Ballroom Fever - Ryeji

Written in the Sand

A month has passed.

Things were still the same. The two main characters of this world are still unable to communicate with each other. They didn't talk for a month, it was an excruciating experience. Ryujin couldn't go to a far and empty place and talk with Yeji there because her parents limit her movements. She's trapped in a cage created by her parents. She couldn't secretly text or call Yeji because her parents always check her phone, she was like a prisoner. All she did for a month was eat, sleep, and study without Yeji.

Ryujin didn't tell her friends that she and Yeji still have feelings for each other, that they're just waiting for a miracle to happen. She and Chaeryeong actually became good friends, but they weren't that close. They struggled to be in a conversation for more than 10 minutes, because everything just falls into uncomfortable silence. Even though they were still awkward, they hangout sometimes when Lia and Yuna aren't available.

For Yeji, a day feels like an eternity without Ryujin. She couldn't believe that she was able to endure a month without the love of her life. She wanted to cup Ryujin's face and make their eyes meet, she wanted to gently comb her hair with her hand, she wanted to have a conversation with Ryujin, but she couldn't. All Ryujin and Yeji can do was throw glances at each other and smile. They were a little satisfied with that.

On a Thursday, classes were 2 hours away from meeting its end. Inside the four-cornered dance room, there were students warming up, doing a few exercises, but some were already performing in front of the class and the mentor. 6 students were performing on the front, one of them was Ryujin. A fast-paced song was playing in the back, movements were so precise and robust, their mentor and their other classmates were astounded by their detailed movements and precision. They were able to produce so much movements within 10 seconds. They were dancing in unison, it was like watching robots that had the same type of codes and program. Ryujin caught the eyes of their mentor. Her presence and dominance on stage enthralled her. The way she moves and attacks the audience with her tiger-like glare, it was an enjoyable experience.

Ryujin was sweating so much. She's been practicing and dancing for hours. She was drenched in sweat like she ran through the rain with no umbrella, but she didn't stop. Nothing stopped her. These past few weeks, she's been feeling frustrated and lonely. Even though she has elated and euphoric friends, Ryujin still felt like there is a hole on her chest and only Yeji can fix her.

Ryujin's friends were watching her perform. Lia and Yuna had a wide smile on their faces while quietly clapping their hands. They were the next performers, but instead of warming up and getting ready, they decided to cheer for their friend. Chaeryeong was in the bathroom washing her hands while planning something and Yeji was sitting on the floor next to Lia and Yuna like a cat, gazing at Ryujin. Yeji wanted to stand up, hug and kiss Ryujin after her performance, but she's scared that someone might tell Ryujin's parents. For a second, Yeji looked at her left and she caught Minju looking at her. Yeji kept on trying to speak to Minju for weeks, but Minju kept on avoiding her, because she's been feeling guilty for basically destroying a beautiful and healthy relationship. She couldn't even look at Yeji in the eyes. Yeji sighed and continued watching Ryujin dance.

The song playing in the back was close to ending, so the performers decided to wrap it up. The other dancers stood still on the side, leaving Ryujin on the middle. Ryujin exhaled to gather strength and confidence and with no hesitation, Ryujin did a backflip making her classmates clap and go insane. Ryujin stood up properly and straightened her back as the song ended. Ryujin and the others bowed and the whole class, including the mentor, gave them a round of applause.

Ryujin's heart was beating so fast, vision was getting blurry like a mist in the mirror. Her thoughts were scattered and she felt like her head was about to launch into the sky. Ryujin held her head while taking deep breaths. Her classmates were looking at her, eyebrows raised and a few questions flowing through their minds. "Ryujin, are you okay?" A random person asked.