Moon Child

Chapter 33 Take Me Home

A friendly reminder:) You might want to check out the apprentices casting before reading this chapter so that you can put a face to the names. Hope this won't get too confusing! Enjoy the read everyone!

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"Geonbae!" The apprentices cheered to another great season together using their assorted glasses of fruit juice.

Since the class was cancelled for the day, the apprentices decided to enjoy some rare group bonding time together. Lively chatter filled the café they were in as the apprentices finally let down their guards around one another.

There was probably one thing that would remain mind-boggling to the usual masses who has never dipped their toes into the ballet world.

The push and pull between one's rivals, who are also ironically, your friends.

In the ballet world, your fiercest competitors are your closest allies.

All day, you live in a world where you have to control what you eat, what you wear, how you move, and even who you touch. You are constantly pitted against the image of mortal perfection that was a true test of mental stability and self-esteem – even if you appear flawless to most.

Entering the ballet industry is akin to strapping yourself to a rollercoaster indefinitely. You either finish that ride or you crash and leave.

But unlike the usual rollercoasters where you are with your friends, you are taking the ride with those who are out to beat you.

These competitors will constantly observe you, taking note of your strengths and your weaknesses, strategising and pushing themselves to be even better than you are. Whether you survive the ride, in the end, depends on your will to hold on to your seat.

But, what nobody sees is that these rivals are also the only people who will ever understand you. No words are needed for them to know what you are feeling, what you are going through, and what you are thinking.

They get you.

These are also the very same people who will celebrate you for you and challenge you to improve constantly.

There's truly no other way to say it. They are your tribe, or some may even say, family. Because even family fight sometimes but they support each other, albeit silently at times.

And so, you continue to live in this world of push and pull, dancing for yourself but also as one body.

When one puts it that way, is the ballet world truly confusing?

Perhaps...

But for today, the apprentices could function normally as friends, pushing away all semblance of competition amongst themselves.

"Min Jung, tell us more about yourself!" Hye Sun directed the conversation topic to the new girl.

Eager eyes turned towards Min Jung as she laughed. "What do you want to know?"

"Ooo, let's have fun with this one! Are you attached?" Joori fluttered her eyelashes innocently at Min Jung.

Peeking over at the four boys who have all miraculously stopped what they were doing, Min Jung grinned and shook her head. "Ani, I'm single."

"But...there's someone." She blushed.

"Omo! Spill!" That squeal came from Hyo Jin.

While the girls were very much excited for their new friend, some of the boys were feigning indifference to Min Jung's answer.