An Indescribable Feeling

How to Land

The music was turned up deafeningly loud. Anna was back in the dance studio again. It was lucky that her soulmates had a space for their personal use. Although she imagined that if other artists had a large performance, similar to Not Today or ON, they would be able to use this room.

She figured a soundproof room would be a good place to drown out her thoughts. Loud music alone wasn't enough to cut through the buzzing in her head. The playlist she had put on was one she had named 'Strong'. It had started as songs that gave her strength or motivation. Anna started to sing along to 'Born For This' by The Score.

"We are the warriors, who learned to love the pain. We come from different places but have the same name."

At some point she started to move, to dance. It was a mixture of remembering things Hoseok had taught her and just letting her body move to the music. She had come to understand why people loved to dance. Before she would only feel awkward whenever she tried to dance, but now it had become therapeutic.

Anna had always felt tightly wound. Perhaps it was because she never got angry, so never released her frustrations. She had seen those places you could go and smash things and thought how nice that would feel, but at the same time could never imagine being violent in any way.

Outside the room, her dance leader soulmate was walking by with one of the company's choreographers. Wondering who was using BTS's studio, Hoseok peeked in. He was surprised to see Anna dancing by herself. He didn't know she practised outside of their lessons but was glad to see her commitment and growing love for the art.

The two men watched from the door as the girl danced her heart out, unaware that she now had an audience.

"Did you teach her that?"

"No. I've only been teaching her our choreography and, you know, some basics."

"Hmm, she's heading into contemporary territory. You should ask Jimin to show her some moves."

The staff member left while Hoseok carried on watching his soulmate. As he paid more attention to the music Anna had chosen and the aggressive undertone of her movements, he realised that this wasn't just a dance practice for Anna.

The dance leader knew his new soulmate had a lot going on at the moment. He wondered what in particular had led her to dance out her frustrations, or if it was a build-up of everything. Her sudden introduction into the public eye must be a big adjustment for her. Hoseok still felt a slither of guilt that it was because of them that she had to go through this because of the career they had chosen.

There was also the plan some of his other soulmates were taking part in. Not having the same patience as Hoseok, they had decided to tease Anna until she could no longer resist them. The only reason he hadn't talked them out of this plan was that he believed she needed the push.

They had agreed to not push her past her boundaries and that anything more would have to be initiated by her. However, they all knew that their shy soulmate would hesitate to do so, no matter how much she wanted it. The teasing also served as a nice distraction from everything else. They hoped it would keep her mind on the seven of them, and no one else.

Before he could decide to go in and ask her what was wrong, he watched as she collapsed to the floor. Hoseok immediately ran over and knelt beside her. It had been a long time since he had felt such panic. How long had she been dancing?

Anna opened her eyes to a rattled Hoseok leaning above her, calling her name. She smiled and reached up to touch his face. She was fine, just exhausted, and her fall had been an on-purpose 'if I continue dancing I will collapse' descent.