interacted outside a few nods of acknowledgement in the hallways between Jaemin's dance practice and Jeno's cleaning duties, Jeno had suggested that they start spending time together in order to build trust so that they could broach difficult dance moves. Jaemin was a little reluctant to develop such a relationship especially with someone from SM University, but eventually he relented when Jeno claimed that he would be capable of doing something that Chase -Jaemin's ex-boyfriend- had been unable to; a lift.
Jeno took pride in his work-out routine, having lifted weights that weighed double his own body-weight. The Jaemin at the time was ridiculously skinny which was to be expected since Pledis seemed to value ballet above all other dance styles, which is why Jeno was pretty confident that he would be capable of lifting him above his head long enough for Jaemin to perform his dream move.
For such a move, a high level of trust had to be established first. Though he was obviously very excited about the prospect of getting to achieve his dream, Jeno also knew that Jaemin needed to feel comfortable before anything else. Which began the long process of getting to know each other and dancing various other dance styles to ensure the basic level of trust. A few visits to the local swimming pool ensured that Jaemin wouldn't be hurt if the lift went bad, it also allowed them to practice the lift carefully and successfully so that when they moved to the solid flooring, they already knew what to expect.
Jeno would never be able to forget the smile that appeared on Jaemin's lips after they were successful the first time, the younger was ecstatic for days, visually vibrating from leftover dopamine. It slightly inflated Jeno's ego during the days that followed. He alone had put such a gradient grin on Jaemin's lips, something that even the Pledis students had taken notice of. Even Jaemin's ex had started to recognise the difference but he didn't exactly like what he saw.
Now, after two and a half years they were back in a practice room, only this time they had a lot more trust in each other than before. They knew each other a lot better than they did back then, their relationship had changed alongside their feelings. Jeno wasn't going to verbally say it, but he would continue to believe that this performance was going to be the best they had ever done before.
"So I was thinking that since we're doing a collaboration of dance styles again, maybe before we slip into the next part, we could do a quick waltz and then blend it into the section we were talking about?" Jaemin spoke his thoughts out loud, looking for Jeno's reaction in the wall-long mirror in front of him.
Jeno, who had been preoccupied with a text message from Mark, shuddered at the thought of a waltz. Mark's message was discarded in favour of a quick response that would have Jaemin consider a different option. "I was actually hoping that you would want to do a lift again, it would be a bit of a call back to our first routine together."
"We already have a lift scheduled for the end of the dance though.." Jaemin pointed with the fluffy bauble topped pen at his new SM dance notebook, it was bright pink and filled with Renjun's best artwork which he had converted to sticker-form for Jaemin's last birthday. It was so simply Jaemin. "Is there a problem with doing a waltz? I remember that you didn't want to do it back then either. Is it too romantic for our situation?"
"What, no!" Jeno rushed to decline, he allowed himself to sit down next to the newly dyed pinkette. He had kept this secret close to his heart for years, no one knew about it except Mark and even then the elder was threatened to never whisper a thing to anyone. "Okay fine," he huffed watching as Jaemin's lower lip jutted out in a cute pout. "I don't know how to waltz."
"What?"
"I don't know how to waltz." Jeno announced loud enough for Jaemin to hear it this time, though judging by the look on the boy's face, he heard it the first time it just hadn't registered. Regardless, Jeno felt relieved to have admitted it out loud for the first time in six years. At least now Mark wasn't the only one burdened by his secret, Jaemin was now too.
"The Lee Jeno, who is famous for his capabilities in all forms of dancing, has no experience learning such a ballroom dance classic?" Jaemin might be laying the teasing on hard, but Jeno didn't mind it. There had been multiple times throughout his life where he could have offered some time to the dance, but the partner's he had always been paired up with, never took it seriously enough.
"I'm more than open for you to teach me," Jeno explained, a smirk developing on his lips when he noticed the obvious blush bloom on Jaemin's cheeks. "But like you said.. It is such a romantic dance. Do you think you'll be able to focus?"
"Of course I can focus!" Jaemin hissed, never quite capable of handling Jeno's teasing. "The better question is, will you be able to focus on just the dance moves?"
"No," Jeno admitted with a grin, his eyes crinkling. "But I'll be willing to give it a go."
"Then I think we need some music," Jaemin giggled, already in the process of running towards the speaker which was already hooked up to his phone. "Since our drama club week theme is High School Musical, I have the perfect song for this moment."
"Oh my G-" Jeno groaned, his head tossing back towards the ceiling. How did his long kept secret fit into a High School Musical song, was his life a musical this entire time?
"Take my hand," Jaemin sang the words of the song at the exact time that Vanessa's voice drifted through the speakers of their practice room.
Ultimately defeated and a little embarrassed, Jeno stood up immediately. He couldn't wipe the smile from his lips as Jaemin rushed back to him with his hand outstretched. Jeno laced their hands and Jaemin rushed to position them into the correct formation. Jeno squeezed the hold he had on the latter's waist, Jaemin sent him a pointed look.
"Take a breath." he instructed, giggling quietly when he saw Jeno go through with the request.
The scent of orange blossom tickled his nostrils, the sweet scent of Jaemin's cologne bringing back the memories of when they first started dancing together. His gaze shifted from the patch of skin on Jaemin's neck that Jeno knew that he liked to splash an extra squirt of the CLEAN scent. Instead his attention shifted back to Jaemin's eyes, the younger watching him wide innocent eyes. Jeno felt his heart flutter in his chest.
"Pull me close - woah."
Maybe this was far too close for comfort.
They had started out with enough personal space that another person could dance between them, however now, they were nose to nose with their hips pressed together. Jeno trailed his eyes from Jaemin's down to the ground, watching their steps as Jaemin gently led him in the dance.
"Keep your eyes locked on mine." Jaemin's index finger gently pushed on his chin, coaxing him to keep his head high.
Jeno hated that he was complying to the words of the song without really meaning to. Btu at least Jaemin looked like he was having fun.
"And let the music be your guide."
"I'm going to step on your toe." Jeno hissed out through gritted teeth. His venom filled words had long since lost their effect on Jaemin who just regarded him with a wide smile before he continued to teach him the basic steps.
"It would make up for the multiple stubs toes I gave you back then." Jaemin laughs as he turns happily in Jeno's arms.
The elder let out a quiet curse as he rushed after his dance partner, his arms returning to Jaemin's waist as Jaemin then leads him across the room towards the bench he had been messaging Mark on moments before. To fill the space and to avoid standing on his toes, Jeno lifted Jaemin up into a lift. His squeal blended so effortlessly into the music that it had Jeno laughing. They performed another before Jeno finally let his partner's feet rest firmly back on the ground.
Jaemin twirled himself around with Jeno's hand, smiling politely as he coaxed Jeno into a sitting position on the bench. He noticed that their bags and other belongings were on the opposite end, away from where Jaemin intended to use for his lesson. To ensure that they would avoid it though, Jeno held his hands and stood back up, sliding in front of his partner before sitting down on his opposite side. Jaemin laughed before doing the same thing, never once letting go of Jeno's hand.
Jeno was going to do it again, simply to hear that beautiful sound again but when he stood up he noticed that they had run out of space. Instead Jaemin pulled himself up and coaxed Jeno up onto the bench to stand along side him. He jumped up and nervously started dancing the few steps that Jaemin had showed him earlier, though now their ground was far too narrow.
As if to prove that there was nothing to worry about, Jaemin let go of his hand and used his previous ballet knowledge to spin on the narrowed space. Jeno immediately jumped down from the bench, his arms reaching out to prevent his fall, Jaemin simply stopping his twirl elegantly before allowing himself to fall against Jeno's awaiting arms.
Jeno blew out a nervous breath, eyes closing as he gently pushed Jaemin back onto the safety of the bench. Jaemin's fingers gently tracing the slant of Jeno's jawline. Once safely upright he preformed another, smaller twirl, one which Jeno felt a lot more comfortable viewing.
Without either of them having to say a thing, Jeno held out his arms and Jaemin elegantly fell into a dip with an arm wrapped securely around Jeno's shoulders and a leg arched in a perfect formation. They both poistioned themselves properly before Jeno took both of Jaemin's legs onto one arm while his other provided him safety at his back. A bridal carry into a spin and pretty soon Jaemin was back to standing his own two feet on the dancefloor.
Jeno still kept an arm wrapped around his waist and Jaemin's simply maneuvered the arm that had been around his neck, as they moved together with less restraint, twirling in circles as they came back into the centre of the room.
Jaemin seemed to think that Jeno had gotten the moves perfectly because he twirled out of his arms again, only to take hold of them from behind. Jeno danced the same steps Jaemin taught him with his partner's back facing him. As much as he enjoyed getting a chance of seeing his crush's backside, Jeno felt a lot more comfortable watching Jaemin's face.
So, after a few technical spins and other movements, he somehow managed to spin his partner back into position. Though stood nose to nose, with Jaemin's excited breath fanning against Jeno's lips. The elder's eyes trailed from Jaemin's bright eyes down to his lips, the intensity of the dancing making the air around them turn heated.
Before he could make a move to close the gap though, Jaemin pushed him away and went twirling and dancing down the other side of the room. Jeno instantly followed after him, laughing wholeheartedly at Jaemin's ecstatic squeals. After being around him long enough to learn his movements, Jeno was able to perfectly time their collision. He easily fell into the postured-pose that Jaemin showed him at the beginning and forced Jaemin to return to it after he finished his final spin.
Now, Jeno was given control of the dance. Their footwork in perfect harmony and their movements fluid but tight like most ballroom dances were expected to be.
Through the music blaring through the speakers, Jeno could faintly hear the sound of an incoming thunder storm. Though he had yet to watch the third and final installment of the High School Musical franchise he expected it to signify the end of their dance. With a new found spark of confidence, Jeno lead Jaemin in one more dip before finally twirling him around one more time before the music cut out.
They panted heavily against each other. Jeno from the nerves and the exhaustion of learning a new dance. Jaemin with the excitement and pleasure of dancing with his beloved dance partner.
Maybe Changbin and Felix were right in what they did.
"Please tell me that you guys are going to waltz for the final." Haechan's sudden voice forced the smiling duo to jump away from each other.
Glancing towards the door of their practice room the dance partners came face-to-face with their friend group. Mark at the centre of the small gathering with a blush coating the tips of his cheeks.
"You didn't reply to my text so I said I'd drop by. Hyuck found me and brought everyone else, we didn't know you would be in the middle of something."
"We're in a practice room," Jeno retorted, glaring at their friends and their video cameras. "of course we were in the middle of something!"
"So you two are going to work together for the final?" Chenle's excited voice echoed throughout the room.
"Yeah," Jaemin grinned, equally excited. "Yes we are."