ᴄʜᴀsɪɴɢ ʀᴀɪɴʙᴏᴡ

29. Dance auditions

The Middle - Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey

Jungkook

Ridi, my dance trainer, went her way after three weeks of training me. She had said that she never met someone before who danced like his life depended on it. In my case, it did. It had been three weeks since I last met Jimin at dinner and Taehyung Hyung and I sort of fought.

Our first semester results came two days after that.

Ever since that night, I have been busy training for the audition.

Today was the big day. I had prepared 'Hold It, Now Hit It,' but I wondered if I could've gone for something more electronic beats.

I was standing outside the seventh-floor auditorium in a queue. It felt like I was in a concert entry line with how many students were ahead and behind me.

The music would play inside and then stop within ten seconds. For a few students, it played longer or even twice. I could distinguish Jimin's voice through the mic, but it came to me in a splattered wave of energy, undiscernible.

With my nerves frying, I hit a student on the shoulder inadvertently. He turned and looked at me. He must have seen my condition to start to speak with me. "Nervous?"

I nodded.

"Which year?"

"First, second sem."

"Oh," he made an impressed face. "Not many first years have the courage for the strenuous process."

"Is it that bad?" I fisted my t-shirt and wiped my clammy hand over it.

"It's my third time," the senior chuckled.

I looked back, seeing the line had grown twice in size. Come on! Don't you guys have studying to do? If I were to leave, this was what I thought was the right time. But a rebellious person with no cause inside me prohibited. I tapped on the boy's shoulder this time. "Did Jimin sir take the audition?"

"Why yes. We are classmates, but he was snagged away by the uni dance committee in the second semester. If you get chosen, you'd be second to achieve the feat."

I felt the pressure building. No, I definitely couldn't do it. "He's that good?" My mouth renounced the words softly.

"Jimin owns the stage, bruh. He's got muscles you won't believe."

"Oh," I blew raspberries. "Trust me." I arched my brows, nodding at the senior quickly in a manner of appreciation. "I do. Wait- Do you have a crush on him or something?"

The boy laughed, out loud. "You could say that if I were gay, he is exactly the kind of a man I'd want."

"This was a bad idea." Just as I decided to abandon my place, the auditorium room opened and Jimin walked out, looking all business with stapled papers in his left hand and a pen in his right.

"Next ten together," he commanded and I was pushed from behind for hurried entry into the auditorium.

**

It took me at least five blinks to adjust to the darkness inside and take in the objects. There was a sleek wooden table placed in front of the first row of chairs. Two people sat, discussing among themselves. There were water bottles, tissue boxes, and lots of cassettes. The temperature was chilled, causing me to rub my fingers over my goosebumps.