1.1 | Just dance partners ✓

-9-

BACKWARDS
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"You shouldn't have done that."

Jimin never thought that only one sentence would be enough to freeze every last drop of blood in his veins, and especially not if that sentence would come from Naomi.

Her first spoken words after they unlocked their lips caught his breath away and not in a good way. After that kind of a kiss, he had expected one of her warm smiles, a hug and maybe even another one, but definitely not what she had said.

Her words shouldn't have mattered to him, not when he kept telling himself that Naomi meant nothing to him. But why did her words panged like that inside his heart. Where was this unknown pain coming from?

Those questions crept in his mind when he leaned away from her. Unable to read anything from her eyes which were still boldly locked in his, he suddenly felt the urge to look away.

He thought that if he continued to look in her jewels, that hunger would return and he would do the exact opposite of what his mouth was saying.

"You are right, I shouldn't have done it. Don't worry, it meant nothing."

Maybe it was stupid of him to say it like that, but he was too prideful to lose to her. He knew that he was going to regret it, as soon as his words left his mouth. He felt it, the cold silence that fell between them. The wall that was separating them and he was the one who helped build it.

"I didn't mean it like that, l..."

"It doesn't matter."

Seeing how Naomi tensed beside him because of his spoken words, he tried to correct himself. But it was too late because as soon as he spoke again, Naomi was already on her feet.

She took few steps away from him, creating even a bigger distance between them. For a brief second, Jimin saw the pain passing through her eyes and her irregular breathing. But it was all over after that moment.

Naomi had build her façade over her face and stood in front of him like entirely different person from before.

"I think it's enough for today, we can practice the day after tomorrow. In the meanwhile, you should take care of that injury."

Even her words were piercing cold. And before Jimin could say anything to prevent her from leaving or to repair the damage he had done, she turned her back on him. Without uttering another word of goodbye, with fast steps Naomi had left the studio.

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After what had happened with Naomi yesterday and arguing with his English and his Dance professor, Jimin didn't think that his day could get any worse. But he held onto that thought too early...

Since Naomi had told him that they wouldn't have practice until tomorrow, he decided to have one with Hoseok instead. He assumed that dancing would make him feel better, but boy he was so wrong.

His leg was still not healing and it seemed like the pain killers and the numbing spray weren't working on him like they used to either. But he tried to suppress the pain by clenching his teeth and continuing with the dance. However when Hoseok found out about his leg, he immediately decided to stop the practice with him.

That was how Jimin ended up arguing with his best friend as well and refused to admit that everything was happening because of his stubbornness.

"I don't have to listen to this. Come find me when that anger is out of you."

Hoseok had told him before he gathered his things and left Jimin alone in the studio. Hoseok wasn't a person who got mad easily, but he didn't want to see him friend getting hurt.

Even though Jimin hated to fight with his friend, he still held onto that same stubbornness of his. He just frowned towards the door that closed after Hoseok and turned to the mirrors.

He felt like everyone had wronged to him, he was mad at everything. He suddenly hated the studio, the mirrors, even his reflection he was seeing in them. But most of all, he hated himself.

The upcoming competition was one of the most important things in his life. All he ever worked for was that competition. It was a direction - the right path through his life and he couldn't help but think that he messed it up even before it started.

Why couldn't have he been more careful? Why did he have to injure himself? Why did he let himself be confused by unimportant things, just before the competition?

With those thoughts in his mind, Jimin started to dance. His body obediently following the rhythm of the song as if the sound was his only command. His eyes were piercing in the mirror in his reflection ones showing his flaming anger.

Jimin didn't even feel when the studio door had opened, nor did he see who had entered. He didn't pay any attention on the person that was behind him and continued to dance. But this person had her full attention on him.

Naomi stood like stiffened behind him, following his every move with her eyes. Her heart was drumming in frightening speeds because of how Jimin was dancing. She was aware that his leg was still injured and was awed how he managed to dance with that ache.

It was like the pain wasn't even holding him back, but it was waking him up. He danced as if Lucifer himself had possessed his soul and the studio's lights that fell over his body were his flames.

She could feel his anger transmitted through every move he made. It was obvious what he was doing - he was aiming for a breaking point.

But before he could reach that point, Naomi had enough. Not even sensing how frightened she had been for him, Naomi was surprised of the fear that was given away by the sound of her voice.

"Stop it already Jimin, you'll hurt yourself."

Her scream had echoed through the studio, going even higher than the music that was coming from the stereo. It caused Jimin to flinch and stop with his dance.

"I don't care."

He didn't turn to look at her when he spoke, but his eyes met hers in the mirror. Naomi shivered from the coldness she saw in them, knowing that he was still mad at her. The events between them from the previous day had once again changed their situation. It was like they were going one step ahead and two steps back.

She knew that she wasn't supposed to care, because Jimin was nothing more than a dance partner. But she did care, even though she was trying to hide the truth the best way she could.

"But Jimin..."

She spoke again, hoping to knock some sense in him. But her words had died in her mouth when Jimin gave her another piercing stare. The aftermath of their last fight had changed something in his eyes. She could no longer see the warmth of his soul inside them. The only thing that was left in them was his anger.

"No, Naomi. You may not understand it, but dancing means everything to me. Now please, just leave me alone."