STUDIO B || TAEKOOK

10

Friday arrived with a sense of relief for Taehyung. It was the end of a long week, and he was feeling confident, finally finding a rhythm in rehearsals. The air in the studio was light and filled with an energy that mirrored his own; it felt like a good day. He had no plans to meet up with Jungkook that evening, which only added to his sense of freedom. The thought of a night off, free from the pressure of extra rehearsals, made him smile. The morning had gone smoothly; he danced with a relaxed grace, feeling the music and the movements come naturally to him. He was chill, his usual nerves at bay.

But just as the dancers returned from their break, the mood in the studio shifted dramatically. Hoseok stormed in, his usually composed demeanor replaced with visible frustration. He didn't waste any time, his voice tight with controlled anger as he delivered the news. "The theatre has decided to bring our performance of Swan Lake forward by three weeks," he announced, his eyes sweeping over the assembled dancers. "Apparently, there's been an overbooking, and now we have less time to prepare."

The room buzzed with immediate anxiety. Dancers exchanged worried glances, the weight of the news sinking in. Three weeks less meant three weeks less time to perfect their routines, less time to polish the final product. The mounting pressure was palpable. Taehyung felt his stomach drop, the confidence he had felt earlier dissipating into a pool of dread. Hoseok's fury was evident; this was an unprecedented setback, and everyone felt the blow.

The rest of the rehearsal turned into a frantic scramble to make up for the lost time. What had been a morning of fluid, confident dancing transformed into a tiresome slog. Hoseok was relentless, pushing everyone to their limits. The atmosphere was intense, the air thick with the collective stress of the company. Taehyung, who had started the day feeling good, now found himself struggling. The pressure was getting to him, and his performance suffered. His movements were less precise, his energy flagging. The fear of not being ready, of not being good enough, crept into his mind, disrupting his focus.

As the session finally ended, Taehyung felt both physically and emotionally drained. He was gathering his things, ready to leave and mentally preparing for a much-needed rest, when Hoseok approached him. The look on his face was serious, almost somber. "Taehyung," he began, his tone softer but no less firm, "It's been great that you've been helping Jungkook with the White Swan. Your guidance has been invaluable."

Taehyung felt a flicker of pride at the compliment, but it was short-lived. "However," Hoseok continued, "with this new deadline, we need to shift gears. Jungkook will now need to help you with the Black Swan. We can't afford any weak links, and you need to get up to speed."

Taehyung's heart sank. He felt a swirl of emotions—annoyance, frustration, and an underlying sense of defeat. Of course, this would happen. He had known, deep down, that his struggles with the Black Swan wouldn't go unnoticed. The praise for helping Jungkook felt hollow now, a prelude to the real reason for the conversation. He expected this, but the reality of it stung nonetheless. The idea of being 'helped' by Jungkook, especially after everything, felt like a blow to his pride.

"Start tonight," Hoseok added, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't waste any time."

Taehyung wanted to protest, to argue that he needed a break, that the stress was already eating away at him. But he knew it was useless. The stakes were too high, and Hoseok's mind was made up. So, he swallowed his frustration, nodding tightly as Hoseok walked away.

He sighed deeply, gathering his courage before walking over to Jungkook, who was chatting with some of the other dancers. Taehyung cleared his throat, catching Jungkook's attention. "We need to start working on the Black Swan," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "Hoseok wants us to start tonight."