𝘟𝘖(𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘢𝘺 𝘠𝘦𝘴) | Nɪᴋɪ FF

7: Unexpected Suprise

Eun Ae's POV:

The studio was quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the rhythm of my steps. I was lost in the music, focusing on perfecting each move, when a sudden knock at the door broke my concentration. Curious, I paused the music and walked over to open the door. There, on the floor, was a small bag. I picked it up and peeked inside to find a vanilla cupcake—my favorite.

A smile spread across my face as I closed the door and sat down to enjoy the sweet treat. The cupcake was delicious, and as I savored each bite, I couldn't help but wonder who had left it for me. It was such a thoughtful gesture.

Once I finished the cupcake, I packed up my things and left the studio. Back at my dorm, I took a nice hot shower, the warm water washing away the day's fatigue. But my mind was still buzzing with thoughts of the mysterious cupcake. I dried off, slipped into my pajamas, and crawled into bed, my curiosity lulling me to sleep.

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Niki's POV:

After leaving the cupcake for Eun Ae, I couldn't stop thinking about her. The way she smiled when she found it kept replaying in my mind. The next day, I tried to focus on my classes, but my thoughts kept drifting back to her. When lunch rolled around, I was already thinking about our practice session later. I found Jay at our usual table and sat down with my tray.

"Hey Niki," Jay said, giving me a knowing look. "You seem distracted."

"Just thinking about the dance project," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jay smirked. "You mean thinking about Eun Ae."

I rolled my eyes. "Can you stop? We have to work together, that's all."

"Sure, sure," he said, clearly not believing me. "Just don't be too hard on her. She's new, remember?"

"I know," I muttered, picking at my food. "But she's good. Really good."

Jay raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that's high praise coming from you."

I didn't respond and just continued focusing on my food.

After lunch, I went back to my dorm to change into my dance clothes. I chose a gray zip-up hoodie, a white tee, black shorts, and Nike Dunks. Grabbing my dance bag, I headed to the studio.

 When I arrived, Eun Ae was already there, stretching. She looked up and gave me a small smile. I nodded in acknowledgment but didn't say anything. We started warming up in silence, each lost in our own thoughts.

Once we were done with stretching, I turned to Eun Ae and said, "Let's run through the choreography again by ourselves, and then we can do it together."

Eun Ae nodded and said, "Okay."

We started dancing, and I couldn't help but watch her out of the corner of my eye. Her movements were fluid and precise, and I found myself admiring her skill. As we finished, we turned to each other.

"Ready to combine it together?" I asked, breaking the silence.

She nodded and said, "Yes."

We began dancing together, and it was like everything clicked into place. Our movements synchronized perfectly, and for a moment, I forgot all about my earlier reservations. When we finished, we were both out of breath but smiling.

"That was good," I said.

"Thanks," she replied, her eyes shining with excitement. "You're not bad yourself."

"Let's run it again," she suggested.

We practiced for the next hour, refining our movements and making sure everything was perfect. As we took a break, I found myself wanting to know more about her.

"How did you come to this school?" I asked.

"I got a scholarship," Eun Ae said, her expression lighting up. "My parents were really supportive, and I've always wanted to dance professionally."

"That's impressive," I said, genuinely meaning it. "Not many people get scholarships here."

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly. "What about you? How did you end up here?"

"I've been dancing since I was a kid," I said, shrugging. "My parents saw I had talent and pushed me to pursue it. This school was the next step."

"You're really talented, Niki," she said, looking me in the eye.

I felt a strange warmth at her words. "Thanks."

We went back to practicing, and by the time we finished, we were both exhausted but satisfied with our progress.

"Meet here at the same time tomorrow to wrap up the dance?" I asked.

"Yeah, sounds good," Eun Ae replied.

As I walked back to my dorm, I couldn't help but think about how much my perception of her had changed. She wasn't just some new girl anymore; she was a talented dancer and someone I was starting to respect. That night, as I lay in bed, I replayed our dance in my mind. I couldn't deny it any longer.

I liked her.

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