"X-O X-O, Kiss me, Don't say no"
Eun Ae's dreams are coming true as she secures a scholarship to a prestigious dance academy in Seoul. Leaving her hometown behind, she steps into a world filled with promise and challenges. Her parents' approval and...
I woke up to the shrill ring of my alarm, blinking sleepily at the clock. It was 6:00 AM. Rubbing my eyes, I climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. The warm water helped to wake me up, and I started thinking about the day ahead.
After my shower, I got dressed quickly and left my room. The delicious smell of eggs greeted me as I entered the common area. Sun Hee was making breakfast, and it was the perfect start to my day.
"Good morning," I said, smiling at her.
"Good morning, Eun Ae!" she replied cheerfully.
We sat down to eat and chatted about our schedules. It turned out we both had Physics together, which made me feel more at ease. By 6:50, we were ready to leave. As we stepped out of the dorm, we ran into Niki and Jay.
"Hey, Eun Ae! Hey, Sun Hee!" Jay greeted us warmly.
"Hi, Jay," I replied, smiling back. Niki, however, gave me a cold look before turning away without a word.
I sighed inwardly, wondering why he had to be so distant. When we reached my English class, I said goodbye to Sun Hee and entered the classroom. Mrs. Park was already talking about our new project—a poem about something or someone significant to us.
Next was Physics, where I greeted Sun Hee and Sunoo. Sunoo's warm smile was a welcome sight, and the class went by quickly. Soon, it was lunchtime. I sat with Sun Hee, and we talked about our next classes.
"I have Math next," Sun Hee said.
"I have Dance," I replied, trying to hide my nervousness.
After lunch, I returned to my dorm to change into my dance clothes. I chose a vintage letter print crop top with long sleeves, red cargo pants, a red cap, and white shoes. Tying my hair into a bun, I quickly ran to the dance studio.
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When I arrived, I saw Niki and some others warming up. I went to the back to store my dance bag in my locker and found a spot to stretch. Ms. Kim entered the room, and we all took our places.
"Today, we'll be dancing to a song. You must perform without any errors. If you make a mistake and I see it, you're out. The last two standing will collaborate on a dance together," Ms. Kim announced.
The music started, and I recognized it immediately—"OMG" by NewJeans. I knew the choreography well and danced each move with precision.
One by one, people were eliminated until it was just me, Niki, and one other person. My heart pounded at the thought of collaborating with Niki and dealing with his cold attitude.
When the last person made a mistake, it was down to just Niki and me. Ms. Kim looked impressed.
"I guess we have our winners. Eun Ae and Niki will collaborate on a song. I'll send you the details later," she said, smiling.
Sweaty and exhausted, I went to the back to retrieve my dance bag. Niki was there, waiting. He looked at me with a hard expression.
"Don't think I'm going to go easy on you with this collaboration. Think again," he said coldly, sending a shiver down my spine. Then he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As I checked my phone, a message from Ms. Kim appeared.
Ms. Kim
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Ms. Kim: Hi Eun Ae, I am really surprised by your moves today. The song you and Niki will collaborate on is "Attention" by NewJeans. I can't wait to see both of your talents on this song.
Me: Hi Ms. Kim, Thank you so much! I can't wait to dance the song you've given us. Niki and I will both give it our best.
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Closing my phone, I walked back to my dorm and found Jake waiting outside.
"Hi, Eun Ae. How was dance class today?" he asked.
"It was good. I have to collaborate with Niki on a song since we both won a dancing game," I replied.
"Well, good job and good luck. Niki can be tough on new people, but he'll warm up to you," Jake said encouragingly.
