My dance teacher is cute | Haobin

25 - Eyes don't lie

POV: Hanbin | THURSDAY MORNING

I couldn't stop the feelings that had begun to grow inside me. I liked him—more than I wanted to admit.

A lot more.

What am I doing? I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts away. Quickly, I got dressed and headed out of the dorm to the canteen for breakfast. The other trainees were already at our table, so I joined them, but I couldn't stop glancing toward the door, waiting for Hao.

And then, there he was.

But my heart sank when I saw he wasn't alone—he was walking in with Jiwoong. They were laughing, talking as they grabbed their food. My chest tightened with a bitter jealousy. I should've gone with him. Every time Jiwoong was near Hao, it ate at me, especially knowing their history.

It made me feel...possessive.

As they approached the table, Jiwoong smiled and gestured to the seat beside him. "You can sit beside me," he said.

But Hao's gaze flicked over to me, and I met his eyes, tapping my fingers on the table—an unspoken signal. Sit next to me.

Hao hesitated, then gave a small smile. "I'll just sit over here," he said, sliding into the seat beside me. The satisfaction I felt was immediate. I couldn't help but grin as I took a bite of my food.

Under the table, I placed my hand on his thigh, brushing my fingers gently along the fabric of his pants. Hao flinched, his body tensing, but he didn't pull away. I let my hand travel slowly up and down his leg, feeling the warmth of his skin through the material. He didn't say a word, but the way his breath hitched told me everything I needed to know.

I wanted to be closer to him. Needed to be.

"Hanbin, when's the evaluation again?" Gunwook asked, pulling me out of the moment. I swallowed my food, forcing myself to focus.

"Next Thursday for dancing, and Friday for singing," I replied, keeping my voice steady. "And then we get a week off."

The table erupted in cheers, the mood instantly lightening. "A whole week?" Matthew asked, his face lighting up.

I laughed, nodding. "Yep, a whole week."

"What should we do with it?" Gunwook asked, already excited.

"I'll probably visit my family," I said, a soft smile tugging at my lips. "They want me to celebrate my birthday with them."

The thought of home warmed my heart. I missed my family, their support, their love—it was a comfort I hadn't felt in a long time. But as much as I longed for them, there was something—or rather, someone—else keeping me here. I glanced over at Hao, my hand still resting on his thigh, and felt that familiar pull.

No matter how dangerous it got, no matter how much we risked, I wasn't ready to let him go.

"Will you be away for the whole week?" Hao's voice broke through the buzz of conversation, soft and almost hesitant. When I looked up, his eyes met mine, and my heart skipped a beat. There was something in the way he looked at me—vulnerable, curious.

I nodded, feeling an odd weight settle inside me. He quickly shifted his focus back to his food, but I couldn't stop watching him.

"I wanna see my family too, but they're in Canada," Matthew said, sulking slightly. Gunwook threw an arm around his shoulders with a grin.

"We can go to my parents' house. They don't live far from here," Gunwook offered, and Matthew's eyes lit up.

"Really?!" Matthew's smile stretched wide with excitement, and Gunwook nodded.