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...
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Finally the studio was almost empty and Izzy was fighting a headache when the door opened one last time.
She looked in irritation, wondering what excuse this one would use to touch his arm or stand just a touch closer than was polite.
But this woman was older. She looked weary, the need to hurry her way home to the work that awaited her there was etched on her face.
Then Izzy realized there was one more child in the room. She had been twirling in the corner, happy in her own world, dancing to music only she heard. The child ran toward them when the woman softly called her name, skidding to a stop when she saw Hobi.
She was small but her eyes were bright and when she smiled she was missing her top front teeth. Her mismatched leg warmers had given up and fallen down her calves. The bun atop her head might have once been neat, but now strands of hair fell haphazardly around her face.
Izzy felt a touch dizzy as she recognized she was practically standing face to face with her six year old self.
The child looked up to Hobi, her eyes shining. Her chubby hand tugged his as she gave an awkward bow.
“Teacher?” she lisped, the honorific making him blush.
Hobi squatted down to hear her. He nodded at her to continue and she gave a brief glance to the older woman before she continued.
“ Thank you for finding my shoe,” the child said, her arm sneaking around Hobi’s neck, drawing him closer.
“ My grandma said if I had lost it for good I could not dance anymore,” her voice quivered at that. “ And, “ she confessed, “ if I lose them again I can’t dance ever ‘cause we can’t get more.”
The woman behind him made a small gasp and moved to take the child, but Hobi had pulled her on his knee and his laser focus was on her.
“But see!” the child cried as she raised a grubby and well worn pair of ballet slippers and waived them in his face,, “ I’ve got them!”
“ Yes, I see,” he agreed, “ very important you take good care of your things.” He gave her a long, hard look, then nodded his head.
Then he smiled at her and the child beamed back almost as brightly.
“I am certain you will be dancing for a very long time,” Hobi whispered to her.
“ Really?” the girl squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him fiercely.
“ Really,” he assured her.
And just like that the child bounded away and out the door, chattering the whole time about the wonders of Teacher Jung.
Izzy watched as he gracefully rose from the floor, adding the way he moved to the growing list of attributes of the marvelous Teacher Jung.
Hobi turned to her and smiled, but his look quickly softened as he saw her face.
“Oh Izzy, “ he whispered as he pulled her close and swept the tears from her face with his thumb. “ Don’t cry Iz!”
She shook her head and laughed and he joined her
A soft voice calling him reminded them they were not alone. They stepped apart and Hobi greeted the elegant dancer she had seen before.
“ Mrs. Kim, I see you have been working wonders with this class.” Hobi greeted her.
The woman smiled and nodded at him, but Izabelle could see age offered no immunity to this man’s charms.
“ Flattery Hoseok!! How very like you,’” the woman laughed. “and thank you for encouraging that little one. I hope her grandmother will be encouraged to keep her in class.”
“ It goes without saying, but anything she needs, please make sure she has it,” he responded.
“That leads me to something I would like to ask you, do you have a moment to stay?” she asked, her eyes falling on Izzy beside him.
He took Izzy’s hand and drew her forward, introducing her to Mrs. Kim as they moved toward the small office.
“Izzy is someone very special to me,” he said as they walked, “ she has always been my favorite dance partner.”
The older woman noted the glint in his eye as he declared that bit of information. Hoseok looked relaxed, but she noticed the hint of color in his face and the way he still held tightly to the young woman’s hand.
For her part Izzy stumbled over her own feet when the woman turned to her, one hundred per cent sure that her keen eye picked up her poor posture and rusty grace. She was definitely not a dancer, not like the teacher, not like Hobi.
But Mrs. Kim smiled a kind smile and nodded. “ I can see that,” she said.” The two of you look perfect together.”
She turned and entered the office, leaving the two standing staring at each other in embarrassment and confusion, and unless she missed her guess a very strong undercurrent of desire.
