𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐬 | 𝐡𝐡𝐣

six.

Hyunjin bites his lip in concentration, trying to recall the steps his instructor had given him. Chan had been sending him to a dance studio—his friend owned it and agreed to give Hyunjin free lessons to work on his physical strength, memory, and motor skills. Unfortunately, his memory didn't seem to be all that good, and he was stuck trying to remember the fourth 8-count.

Restarting, he gets back to the step again and crouches to the ground, holding his face stressed. He could do this, he just had to think harder.

You lean against the counter as you stare into the living room, watching Hyunjin try the choreography for the umpteenth time, and frown when he groans, probably contemplating giving up. Waiting, you wonder if he'll ask you for help. You'd supervised his lessons, not that he'd particularly liked that, but you knew at least a bit more of the choreo than he seemed to.

He feels your burning stare, barely turning enough to see you, and sucks in his bottom lip. Could he ask you if you knew what was next? It felt off to even think about it, and he didn't want to seem like he was that helpless. Instead, he jumps to the next part of the dance, and groans loudly when he can't remember the next couple of steps.

"I'm pretty sure you do this here," you start, posing and lazily dancing the part, "And then you do this," finishing with a slight grin when you watch him copy your movements with baby-like motions, a stark contrast to his sharp, strong dancing for the parts he knew.

He gives you a nod, almost as if to thank you, and restarts from the top, this time dancing for a solid fifteen 8-counts before he forgets. He shyly looks over to you, nervously clearing his throat, "Do you... Do you remember anything else..?"

You beam and nod, haphazardly repeating the next couple counts and helping him recall the rest of the movements. You feel pride swell in your chest when he finishes everything the dance instructor had taught him, and you're surprised that for a coma patient, he seemed like a professional dancer. "Wow, you're fantastic, maybe you should actually start going there and join one of their dance teams."

He chuckles slightly, shaking his dark hair side to side with the force, "I don't think I'm ready for that kind of thing yet," giving you a friendly and, dare you say, appreciative expression.

Maybe this could work out, you grin to yourself, watching him continue his practice. You wondered how someone who hadn't been trained professionally could dance the way Hyunjin did. His moves were fluid and sharp, and he always seemed to have the perfect expression for each.

Soon enough, you find yourself entranced with his movements, barely catching yourself staring before he did. You'd always known Hyunjin was attractive, but this almost smiley version was making your stomach doing somersaults each time his plush lips stretched proudly at his progress. He's your roommate, and pretty much your patient, [Y/N]! You groan at your conscience. Damn it for being right.

Soon enough, he's done and tuckered out, barely able to open a water bottle with his shaking hands. Maybe he overworked himself a bit...

You observe his struggle for a few seconds, before holding out your hand, "I'll open it for you," and you don't try to hold in your happiness when he hands it to you without any further questions.

——

You quirk your brow as you watch Hyunjin try to remember the game rules to chess, another exercise Chan recommended.

Finally giving in, he twiddles his fingers, "Do you think you can explain which pieces do what, one more time?" a nervousness in his voice you were becoming familiar with.