이름없는 기억

Big-Time Knock Out

It was a week after, and they were discussing the upcoming performance.

“there’s nothing we could do about it,” Lexi had said after listening to their nonstop yammering about unfortunate coincidences. “Unless you all want to fake injury and turn tails.” She said this while perfecting a dance move, copying it the exact way their choreographer had described and demonstrated.

“Do you really think so lowly of us?” Kiseop asked with a roll of his eyes. His hand was on her nape as she trailed hers along his chest and abdomen.

“Just saying,” she said and tripped. “Gah!”

Kiseop scrambled to help her up.

“There is absolutely no working this out!” the choreographer exclaimed. “Kevin, go back and pair up with Lexi. You did this part perfectly in the video. So do it now! No complaints.”

Kevin shrugged. “Okay.”

“Disregarding that little accident of mine,” Lexi said. “I think you can take ‘em.”

AJ laughed. “You sound so sure. Or is this just pep talk?”

She looked insulted. “Dude, my name is L-XS. In capital letters.” She added flippantly. “I think I’ve amassed a large enough fanbase by now. Who the hell is Song Ye Jeun?”

“I should take your word for it,” Soohyun said, smiling as he took her by the shoulders and made her face the mirror. “Shouldn’t I?”

Lexi scoffed. “Look at me. Now doubt that.”

“Alexses!”

The dance room was empty besides the two of them, so she looked at him in irritation. Kevin walked calmly towards her, backpack slung on his shoulder. It was already dark when they had finished the rigorous rehearsal and it was by pure chance(maybe) that they had been left alone by the others.

“Wait for me,” he continued when he saw her hostile look. “No need to look so condescending.”

Her expression let up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You look like you swallowed your own vomit,” he answered.

An amused expression crossed her face. “Is that insult directed to me, or you?”

“A bit of both,” he muttered. Then, “Hey, are you talking to me again?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. I was talking to my extremely conversational shadow.” She gestured in an overly exaggerated way and ended up stubbing her toe on the door. “Jesus Christ!” she exclaimed, jumping up and down in pain.

“That’s what you get,” Kevin muttered. “Couldn’t you let up the sarcasm for a while?”

She threw him an infuriated look. “Shut up, you slime.”

He laughed then sat down in front of her, unslinging his bag. “Come on.”

At first, she looked at him in confusion, then what he wanted dawned on her. She ignored him and hobbled pityingly past. “No thanks.”

“Are you sure you’re going to limp downstairs in that?” he asked. “Don’t be stubborn and climb on up.” He added with a sigh, “I’m not trying to do anything.”

She sighed but completely gave up when she saw her bleeding toe. “Fine.” Kevin heaved her up effortlessly although he had his backpack in front of him and remembered AJ doing the same thing twice before, with the slight difference of lack of consent. She couldn’t help but comment on it. “Been taking lessons from Jae Seop-oppa?”