The Nine Dancing Princesses (TWICE FF)

22. A New Song

"But the thing is...we can't use the same route anymore." Jihyo said next day when they were having breakfast.

"So the alternative route that you had discovered is completely safe?" Jungyeon asked.

"Mostly..since we were crossing the route in dim light, not much was visible." Sana said sipping her water.

"Yeah...but the path was clear." Dahyun added.

"Since, nothing happened when it was dark, I think it is safe from the wild animals." Nayeon said and quickly added "but still you should not have taken an  unknown route when it was getting dark."

The four hung their heads and nodded. They had been reckless after all. "But it's so close to the southern door and we didn't even know it existed." Mina beamed.

"Yeah..it was not in the map too." Momo added. "It saves much of our time." All of them hummed in agreement.

"Oh I just remembered, we may have found possible ways to prevent the bacteria but the main source is still open." Dahyun said taking a bite of her breakfast.

"Listen, we need to withdraw from our hobby classes to spare us more time. We have to complete our assignments and researches from the main classes too." Sana said.

"Yeah.. if we suddenly start performing poorly, they might get suspicious and even subject us to remedial classes." Nayeon added.

"But are we allowed to? Like isn't it compulsory to keep one subject as hobby?" Tzuyu asked.

"No, it's perfectly fine to not have a hobby, but since almost every one has atleast one class it seems like it's compulsory." Jihyo explained.

"But since we need to be as less suspicious as possible, atleast we should keep one extra class." Jungyeon said.

So it was decided that they would withdraw from the dance and music lectures. All of them were anyways exceptionally good at that, with inborn talent so it was unnecessary from the very start.

___

"And may I know your reason?" Their music teacher asked a fidgeting Mina. "umm.. because I already am good at vocals." She stated the reason that was to be stated.

"Oh is it? What an original excuse." The teacher said leaning back on her chair. Mina smiled nervously trying hard to look natural. The teacher suddenly banged her hand on the table glaring at the student.

"I have heard it eight times since morning." She scolded her. "And if I am not wrong, you want to focus more on the main subjects too right?" Mina was visibly shocked.

"How do you know that?" She asked feigning innocence. "I just need some time to get adjusted to the environment here, the extra activities are a bit burdensome." She confessed.

The teacher sighed. "I can't stop you, especially since I have already given permission to other eight of your friends."

Mina was about to thank her and go, but before she could say anything the teacher declared. "I would have you all compete with my best students to see how good you are to drop my class."

For some reason Mina could see, could feel the storm coming off. It was a matter of time before everything set off.

"I think we are safe for now" Jihyo said at the dinner. "The music teacher is too blinded by her ego to suspect anything and since the dance teacher has been visiting her home it will not be a problem."

"But we should start preparing for the contest." Nayeon suggested. "Let's do a ballad."

"Wouldn't that be boring?" Jungyeon said making a face at her. "I mean, what will we sing?"

Nayeon sighed "so what? You want to do a pop song? It doesn't exist in the era, it's not 2015 okay"

"What?"

"What? I am suggesting that we make a ballad of our own." Nayeon said.

"Wow... that would make an impact!" Dahyun chirped.

"And we would prove that we can even make our own tunes and we have knowledge about music!" Sana said.

"Yeah..but what do we do?" Tzuyu asked. Everyone pondered over the theme of their song.

"When we sing...it's to make us feel relaxed right? So it we think along those lines.." This was Momo.

"But if we consider the creator of the songs...from that perspective, it's mainly to express our feelings." Chaeyoung said.
She stopped mid drink when all of them stared at her suddenly. Chaeyoung blinked twice. "I read this in a-"

"It was cool" Dahyun said as Chaeyoung gave a shy smile.

"Yeah, that's the answer ladies! Something that helps us express ourselves." Jihyo said with a smile.

"So like revenge, or taking out the frustration of being a princess? Or dissing the strict rules?" Jungyeon remarked.

"For a ballad that's a bit..." Mina said in almost a whisper. "I mean for a ballad we would need a soft theme." Everyone nodded in agreement and went back to think.

"The best thing that has happened so far" Jihyo looked around the table. "it's us becoming friends." Everyone was visibly brightened at the statement. "Even when we were confused we went ahead because we trusted each other." All of them agreed.

Okay. Suddenly they had a mission, actually two, on hand.
___

"Like seriously! Forest Fairy?" Prince Jimin mocked his friend and started laughing. Prince Jimin, first child of the eastern kingdom, and  Prince Jungkook, first child of the Jeon dynasty  were sitting with one of their best friends Prince Taehyung of the central estate narrating the encounter from yesterday evening. Both of them laughed at the younger.

"Come on friends, I really saw her in the middle of the forest and she was wearing a pastel pink dress!" Jungkook huffed.

"Yeah and because she was beautiful, just like a fairy." Taehyung teased.

Jungkook flushed at the statement "I didn't say any such thing!" He quickly defended himself.

"I hope to encounter you again!" Both Jimin and Taehyung said in unison repeating Jungkook's words and then bursting into laughter.

"It was because of crystal!" Jungkook rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Yeah sure just because of crystal. Which you so generously donated." Jimin was not the one to give up his rare chances to tease the prince.

"Oh how grateful she must be to receive such beautiful gift from a prince." Taehyung said joining his bestfriend.

"Who must be grateful?" A sudden voice silenced their laughter as they looked up to the man standing with a curious expression eyeing the three.

__________

A/N

Okay...last chapter of the year!!
I hope 2021 would be a better year for all of us.

With lots of hope and love.