A chorus of applause, how satisfying!
Loud applause rippled through the ruby curtain, murmured the accomplishment into her fatigue unyielding. The tears long evaporated in the thin air leaving it's stain on her cheeks, her chest heaving up and down in a jiffy. The exhausted heartache wrenched her precarious breathing in the abyss while her broken limb stood still proudly.
Her senses were morbidly torpid untill a bunch of agitated voices pierced through her languid void. A bountiful anxious hands caged her rope binded waist and carefully lifted her down on the floor.
"NILE!" As soon as the show over Mei and Mrs. Park rushed to her. With an abrupt reflect Mei sat behind to shield Nile's hovering back. The manager of the event seemed so terrified by her edge to death performance.
By the process, Nile's absorbed mind stirred for the extreme pain and swelling of the sprained bone with a threatened obstruction of respiration. Her eyes burned as the threatening tears desperately wanting to fall from the storage. She clutched the immense pain between her gritting teeth. No wonder the sharp pain became more and more intense by the seconds.
"Nile you okay?" Mei asked with her strung out voice while caressing her arm gently. Mrs. Park crouched down slowly beside Mei, hands over her chest.
The look on her was undeniably paler than usual. She didn't know what to say or what to do being in that position, she felt tremendously helpless. Although she was beyond frightened and worried throughout the whole performance yet the guilt that's shedding all across her conflicting heart was now clearly reflecting on her aged pit. The pain that Nile was going through no wonder it was all because of her. If it wasn't her to be charging Nile as her golden retriever then the poor girl wouldn't have to deal with the death to the edge, she wouldn't have to go through this harshness. And this all made her feel so guilty as hell, made her feel like she could never be able to forgive herself, ever.
"Nile?" The manager kneeled down before Nile and looked at her overwhelming pained form. Recalling the picture of her dancing with the sprained ankle to the end which could've been a fatal accident by now or more than that, all the hair on his body lining up straight away.
"I-I, I'm good, just a little bit, bend." Nile creaked out a small chuckle through her soreness. The staffs quickly removed the knife shoes from the rankled feet and thereby applying an ice bag on the injury in order to prevent the sprained spot from swelling up more and reduce the pain as much as possible.
When everyone was busy bustling on aiding her wound, one of the staffs took the ripped rope in his hand that he found falling on the ground and rubbed it's daubed head against his thumb. He then took a glance at Nile then at the resting rope. Couldn't even imagine, what could've happened if the savior couldn't make it out to arrive there at the moment?
"Do we have any wheelchair?" The manager asked the staffs with an agitated scurry vocal.
"No sir."
"Crutches?"
"No sir, we don't."
"Any freaking sticks!"
"Nothing sir, such things are not available in places like this."
The manager grew annoyed as he roughly massaged his temple.
"It's okay, manager. I just, need, two shoulders." She tried getting up supporting on Mei's shoulder with other hand. Seeing it one of the male staffs promptly approached and slithered himself under her arm. And with her injured leg floating in the air, she leaned on the shoulders of the two of them.
"Alright everyone, move on. The announcement will start in no time, so hustle up." The manager urged the other staffs to hasten up and clean the stage floor for the most anticipated final promulgation of the glorious night.
In the meantime, Mrs. Park watched her wounded disciple leaving the stage falteringly with her injured leg.
"Wait." On her way crossing the exit Nile halted. Her sudden abandonment confused Mei and the male staff as they darted their questioning gazes to her. Nile peered over her shoulder where she found a pair of regretful eyes already fallen upon her.
"Mam?"
Mrs. Park's heart hurdled up as Nile addressed her. She immediately scooted in forward, hands still gripping on the throbbing flesh inside the ribcage.
"Y-yes my dear?"
The densed remorse shadowed all across the coach's face, yet how desperately she was trying to hide it but impotent enough to escape Nile's sombre. She couldn't resist the strident feeling of how hurt she was, how painfully betrayed she was feeling that moment, how stifle it was just to think that she was used by her role model.
"I wanted to ask you something?"
"Yes of course my love, anything!" Yet, each words of her oppressed like affliction through the forged smile. And it stabbed Nile nevertheless, she couldn't hold back it anymore. She hesitated before finally untying the conflicted thread.
"Is it true, that, you used me?"
Mrs. Park stoned on her spot. Guilty, a forever worst coach, her own respiration felt so deceptive to her, felt like having inadequacy more than a treason's cruelty.
"Mrs. Park?"
The third voice broke into the sultry air. Mrs. Park slowly looked at the source. The manager was in so hurry and beseeched her to leave the stage in instant. In the circumstances, with the blurry devoid heart Nile walked out with the bearers.
As the penitence stroke, the unsteady hearts shrieked over each ramming knives. Both the coach and her well trained devotee were suffering together, not from the strain but from their gain.
•••••
However, didn't seem like the heartless vile, Mrs. Choi's plan succeeded. Instead, the arrow took a U turn and striking her at the back violently which was driving her insane to the rhythm.
Hands balled into fists, eyes boiling in upper temper, her face contorted in fury because her crystal like plan just drained off, for what? She didn't know for what, in fact, she didn't want to know who it was or how she just threw off from owing the diamond Swan Award on behalf of her own disciple. And the biggest tragedy was she couldn't let down her die hard enemy, and this regret was enormously banging her in the head.
"Guess what, no chances left." With a weary sigh, Selly gazed up at her evil coach, who was the biggest backstabber of all.
Hearing the defeating yet harsh truth, Mrs. Choi turned to her leveling a glare.
"The announcement is yet to come, so stop with your ridiculous!" She spoke in sharp shriek.
"Ridiculous? You think it's ridiculous?" Selly tilted her head to her side and blazingly continued.
"Using me was ridiculous? Just to become hellishly famous, to become the best coach in the world who is nothing but a greedy monster! Who don't even hitched a bit just to let down her born enemy," she lowered her pitch but loud enough to burn Mrs. Choi's ear, "by killing a complete innocent!"
Her anger piled up underneath the skin as if it would explode in any minute. She didn't care the fierce look on Mrs. Choi, the painful agony was this that she was ruined just because of walking along with a monster in the name of COACH who doesn't even shake a bit to destroy a soul.
"You just ruined me!" A heartbroken shout reflected around the west prompt corner. Mrs. Choi was shocked to the depth but not enough to repent. She again shoot another baleful glare at the weeping girl.
"Oh you ungrateful peasant! Can you even imagine in the earth how much I had gone through just to come this far-"
"Ahem."
Before she could finish her revolting condemnation, a throat clearing sound could be heard. Recognizing the owner of the voice she hurriedly turned to him and pretended as if nothing happened. With a heavy heart Selly excused herself from the present ones.
"How BEWITCHING the performance was! Right Mrs. Choi?"
"Huh? O-oh oh y-yeah yeah, absolutely stunning! I enjoyed it!" She stuttered above her awfully fictitious behavior but sputtered below the wrath.
"Why don't you enjoy the rest of the show, together," The manager held a pause button with a speculative smirk as his strong hand jarred the goon in front of her that she hired for her obnoxious plan, arrested.
"With your highly recommended service holder, in the jail."
•••••
"Careful."
With such gentle care they put down her on the big chaise lounge. For better abatement Nile reclined on her seat and the male staff helped to replace her injured leg on the resting bar in order to help her to sit comfortably.
"I'm going to get you a bandage then." The staff spoke up in hurry.
"Umm no, I don't want any bandage now."
"But Nile," Mei tried to insist.
"No please. I really don't feel like tying up with anything now. And, thank you very much for your help." Nile assured the guy.
Seeing no other choice, the staff shook his head. Handing the ice bag to Mei and with a bow he took his departure from the restroom. After he left Mei sat down on a wood bar stool and took Nile's hand in hers.
"I thought I'm gonna lose you." The greatest emotion of love and fear, both were fleeting over her face, ran through the grip. Seeing her friend's grave anguish for her Nile creased a closed smile at her and looked away as a sardonic scoff twisted her lips.
"The pretty irony is, I was saved."
"Exactly, the pretty irony is that you were saved."
A male voiced out across her back. As she swept her head to the back she found Jimin standing there with a wry expression. As he drew near to them Nile squinted her eyes as they caught some faded dark blemishes on his cheekbone, his hair was disheveled as much as his shirt was.
"Jimin, what-what happened to you?"
"Oh this?" He pointed at his overall body whilst a satirical smile escaped his mouth. "This is the outcome of your pretty irony." The deliberate bitterness was quite visible through his each words but she couldn't get the idea of what was the connection between his disheveled appearance and her past that he indirectly triggered out.
"Jimin!" As the tension overpowering the situation Mei admonished him not to go any further from the corner of her eye. However, it didn't escape Nile's confused demeanor.
"What? She should know how did I get this all and moreover, who saved her pretty irony, if the truth to be told." The glint of sternness and mockings flailing all over his tone and his bruised sculpture.
"Saved me? What are you talking about Jimin?"
"This is not the time Jimin." Mei's shoulder tensed up as her sinews tightened around Nile's hand, anxiety filled up her mind.
"What's not the time? What are you guys hiding?" Nile got irritated by their continues rebukes and indirect pricks. But at the same time tenseness brew up her inside.
"You really want to know Nile? Hope that won't change your mind and-"
"Cut the crap Jimin!" Mei spoke in rising irritation.
"Mei stop stopping him! I want to know who saved me?" Her voice raised a little. Mei still looking down not wanted make it go worse than it already was. Well, a truth is truth and she knew it very well that the truth won't be very pleasing to her dear friend.
On the contrary, as much as Jimin felt sad for her current condition, yet he wanted to make her feel guilty and suffer for her own wrongdoing to Hobi, thinking if that could stir her conscience a little.
"Alright." Mei looked up at the anxious Nile who was almost panting just to know the truth.
"It wasn't an accident Nile. It was a pre-planned murder attempt."
"WHAT?" Nile shrieked in utter disbelief.
"Yes, and it was Mrs. Choi, Mrs. Park's greatest enemy." Jimin blankly stated while leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over the chest. Nile couldn't believe her own ears as the unexpected morals kept banging in her head over and over again. Still, she was unknown about the foremost.
"Then who saved me?" Soon her eyes widened, her bodiac particles balled out from the frame in excessive apprehension to know the only truth.
"It was Hobi." Mei slowly answered.
•••••
"......a round of applause for our SPECTACULAR performers for their such BEGUILING performances!" The host spoke into the microphone with utmost enthusiasm.
"Our honourable judges has made up their decision and as you can see this golden paper in my hand which is engraved by the name of the ultimate winner of tonight! So my precious spectators, let's not await you anymore." All the hearts were beating insanely which was nothing but a suspensive melody booming against the wall of the huge gallery.
"Anxious right? Well, before I finally announce the name I would love to request Mr. Lee-Min-Joon, the Chief Administrative Officer of Sejong Center, to come up to the stage and bestow this beautiful Crystal Swan crest to the ace."
As it said the respectable elite appeared on the mighty stage.
"So my beloved witnesses, it's the time to announce the name, yes. The ballerina, who has not only won the judges pens but also won a thousands of hearts by her BREATHTAKING moves, IS..."
The clock ticking was wild and so the drumming hearts along with the restless eyelids.
"RYU - SUN - NILE!"
•••••
"Where is Nile?" The door burst opened with a hasty looking dreadful manager, suspense elapsed his features as his bulged eyes searched for Nile.
Nile, who was sitting still, eyes nowhere to be looking at, drowning in amid dismay right after hearing she was saved by none but Hobi himself. Heart that cried for screaming out loud, tears were at the edge of her shoreline and pleading for to be collapsed. Fate that kept lambasting her victory by telling,
'you don't deserve it, you don't worth it!'
"But manager, she can't even stand up on her feet!" Mei said worriedly. For a moment, the thought of his reputation would get tattered in dust, made him sweat out of tension.
"Have you managed any wheelchair, crutches or just anything?" He asked one of the staffs in a stiffy voice.
"No sir, it'd take much more time to get those stuffs in such short time."
"Cowards!" The manager shouted in utter wrath.
"Let me help."
A very familiar voice echoed through the rush air. To their beyond surprise, it was Hobi. Without slipping a second, he got closer to Nile who was still spiraling through the black abyss untill an arm sneaked underneath her knees and the other one over her back, pulling her out of the dark empathy. He swiftly took her in his hands in a bridal style but never looked at her and with that he turned around. All the expanded eyes around them were in thrill.
Shocked as she realized she was in Hobi's arms, her breath hitched as she saw him from this close after a heart tormenting year. As she stared, the reddish, long, narrow cut under his bottom lip froze her. And the guilt again resurfaced over her and banging on the conscience like a merciless butcher and consequently the heart wracked.
"B-but you can't appear like this, it's inappropriate!" The manager's voice was now lowly aghast.
Hobi stopped at his frightened extent which was nothing but a selfish fear for his dearest reputation.
"Would it be more appropriate if a dead was announced to receive the award?" Hobi's condemnation left the manager beyond speechless. He felt ashamed right away as his feet brought him a step back from blocking his way.
The lonely lawn watched the two heartbroken souls approaching the entrance in awful silence untill the obscure shaded with blinding lights of the stage.
🍂