Trainee Days

*Chapter 4*

Jimin had managed to catch up in the dance department, much to the surprise of his instructors. He had always been a fast learner, and over the past few days, his hard work had finally paid off. Compliments from his teachers were starting to roll in—something he never thought he'd hear so early on.

"You're a natural," one of the choreographers had said after Jimin nailed a difficult routine. "Keep this up, and you'll be leading the pack in no time."

Jimin had smiled in response, feeling a quiet sense of pride. Being recognized for his dance abilities was something he had worked toward ever since joining the company. Even though there was still so much more to learn, it was reassuring to see his efforts starting to show.

Saturday morning Jimin wokeand stretched his arms above his head, shaking off the morning's sleepiness as the praise from yesterday echoed in his mind. He could hear someone moving around in the kitchen. The faint clatter of dishes, the smell of eggs and toast—it had to be Jin. The dorm was still quiet, with Namjoon's soft snores the only other sound cutting through the early morning stillness. Jimin moved carefully, trying not to wake his hyung, who was still fast asleep after a late night in the studio working on music, as he climbed out of bed and pulled on his training clothes for the day.

In the kitchen, Jin was indeed busy making breakfast, and he smiled warmly when he saw Jimin walk in.

"Morning," Jin greeted him with a smile. "You're looking better today. Got some decent sleep?"

Jimin stretched his arms over his head, yawning before responding. "A bit. Still tired, though."

Jin handed him a plate of toast and eggs. "Eat up. You've got a long day ahead, especially with those rap lessons. You'll need the energy."

Jimin accepted the plate with a quiet "thanks," though the mention of rap lessons made him pause for just a second. The idea of rapping still felt unfamiliar, uncharted territory compared to the dance routines he had come to enjoy. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the art—Suga, Namjoon, and Hoseok made it look so easy, and Jimin admired them for that. But every time he tried, it was like stumbling over new steps in the dark. He didn't want to admit it, but it was taking him longer to get the hang of it than he'd anticipated. He knew he was lagging behind, and it was starting to show.

By the time Jimin arrived at the practice room, the space was already buzzing with energy. The trainees were stretching, chatting in low voices, and adjusting their gear. The familiar sounds of sneakers squeaking against the wooden floor and the faint hum of a beat playing in the background filled the space. Jimin found his spot near the mirrors, letting the atmosphere of the room wash over him.He began to stretch while trying to push aside the gnawing feeling of dread about his upcoming rap session. At least for now, he could focus on dance.

Dance was always the easiest part of his day.

Practice started early that morning, as it always did. The room buzzed with energy as the trainees filtered in, stretching and preparing for their drills. Jimin slipped into his spot near the mirrors, trying to push aside the gnawing feeling of dread about his upcoming rap session. At least for now, he could focus on dance.

Hyeonjun, as usual, was already in the center of the room, demonstrating a particularly tricky piece of choreography. His movements were sharp, seamless, and filled with the kind of confidence that came from years of practice. Jimin watched, trying to soak up as much as he could from the older trainee's example. Hyeonjun always made things look so effortless, a natural on the dance floor. Jimin couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

Jimin tried not to let it get to him, though. After all, he was here to learn, and in many ways, he looked up to Hyeonjun. Over the past few weeks, Hyeonjun had given him a lot of advice and become someone he could lean on for guidance when his dormmates were busy. It always seemed as if Hyeonjun was looking out for him and making an effort to reach out which helped Jimin tremendously. Though his dormmates were nice they were always running around working on different things and he hadn't really had time to talk much yet. And many of the other trainees were so focused on their own progress that they didn't reach out to anyone outside their own dormmates and cliques.