Swan's Fire

11. You're Not Good For Me...But Baby I Want You

The dimmest emergency light flickered to life, casting a feeble glow across the room. "Merde," Minji exclaimed, her frustration palpable. I flinched, my eyes adjusting to the meager illumination that revealed nothing but shadows. The darkness enveloped me, and I strained to make out anything, relying solely on my sense of hearing.

"Hello, we're still working here, please, lights!" Minji's voice echoed in the obscure space, a desperate plea for normalcy. The atmosphere remained tense until, mysteriously, the lights were restored, bathing the room in harsh brightness. I found myself in the spotlight again, but the light felt more like an interrogation than salvation. I wanted to disappear, to erase the disappointment etched on Minji's face.

"Thank you," she called out, her voice echoing in the now well-lit room as she returned. "Okay, guys, you can go. Thank you for your patience," she dismissed the others. I sighed, following the boys' lead, ready to escape the scrutiny. "A dah dah dah dah, you stay," she pointed at me, her command cutting through the relieved chatter of the departing dancers. "Have a good night, you two. Bonne nuit," she bid farewell to the boys, who nodded and left. I wiped away a tear, my emotions raw, and turned to leave.

"Okay, come here, come, come, come, come," Minji beckoned me back. I turned around, pouting, as she pointed to a spot in front of her. Obediently, I approached, and she unexpectedly took my hands. I stumbled closer as she spoke softly, "I'll be the prince." I glanced at her and immediately looked down, overwhelmed by her presence – tall, with short hair, always dressed in black. Holding her warm hands, the dance began.

She hummed, and I marked the movements, hands wrapping around her neck, then going for a lift. Effortlessly, she executed it, perhaps even better than the boys. In this moment, alone with her, I felt an unusual sense of safety. The humming ceased, and she breathed onto my neck as she gently put me down. I inhaled deeply as her hands ghosted over mine, caressing me, embracing me. With a sudden burst of energy, I ripped out of her embrace, running away with an elegance I didn't know I possessed.

The essence of the dance was temptation, and Minji pursued me, taking my hands again. "Let it go," she urged, and it felt different. I offered my hand, she grasped it, bringing it to her lips. I snatched it away, but she lifted me again, and we danced on. Another lift followed, her hand trailing down my waist, grasping my thigh. "Respond to it," she whispered. This felt wrong, and I pushed her away. She smiled, and I pushed her further, but she grabbed me, kissing me unexpectedly. I gasped, leaning into her, my brows furrowed.

"Open your mouth," she whispered, and I hesitated before complying. As we kissed, my knees buckled, and she held me from falling to my knees. My hand found its way to her scalp, scratching it instinctively. She fondled me, and the heat within me grew until she abruptly stopped, and I tripped over myself.

Minji walked with an air of superiority, and I followed, still under the spell of the dance. "That was me seducing you when it needs to be the other way around," she declared, her words echoing in the space. I chased after her, pleading, "Please," but she was already gone, leaving me alone in the aftermath of a dance that blurred the lines between desire and vulnerability.

I sat in the middle of the studio, dressed in disheveled clothes, picking at my hangnails until they bled. A silent turmoil raged within me, and the tears I longed for refused to make an appearance. Instead, I channeled my emotions into a simmering rage, a permanent crease forming in my brow as a testament to the storm within.

Tutu lay not far from me, a silent witness to my inner chaos. I sighed, the weight of the world settling on my shoulders. The studio was a canvas of solitude until the rhythmic cadence of footsteps disrupted the stillness. "Who is that?" I called out, my voice cutting through the silence. The figure responded, a casual "hey" preceding her emergence into the light.