[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

Dance Assistant

Ten came running down to the basement, hair tousled by the wind. Or from running. Maybe both.

"I need someone to help me with a dance student. Preferably someone nice and can keep up with dancing."

"Don't all of us qualify?" Renjun asked.

"No, you aren't nice."

"Why do you need help? Isn't it your job to teach or something?" Jeno added in, and Ten ran a hand through his hair.

"Or something. I was just told a blind kid is joining my class and it's already pretty full, so I need someone to help them because I won't be able to."

To say Ten was stressed out over it was an understatement. He knew the kid had no prior experience with dancing, and with the very full class he just didn't want them to get hurt. He also didn't want to accidentally neglect said child or the class.

Oh yeah, and it's a group of six year olds.

"I'll help!" Jisung offered, Ten immediately shaking his head.

"No way. I can't have you getting hurt because you won't stop if you're in pain."

Jisung huffed with a frown.

"Sorry, Ji." Ten gave him a very apologetic smile to which Jisung just shrugged.

"I can help, I'm not doing anything." Shotaro offered, Ten turning to him with a bright smile.

"Awesome! I was hoping you'd say you could! We gotta go now because class starts in five minutes."

Shotaro shoved on some shoes he could dance in as Jeno and Renjun looked at Ten skeptically.

"If you wanted Shotaro you could've just asked him instead of everybody." Jeno pointed out, Ten shrugging.

"That wouldn't have been fun. Later losers. Love you, Ji."

Ten then bolted up the stairs with Shotaro right behind him. They wasted no time in getting to the studio, some of the kids already waiting outside the door in their tutus as they talked with each other. It was class of twelve girls all six years old, and Ten greeted them each by name as he opened the door and let them in.

"You didn't tell me they were babies." Shotaro whispered, following Ten to the front of the studio where the sound system was as Ten started getting his ballet shoes out.

"You didn't ask. Oh yeah, and the blind kid's name is Tomomi and they go by they/them pronouns. Their mom made sure to tell us."

"And this is ballet?"

"Hm? Yeah, ballet. You might just wanna dance in your socks."

Shotaro hesitantly kicked off his shoes and put them next to Ten's bag as Ten plugged his phone into the stereo and started getting set up. Twelve kids was a lot, but a few more trickled in as they got started, adding up to nineteen. Ten wasn't kidding when he said he had a full class.

"Alright girlies. This is my brother, Shotaro, and he's going to be helping us out today. Okay?"

A chorus of yeses and nods went around the room, and when they started stretching on the floor three of them skootched close and started whispering to him about their favorite animals. Shotaro just smiled and nodded, occasionally trying to get them to stay silent and pay attention.

Shotaro hadn't noticed when Tomomi entered the room with their mom, but Ten luckily did. He told the girls to get a water break, and they very happily did because now that meant they could talk with their friends instead of whispering.

"Hi! I'm Ten! How are you?" He bowed to Tomomi's mom with a smile, Tomomi practically hiding behind her legs.

"'m good."

"Well I'm so happy you get to join us! I brought my brother Shotaro here with me today so he could help you out. Would you like that?"

Tomomi nodded shyly and Ten nudged Shotaro for him to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Shotaro. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm going to go now, hun. You have fun, okay?" Tomomi nodded and let go of their mom's hand, reaching out for someone else's.

Shotaro took Tomomi's hand, leading them to the floor so they could do a quick warm up as Ten suggested in a whisper.

Despite Tomomi's first appearance, they warmed up very quickly. They were soon telling Shotaro all about how they were late because they had set their white cane down somewhere and couldn't remember where, so now they had to come without it. Tomomi switched to Japanese as soon as they knew Shotaro was also Japanese, and Shotaro could hardly contain how happy he was to have someone besides Yuta to talk to in Japanese.

Ten had known that, though. Part of the reason why he was hoping Shotaro would volunteer to help tonight.

So Shotaro worked with Tomomi the rest of the thirty minute class and helped them through the movements and terminology. It was tough because he couldn't just demonstrate, but he managed. None of that would've been possible if the other girls in the class hadn't stopped trying to attach themselves to him.

And this would be how Shotaro unknowingly got wrapped up in Ten's dance lessons, showing up for each one Tomomi was going to be there for.