Dancing King

Chapter 7

Almost put chapter 8 then realized the problem with that lol.

I'm feeling generous so here's another chapter.

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Yixing's POV

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Sweat poured into my eyes and my muscles screamed in protest as I twirled and leapt across the wooden space, but I ignored all of that as the loud music boomed against my skull. Super Junior's Mr. Simple, an upbeat and fast song that got my body up and moving. It was only my twentieth song this night. I'd been dancing to nothing for a lot longer than that. But if I went home I was plagued with thoughts and memories.

Once the music did die down I allowed myself to stop, collapsing to the floor, my chest heaving. Dancing may have sapped my strength, but damn it all it also helped me feel alive. Young Yixing might have laughed at you if you even mentioned dancing. But current me understood far better than I should have. Dancing was my passion and my escape from reality. When I danced I wasn't nerdy Yixing that everyone glanced over and forgot about in the back of of the classroom. I was Lay, who exuded confidence and energy and demanded your attention on him. The difference was astounding really.

"Should've known I'd find you here." A soft voice in the dark was enough for me to nearly leap from my skin. I gasped as I sat up quickly, glaring daggers up at Hoseok as he laughed quietly and sat beside me. "You're predictable, you know?" he said, picking at a thread on his jeans. "So am I then because here I am as well." He glanced up and around, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Five years of hard work and love, huh?" he asked. I ran my hand over the wooden floor, worn out and scuffed up from many, many nights here dancing and goofing and enjoying ourselves. Countless practices and performances, initiations and celebrations had happened on this floor.

"It's going to be weird trusting this place to anyone else, even if we've known them for years," I said at last. "It's our baby. We raised this place from the ground up. From a tiny group of people dancing in the dark to almost a whole school jammed in here every weekend, hollering and cheering us on as we show off our skills. Me, you, and Jongin founded this place. We built it to what it is. I don't know if I could hand control over." Hoseok sighed, drawing a knee up and wrapping his arms around it, resting his chin on top.

"I don't like the idea any more than you do," he replied at last, gazing at a point behind me, looking very far away from here. "This place is my pride and joy. But if I do go to university or even go to Bighit I can't stay here and play cleanup crew and maintenance man. So we have to figure out someone we can pass the metaphorical reins to. You know my choices."

"Ten or Taeyong," I quoted. We'd had this same conversation countless times. But it didn't make it any easier. "Jisung might also be good since he's been coming here since he was, well, ten years old. Or maybe someone who we recruit later will be a good candidate. Let's... Not mention this to our fans just yet. A lot of them aren't graduating yet. Let them have a little longer with us. And don't mention this to Jongin. He's been extra sentimental lately. I don't want to burden him with this."

"I agree," Hoseok said, rising and offering me his hand. I took it, and in one fluid motion he pulled me to my feet. "Let's not worry about it tonight. What's next on the que?" I glanced down to my phone, checking whatever I had planned next. I grinned.

"Red Flavor," I said. "Girl group dance?" A huge smile overtook Hoseok's features. We stood a ways apart, warming up. But as soon as the music started, so did we. It felt good to dance with him. We'd been doing it for years after all. And his laugh was contagious. I found myself laughing too. How could we not?

"Fun stuff there Yixing," he said. "I'm really going to miss this some day." He pulled his hat down over his ears again. "I'd better get going. Mom and dad don't know where I ran off too. I just couldn't stay couped up in the house on a Saturday night. It doesn't feel right."