SWEETENER | LHS

29

Slightly explicit.

According to the ceremony , Joohyun was going to get married next.

She was absolutely not ready for marriage and brushes it off a casual prediction. She sits in the same dance hall at the bar table, a little more at ease under the bright lights thinking about the bouquet next to her. What would Yeonjun’s reaction be to the bouquet? She had no idea but she was curious to know how he would react. When she turns around, she finds an actual stranger vampire, not Sunghoon in disguise under the light kneeling down to ask her for a dance. Joohyun was already injured, unfit and traumatized after her encounter with Sunghoon. She denies him hesitantly nodding her head sideways in quick defence , at the same time searching for Heeseung.

The vampire understands and leaves without hesitation. She kind of felt bad about rejecting him, but he seemed to accept it  better than Sunghoon. Joohyun couldn't help but think about him again. She stands up to walk around to find Heeseung herself, but spots Jongseong sitting on the other side of the bar table at a isolated corner sipping Merlot.

She approaches him drawing his attention by waving her hand in the path of his gaze.  Jongseong stands up as he joins her for his daily dose of hug from his other wise hip hop class bestie. This time he hugs her a little longer, craving for the warmth he was missing after seeing his ex getting wed. Joohyun understands his pain to some extent. She was herself feeling so jealous when Heeseung was talking to Leta, it could been worse for Jongseong because he watched Leta—the girl whom he once loved, getting married to someone else infront of his eyes. He still had feelings of unrequited love and was looking for comfort in the alcoholic composition of the high quality grape wine.

"What? You won't dance with me until I ask you?", she teases him. Jongseong chuckles.

"I'm not in the mood to dance", he says, resting his chin on hers shoulder smiling.

"Do you wanna talk?", she initiates gently patting the back  of his head consoling him.

"I mean I can't be the one initiating conversations all the time, isnt it?", he begins, trying to frame his feelings.

"You kinda felt it was burdening? ", she asks.

"Not like a burden, like tiring", he corrects her as he slow dances with her.

"I'm happy with what I have. I have my group. My fans and my music. I'm content with it", he tells her. She hums.

"How long can you keep believing in something that's too far from being real? I dont know, I kinda got out of it", he continues.

"Is that the reason you guys split?", she asks slowly.

"I don't really know why. It just happened", he says.

"I feel like if it happened, it happened for a reason", she says empathizing with him.

"Exactly, I think so too", he adds. He feels a bit lighter after than before his confession. Joohyun feels good about interacting with Jongseong. It had been a while since she had talked to him. It made her reminisce the moments of their friendship. He shows his eagerness to dance by sliding his arms around her waist, hugging her again.

"I sprained my ankle so I can't really dance either", she informs contemplating where to put her hands on him. Jongseong respects her as he takes her to the dance floor but sways on his own , popping a few random moves , his extravagant expressions making her chuckle as she finds him enjoying himself. He holds out his hand towards her regardless of her sprained ankle.

"Please, it's no fun without you", he says, asking for her to join.

"Fine", she laughs as she takes his hands and makes him dance like a doll on a marionette. He enjoys it. Joohyun steps forward and backward not taking much space or putting too much pressure on her ankle. She turns him around and he grows closer to to hug her again as he rests his head on her shoulder. Soon it was time for Jongseong to let go her embrace for the men's ceremony. She bids him goodbye as his hand slides off her waist. All the other men in the dance hall also exit the hall after him leaving women behind.