He dances as if his body is water, so smooth and freely flowing, so extremely fluid. One of the best dancers in K-pop she have seen so far. Yang Jungwon moves is indefinable, dangerously hitting every single beat as his body rolls.
Hyejin finds herself repeating the clip over and over again, it's as if she was drawn too much and never got tired of watching him. Her cousin's guest, whom she have mistaken as a thief, goes to be the Enhypen's leader, who possessed the most crazy dance skills she'd ever seen.
"Fifteen times."
Hyejin jolts with the familiar voice. She quickly puts her phone down, hiding the thing she's been watching for quite a while.
"Ahn Minhyuk!" she shrieked. "Jesus, you scared me!"
"Park Hyejin." he called, smiling. "I've been standing here for minutes and you didn't even noticed my arrival. Seriously? A K-pop band? For fifteen times?"
"It's Sunghoon Oppa's group." Hyejin slightly creased, a bit defensive. "I'm waiting for Coach Jang. We have an important thing to talk about."
"I heard you're back. I came rushing here the moment I knew about it. Coach Jang called me up too. Maybe she wanted us to regroup." he chuckled again.
"No way." Hyejin quicky opposed. "What happened to you and Kang Bora?"
"Kang Bora?" Minhyuk shook his head in discontent. "She's a diva. And we don't have chemistry. That's why it didn't work. It's different when I'm with you. We moved in unison and got harmony, Hyejin."
Ahn Minhyuk is her former partner before she flew to Poland. Coming second to Park Sunghoon's skating skills, he went a little bumptious after clinching the top position after her cousin took a different path and Hyejin can't stand the swanking. 
"I'm trained to become a solo performer now. Besides, it's been a year since our last performance. I already forgot your pace."
Minhyuk's face turned sullen. He threw himself into one of the seats as he looked at her with a sulking stare. "Ah, I can't believe you're throwing me out now, Hyejin. But let's wait for Coach Jang's say about it."
Hyejin chuckled back and turned her glance away. Ahn Minhyuk is a colleague. A partner he can rely to before. But behind his exceptional skill, he has an undying envy towards Park Sunghoon. He always comes second when it comes to gliding on ice.
"I heard your cousin, Park Sunghoon, is back in town?" Minhyuk asked, killing the dead air.
Hyejin nodded, still adamant to answer. "He's on a one month break."
"So, the rumor's true. The ice prince is back in town." Minhyuk chuckled sarcastically.
"Just leave Sunghoon Oppa alone. He already took a different path." Hyejin was in disbelief with Minhyuk's foolish quibblings. 
"A different path. A K-pop star. It sounds lame to me." Minhyuk continued the mocking.
"You know who's lame? It's you, Minhyuk. Sunghoon Oppa is working hard, it's evident. And Enhypen is on top of their game right now," she tried to defend.
"You're so quick to defend your cousin, I can understand, but when did you became interested in K-pop?"
"W-What?" she asked, as if she hadn’t heard what had been said.
"Enhypen?" Minhyuk's brows raised for a quick thinking. "Oh, yeah, your cousin's group. Wait a minute? That's why you keep on repeating the clip you're watching for fifteen times! I saw you zoomed it in in one of the member's face! You're admiring a K-pop idol?!"
Hyejin rushed to slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle another word he's going to emit next.
"Don't say another word anymore! Might as well say any names! Someone might hear you, you moron!"
Minhyuk blinked slowly, trying to process it in. The thin line of his brow jumped in surprise. Hyejin's cold hand is on his mouth as he stood frozen, a bit overwhelmed.
"Squabbling again? You two are never growing up."
Coach Jang's voice made Hyejin to jump on her feet. Quickly, she withdraw her hand on the stunned Minhyuk's mouth and excitedly ran towards her mentor.
"Coach Jang!" Hyejin excitedly muttered. 
"Hyejin-a." Coach Jang gave her a short but solid hug. "I missed you, slayer. How's Poland?"
"Good. But home's the best." she couldn't hold the snicker. "I missed you, too, Coach Jang."
"I can see it. You're glowing. I can't wait to see what you can show me now." Coach Jang uttered back. "Anyways, I called you up because I'm asking for a little request and I need your acceptance."
Hyejin was put to stop. She glanced at Minhyuk at the far side, he gave her a smirk, like he was filled with brimful enthusiasm. Seems like Minhyuk knew what the mentor is trying to suggest all along.
"We got a shot at nationals. You're doing solo."
Hyejin was stalled, her hands flung to cover her chest as though trying to calm her heart that jumped up so suddenly.
"Really?! Of course! I will definitely accept it, Coach Jang!" she exclaimed.
"But we got some downsides--" Coach Jang cuts her thrill. "Kang Bora resigned. I cannot find a replacement. You're also doing a paired stunt with Ahn Minhyuk."
Hyejin heard a cackle. She frowned after feeling Minhyuk's arms wrapped around her shoulders.
"What did I told you? We're bound to be together." he grinned on her ear.
Hyejin pushed him away, eyes rolled it could touched her head. "Very funny."
"You got no choice, ice queen."
"Then, it's time to master that routine or I'll kick your ass off! I'm dead serious, you faggot!"
 "Stop it, you two." Coach Jang laughed, shaking her head watching them bickering like everytime. "Well, I think that's a yes now, Hyejin. I'll see you two in the rink this weekend. We need to toil harder, like, seriously. Your opponent have her eyes set on the gold. Clinching it, you'll automatically compete in Olympics representing the country."
How many times she was dumbstruck, she couldn't sum up. Hyejin guessed she have found herself numb, in the sense that her rational brain  have stopped working, it halted, because someone have shown her a new direction she never anticipated for a moment. 
An Olympian. She dreamed of becoming one. Never thought the opportunity will come so soon, in the height of her battles with her chosen career and it's uncertainties. Training in Poland for almost a year, gave her nothing but countless rejections, the very reason why she opt to go back home.
A bright smile beamed through Hyejin face, so vivid that her eyes sparkles like a star's aglow. She faced Coach Jang with great determination and with the lovely face she have got that could launch a thousand ships, but what a pity, she doesn't know she have that charm. 
"I won't let you down, Coach Jang. That's a guarantee!"
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The stars just decorated the sky, bloomed in the velvet black. Amid the perfume of the summer blooms and feeling the cool of the evening wash, Jungwon stared at it like he had seen it for the first time. Park Sunghoon's town is so quiet in the evening. In the morning, the music of laughter, hums like a melody singing to his ears. 
"Let's go?" Jungwon excitedly stood up seeing Sunghoon rushed to where he is.
"I'm sorry, Won." Sunghoon face was filled with guilt. "I need to fetch Yeji right now. She went home straight away after she knows I'm here. Can we reschedule the lesson tomorrow night?"
"Oh?" Jungwon had a heart drop but fighted the despondency. "It's okay. There's always next time. I think I'm going to just chill here while I wait for you to come back. And Jake bumped me a message asking if we can have a joint live later, so--"
"Are you sure? The rink is just a five minute walk. Just give me a head's up if you decides to go. I'll just catch up. Need to go, Won. Yeji's bus is arriving in half-hour."
"I'll let you know. Take care, Hyung."
Jungwon heaved a deep sigh. There's no reason to feel upset, it's just a childish want, but yet, he couldn't help the chagrin. Jake bumped another message stating he'll postpone the live and just like that, he was back being alone. 
He was born optimistic. Being the leader, he can easily find joy in middle of desolation. Being alone is not a lonely thing, it's a salve, a chance for true serenity to calm every part of one's being. But it's also wise to seek the best ways to find relief. Jungwon finds himself walking to an unfamiliar path, finding the place he ought to find.
That rink was build for people with dreams. The built ice had a diamond glow, as if born to reflect sunlight. Jungwon was in awe seeing such a wide rink. His childlike desire quickly shoots up. Wearing the skaters, he brought himself up to approach the ice.
After pushing himself away from the the rail, Jungwon was capped with fear. His first step on the slippery ice surface was a struggle. He wobbles, fighting with his balance. But knowing himself, he won't stop with one curb. 
Finally, he found the steadiness. He felt free as a bird, holding his arms out and giggling like a kid. Park Sunghoon looked effortless on ice while he looked like a a duck flapping in a swamp.
His body was stiff and he knows he looked funny. That rink was empty and he was lucky, he can fall for so many times without any watchful, judging eyes to take his confidence down. He never thought the experience would be harder doing it alone. But once he loosened up, maybe after an hour or two, he trusts himself, he'll glided along easily.
"This is so fun.." Jungwon muttered in a chuckle.
Trying a routine is like a temptation he cannot control. Professional ice skaters do it so easily, it won't kill to try. He brought his right foot back in next to the left and zigzagged his way down on the other side. He attempted a jump and to his surprise, he landed smoothly, back to the ice.
"Easy peasy." he proudly uttered.
An unexpected success can sometimes be provocating. Jungwon decides to try another stunt without thinking twice. He's a newbie but the guts is big. With knees bent slightly, he leaned forward, mind's running crazy pretending he's a pro. He zoomed down once more and when he reached the center he jumped high attempting a twirl, without thinking the danger it would cost him the moment he reached back on ice. 
In that slow time, he kind of felt like he was going to fall when he gets to land. No. He knew for sure he was going to fall. He bent his knees and placed his arms on the side of him. He beat his blade down on the ice, but his balance is going out of the streams. He could imagine the end results of that risky move - an impending injury.
"Ah, shit." eyes closed, he just muttered in dismay while plummeting down, protecting a part of his body that going to suffer a stash.
But then, he didn't reached the ice. He was stopped halfway, with a soft arms protecting like iron shield. It felt like he was awakened by a dream, by then, Jungwon opened his eyes and was caught by a highly pleasing view he got to see, so close, unbelievably real.
That spark in her eyes, calling it beautiful won't do any justice. Maybe because of their good genes, they are naturally beautiful as they are. She's gripping his shirt, pulling it until it was irrevocably stretched, just to put him up with the little force she got. Her eyes grow wide as worry filled her startled face.
"Are you okay?!"
How he was lost for words, he couldn't believe. It's hard to freed the reply, like he was choked, air slowly escaping his lungs. He was put in the most breathtaking view, like up in the clouds, saved by a beautiful angel.
He is okay. Thanks to her. What is not okay is the hard pound he's hearing all to himself. Was that, his heart? 
"H-Hyejin--?"
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