Couple of weeks had passed. As always I looked out of the classroom at 3rd period, the teacher hadn't come yet and there I saw the Triplet passing by and Chaeyoung smiled at me again. My eyes caught another two figures who walked inside our classroom. "Is Myoui Mina here?" Momo Sunbae asked.
"I'm here..." I meekly raised my hand.
"Can you please come with us?" Sana Sunbae asked. I nodded as reply. They started to walk out of the classroom and I followed them. We went into an empty room.
"This is currently our dance practise room" Momo Sunbae spoke.
"Sit here" she dragged out a chair for me. I obediently sat down. I was nervous and curious what they wanted to talk to me about.
"You dance well. Have you ever had any kind of training?" Sana Sunbae asked.
"I attended some sort sessions few times. I didn't have proper training" I answered.
"We are currently starting practice for Ko's Annual dance competition. We need to perform in team. We would want to invite you to join us."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah you will be a great addition to our team" I stayed quiet and thought about what they proposed.
"We won last year. If we win again this year, our principle promised us a proper dance studio. Some of the seniors from last year graduated. We need more talented team members, like you Mina" Momo Sunbae explained. I looked at her and her face seemed very determined.
"Momo is very serious when it comes to dance. Ko's Annual dance competition is scouted by many dance academies; even MT dance academy. MT is number 1. Once you get in there means you're already set in dance career. If we win again means we will get their attention. We have our eyes set on MT after graduating high school. Help us out Mina. Join us."
They stared at me intently looking for a reply. They were trying to kill two birds with one stone. Winning the competition would mean a better dance studio for the school and their easy entrance to MT dance Academy after school. And I liked dancing, it wasn't such a bad idea to join them.
"Okay" I replied and their faces relaxed. Smile formed on them.
"Welcome to Dream High Dance team. Practise everyday here after classes during self-study periods"
"The dance club has a name?" I asked.
They chuckled, "You can say that's the name of the elite dance team in the dance club. That's why we want a separate studio. And you got direct entry here. To be honest, our school doesn't have good dancers. Almost everyone here is a nerd who rather live in libraries."
"The club's President and our dance teacher handpick the members. Since Seulgi unnie is also looking after the club, Momo is in charge of our team" Sana Sunbae added.
So since that day I practised dance after classes everyday. I met my other teammates- Seulgi, Hani and Yuju. Seulgi and Momo were leading and choreographing. Momo Sunbae was the most passionate one of them all. We got closer and I began to love practising with them and eventually started to love to dance.
"You should try out for MT dance academy after you graduate from here" Momo unnie said as she wiped her sweat after one of our practices.
"Should I?" I asked. I had started calling her unnie instead of sunbae. She took good care of me. The rest of the team waved us goodbye and left the room.
"Yeah, you're a quick learner. You're good. You should keep dancing."
"Thank you" I thought about what she said. "Why do you dance unnie?"
"Because..... dance is my first love. I'm happiest when I dance. It is as vital as breathing is to me" she smiled answering it. It was affecting me, I was developing a new passion for dance and it was growing stronger each day I spent time with my dance team practising. I wanted to win the competition too, for myself.
It had been a little more than a week since I joined the dance team. I was eating lunch with Jihyo when Dahyun excitedly approached us.
"Hello unnies!" She cutely greeted us and we greeted her back.
"Tomorrow is Chaeyoung's birthday. And you two are invited to dinner at Tzuyu's house for her birthday."
"If it is Chaeyoung's birthday why is the dinner at Tzuyu's?" Jihyo asked. Good question Jihyo, I was about to ask the same.
"Chaeyoung's mother is away on business so a birthday celebration at Chaeyoung's house is not possible."
"Ah, so is she inviting all her friends?" I asked referring to the crowd of girls eating with them at their table.
"None! We told them there's no party because Mrs. Son is away from home at the moment. Tzuyu's mom agreed to let us have our lovely unnies for dinner since Mina unnie had been kind to invite us for her birthday" she said smiling cutely.
"Oh, no crowd. I like it. Ok Dahyun message us the address. We will surely come" Jihyo said.
"Bye then" she happily hopped back to her table and my eyes met Chaeyoung's and then Tzuyu's. They smiled at me and I nodded at them.
-----------------------------------
"What will she like?" We were gift shopping for Chaeyoung after school.
"She likes to sketch and she likes poems.... should we buy her colors?" Jihyo asked.
"Haha that looks like her" Jihyo pointed to a small plush Simba keychain. I immediately grabbed the keychain and went to personalise it, I added a tag with the name 'Chaeyoung' imprinted on it. Jihyo ended up buying a coffee mug with 'Happy Birthday' printed on it.
"I have money left for a good meal let's eat" Jihyo said.
"Eh how much money did you take from your parents?"
"My mom doesn't know I asked some money from dad and my dad doesn't know I also took money from my mom. Now I have plenty hahaha" she dragged me to a restaurant.
Next day, we were in front of a building, supposed to be Tzuyu's house according to the address they sent. "This must be it. Call them" Jihyo said.
I took my phone out and dialed Tzuyu's number. It was ringing and we were waiting for them to pick up. We heard activity inside the house then the front door opened and out came the Triplet laughing and racing across the yard towards where we were standing.
"Hello unnies, welcome! Please come in" They greeted us. Chaeyoung hooked her arms around mine and Jihyo's and led us into the house. We greeted Tzuyu's parents who were waiting for us and gave us a warm welcome. Jihyo and I wished Chaeyoung a happy birthday and handed her the gifts we brought. She happily accepted them.
We chatted a lot over the dinner. It was comfortable to talk because Tzuyu's parents were eating separately. Tzuyu talked about mostly about her dog Gucci. She was really passionate about becoming a veterinarian. I also told them about my newfound love for dance.
"Great! I know you will do well" Chaeyoung exclaimed.
"Right, you look like you were born for it" Tzuyu said.
"Get proper training Mina. I agree you should take dance seriously. You're gifted. You're already doing great even without formal training" God Jihyo advised.
"I plan to, Jihyo. Momo unnie is being a great mentor. She has ambition to get into MT dance academy and I want to follow her there."
"Let's hang out in Tzuyu's room after eating" Dahyun suggested.
So there we were, in the big bedroom after dinner. The walls were full of pictures of fluffy dogs. Books were neatly arranged on study table. A mat was laid next to the bed and two backpacks lied on it. Dahyun removed the backpacks and we sat on the mat.
"Chaeyoung and I are sleeping over here with Tzuyu."
Chaeyoung was pouring juice for us. And once again we chatted while drinking the juice.
"Let's do the ritual" Dahyun said.
"Ritual?" I asked.
"We kiss the birthday girl as ritual among the three of us hahaha" they explained.
"I'll go first!" Dahyun raised her hand then crawled towards Chaeyoung. I was sitting between them so leaned back a bit away from Dahyun's way. She kissed Chaeyoung on the cheek. Next, Tzuyu kissed her other cheek.
"I'll take part in the ritual" said Jihyo and she kissed her cheek too.
I thought I should do the same. I then leaned over to her and pouted my lips to kiss her cheeks but... "Unnie-" she suddenly turned and our lips slightly touched!
Oh my God! We kissed... on the lips!