JOON POV:

The house becomes both a hive of movement and yet somehow drained of it all the same, void of the three energetic, bright presences that Jiminie, Kookie and Hobi were. They were always prepped and fired up for dance practice, prepped for a day of rehearsals and of constantly putting more and more power into their performance, into preparing for the upcoming dance competition.  At times it was just Jiminie who left, a less common occurrence, but off he went, practically skipping, vibrating with energy as he went to prepare for his contemporary dance with       (Y/N). The duet competition that was to come after group competitions were over. But I began to sillily enough...miss them. Miss their chaotic, random spurts of energy as well as their constant presence in the house, doing one thing or the other. Upto a mischief as the three banded together with Tae or out on dates, or sneaking in to meet us at work. And I missed (Y/N), even if she often returned with the boys after practice, equally drained but glowing with satisfaction, even if she even began driving over to pick them up in the morning armed with breakfast, even if she still surprised us with sweet dates or eagerly agreed to spend time with us. 

I missed her even if a few days ago she'd come knocking on the door, all dressed and ready for us to go on a new nature trail she'd found on the outskirts of Seoul, a trail that led us into the heart of a forest and onto the most beautiful clearings. Where we'd spent the afternoon splayed on a picnic blanket talking, reading side by side and sharing slow lazy kisses.

Slow lazy kisses that had been the feel of soft plush warm lips against my own, had carried the sweetness of fruits and the sticky gloss she always favoured. I remembered her hands sliding to wind their way into my hair, lightly tugging at the strands as she straddled my lap. Had clambered onto my legs when I'd silently drawn her up and looked at me, blinking slowly, eyes fluttering shut when I'd leant in to press my lips to hers. A short quick peck that had turned to more, had turned to a drag of lips against my own, that heady pull of her mouth to mine, lips slowly exploring each other's and chasing after that sweetness of her mouth, tugged to the hypnotic sight of rosy lips that became swollen the more I leant in for them. I remembered the warmth of her body leaning into mine, remembered the way she'd gasped for air against my mouth, lips dragging away swollen and slick and chest rising and falling. I remembered the first time I'd kissed those lips, so utterly distracted by the way they'd parted as she spoke, with so much passion and interest for the book we'd been reading together, so taken with the way a strand of hair fell to curve and rest across her cheek and the spark in her eyes when she'd turned on my lap face so beautifully alive, so expressive that I hadn't been able to hold back, hadn't been able to stop myself from leaning in to remember that moment, to trap and cherish it when I had leant in to press my lips softly to hers.

A small press, a small moment in time where it was just her and me, where the words fell away and the book became insignificant. Where it was just her.

And when I saw her on my lap, so content, the sunlight filtering over her, casting golden shadows on her sweet smile, swollen and reddened as those lips had been, I had felt my heart race, had felt it clench with this giddy exuberance. And I'd felt it accelerate when she'd leant forward and in a moment of imbalance I'd fallen back onto the blanket with her falling with me, peering at me with surprise, hair falling forward. And that same surprise that had turned cheeky as she leant in for a kiss once more, a heady enthralling press of her lips, of her tongue darting to tease before slipping away.

I sigh as I peer at the once again familiar sight of the three of them leaving once more, lips dragging downwards into a droop as I drop the pretence of helping Jin hyung pack the boxes to see them appear in the doorway of the kitchen, eagerly rushing in.

A flurry as Jiminie collects the bottles from the fridge and places them into his bag, as Kookie walks over to lean in to carefully take the packed boxes and move to the kitchen island to arrange them securely and meticulously into the carrier and Hobi as he moves around the kitchen, dancing and spinning as he reaches for the first aid kit and habitually makes sure his own personal one is stocked fully.

A practiced, fluid series of movements that is choreographed in its own right with the way they flit around each other, move to navigate the kitchen and press kisses to both my lips and Jin hyung's, searching out the others to enthusiastically to say goodbye to.

I watch them leave, their faces bright and excited, and feel foolish for that pang once more. Dance season always made me feel as if three loves of my life were being tugged away, where I had to compete for their time with dance, with their passion- something I could only cheer them on for very proudly. I feel a pang because this time it's not three taken away, it's four.

Four of my own, four of the ones I loved spending time with.

And as they leave, Jin hyung nudges my hip- eyes knowing and lips curved in a smug smile.

"Don't be like that Joon-ah. You always become the cutest baby during season and the most fiery, fierce lover after. You and I both know I'm not the only one excited for post-competition celebrations." He teases.

My cheeks burn and eyes widen as I dart my eyes away from Jin hyung, not quick enough to see the delighted and fond expression in his eyes, or the way his eyes burn with mischief.

He reaches out to tug me backwards, leaning against the counter as he envelops my frame with his arms, wrapping them around me.

"You're such a sweet boy. Now...is my Joonie feeling neglected? Want hyung to make it better? Name it poppet, a date, a day on the couch...anything you want to do." He offers, head tucked over my shoulder and when I turn to face him, he's looking at me with a soft smile, eyes encouraging. Prompting me to ask away.

"Can we go to a flower shop? I want to pick an order for the flowers to give to the four of them after their competition this weekend." I say earnestly, excited to have Jin hyung's input.

His gaze turns soft and tender, nodding easily.

"Of course. Flowers are a must! Anything else you want to do? We could visit that new stationary shop too- your notebook is on it's last few pages." He adds.

I feel my heart race. It's his usual sweet attentiveness, that same knowing look in his eyes as he offers to do whatever I want and yet it doesn't stop making me feel giddy, it doesn't make that thrilling rush of being doted on lessen anyhow with time.

He leans in to press his lips to the corner of my mouth, feel his tongue flick teasingly against my dimple.

"And bed afterwards?" I ask, that steady ever-present heat, a constant since I'd been with all of them, that threatens to flare at the way his grip tightens and he tugs me to press against him, his hips push out in a sharp, fast movement.

My breath hitches.

"Whatever you want Joon-ah. And you're saying as if I was mean enough to give you all my time and not end it with you between my sheets. As if I'd end this any other way sweetheart." He leans in to promise pressing his lips to my cheek in a tender, soft gesture so starkly different to the words he's uttered.

And with his mixture of sensual words and soft tenderness, I find my head reeling, spinning from the combined effect he has.

But as days go, this isn't a bad way to go about it.

Far from it actually.

-----

And later on I find myself breathless, head resting against Jin hyung's broad shoulder, hand flat on his chest as the two of us breathe heavily, drawing air into lungs as our hearts race, the quick thudding of his under my hand telling me he was equally affected, had been equally pent up.

Later I fins myself pressed close to warm skin under sheets as the two of us hold each other, breaths levelling as we come down from our highs, feeling the soft press of lips to my temple, feel his chest reverberate as he speaks.

"So Joon, are you happy now?" Jin hyung asks, voice slightly breathy and when I lift my head to peer at him his eyes are soft and expectant.

Not about just now. But the day.

Sweetly curious when he'd been so perfect, so unbelievably tender with the way he'd tried to give input for the flowers, had helped me pick them out, the way he'd brought flowers for me too and had handwritten messages to be attached to the bouquets for the four of them.

"Always happy with you hyung. Always will be." I say softly, pressing my lips to the curve of his shoulder.

His hands tighten around me, a silent squeeze that's filled with love as he whispers, 'me too'.

"You're always happy with yourself? I mean I can see why." I tease, eyes drifting over bare skin, over the slight glow that the bedside lamp casts on him.

He laughs, fingers pinching my side.

"Bratty baby." He gripes with a smile.

I grin back at him.

"Just for you hyung."

(Y/N) POV:

The weekend dawns with the feeling of those familiar jitters, that nervousness that will fuel the adrenaline to dance and perform the hardest, the fiercest I ever have. Those same pre-performance shakiness that comes to settle as the flurry of butterflies in my stomach as I sit down at the table with Habaek oppa and Mi-sun unnie, smiling at the sight of the matching pyjamas.

It was ritual that the nights before competitions were a cosy night passed by all piled into one bed and falling asleep with matching pyjama sets, bodies unconsciously curved close. Ritual that I woke up between the two and allowed them to fuss, sat back with a mug and waited at the table as the two made breakfast. This time there was less of that mischief as they bickered, so deeply immersed in their tasks, in preparing breakfast that their usual snipes at each other were missing.

That was seemingly ritual too. That or nervous habit. Expelling all that energy into cooking and making sure I was prepared as best as I could be to perform, it seemed as if the two of them got rid of some of that tension by setting down the laden plates on the table with silently expectant looks.

"It looks great, thank you." I say, smiling as I set the mug down and watch as the two of them take seats on either side of me.

This hadn't changed. For every dance competition, for every performance as a dancer, this sight hadn't changed even if time had. This familiar worried doting, that silent encouragement that the two were giving in the way by making sure I was in the zone, by making sure I'd eaten enough so that I wasn't dancing on an empty stomach.

They'd erased those once heavily driven in beliefs that dances performed on empty stomachs were some of the performances that got across more emotion and passion. They'd erased those and dealt with the dance instructors who'd trained me like that, who'd trained me to take the battering to my body; both physical and mental as a way to improve as a dancer.

And as I eat the intentionally light but nutrient-packed breakfast, smiling at their thought into this, I know that I've grown past that, grown past some of the most trying years of my life, past some of the most brutal years I'd endured as a dancer and as a person.

"Are you going to be coming with me? Or afterwards?" I ask as I help sort the dishes away, sighing fondly when Mi-sun unnie whisks away the plates and Habaek oppa presses a smoothie into my hands instead.

"Small sips cherub." He says, eyes watchful as he takes the tea towel to dry the dishes Mi-sun unnie has begun washing, leaning against the counter so he can give me his full attention.

"And with you! If that is...you can fit us in darling." Mi-sun teasingly calls over her shoulder, turning to shoot me a knowing look, eyes full of amusement.

I feel my cheeks warm, hands wrapped around the coolness of the glass.

"Now why wouldn't I be able to? You've always taken me to my competitions, how could I miss out on the pep talks?" I say with a small smile.

But I see the knowledge in Habaek oppa's eyes, that for all that I smile, the pep talks have always been such a major part of easing pre-competition jitters. They're exactly what push the nervousness away and stop it from turning into panic. The pep talks are one of the most important rituals for any dance performance I've ever done.

And even teasingly, I can't imagine turning up to the competition venue without them, without their words adorning my body like an invisible, impenetrable layer of armour.

"Mi-sun, has age begun affecting your memory? As if I'm letting cherub go without car cuddles and pecks." Habaek oppa easily says, voice teasing and lightly mocking- exaggerating the roll of his eyes when she turns to flick the towel at her.

The handful of soapy water she flings back in retaliation has that panic being banished before it can even consider flitting across my mind. It has me laughing as he squawks at her and throwing the towel down.

Normal. Easy. Familiar.

That's what this moment felt like.

And I adored it, cherished it. Because I only had ever felt normal around them, had only felt existing to become easy because of them.

Because this was a moment I'd hold close to my soul, moments I'd cling onto for as long as I could before they were ultimately taken.

And as I head up to change, to carefully pick up the dance costume, I remind myself that this dance season, that this life now was going to be lived as intensely as it could. That I'd dance as hard as I could and would dance as if each dance for me was its last.

I had to make these memories, these moments count.

I wanted them to be engraved across my soul when all was gone and it was just those memories and me.

And I'd give it my all today to make sure that this too became a memory that would later burn like a constant flame- full of heat and passion and warmth.

I'd live my life fully and wholly, give every bit of me into today.

There was no more holding back.

-----

I stare back at my reflection, stare back at the bold seductive strokes of makeup that highlight my face, sculpt it into becoming exactly what the performance is about, a glimpse of the sensual, dangerous allure the music and our choreography is about. 

I fix the band of fabric snug around my throat, tug it to fix it to rest across the low of my throat, fix the hem of the v-line and the fitted patterned jacket, standing up to turn and see if anything is rumpled or out of place.

And it's as I'm playing around with the belt, tightening it around my waist to make it the curve of my hips more pronounced and gripping at it, remembering the pressure to grip it with, remembering the way Hobi's hand had felt pressing mine down and the heat that had flared in my gut at the sensation, of his hips pressing to mine.

My eyes go to my reflection, staring at the hand and remembering Hobi's words as I tighten my grip, imitate the feel of the pressure.

There's heat that flickers in my eyes as I remember his hands and body guiding mine to shift into the correct position, to push my hips out and make the move pronounced.

It was one move I knew I wouldn't mess up. Couldn't.

A knock comes to the door, a rap of knuckles before the door is swinging open inwards and Mi-sun unnie beams at me, eyes meeting mine in the reflection, brows rising with a smile twitching at her lips when they drop to where my hand grips the belt.

But that's not what makes my eyes widen, my eyes widen at the group she brings up behind her, peering excitedly into the small dressing room. I see her enter, see the way Namjoon's dimpled grin, Yoongi's gummy smile and Tae's boxy sweet look of excitement freeze. See the smiles slide off their faces as their eyes too meet my reflection, see exactly what pose I'd been practicing.

And I can't decide whether Mi-sun unnie's breezy tone as she sweeps inwards, moving towards me is a welcomed distraction or a devil approaching in plain sight as I see the spark in her eyes.

"Don't you look stunning darling? Is the intention to sweep the judges away and audience by this charm alone?" she coos, fingers brushing across the exposed skin, skimming to tease under the choker as she runs appreciative, examining eyes over me.

Her eyes are playful and her lips twist with amusement as her fingers skim and tease across skin and when my eyes meet the boys over her shoulder it's to see stunned faces melt slightly with the intensity of their gazes, something flashing in both Yoongi and Namjoon's eyes- a familiarity that I place back to the day at the gym, when her hands had been on my thighs instead.

"Unnie..." I whisper indignantly, carefully batting her hand away.

She just smiles, a smug knowing look as she steps aside to lean against the dressing table, to peer with satisfaction at the boys.

"Looks like you've won them over. Or am I reading it all wrong?" she asks, voice lilting as she watches the boys.

Tae is the first to shake his head, a very eager enthusiastic shake, dark curls bouncing as he looks at me, stepping forward and splitting off from the natural closeness to the others.

"You won me over without all this. I won't be able to look away. And very gladly so." He says, voice promising and deep and hands careful as he moves to hug me, lips ghosting over skin and teasingly flitting against my lips for an instant.

"You look beautiful (Y/N)." Yoongi says softly.

Not stunning, seductive, dangerous. Beautiful. The words make my heart flutter more than it should perhaps but paired with soft brown eyes that gaze at me intensely and yet simultaneously gentle and lips that quirk up at the corners has my own lips spreading into a smile, has my eyes unable to tear away.

"I thought I'd get used to it after seeing the boys...but it just hits harder." Namjoon explains with a bashful dimpled smile as he hugs me, whispering his confession into my ear, so endearing that my hands linger for a few moments more around his shoulders to keep him close.

"Oh Namjoon...I hope the performance hits harder." I whisper teasingly, lips teasingly quirked as I smile at him, watch as his eyes flicker down to them.

Mi-sun unnie clears her throat, not so subtly moving away from the table to grin widely at us.

"As much as seeing this lovely display of love is, I should leave." Mi-sun unnie says, smile genuine and soft as she moves to leave.

At that moment Jin and Habaek oppa enter through the door, Habaek oppa's eyes light up as they fall on me, a wide smile on his face. His expression is so starkly different to the silence that falls on Jin, his own smile that had been wide stilling and eyes raking over me. Eyes taking in the details, the fitting of the clothes, the way the other three are curved around me and Mi-sun unnie had been moving forward.

His smile bursts through, radiant and dazzling when Mi-sun unnie moves forward, grabs Habaek oppa and promptly tugs him out, ignoring his protests with a well-aimed hit to the ribs as she drags him away. I watch them leave with fondness, turning my eyes back to see the way Jin approaches. The way he easily slips into place to stand in front of me, silent until he's brushed his lips across mine in greeting, fingers tilting my mouth up to his in a chaste kiss.

"The most beautiful flower." He murmurs as he leans back, eyes staring into the depths of mine, warmth fanning out from where his fingers cup the side of my face, skim to tease at the same choker the boys had seen Mi-sun unnie play and toy with.

He doesn't realise what his actions mean to them, doesn't realise that I see the heat and satisfaction dance across brown irises as they take the two of us in, silent approval as the propriety touch of hers is wiped away with Jin's. I feel my skin tingle where his fingers roam in silent fascination, nothing but awe in his eyes as he leans his head down to peer at the detailing, feel his breath puff against my throat.

My hands move back to grip at the wood, leaning back as his body fills the space in front of me, head falling back to look at him.

I feel the lightest and chaste of kisses against my neck, nose brushing against my skin before he straightens up.

Hands fussing in a way that's familiar to Habaek oppa, brushing off imaginary dust and lint, straightening the choker, adjusting the fitting of the jacket to my shoulders and skimming lightly over my waist.

"You've got this flower. You four are going to set the stage on fire." He says confidently.

I find comfort and strength in the assuredness he speaks with. The way he doesn't look bothered and the way he genuinely believes it, I can see it in the determined resolve of his gaze.

"So sure about that?" I ask.

He nods.

"When the four of you already look this sensational, when I know just how talented you all are, why would I even think otherwise?" he says.

I could kiss him for his response alone. Could kiss him until my lungs pleaded for air and my lips burned and my body trembled.

But not now. Not when I had a dance to perform and three others waiting for me.

Maybe after.

When he raises his hand into a fist, a cute motion as he waves it and says he'll be rooting for me, I change my mind.

Definitely afterwards.

If anything, I was going to dance more powerfully just for him, just for those final words of courage and strength he'd given me, that had bolstered me more than I'd know.

I was going to dance for me and for Habaek oppa and Mi-sun unnie.

But also. For the first time I was going to dance for specific someones waiting for me in the audience.

I look at them, at the confidence and hope and optimism in their eyes and their relaxed smiles.

I was going to dance for them.

(THERE WE GO! SO...I'M SUPER NERVOUS ABOUT HOW YOU ALL WILL FIND THIS CHAPTER MAINLY BECAUSE...I JUST AM?? DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT BUT I HOPE THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE CHAPTERS MADE SENSE AS WELL AS THE MOVE TOWARDS THEIR COMPETITION. THE DANCE DUET CHAPTER WAS CUT OUT BECAUSE AFTER A CONVERSATION WITH MY LOVELY Midiiplier I REALISED THAT IF THEY DIVIDED THEIR ENERGY INTO TWO DANCES, IT WOULDN'T READ AS POWERFUL...SO TO EXPLAIN IT- THE GROUP COMPETITION IS FIRST AND THEN THE DUET ONE LATER ON...PROBABLY A FEW DAYS- A WEEK LATER?? SO THE DUET CHAPTER THAT WAS INITIALLY SLOTTED IN WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE DANCE PERFORMANCE ONE! AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER IT FELT LIKE THE PACE WAS DRAGGING- THE DANCES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT THAT I JUST DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE CUT BUT IF IT'S BORING YOU THEN I'M SORRY~ OTHERWISE ENJOY! AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU MADE OF IT!! TAKE CARE, STAY SAFE AND ENJOY MY LOVELIES!)

QUESTION...SOMETHING YOU WANT TO THROW OUT? WORD VOMIT, A RANDOM THOUGHT...A PIECE OF ADVICE, ANYTHNG?

Mine is...if we don't fail then we won't know the happiness of success, if we don't fall then we won't know what it feels like to stand up on our own efforts and keep moving. To get to the good things in life, to succeed and grow as people we must overcome the obstacles.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3