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15

alice eagerly hopped into mark's car. bubbling with excitement as they embarked on their journey. mark couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious enthusiasm as they set off, enjoying the tunes blaring through the speakers. 

"oh wow, you weren't kidding when you said you were excited." 

he couldn't help but notice alice's attire—a casual ensemble of snug leggings and a relaxed tee—exuding an effortless charm. her hair, a cascade of chestnut strands tied in a loose ponytail, framed her face in a soft, sun-kissed halo.

"are you going to drive...or?" 

mark snapped out of his brief reverie at the sudden sound of alice's voice. "yeah sorry."

"i get aux today," alice claimed, connecting her bluetooth with the car and turning on some music. 

"dude, i love sik-k," mark stated, bopping his head up and down to the infectious rhythm. 

car rides with alice and mark were always the same. one of them would have aux for a ride and they would just blast and jam out to different songs. it was the only way to drive with the two of them. 

as they arrived at the dance studio, alice was greeted by a group of men, including yuta from the ice cream shop.

"hey, you're that dude from the ice cream place!" she exclaimed. "thanks for the cake the other night."

yuta smiled at alice, saying, "anything for one of mark's...friends."

"oh, so you're just gonna ignore me?"

haechan, sporting a playful pout, joined the gathering. it quickly changed into a sassy one, brows furrowed and everything. "yeah i can dance too. what's with the surprised face?"

"nothing!" alice put her hands up in defense. "i just didn't know that you and mark danced together."

one by one, each man introduced himself to alice and she soon became familiar with everyone. 

"we all dance as a crew, called 127," taeyong announced proudly, his confidence a beacon of the crew's unity. 

alice came to know that taeyong was the leader of the crew and also the choreographer. he was the one that brought everyone together in the first place. 

"so do you dance for fun or does it have a purpose?" alice asked, genuinely curious. 

"we enter competitions," johnny replied. "we get money if we win."

as they commenced practice, alice nestled into her corner, observing the mesmerizing choreography unfold before her. taeyong's precise movements contrasted with jaehyun's fluid grace, each dancer weaving their distinct thread into the tapestry of their performance.

and mark. 

his mastery of dance caught alice's eye. his skill level was apparent; his movements told stories, each step a chapter from his vibrant past at SOPA in seoul.

lost in the swirl of emotions and movements, mark suddenly appeared before her, his outstretched hand an invitation to a new adventure.

"you're the student today," mark grinned, leading her to where taeyong stood, mapping out their next artistic journey.

"what?"

"how skilled do you think you are when it comes to dancing?" taeyong asked her. 

alice shrugged. "i did it for two years way back in middle school, but other than that i don't dance."

a proposition hung in the air—a competition in april, a duet between them. alice's initial hesitance melted away, replaced by a radiant smile that lit up the room, a canvas bursting with vibrant hues.