This is the fourth story in the Undone series.
This is Jung Hoseok's time to shine.
He is taking control of a new project at Stellar Design, and he has decided it's time to take control of his love life as well. He is weary of being alone, and he...
Hoseok meticulously hung up his clothes as he finished his nightly routine. He fell exhausted into his soft bed, frowning at how large and empty it seemed tonight. He grabbed the large plush from the pile of pillows and hugged it close. It was one of the few things he had brought with him when he left the States.
He knew it was rather foolish and it usually lay in the pile with the other pillows scattered on his bed. He had been embarrassed the first time Dae saw it, blushing and trying to snatch it back out of her hands. She was his boss, but more importantly she was his best friend. Even so he did not know exactly how to explain the tattered plush.
One look at Hobi's face had Dae gently placing the bear back in the nest of pillows and giving it a gentle pat before turning back to him. He had given her some rambling story about keepsakes and college, stumbling over the words until she took his hand and hushed him.
"I can tell it means a lot to you. We all have things like that. Things that remind us of places or people that we love and miss" she mused, catching the sadness in his eyes.
She frowned in concern over her friend. He always seemed so happy that it was easy to assume he really was. They had grown close enough over the years for her to recognize when he was faking it.
He was so serious as he looked at her and agreed. "That is true. And that silly bear reminds me of both."
He gave a shaky laugh and led her through the rest of the tour of his place, closing the door on those thoughts and memories.
Tonight, as he settled in, the memories came flooding back.
Her scent had long disappeared from the bear, but the memory lingered. He still heard the echo of her voice as she handed him the bag, the fuzzy bear peeking from the top.
"Now, you'll never be alone. Not really! Promise me you'll remember that," she had whispered, hurrying away before he could say the words stuck on his tongue, before he could gather the courage to kiss her again.
Tonight, the memories were not the sharp ones of regret, but rather the warm ones that gave him hope that he would not be alone forever. It helped that his arms were not empty and he knew at one time he was loved and he would be again.
He blamed his rambling thoughts on the liquor and the late hour. He slipped into dreams, and for the first time in a very long time he dreamed about her.
He woke the next morning with the slightest headache and a growling stomach. A quick check of his phone confirmed what he had already guessed. His friends were all still celebrating the night before, most of them in the exhausted embrace of their lover, blissfully unaware of the rude world already awake and moving.
He trudged to the bathroom to start his shower, still unsure where the day would lead him. A quick check of his kitchen reminded him of all the work he put in last week.
His mind was busy making lists and planning his errands as he turned on his playlist and entered the shower. As the hot water pounded his body he moved in time with the music.
That fact had never changed. Music soothed him, moved him when he was sad and took him over when he was happy.
The driving tempo of the song reminded him of one other thing he had neglected due to his added work responsibilities. It had been weeks since he went to the studio.
Suddenly he no longer felt unmoored, unsure of how to fill his time. Today he would lose himself in the music.
He hurried through the rest of his shower and picked comfortable clothes, grabbing his bag and filling it with things he would need. His entire mood lifted. He left the house humming, his steps growing quicker as he reached the corner. The day was brisk but the sun was brilliant.
Due to the holidays being near the streets bustled with families shopping and spending time together. He noticed the new couples, too shy to hold hands, the proud dad carrying his son on his shoulders. As he did, it seemed those things were added to the list he was forever making in his head. Today they seemed much more like goals and less like yawning gaps in his life.
He stopped and grabbed a drink from one street vendor, a steaming sweet potato from another. Heads turned as he walked, brisk and strong, confidence and grace in his stride. People noticed him, drawn to the kindness and light radiating from him.
He was too caught up in the dance combinations tumbling in his brain to notice the stares and whispers of the women he passed. Women young and old appreciated his perfect skin, broad chest, strong legs. He had a dancer's grace and strength and it did not go unnoticed. But as Joon often told him, he should pay more attention to the people around him. He could have had his pick of partners this morning, but he was laser focused on the song in his head.
He quickly made his way to the side street with a series of small buildings. Many had been left vacant over the years, but some were being revitalized into offices and shops. He had claimed one down a short alley and had converted it into a small dance studio.
He opened the door and stepped into his idea of paradise. The floors had been refinished and they were the perfect surface to protect his ankles and knees. One wall was mirrored and he had insisted on a top-notch sound system. There was a small waiting room and a tiny dressing room. He stopped and took deep breaths of the place, realizing just how much he had missed it.
He went into the changing room and quickly tossed on his favorite shorts and sleeveless shirt. He smiled at the posters on the wall. Something caught his eye and he bent under the small bench to retrieve it.
He straightened and stared at the tiny ballet slipper in his hand. He allowed Mrs. Kim to use the place a couple of nights a week to teach kids in the neighborhood. He sat on the bench, cradling the small shoe in his big hands, imagining a dark-haired girl chattering and squirming in excitement, in a rush to get on the dance floor. She would already be moving to the strains of the music in the other room as he tried to fit her foot in the slipper. He was lost for long moments imagining that tiny Cinderella.
Finally, he moved from the room, placing the wayward shoe on the desk in the waiting area. He could see the joy in the girl's face as she realized it had been found and the relief on the mother's. He made a mental note to deposit more money into the school account for shoes, tights and dancewear and to check with Mrs. Kim to see what else she might need.
Withthat added to his ever-growing list, he selected a song and moved to the centerof the floor.
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ughhhhh!! WP is acting crazy for me! It has taken 5 or 6 tries but I finally got this chapter loaded. Please tell me if it loads for you and if it looks weird.
In better news, our Sunshine is out and about and doing what makes him SHINE!!! I hope you are pulled into his story
