"C'mon, c'mon!"
Nile's feets kept pedaling in a maniac speed. The speed of the strong wind rushed by, gushed against her masked face vigorously. The hood over her head was flapping against her back because of the extreme gust. A stray dog watched her flew by past the cars.
A bunch of emotions were swirling through her messy head and the twisted heart. Pride kept telling her to stop by now, go back! But the little spec of yearn had the firm grip on the handlebars, trying to grasp over the grudges even if it's just a little.
🍂
I always watched him dancing on the street every single day and lost my breath in his every maneuvers. He embraced the street as his dance floor. He had that love in his every moves that clung to only love, that truer than passion. And my observation turned in admiration.
I followed him across the alley after the magnetizing Friday performance and called him out from behind,
"Hey."
He turned back with a questioning look as I walked towards him carrying the one and only pledge.
"I like you. Be my boyfriend."
Trust me, he looked shocked more than I assumed he could get. And for the first time I found something so adorable and my heart got wrecked but my reflex was still, as I am.
"Take your time and let me know."
As I stated I started to went off hiding the anxiety beneath my emitting nerves, when suddenly,
"You love Laryx's cream puffs, don't you?"
His light, joyful voice was melodic to my ears but that wasn't the major which stopped me. I instantly turned back with all confusions surfacing over me.
"How do you know?"
I asked, suspicions weighed on my each delivered words. He just chuckled softly and I was alertly hooked.
"I don't need to take more time when I've already taken enough for this day."
🍂
Destination drew the end. Nile stopped at the Sejong center of Seoul where the event was held. She abruptly got off of her bicycle and ran towards the security clearance where she spotted five or six bulky bodyguards who were standing with big rifles slung in their arms. Which meant they were going to ask for her ticket or check her I'd card since she was a member of a dance academy. Thankfully, she didn't forget to bring it with her.
She took a deep breath and ran to the certain. Supposedly, two of the bodyguards blocked her by the security clearance.
"Sorry mam, we can't allow you to get in during the show."
Without wasting a bit she quickly took out her I'D card and showed them. Their intimidating gazes scanned her head to toe then pointed at her black mask in oder to match the passport photo with the real person. She put it down accordingly. Convinced by the clarification the big guys finally let her in.
Nile was covered up with a plain black outfit so that nobody could get suspicious about her. She finally found herself inside the arena at the back rows. Since she didn't buy any ticket nor she wanted to be appear in front of Mei or Jimin in the backstage, she chose to stay in the sultry crowd instead of watching him from a closer sight.
"He looks sexier when he dances! God!"
One of the fangirl squealed in high pitch that awakened Nile's ear in fusion like a wild rabbit. She cocked her head to the side. Her eyes were burning like sandal wood as her hands balled in fists. The bitch that she cursed inside her head already ninth times in a row, was wearing a revealing top with a horribly short denim shorts which was mostly ripped over the upper thigh area. She tried to hold back herself not to make any scene here not when she had to manage herself to make it happen to be here just to watch her ex's performance.
But jealousy is her thang, only her. Isn't it?
She took a step back carefully not to get caught by any of the chicks. She slowly extended her right hand up to the right direction past the middle girl and stopped by the victim's right shoulder and held still for a while, waiting for the perfect shot.
Pinched!
Nile pinched sharply on her bare shoulder. The prey winced painfully from the core of her heart by the unexpected and unknown attack. Nile quickly jumped back to her earlier place taking advantage of the shady ambient, escaping multiple pairs of searching eyes. She smirked satisfyingly under the mask.
The host had already announced his name before she came. But it was fortunate that the performance hadn't been started yet. Suddenly, all the noises fading in the air just when the ruby curtain began to fall. As the spotlight sneaking out the curtain creak, Nile's heart dug straight to the deep, her pupils widely expanded at the living norm appeared. The very familiar figure showed up on the stage along with the familiar music.
🍂
"Why this song?" I asked him curiously holding the CD disk between the clasp of my hand. Just Dance, this song was his most favorite one and which I never seen him dancing over this till now. He always told me that he saved it for the final day.
He wrapped his lips together as if he was organizing the words with more spices before announcing it. And I grew more curious as I saw him sitting on the floor. He looked into my eyes as his lips started moving.
"This song describes me." He answered simply with a deep note but I couldn't figure out what he meant. Nevertheless, my puzzled reaction was enough for him to understand which he giggled at first then continued.
"You heard the lyrics right? Then of course you heard the significant questions through it. Where did you come from? Why do you dance?" He breathed out a small smile and went on.
"Well, this song have my answers as well."
"And, what are they?" I asked eagerly.
"I came from the street and I dance because, it relaxes my anxiety and it feels so right. And I enjoy each steps while dancing." He explained resolutely while I was captivated listening to his wonder of explanations.
I was indeed captivated but there was a flicker of envy that conjured up in my subconscious mind.
"So, technically you only, well, love your dance? Not anything else?" I tilted my head to the right as I smirked at him through my crooked brows. Reading my snickered retort he tugged his tongue inside the cheek and rubbed his nose purposely. I didn't get to realize his method of sly silence which doubled up my curiosity.
"What?" I poked him on the bloated cheek.
He looked up at me with a steady gaze and replied,
"I love you, like I love dance."
🍂
A deep red buttoned short jacket was wrapping his perfect athletic frame with a black studs shirt beneath it. The bone white belt shrouded his lean waist so gracefully. His hazelnut bushes parted on the side displaying his glistening forehead. The background resonated with the individual song.
The stage was his canvas to roll on. He was enjoying each steps along the way, each moves were roaring confidence, every ploys inspired by hope and joy. His heartbeat kept moving in a sync with the rhythm of the beats.
Her eyes grasped his movements while his body swaying to the music, controlling the stage with his rocking, plopping moves, breaking graff, twisting the knees, tangling the body like a bent stick. He was a dancer from the soul. He never danced with the purpose of winning the competitions. While on the opposite, Nile's commitment was only to being all perfect.
🍂
"Why did they name this movie Tangled?"
"Hm?"
"I mean, they could keep the name Rapunzel. Why Tangled? Any specific reason?" Hobi asked me with his sparkling eyes while my mouth was stuffed with popcorn.
"Well," I managed to swallowed the residues as I merging the thoughts in my head.
"Umm as you know this two are completely different from the root but somehow destiny put them all along together through some beguiling adventures and yeah, their life get all twisted like, umm tangle? So yeah, that's it."
He didn't seem to be satisfied with my bizzare explanation which had me rolled my eyes at him. But he didn't seem to take it seriously as he stood up and walked up just to stand before the TV.
"I think I have a better explanation."
"You better get away from the goddamn TV right now or-"
"Hold on, let me give off the poetry that I just made up for a better explanation." He said. I quizzically narrowed my eyes at him but wondered what he was up to.
"So what is it?"
He took a deep breath and unclasped his well shaped lips to start over.
"You," he pointed his index finger on me, "are a ballet dancer while I," now the finger pressed against his chest, "am a hip hop dancer. Right?"
Not sure what he was trying to say but I just nodded my head.
"I, tap like tangle twister, when you stretch, umm," he paused before mumbling, "how can I match it up?" He dived in his thoughts to match up some words while I was too mindful to understand anything.
"Got it!" He jumped up and I did the same along with him.
"So, I tap like tangle twister when you, stretch in the air." He reiterated. I found his simple poetry so beautiful which he just made within a few seconds. My face lit up as I grew so eager by the seconds. Seeing my eagerness he flashed his heartwarming smile.
"Like it? There's more."
"Really? Go on then, c'mon!" I reassembled myself for more while he thought a little more then continued.
"But the difference is, my love is just like a stretch line while-"
"Cut that crap, make it developpe." I cut him in the middle of his sentence.
"That 180° act?"
"Yeah, that bloody move." I chuckled.
"Okay. So, my love is just like the developpe while yours is like a," he teased me pausing for a bit which got me more impatient.
"Tangled thread!" He ended his poetry. I squinted my eyes as he ended the poetry like that.
"Is that somehow an insult?"
He laughed heartily and slowly bent over while coming closer in order to tease me more.
"I didn't insult you. I just explained my girlfriend's love for me in two words." He winked.
"So, how's your girlfriend's love for you Mr. Jung?" I grabbed his collar and smirked mischievously as he smirked back at me.
"Super jealous,"
"And?"
"Highly stubborn,"
"And?"
"Full of anger Management,"
"And?"
"Cute. Cool. Hot. Sexy-"
"YOU DIRTY J HOPE!" I yelled embarrassingly and pushed him as he plopped down on the sofa laughing with his lungs off. After finally calming down he stared at me with his peaceful hues. A soft smile lingering in his lips. My heart was beating in rhythmic whirls as I gazed into his.
"Despite your love is like a tangled thread, but enough for me to be uniquely loved. And know that, I love the way you love me."
🍂
J Hope
J Hope
J Hope
Even the air chanting his name along with the thick crowd, flailing with his resonants. Nile's heart repulsed, racing hastily forgetting the efficiency. It was supposed to be her, cheering his name at the top of her lungs, his biggest cheerleader. But things changed. She was standing behind the last rows like a stone while watching his performance like a stalker, escaping everyone's eyes. Regret ceased her wrestling heart, rolling in the deep. Breath somewhere inhaling and escaping under the darkly compound. Eyes stung threateningly. She felt so hopeless and vexed.
•••••
The performance came to the halt. The curtain put down the closure. Hobi gripped his knees. The labouring performance got him all exhausted as he was panting heavily, uncountable sweats coursing down his fair skin.
"That was PHENOMENAL!" The manager of the event swarmed with excessive thrill to experience such a lit performance. He put his hands on Hobi's rising and falling shoulders.
"I'm telling you, no one can even touch the Twister crest but you! Mark my words!" He blinked his eyes with pure enthusiasm. Hobi creased a small smile.
"I don't dance for winning." Hobi specified in a low, shaky tone. His statement made the manager gets astonished profoundly more than he already was by his performance.
"Well, that's what makes you a dancer."
•••••
"Mei? What's wrong?" Jimin got closer to her where he discovered her searching something so desperately down the hall from the second floor of the arena.
"I think, I saw Nile." Her eyes undoubtedly speaking worry as she turned to him.
"What? C'mon, she never came. You got it wrong." Jimin overemphasized. But the tinge of uncertainty didn't let go of her mind.
"Jimin?"
"Yeah?"
"The ballet category will take place tomorrow. Do you think, Hobi will come? I mean is there any possibilities for him to come tomorrow?"
Jimin's eyes absently roamed down the ground area. A grieve sigh leashed out his lips as he looked up at her.
"I don't know Mei, I really don't."
🍂