Work Text:
You sat near the lake knees drawn to your chest. You looked out over the lake, tears brimming in your eyes as you tried to calm yourself down. You had just gotten into another fight with your parents about college and it had been a particularly bad fight. You'd been getting into so many fights lately and you couldn't bear it anymore, you hated fighting with them. But you also couldn't understand why they were asking you to give up dancing. It was your dream to be a professional choreographer, why couldn't your parent's understand that?
They never actually supported your desires to dance and saw it as a waste of time. You knew this from the countless times you asked them to come to your dance recitals but they'd refused claiming to be too busy. Thinking about those times, you began to cry, the tears in your eyes slowly making their way down your cheeks. You wished they'd be more supportive and give you a chance to prove yourself, but they never did. They thought you would have a bad future as a dancer and so they demanded you major in accounting instead of dance. They claimed you'd have a good and stable life as an accountant and should just let dancing be a hobby.
But you couldn't do that. You hated math with a passion, had never done well in it even when you'd put in the effort. There was absolutely no way you could see yourself becoming an accountant. You honestly couldn't see yourself as anything but a dancer. It wasn't an impossible dream for you, you were good at dancing. You knew it, you'd been to many competitions and had always placed first or second. You'd made it to nationals in your last competition and only hadn't gone to international because you'd fallen ill. Even so, at nationals, there had been college scouts around and you'd been approached by quite a few of them.
And one of those scouts had offered a scholarship right at the competition. Promised it to you if you chose their school. The scout had left you their number and a written statement guaranteeing you a spot at the school based on your academic standing which you'd been assured was good enough. You had wanted to bring this up with your parents when you got home that day but had never gotten the chance as they'd engaged in another fight. And ever since then anytime they talked about your future it would always result in an argument.
You were tired of it. You just wanted your parent's approval and support, but it seemed impossible to get. At the rate things were going you were almost afraid they'd kick you out if you didn't agree to the college they wanted you to go to and pursue an accounting major. There was just no convincing them it seemed.
"Hey Y/N, what are you doing here?" You heard someone call from behind you and heard them come closer. You quickly began wiping your eyes with the selves of your sweater, you didn't want anyone to see you crying.
"Y/N?" The voice asked as they took a seat beside you.
You didn't respond but were finally able to place the voice as you hid your face in your knees.
"Are you crying?" Hoseok asked sounding concerned.
You shook your head but tears still spilled from your eyes. You heard Hoseok sigh and knew what was coming.
"What's wrong Y/N?" Hoseok asked as he put an arm around you.
"Nothing Hoseok." You mumbled out but knew Hoseok wouldn't believe you. Hoseok was a classmate from school who was also in your dance class. Hoseok was an amazing dancer, and you'd even say he was just a bit better than you. The two of you were friends and often hung out after class. You'd gone to competitions together and even teamed up for some recitals and showcases. As such you were close to each other and knew a lot about each other, but you had never talked to him about your parent's disapproval for your dancing.
"I know it's not nothing Y/N. It takes a lot to make you cry, so what is it? It might help to talk about it." Hoseok pressed on as he gently lifted your head up.
You bit your lip as you stared at Hoseok with teary eyes. You hadn't talked to anyone about your parents and their constant disregard for your dancing. You didn't even know why you didn't, you just never brought it up with anyone. And no one ever thought to ask...mostly because you'd never been found crying over it.
"Nothing." You insisted looking away from Hoseok's sincere brown eyes.
Hoseok didn't say anything to that, instead he pulled you into a hug and let you continue to cry on his shirt. You were surprised by the action but soon relished in his warm embrace feeling comfortable. Hoseok ran his fingers through your hair softly and hummed a sweet, calming melody.
"If you feel like talking, I'm here to listen," Hoseok whispered as you sobbed quietly. You nodded and buried your face closer to Hoseok's chest. You liked Hoseok, had for a while but was afraid to confess. After a little bit, you pulled away and sat beside Hoseok as you wiped away the last of your tears.
"Feeling better?" Hoseok asked and you nodded.
"Mind telling me why you were crying now?" Hoseok asked softly giving you a curious and affectionate look.
"My...parents and I argued over something...and I just hate arguing with them." You answered.
"What was the argument about?" Hoseok asked pulling you closer to him so that your thighs touched as you sat next to each other.
"...my future..they don't want me to pursue dance as my major...instead they said I should take accounting." You answered, frowning at the thought.
"I see..."
"And I don't want to be an accountant...I hate math as well...but...I don't know what to do. I'd hate to disappoint them but I can't do what they want me to do...I want to dance. I want to become a choreographer...but I'm afraid they won't let me...they'll probably disown me before they let me do that." You continued spilling out your thoughts and fears.
"They wouldn't disown you Y/N," Hoseok stated shaking his head.
"How do you know? You've never met them." You responded.
"Don't need to. They've let you dance until this point so they obviously care enough to not disown you."
"But they've never watched me dance...they've never come to any of my recitals or competitions. They don't support me at all, they merely allowed me to dance as a hobby."
"Hmm...still I don't think they'd disown you...have you tried asking them to let you do a minor in accounting or something else instead of majoring in it?" Hoseok asked trying to brainstorm ideas.
"Yea, they shot down the idea before I could even argue for it." You replied feeling defeated.
"What about minoring in dancing then and majoring in something else?"
"I don't want to major in something else."
"Hmm..."
You both sat in silence for a bit, Hoseok seemed to be thinking about solutions to the problem while you were trying to accept your fate.
"You know maybe you could strike up a deal with them." Hoseok began musing as he turned to face you.
"What sort of deal?" You asked furrowing your eyebrows in confusion.
"Invite them to our dance showcase this weekend. Tell them if they come and see you perform you'll listen to what they want..." Hoseok began but was cut off by you.
"I don't want to do what they want just because they came! Just because they never came before doesn't mean they wouldn't now! They'd probably come just because of that!" you argued.
"I wasn't finished. Let me explain what I was thinking. Ask them to come and tell them to come with an open mind. They have to come and actually see you perform and judge for themselves if you have no chance at becoming a successful choreographer. If at the end of the performance they think you have no chance you'll pursue accounting or whatever and minor in dancing. But should they actually realize how amazing you are, you get to major in dancing and minor in whatever they want, that is if they still think you should have a backup after seeing your dance, which we both know will be nothing short of perfection, just like you." Hoseok finished with a bright smile.
"...I don't know...I feel like that would just backfire on me." You admitted wondering if your parents would ever come with an open mind and blushing slightly at being called perfect.
"Then don't say you will major in something else, say instead you'll be more willing to listen to their other options," Hoseok suggested.
"How would that be a good deal for them?" You asked thinking they wouldn't agree to that.
"It's not really, but they'll agree. Just trust me and make the deal with them." Hoseok assured.
"Fine, I'll do it but...I really don't think they will agree." You pouted.
"I think they will. They'll agree just to get you to listen to them." Hoseok reasoned.
"Ok...if you think so..." You responded.
"There's no harm in trying," Hoseok said.
"Yea I guess there isn't." You agreed nodding.
"..So...are you feeling better now that you've talked about it?" Hoseok asked.
"Yea..I am..thank you." You replied.
"You're welcome. I'm glad to help...smile for me?" Hoseok requested with an encouraging smile of his own. You laughed and smiled at him. Hoseok's smile brightened at that and he let out a chuckle.
"You know, I don't think you're parents will be opposed to you majoring in dance once they see you actually dance. You're amazing at Y/N. You literally have everyone watching you when you dance, anticipating what moves you'll do next, and just overall amazed. Really, anyone who's seen you dance knows that you were made to be a choreographer." Hoseok complimented with a grin and you smiled at that.
"You make it sound like I'm the best dancer you know." You said pushing Hoseok's shoulder playfully.
"You are," Hoseok responded immediately as looked at you in wonder.
"Aww, thanks, Hoseok! But seriously stop now, if you continue to compliment me I'll think you like me as more than a friend." You joked as you laughed slightly.
"I do," Hoseok replies looking at you with a soft expression. You immediately stopped laughing and stared at the other surprised.
"You...you do?" you asked in disbelief. Hoseok nodded, moving his hands to cup your cheeks softly and bring your faces closer together.
"Yea I really do, have for a while now," Hoseok admitted resting his forehead against yours. You sucked in your breath, eyes widening as you processed everything. Hoseok liked you? That was a surprise but a good one. It made you really happy.
"But the question remains..how do you feel about me?" Hoseok asked after a few seconds of staring into your eyes. You didn't respond at first, but after a few seconds you closed your eyes and pressed your lips against Hoseok's for a small kiss.
"I like you too," you said once you pulled back and smiled at him. Hoseok beamed, looking happier than you'd ever seen him.
"Then it's only right for me to ask, will you be my girlfriend/boyfriend?" Hoseok asked taking your hands into his own and leaning in for another quick kiss.
"Of course," you replied when you pulled apart again. You had a feeling that things would be okay now. You'd get through to your parents, and you now had Hoseok by your side, so everything would be fine. You were sure of it.