With Grace {Taebin/Yeonkai}

With Desperation

"Terry, you good?" Taehyun feels his focus being pulled back to earth from wherever it has drifted off to, the sounds of music playing, chatters and pit-a-pat of footsteps on the wooden floor coming back to his senses.

He zoned out again, a growing habit that he wishes to get rid of ever since it started.

They're on a short half-hour break for the Giselle performance, all participating dancers are there at the venue that they were given access to use for practice all week for the big show that weekend.

"Yeah I'm okay don't worry" he has sat down leaning against one of the backdrop props where there's less screeching of younger dancers running around the stage or practicing their parts.

And it is closer to the stage heater so it's not as cold since the place is blasting AC like it's a crime for the temperature to be any higher than 26 Celsius.

Taehyun wished he hadn't forgotten his jacket again, it's freezing in the hall after so long of being cooped up, especially when he's not dancing.

His main dance partner for the night, Eunbi, is giving him the concerned mother hen look.

"Is there something going on, you're just...a lot down?" she notices the boy is almost always out of focus when he's not in the performance mindset, eyes trailing off, almost drooping with sleepiness.

Even when she finds him all curled up behind the props like he's trying to hide from the world.

"I'm okay, it won't affect our performance" the dancer assures his partner, hoisting himself up to his feet with ease and giving his noona a grin.

But Eunbi isn't buying that, not by a long shot "Terry, I'm not worried about the goddamn performance, I'm worried about you" the worn-out look Taehyun sports every now and then worries her, he may be a skilled dancer but he's far too young to be straining his body like that.

"And I'm saying Eunbi noona, I'm fine" Taehyun remarks, while he may be thankful that she cares, he rather not have anyone knows the shit show he's going through at the moment with Hueningkai.

Ever since the fateful night of the biggest regret of his life up to date, Taehyun realizes Hyuka is avoiding him again and this time, he's making absolutely sure they never cross paths at all.

And while that might suck, Taehyun can't help but also be somewhat glad.

Things have only gotten more and more awkward for them, and Taehyun doesn't know how to deal with the mess.

On top of everything, his midterms exams just passed and he's been so busy with studies and school workload more than ever because his grades are starting to tip and he has received a warning from the school.

Adding more to his already mountain high piled up stress is the fact he lost his mental anchor who is in charge of keeping him grounded.

Life feels a lot more bearable when Kai is by his side but now, he's just scrambling about randomly trying to keep up.

"Taehyunnnie!! Costume fitting!!" He hears Hoseok calling out to him, the younger boy sighing when remembers the next few sessions will be fully costume practices.

"Coming Hoseok shii!!" he chants, entering the back dressing room where Hoseok is looking through the many hanged outfits on the portable racks.

The fashion designer shakes his head at him "Aish, what did I tell you? Call me hyung" he reminds the boy to which Taehyun nods apologetically "Hoseok hyung"

He pulls out a hanger and presents the costume eagerly to the dancer "Isn't it good?"

Taehyun stares with awe at the outfit. It's a white poet shirt with some minimal but very pretty details, a perfect look to portray Giselle, the peasant girl with a weak heart yearning for love.