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━━━  " 📂 " ‍..⃗. ༉

𝙍 𝙀 𝙈 𝙀 𝘿 𝙔

! chapter five ─── ʚĭɞ

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Mr Kang wasn't lying when he said that their practise would be intensified.

Miyeon patted hurriedly at the shene of sweat that had gathered on her forehead, spare hand reaching up to somehow tighten the ponytail that had come loose.

It was hours after the meeting had ended and the news of the two groups upcoming debut had been announced. And it was fair to say that the energy had come with that announcement had dwindled significantly, spent on the several dance lessons that had been scheduled for that day.

Behind her, Kaien was leaning against the mirror and leaving handprints in the steam gathering on the glass. Maiya was near beside her, sipping on a bottle of water and Chanmi was laying back on the floor, chest heaving.

"You guys did great!" One of the two dance instructors that they cycled between called from the front, in a similar state to the teens in front of her. "Really, really good." She paused to take a sip of water, wiping beads of sweat gathering at her temples. Raising her own bottle of water to her lips, she looked around at the four.

"You all adjusted really quickly, and I believe that this is your last session today...?" The words lilted upwards in question, the woman waiting for one of them to answer her.

"Er.. yeah." Miyeon confirmed, taking the bottle of water that Maiya held up to her, wiping the rim and taking a couple more sips. "No more dancing.. or singing, I think."

"Good - shower and enjoy the rest of your day off, drink plenty of water and don't forget to stretch." The dance instructor had barely even given herself to come down from the exhaustion, heart still pounding in her ears. "I, on the other hand, have got to get going - good job today ladies!"

And with that the woman had disappeared through the doors and the other three, all of whom had been trying their best to remain stood and not as if they were ready to collapse, dropped to the ground, knees buckling and hands reaching to their foreheads, chests rising up and down rapidly.

"You should've just followed my lead from the start." Chanmi had a factor of being all-knowing to her voice. "I have the best ideas, and laying on the floor triumphs them-"

"Shut up Chan." Maiya called, words harsh but full of affection. "Just let us rest." The eldest Japanese girl groaned.

"Fine, fine." Chanmi shook her head, silence settling over the studio as they calmed down, heavings breaths slowly dying down into something more normal.

"It stinks in here." Kaien complained, pushing herself up onto her elbows. Her grip was a little wobbly, limbs still exhausted from the nonstop practise. "We really need to shower."

"They've been booked for us after the practise. It was mentioned at the start." Miyeon spoke up, slowly sitting up and letting her body lean forwards, arms resting on her knees. "Kai's right, we need to go clean ourselves up."

"Definitely right." Chanmi was agreeing and standing up, finding herself with a lot more energy in comparison to the other girls. It really did pay off to completely forget about any embarassment to do with showing such exhaustion in front of the instructor and just lay down anyway. "Come on, lazy lumps."

She nudged Miyeon's side with her foot, laughing as the girl jerked sideways, folding in half. "Come on!" The Hwang girl pushed herself up to her feet, giggles leaving her lips as she reached for the water once more.

"Good. now you're up - you can help us." Maiya's words were accompanied by stretching her arms out. "Come one - help me."

"Why should be?" Chanmi began an almost barter-like exchange of words between the two oldest girls, finally coming to a head with Maiya's simple, but very effective point.

"I cooked you all breakfast!"

Chanmi's mouth had opened, ready to form words in a biting reply. Instead, she stepped over Kaien's legs and took one of Maiya's hands, dragging her to her feet.

"Yeonie!" Kaien hated acting cute, however the childish nickname for Miyeon would be brought out of several occassions, especially after Kai had found out how the Hwang girl had forbidden Sooa from saying it before she left for New York.

"Fine." Miyeon grumbled. She barely even put up a fight as she helped the Taiwanese girl up to her feet, the four slowly walking towards the table on which more bottles of water were stored, along with the keys to the changing room and lockers. "You guys go ahead, I just need to call and tell someone that plans can go ahead."

"Seojun?" Chanmi had absolutely no filter and would just outright ask if curious. Despite the weariness in her bones and that she absolutely stunk from the dance-created sweat, she continued to do this.

Maiya and Kaien glanced at each other, then Miyeon, waiting for an answer.

"What? The Hwang girl swallowed, gaze flickering in between the three in front of her. "I.. fine. Yes, it's Seojun. I don't know why you're obsessed with it being him though."

"Because it's always him." Maiya replied, collecting her keys and ushering the other two girls towards the door. "Just hurry up and get through quickly, and knock on the door five times - one slow, two quick, one slow, one slow - so we know it's you."

"That's oddly specific." Kaien commented as Maiya dragged her and Chanmi from the practise rooms.

Shaking her head, a content smile on her features, Miyeon picked up her phone and walked towards the mirror, leaning against it. Scrolling through the pages, she finally reached the app she was looking for, and it wasn't long later that the beeping that came along with a phone call came.

It beeped for a little longer than usual, before passing through to voicemail. If Seojun really couldn't pick up, then it would be alright - she could just show up anyway - but she would have liked to call.

However, when the automated voice instructed her on leaving a voicemail - she didn't need it, but listened for any cool tips and tricks which were never there - Miyeon decided to pass the message through that way.

She couldn't afford to wait around - she stunk and her muscles ached and her plans that night were going ahead whether Seojun opened the voicemail or not.

"Hi." Her voice sounded almost achy over the phone, a little more high-pitched thhan usual. "I'n just calling to tell you that practise is over.. and I'll be on my way over in like half an hour? I don't know - I'm all sweaty and gross. But I'll see you then - have fun with fruit flavoured coffees!"

The message akmost seemed cryptic, and as Miyeon was gathering up her stuff and joining the three girls in the shower to then get changed for the rest of the day, Seojun had taken his ten minutes break, sliding the phone out of his pocket just like he had some years before and listening to the voicemail, a smile on his face.

They could make their plans, the several consecutive hours of dance practising having threatened to destroy them completely. But now she was done, this just gave her some extra time.

She wouldn't have extra time after this for a long while.