LOVE EXCUSES [HYUNHO] [COLLEGE AU]

31. Family

Hyunjin's POV

We had a plan, it was set for the week of break the college had given us.

The campus grounds were covered in stalls, booths and banners alike.

All of the dance groups split into teams, includings ones that hadn't been from our class period.

The event was held with no permission from the board, but it's not like they would've said yes, had our teacher asked.

Oh, and you'll never guess what happened...

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The police showed up, not only them, but all the members of the school board.

They came up to the teacher, clearly wanting to make trouble. Our teacher had already been in tears, knowing he was in trouble.

Then, Ryujin walked in front of them, hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her face.

"Nu-uh, this isn't happening, you know why ?" The question had the board in shock, clearly not expecting retaliation.

She pointed at them, not caring about the lack of respect.

"You guys don't pay for funding, you guys disapprove of this form of art, you guys disrespect our teacher as of he's done anything to you guys, and worst of all, you guys want to tear the dance campus building down !"

The people who came to support the event let out a collective gasp, the police even frowning slightly.

"Each year you give us less and less funding for our campus building and we've got to work our asses off getting money just to keep this building up, you guys don't think dance is a career, you guys are A grade assholes !"

Our teacher spoke up through his tears, "Ryujin you don't.. you don't have to-"

His words were cut short by Lee Know, walking up beside Ryujin.

"She doesn't, in fact she shouldn't have to, the fact that we are here on school grounds regardless of permission from the board shows just how badly our campus gets treated, showing up with the police just over a fundraiser for our campus says a lot!"

The board members stepped back, looks of surprise on their faces.

At this point the conversation was being recorded by supporters, many of the students from the dance campus walking up beside Ryujin and Lee Know.

"Oh! Not to mention the fact that you guys created a school talent show to reduce the time we had with a dance scout that is coming to see our talents !"

Ryujin added, more gasps following.

Most of the supporters were actually teachers from our college, along with families and friends of the dancers, so to say all of this made them angry would be an understatement.

"If you were going to mistreat the dance campus so bad why even add one to your school ? It's like you enjoy tormenting the campus !"

Someone from the crowd spoke up, arousing many other questions and responses from others in the crowd.

The panic written over the board members faces was evident.

The police no longer standing behind them.

It seems they disapproved of their actions as well.

"Also! It's our week off, meaning that you shouldn't have to worry about our activities on campus, most of us live in the dorms anyways, we could've just been having a party to celebrate finishing partial exams and getting into college all together !"

Felix shouted, Jeongin holding him back with a grin on his face.

"W-We're sorry." One of the members finally spoke up.

"Sorry won't cut it! Do you know what kind of hell we have to go through because of you ?!"

Lee Know asked, his anger more present than ever. "You're board members, act like it!"

He scoffed, letting out a dry laugh. "Actually, never mind, you already are.."

I walked up, having been recording the conversation the whole time.

"The dance campus is our home, some of us use it as an escape from reality, we stay there for hours, even missing some of our other classes just to get one piece of a choreography down, we dance like our lives depend on it because it's our passion, our dream.."

I spoke softly, standing in front of everyone.

"Dancing feels like flying.. when you get into the music your dancing to, you can't help but move to it, your body catches up to it before your ears do, and it's even better when everyone is in sync.. we dance like the stage is on fire."

I smiled, continuing.

"Imagine, standing in an empty room, then music starts playing, and the adrenaline kicks in because you're like, "oh, I know that song !", and suddenly you're body is moving to the beat and you just feel like flying, and then when you're done dancing your lungs burn and your skin is sweating and your hair is a mess, but you're happy."

I looked down at the ground, letting out a sigh.

"That's why I love dance."

I held my breath, letting it out once I felt a hand slide into my free hand.

"Dance.. is home, it's happiness.. and it may not be something you understand, but.. you could I least try to respect it, because it's all we have, much like the friends and family we have here today."

I looked back up, seeing Lee Know was the one holding my hand in the corner of my eye.

The board members faces were filled with something akin to shock.

"Damn.." Lee Know whispered, "Those words hit home."

I smiled, letting out a small giggle.

Lee Know lifted up the hand he was holding into the air, surprising me.

"You see this guy, he's the dance classes light, along with that little ball of sunshine." Minho spoke up, pointing to a now grinning Felix.

"They are the reason I joined dance !"

A few hands flew up in the air as I turned to look back at the class.

"Same here !" Many others spoke up, laughs slipping out as Lee Know put my hand down.

"We're a family, let us be.."

I smiled, feeling my eyes welling up with tears as I nodded, letting out a wet laugh.

"Yeah, we're all we have."

Cheers erupted from everyone as the board members gave a bow and walked away.

Felix sighed, suddenly standing next to me, giving a short shake of his head, "and they didn't even apologize, ... or say goodbye."

I laughed, pulling him into a hug.

"Oh Felix..."