ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ | jikook

11

Jungkook gets to the workshop late the next day. He doesn't know why Jimin was so adamant about not doing the pas de deux with him, but it's embarrassing.

He takes his sweet time walking into the building. The longer it takes him, the more time he gets to avoid seeing him.

He gets to the classroom faster than he would've liked, but decides that he's being stupid and immature for taking too long, so he opens the door and walks in.

He immediately notices that Jimin isn't even there. It's 10 minutes after the workshop was supposed to start and Jimin is usually there early, so he must be skipping.

He walks up to Hoseok with a worried expression. "Hey, is Jimin running late?"

Hoseok avoids eye contact. "I think he dropped out of the workshop."

Jungkook freezes, completely in shock. "Why?"

He just shrugs in response. "He wouldn't tell me."

"Oh. Okay..." He walks back to the front of the room and hooks his phone up to his speaker.

-

Jimin crushes the boxes of his pointe shoes and sees his ribbons on. He's staying late again to work on the solo parts of the pas de deux.

After 30 minutes, he takes a break. His feet are aching, his blisters sending shooting pains up his ankle ever time he takes a step.

While he's cleaning and rebandaging his blisters, the studio door opens. He doesn't even look up because he already knows who it is. "Do you need something?"

Jungkook gulps. "Why aren't you doing the workshop anymore?"

"Hip hop is ruining my technique. I need to focus on my future and hip hop won't help me at all."

"That's not true. Hip hop helps you build your confidence—"

"Are you saying I'm not confident in my abilities?"

"Yeah. You always talk about how you aren't good enough."

"At hip hop. I'm not full of myself, but I know I'm good at ballet. I don't doubt that. Being good at hip hop won't do anything for me."

"Then just do it to try something new. Don't you get burnt out just doing the same thing over and over again?"

Jimin finally looks over at him. "Ballet is my life. I never get burnt out because I'm driven by the need to improve. You can always improve in ballet, so I never get tired of it."

"But—"

"I don't know why you want me in the workshop so bad. I'm the only non-hip hop student there. You should be focusing on them because a lot of them want to do something similar to what you do. I don't want to be a choreographer and I don't want to do hip hop. That workshop does nothing for me."

"Do you think I only have connections in the hip hop community? I went to a school like this too. I know a lot of casting directors at top tier ballet companies."

"So you're trying to bribe me with recommendations? I still don't understand why you want me to do hip hop so badly..."

"Because you have potential. It's fun working with people who are already experienced, but it's so rewarding to help someone learn from scratch."

"You're telling me you want me to do the workshop so you can feel good about yourself?"

Jungkook sighs and his shoulders fall. "Why don't you want to do it?..."

"I already said. It's ruining my technique."

"Your teacher wouldn't sign you up for something that would ruin your technique."

Jimin huffs and stands up. "Okay, fine! Yesterday, Madame thought we were dating and it made me feel uncomfortable so I quit the workshop. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Why would that make you uncomfortable?"

"Do you even hear the yourself right now?! Are you not uncomfortable with it? It makes me uncomfortable because you have a girlfriend!"

The room falls completely silent.

"It's not like I made a move on you or anything... I don't get why that's reason enough to drop out of the workshop."

"But you were way too eager to do those lifts from the pas de deux with me. For fucks sake, one of them is practically a kiss!"

"Madame asked me to help you. I didn't want to say no."

Jimin sighs. "Fine. I'll join the workshop again."

Jungkook sighs and grins. "I'm glad to hear it. What are you practicing right now?"

"The pas de deux. Only the solo parts. And before you ask, no. I don't want to do any of the lifts with you. Ballet lifts require a lot of trust and I barely know you."

"Can I watch you practice?"

Jimin sighs. "Why do you even want to?"

"Ballet is fun to watch."

"Fine. Just don't talk. I don't want to be distracted."

-