Set in Stone [Minsung]

Chapter 4

[A/N: I'm sorry I know absolutely nothing about dance.]

I know I'll regret, so I decide to express my feelings
I want to be more than just friends
I like you too much

Things have seemed to be looking up ever since their group's little outing.

Minho actually has ideas. Proper, realistic, firm ideas that have so far impressed Felix and even Hyunjin. Minho credits his time with Jisung as the trigger for this new bout of inspiration. It's also the nagging suspicion he's had for days after having that deep, personal talk with his crush - suspicions that he can only wish are true. He chooses to focus on the positives instead of the (more likely) negatives to raise his motivation. Similarly, according to a very smug-looking Changbin, Jisung has also been a lot more energetic and involved in the music side of their project. Changbin has also been a lot more suggestive about Minho and Jisung's non-existent relationship, which has only added fuel to the flames that are Minho's ridiculous hypotheses.

"Hey, Minho, focus!"

Minho's session of deep thought is violently disturbed by Hyunjin, who chucks a towel at the prince's sweat-drenched face. Minho just manages to catch it, then glares at his bodyguard with muted malice. In the dance studio's mirror, Minho catches Felix snickering behind him.

"Come on, Minho. You've been doing so well so far! We need to polish the first few steps you came up with and make a decision on them," Hyunjin urges, panting from two hours of practising the beginning of Minho's choreography.

Minho rolls his eyes, but nods in admission. "Okay, sorry."

"But, Minho," Felix says in between heavy breaths. "What made you suddenly come up with so many ideas? It's like you're a machine. A few days ago, we were all basically as productive as a sloth. What changed?"

Minho tenses ever so slightly, thankfully not enough to be noticed by his bodyguard. The truthful answer is 'Jisung'. Jisung is his everything now - has been his everything for a while. Of course, if Minho were to say that out loud, he wouldn't leave this room alive and in one piece.

"I don't know. I guess taking some time to relax helped," Minho replies nonchalantly.

Well, he guesses that's not entirely a lie. Having spent time with Jisung in such a casual way really did relax Minho, even if his heart kept stopping every few seconds.

"Ah, cool. Maybe we should take breaks more often," Felix suggests cheerfully.

Minho nods with a grin. He wishes to spend some of these breaks just with Jisung because his crush is the only thing that's driving his creative streak.

"Okay, let's go over the steps again!" Hyunjin instructs in a teacher-like tone: firm and intimidating, but still very Hyunjin. Meaning that Minho fails to suppress a harsh, violent cackle of amusement.

"Yes, sir," Minho replies in a mocking tone, eliciting a playful kick in the shin from his guard.

The trio get into their starting positions: Minho standing in the centre with his head bowed, while Felix and Hyunjin kneel on either side of him. Unfortunately, they have no music to keep their movements in time with, so they have to rely on extremely precise counting. Minho is thankful that he and his unit have that exact precision.

So far, they've decided that each of them will represent a different component of a confession. Minho, as the lead dancer, portrays the actual confessor - ironic, he knows - while Hyunjin and Felix are the two different sides of Minho's consciousness. Hyunjin is the regretful, hesitant part, the side that embodies the apology for loving that person. Felix is the more optimistic and almost confident perspective, the one that doesn't want to be ashamed of his feelings anymore, the one that just wants to be free. Thus, Hyunjin's moves will be rough, powerful and aggressive, while Felix's are more delicate and graceful, yet equally as powerful to balance Hyunjin out. Throughout the dance, Minho will be in the middle, constantly being drawn to either side, representing his inner turmoil and heartbreak, the uncertainty in making a choice. At the end, they'll be back in their starting positions, but this time Minho will be the one on his knees between Felix and Hyunjin, both of whom will be standing, or perhaps all three will be kneeling at the same height - the two sides reconciled, Minho finally incorporating his optimism and hesitancy into one, concluding the dance ambiguously. What will be the result of this reconciliation? Will he really confess now that he's somewhat tamed the battle within himself? The dance won't answer these questions, much like how Minho has no clue what he should do about his real-life crush.