dancing with a stranger

I

narrator's pov

"what the fuck? what am i supposed to do about this assignment? a media major? are you kidding me" hyunjin sighed out loud. he was crumpling up loose papers in distress when he heard the announcements made by the lecturer. 

"i mean think it as a way to meet new people and make new friends" seungmin chuckled at the sight of his friend. 

the class was assigned a year end assignment and the dance majors had to partner up with someone a media student to create their dance video. this assignment meant a whole lot to hyunjin because it basically determines if he qualifies for year 3. and he didn't want to be removed from the school now. 

hyunjin wasn't the friendly type. he was rather reserved and only opened up to his close friends, a.k.a the boys. they were from different faculties however. the only friend that hyunjin could comfortably talk to was seungmin since they took the same classes.

"but i don't know anyone from the media faculty. like how do i even ask them?" he slouched back against the chair and sighed once more. 

"literally go up to someone and ask. don't forget to smile. you look mean when you don't smile" seungmin packed up his things and pushed his chair into the table.

hyunjin lazily grabbed his things and followed behind seungmin. in reality, it wouldn't be a problem for him to ask someone from the media faculty. especially if he were to ask the girls. they would all go swooning over him. but he was awkward around new people. especially girls.

"come on don't be such a loser. we have a week to find a media student to work with anyways. take your time until you find the right one bro" seungmin reassured hyunjin but he just gave his friend an annoyed look.

"you make it sound like im looking for a soulmate" hyunjin rolled his eyes as they made their way to the dance rooms in the building which were located at level 6 and 7. 

"im going to practise my piece for awhile before i go home. you go ahead first" hyunjin bid farewell to seungmin as he tapped his card onto the electronic pad of the door. 

he walked into the room. it was his favourite practise room. it was rather small but he like it that way since he often danced alone. hyunjin liked contemporary dance the most and he felt more at ease when he dance alone. 

he felt free whenever he danced. he loved doing it since young. his late father was a dancer and naturally, he picked it up as a hobby and eventually pursued it in college. he often expressed himself through the music and his movements. 

the words that he was unable to say, he expressed through the movements of his hands and feet. to him dancing was a way to let everything out. everything that caused him unsettlement and discomfort. everything in heart would be thrown out, along with the music. 

he was free

hyunjin dimmed down the light of the dance room and connected his phone to the audio system. he pressed on a random song in his playlist to warm up to. he let his body feel the rhythm and glided through the floors and spun in the air.

it was a sight indeed. a serene one. he let himself be swallowed by the melody and allowed his body to take control.

_

she clumsily walked past the different dance rooms. they were all being occupied by different dance students. some were dancing to smoother beats and some were even doing kpop covers. she was amazed by the creativity and the environment that filled the hallways.

she marvelled at the sight. there were so many different things going on and it was nothing like the environment in the media faculty. everyone would be on their laptops editing different videos and there was little to no interaction. 

and this especially pain-ed her since she was a social butterfly. she loved interacting with new people and she was never awkward around anyone. in high school she was the class' ball of sunshine. however, after taking majoring in media she could no longer uphold that title since no one interacted with one another.

all her friends were in different faculties and she rarely saw them on school grounds. she eventually stumbled upon a room at the furthest end of the hallway. the melody was soothing and calming but it hold a certain sadness in it. 

she was curious. who could be dancing to that type of music. it was nothing like she heard when she passed by the other rooms. 

she peeked into the small window at the side of the door. there, she saw a boy. probably around her age. he was dancing gracefully. his movements matched the rhythm perfectly but it didn't seem to be choreographed. it was effortless and light but it was also sad. it held a sort of darkness within itself.

it spiked her interest even further. who was the boy that was dancing so beautifully yet so sorrowfully. 

_

he let everything out through his dancing. he was grief stricken. but he had no way to let it out other than by dancing. 

the music stopped and hyunjin ended his dancing and laid down on the ground. it was cold but it was comfortable. his breathing became inconsistent. he was panting awfully hard and he wiped off the sweat from his forehead. and a tear that managed it way down his face.

just then, the dance room door creaked open and hyunjin immediately turned around. there, he saw a girl. her face was filled with so many questions. he was startled but no words came out. the both of them couldn't say anything but they only looked at each other in shock.

_ 

the boy ended his dance and she saw him wipe off a tear. "why is he crying?" she asked herself and leaned forward to take a closer look. without noticing, her card accidentally brushed past the electronic pad on the door and it creaked open.

she gasped in shock and the boy turned around. confusion evident in his face. she wanted to apologise and run in the opposite direction but she couldn't move. neither could she bring herself to say anything. 

she just stared at the boy.