Work Text:
There were two types of people in the dance room.
Ones who played Tchaikovsky, and ones who danced to it. What did they have in common? Perhaps, was it the gracefulness of their joints? Or was it their immersion towards the tragedies of Princess Odette?
One could say that a pianist enjoyed the darkness and solitude that the stage couldn’t give them, in comparison to the dancers, who captured the audience’s attention, regardless of where they stood.
One could say that the pianist and the dancers lived two worlds apart. While the dancers basked the admiration of the spectators, the pianists sat in solitude.
Despite his attachment to the keyboard, Jaehyun’s eyes couldn’t help but follow the dancers. He made sure that his tempo was in sync with the ballet dancer’s footsteps. If their pirouettes did not match with the speed of his fingers, he would take full accountability for it. That’s the type of person Jaehyun was--and the person that he needed to be.
“Good work everyone!” Miss Kwon Boa cried, as she clapped her hands. “I will see you all on Wednesday for next practice.”
The dancers dispersed, as they headed towards the locker areas. Despite the crowd ahead of him, Jaehyun’s eyes lingered on one person.
Jaehyun hated to admit it, but he basically had a crush on this person, as his feelings fluctuated between admiration and infatuation. The usually coolheaded, hard to get Jaehyun was swayed by this man. Simply, there was no way out.
Also; there was no way into that person’s heart.
Jaehyun was just a pianist, a talented one. But, he was no dancer.
Who was this person, one may ask?
“Yuta!”
The long haired dancer turned around, as he put his water bottle back in his backpack.
“Do you have some coins on you? I’m parched but I forgot my water bottle at home…”
Jaehyun narrowed his eyes, as he eavesdropped the conversation between his crush and another beautiful dancer.
“I think I do…” Yuta said, as he furrowed his eyebrows together, ‘
Sakura Miyawaki’s eyes lit up, as she watched Yuta fumble through his bag.
She was a friendly girl. Yet, her crush on Yuta was clear as day—that even Jaehyun could sense it from a couple of meters away. Jaehyun tried to convince himself that the two dancers were just acquaintances. Not too close and not too awkward. Though, Jaehyun could be completely wrong.
“I have 500 Won,” Yuta said, as he handed the coin to Sakura.
“Wow thanks!” Sakura cried.
Yuta nodded, and walked past her, not giving her the chance to continue the conversation. Jaehyun looked the other way, as Sakura turned her head towards the piano.
“Embarrassing isn’t it?” She asked.
“There’s nothing embarrassing about asking for coins….” Jaehyun said, as he put the cloth on the piano.
“Never mind…” Sakura muttered. “You won’t understand…”
Except I do...because I feel the same way. And you better watch out, because there’s two of us in this game.
“See you tomorrow,” Jaehyun said, waving at Sakura.
“Bye,” Sakura said.
Jaehyun waited a few moments, just until it would be guaranteed that he would be walking out alone.
“Jung Jaehyun.”
Jaehyun turned to the sound of his name, which came from Miss Kwon Boa, the ballet instructor. Not only was she a ballet instructor. She was also a screenwriting and English teacher.
“Hello...do you need help with anything else?” Jaehyun asked.
“I actually have something to ask you,” Boa said.
“What is it? Jaehyun asked.
“I know I could’ve asked you during class hours...but I was too occupied with grading everyone’s essays. Now that I have the time to ask you…”
“...”
“I marked your script. And...I admit, you have a talent for storytelling.”
“I...I do?” Jaehyun croaked.
“Yes...and I really liked the screenplay that you wrote. It’s very dark and mesmerizing. And it has good dialogue too…”
Jaehyun’s heart rate tripled, causing his hands to shake and his temples to sweat.
“Well, what I’m trying to say is that… I’m offering you a chance to use your screenplay assignment for the year-end’s ballet performance.”
Jaehyun’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it at all.
For all these years, he only stuck with one thing and that was the piano. He’d always thought that it was the only thing he was good at. Though, his teacher was set on proving him wrong.
“You really mean it?”
“Yes Jung,” Boa said.
“I mean...I am flattered...yeah I guess I’ll….”
“I’ll help you tweak some things...you know for the dance numbers and stuff. But other than that, you will have full control over the script…”
“Thank...thank you so much…” Jaehyun said, nodding.
“It won’t interrupt you with anything in your schedule right?”
“No...I mean I don’t really do anything besides study and Plano...I guess I ought to. Have some change….” Jaehyun muttered.
“Great,” Boa said, smiling.
“I have a question….”
“Are we holding auditions for the characters?” Jaehyun asked.
“Well...its the fairest way to pick actors…”
Jaehyun’s eyes slipped to the floor.
“Why? Is there a dancer in mind that you have for a role?”
Jaehyun’s neck turned red as a tomato.
“Never mind,” Jaehyun said, as he bit his lips. “Anyways, thanks for the opportunity…it really means a lot.”
**
“Wow...so the teacher asked you to be in charge of a play? Sounds great dude.”
“Yup,”
Jaehyun and his friend Mark were seated at a cafe, as they sipped on taro-flavoured bubble tea. It was scorching hot outside, so this place was perfect for them, especially with its strong air conditioner and affordable cold drinks.
“Are you guys holding auditions for it?”
“Well…the thing is,” Jaehyun said, as he swirled his straw around his cup. “I want my...my..”
“Your crush?”
“Yes,..to be the lead. I mean, he was the inspiration behind it!” Jaehyun said.
“Tough luck man...you can’t even look at him in the eye…” Mark said, as he shook his head. “And he might be the straight.”
“That is my biggest fear…” Jaehyun said, as he pursed his lips.
“All the guys you crush on are straight….” Mark said, shaking his head.
“Must be nice to be straight…” Jaehyun scoffed.
“Anyways, I forgot...what’s your play about?” Mark asked.
“A swan who puts on a facade..and is actually a duck on the inside…”
“So...basically, reverse Swan Lake?”
“Yup,” Jaehyun nodded.
“Wow...that’s deep man,” Mark said, tilting his head back.
“But...what does a duck and a swan have to do with your crush Yuta?”
“Lots of things...first things first, Yuta is beautiful….like a swan.”
“Yeah,” Mark said, nodding. “So then?”
“If he’s beautiful and talented and all things perfect…he probably has one flaw.”
“Which is?” Mark asked.
“I don’t know...I don’t know him well enough…” Jaehyun pouted.
“Your love...seems so complicated...can’t just just crush on someone approachable?” Mark asked.
“Then that would take the fun out of the crush…” Jaehyun said.
“Speaking of crushes…” Mark said. “I might be seeing things, but...isn’t he the dude running inside?”
“Huh?” Jaehyun asked, raising his brows.
Jaehyun’s chest tightened, as he sighted the blonde haired dancer burst through the doors. Contrary to what he wore in dance practice, Yuta wore dark ripped jeans, a checkered pullover with a black tank top underneath. His shoelaces were loose, as they swung with each step he took.
“Sorry I’m late…” Yuta panted.
“Whatever, it’s not even that full...but learn to be on time….” one of the staff said, as they moved the room Yuta’s direction.
Yuta was gone in a blink of an eye, as he walked towards the staff door.
“Let’s get out of here…” Jaehyun said, picking up his drink.
“Why?”
“You know why…” Jaehyun said, as he tugged Mark’s shirt.
“You’re such a scaredy-cat, I swear…” Mark said, rolling his eyes.
After a brief pleading with his friend, Jaehyun and Mark vanished from the bubble tea shop, not leaving a single trace of their presence on the table.
**
Jaehyun’s eyes were about to go blind from staring at his MacBook. He managed to dig up a draft of his screenplay.
Duck Lake
Synopsis:
A scarecrow stumbles upon a beautiful swan, after flying to the wrong side of the forest. The swan is unapproachable and aloof, yet, that doesn’t stop the scarce crowds admiration towards her. Despite his love for her, he could never approach the bird—until he sees her transform into a duck.
“I guess I’m the real life Scarecrow,” Jaehyun sighed, as he closed the laptop. “Will I ever get to approach the swan?”
**
“Listen up everyone…”
Miss Kwon Boa’s voice boomed across the room, causing the dancers to silence themselves.
Jaehyun’s fingers trembled underneath the keyboard, as he anticipated Boa’s announcement.
“The script has been finalized for the year end school play...which means, we will be holding auditions on the 28th of April.”
The whole class erupted in excitement, as the dancers exchanged glances with each other. Jaehyun’s body continued to shake as he stole a glance at Yuta.
‘What’s the play about?” Sakura asked.
“It’s about a swan and a scarecrow….” Boa replied.
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. “So...what happens to them?”
“Let me re-explain...it’s about a Scarecrow that falls in love with a swan. The swan is so intimidatingly beautiful, that the scarecrow is too scared to approach the swan. The swan turns out to be a duck…which is something that the beautiful swan cannot accept.”
“What does the scarecrow think of the swan...I mean duck then…?” Sakura asked.
“The scarecrow doesn’t care…because no matter what, the scarecrow’s love is too strong to be blinded by appearances.”
“Wow….” the whole class gasped.
Jaehyun heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that his script didn’t seem as lame as he imagined. But, the feeling of doubt didn’t escape him
as he sought for Yuta’s validation. As expected, the long haired dancer appeared aloof...uninterested in this discourse, as his eyes lingered to the side. Why did Jaehyn even bother with this guy?
“Here’s another surprise…” Boa said, smiling.
She turned to Jaehyun’s direction.
“Our pianist wrote this play as an assignment for my screenwriting class.”
Whispers circulated throughout the dancers. The reactions were hard for Jaehyun to read, as he tried to scan their expressions—with the exception of Sakura, who looked towards Jaehyun’s direction.
“Anyways...let’s start practicing!” Kwon Boa cried, as she clapped her fingers together. “We will be practicing Swan Lake….”
**
Finally, the practice was over. There was nothing left for Jaehyun to do this afternoon. Though, he had a busy schedule ahead of him for the months ahead.
His instincts told him to go to the vending machine, as his craving for Pocari Sweat overtook him.
Jaehyun’s tendency to overthink caused him to walk slower than normal, as he took small steps towards his designation. He pondered upon Yuta’s existence once again, wondering if he was going to audition for the play. No matter what, Yuta had to be the swan. Though, there was no way of guaranteeing him the role, especially if Yuta was busy with work at the bubble tea shop.
And, it’s not like Jaehyun could go up to Yuta and say;
“Hey! I want you to play the part of the swan...no one else can be the swan but you! You’re the reason why this play was written in the first place!”
Finally, he reached the vending machine. He was one step close to quenching his thirst as Jaehyun reached for his coin-filled hoodie pocket.
The cold drink touched Jaehyun’s hands in an instant, as he bent himself downwards the bottom of the machine.
“Do you have any coins?”
Jaehyun was so close to cutting his finger with the can as his chest leaped in the middle of opening his drink. He could feel his muscles stiffen as he turned to the long haired dancer.
“Um…..” Jaehyun croaked as he put his can to his side. “I..I do…”
Jaehyun quickly dug out his pockets. “Here you go…”
“Thanks…” Yuta said, as he stepped forwards. “I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”
If he didn’t spend all of his coin money on vending machine drinks, he would’ve given Yuta more coins.
“Sure,” Jaehyun gulped.
“By the way,” Yuta said, turning his head over his shoulder. “The synopsis of your play sounds really good.”
“R..really…” Jaehyun croaked. “Thanks.”
A block of silence cut between them—a situation that Jaehyun feared of. Though, he couldn’t bring himself to run off again. Not when he has this chance to stand near Yuta.
“A...are you…”
“Hm?”
“Are you thinking of auditioning?” Jaehyun asked.
“Well…” Yuta muttered. “I-“
“If…if you want….I mean, if you really want to….I’m just hoping that...you would audition for it. I mean…”
Yuta’s eyes widened.
“I want you as the swan,” Jaehyun blurted out.
Yuta took a step back.
“You’re a really talented dancer,” Jaehyun said in a firm tone.
“I...I have to think about it…” Yuta said, looking down on the ground.
“I’m not forcing you...I just think it would be great if you did. But if you don’t...then it’s totally fine!” Jaehyun croaked. “Anyways...I gotta….uh go...See you tomorrow.”
**
YUTA POV:
Did the usually-aloof, disoriented, quiet, cold looking pianist just ask Yuta to be the lead of his screenplay?
Yuta watched Jaehyun walk to the end of the hallway. He seemed like he was in a rush.
He exhaled a deep breath.
Who knew that it took a lot of mental energy to talk to someone that you admired? Not only that, but Jaehyun acknowledged that Yuta, himself was a talented dancer. Though he received compliments all his life for his dancing, there was something enchanting about Jaehyun’s way with words. Not that there was something deep behind them or anything. Maybe it’s because they came out from Jaehyun’s mouth.
“ You’re a really talented dancer…”
Yuta heard the same thing from his ballet instructor, Kwon Boa. In fact, at the end of the class, she directly went to Yuta and asked him a favour. A favour that seemed as desperate as Jaehyun’s.
“Yuta…I know we’re holding auditions for the play but...I can’t help but envision you as the swan.”
“Me...as the swan?” Yuta asked, blinking rapidly.
“Yes...you were the underplay for Swan Lake last year for the Swan...but now I think it’s. a good chance for you to shine.”
“What if I become an underplay again?” Yuta asked.
“Trust me...you’re the best dancer in your grade right now. I doubt anybody will outshine you this year if you audition again.”
“But there’s Sakura...who is also very good,” Yuta said. “And in the script’s synopsis...the swan in this story seems like a feminine role.”
“But you managed to play Odette just fine..” Boa said. “And that character was a girl.”
“But I was only the underplay...and you only cast me as Odette because I have long hair.”
“That’s not particularly true...I see talent in you. Potential.” Boa explained.
It was hard to trust somebody’s words when one had doubts. That was the case for Yuta, as his mind swayed back and forth regarding his decision to audition. He had 2 weeks to decide. He couldn’t prolong his choice for any longer or else, he would miss his chance again.
**
“Wow...so, Jung Jaehyun went up to you and asked if you could be in his play? Not just in any role..but the lead?” Moon Taeil asked.
“Yup,” Yuta said, as he bit the end of his pencil.
“That means you must be really talented,” Taeil said, nodding his head.
Yuta and his friend Taeil sat on the floor of Yuta’s room as they copied each other’s notes from music theory. Instead of talking about Chopin, they were too invested in each other’s lives, as they filled the room with meaningless conversation.
“Or…” Yuta said, spinning his pencil like a helicopter. “Kwon Boa is using Jung Jaehyun to lure me to do this play….”
“Now why would she use Jaehyun to do that?” Taeil said, arching his eyebrows.
“Because she knows that I have stage fright….”
Taeil stayed silent.
“You know, it was a waste for you to downgrade yourself to an underplay...especially when you already had the role of Odette last year…”
“You know my stage fright gets to me…” Yuta croaked.
“Maybe this is your chance to prove yourself again…” Taeil said, as he patted Yuta’s shoulder.
“But the problem is...I already have stage fright….and there’s also Jaehyun...who's in charge of the play.”
“...”
“He doesn’t know about my stage fright…” Yuta croaked.
“Then who was the pianist of the play last year?” Taeil asked.
“Johnny Seo...but then it was his senior year last year, so then he graduated…” Yuta explained. “And Jaehyun managed to take his spot this year.”
“Jaehyun is really talented though…” Taeil said, nodding his head.
“How do you know?” Yuta asked.
“Because I listened to him playing at the auditorium once...guess he was practicing or something,” Taeil explained. “He’s like a total prince...A bunch of girls were watching him...gushing over him…”
“I can totally relate,” Yuta said, laying on the ground.
“Are you willing to have your heart crushed again?” Taeil asked.
“Who said my heart’s going to get crushed?” It’s not like I’m going to take my chances with Jaehyun or anything…”
“Well, just be careful…” Taeil said. “From the looks of it, he looks like a total heartbreaker. He just managed to walk past the crowd of girls standing near the auditorium...like it was nothing for him.”
“It must be so nice to be a straight girl…” Yuta whined. “At least...they’ll have a chance with Jaehyun…”
“Anyways, let's go back to our assignment….shall we….” Taeil said, flipping his blank notebook over.
“I think that’s the fifth time you’ve flipped a page full of nothing,” Yuta scoffed.
**
“Can I book off the 28th?” Yuta asked, as he put his hands behind his back.
“For what reason?”
“I have an audition that day,” Yuta said.
“Well...sure….it’s not like the weekend or anything…” Taemin said, as he glanced at the calendar on the wall.
“Thank you!” Yuta exclaimed.
“Well...why don’t you get that order while you’re at it?” Taemin said, as he pointed at the counter.
“Sure thing,” Yuta said, as he stepped away from the kitchen corner.
Yuta could feel his chest plunge to the bottom of his body, as Yuta’s eyes landed on the pianist approaching his counter.
Yuta and Taemin were the only ones in the cafe. But it’s not like Yuta had an explainable reason to decline their customer’s order.
Jaehyun lifted his head, as he found Yuta standing behind the counter. His hands shook, as they hovered above the cash register. Those big brown eyes—exclusive and unique to the pianist, was enough to make Yuta’s limbs go numb.
“Hi Yuta...I didn’t expect to see you here…” Jaehyun croaked.
“Well...I work here…” Yuta chuckled.
“Right,” Jaehyun said, nodding.
Well this was awkward. But this was nothing out of the ordinary. Yuta was always awkward with his crushes, which was why he refrained himself from interacting with them.
There was an awkwardness between them that Yuta wanted to break, Though, Yuta couldn’t tell if it was coming from him or Jaehyun. It’s not like they could avoid this dynamic—They literally just started talking.
“What drink would you like?” Yuta asked.
“Taro Bubble tea with milk pudding,” Jaehyun said.
“Anything else?” Yuta asked.
“Nope,” Jaehyun said, shaking his head.
“Your total is 5000 won,” Yuta announced.
Jaehyun dug through his pockets. Yuta’s eyes widened as he saw the MasterCard in Jaehyun’s hands. It was unlikely for a High School Student to have a credit card. Yuta couldn’t help but be amazed.
Then Yuta realized how different their worlds were. Specifically, Yuta himself. While most students in his school were golden spoons, Yuta was a ‘scholarship kid’—meaning that he could only attend this school if he kept his abilities in tip-top shape. While the scholarship was nice, it didn’t cover the expenses of his living situation, as he lived from paycheque to paycheque. Yuta was only in high school and was not originally from Seoul, which put an extra burden on him.
“I’ll have your order out soon,” Yuta said, as he turned to the kitchen.
Jaehyun felt possessed by a spirit, as he unexpectedly garnered up the courage to talk to Yuta. Though, his ears couldn’t help but flush red as he gave Yuta his card.
There was no detail that Jaehyun missed when it came to Yuta—his lips, his eyes-even his hands were beautiful, as Yuta boasted slender fingers that were wrapped with chunky metal rings. Though Jaehyun was not extravagant when it came to dressing himself, he had the habit of over-analyzing people’s style choices.
“Here’s your bubble tea,” Yuta said.
A curse was bestowed upon them, as the cup slid from Jaehyun’s hands.
A huge splat of purple bubble tea stained Jaehyun’s beige sweater. Jaehyun’s ears burned faster than a stove, acknowledging the inconvenience he’s caused to this place.
“I’m sorry!” Yuta cried, as he rushed to grab a mop and bucket.
Yuta wheeled the cleaning supplies over to Jaehyun’s reach. In a blink of an eye, Yuta had the bubble tea swept in water, as he forcefully cleaned the ground.
“What happened?”
Another employee came up behind Yuta, with the nametag ‘Taemin’. He looked just as embarrassed as Yuta was, as lines formed above his eyebrows.
“Sorry about that customer...shall we compensate you with another free drink?”
Jaehyun pulled a sheet of paper towel from the counter and plopped it on the bubble tea puddle. It was the least he could do to a guy that earned pennies from making drinks.
“I’m so sorry,” Jaehyun said, as he crouched down the ground.
“Please,” Yuta said, as he placed the mop in the puddle. “It’s not your fault…”
Jaehyun could’ve ran away from embarrassment. Yet, he couldn’t see himself leaving, as his feet stayed glued to the ground. The way that Yuta’s hair hung in front of his eyes, along with his suppressed aggression caused Jaehyun’s chest to pound. His dangling earrings. The veins popping out of his forearms. It’s like Jaehyun had forgotten to breathe.
Finally the floor was dry, as Yuta wheeled the bucket back to the closet. It seemed that Yuta wasn’t going to return to the counter as the closet remained closed. Instead, the other staff member stood behind the counter, with his head tilted slightly to the side.
“Are you sure you don’t want a free drink?”
“No I’m fine,” Jaehyun said. “But I know that guy and it must be really embarrassing for him…”
“He’s a shy guy,” the blonde said.
“Please tell him that I’m sorry again…” Jaehyun said.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
**
“I’m a total idiot!!!”
Yuta’s outburst reached Taeil’s eardrums, even with headphones cranked to the highest volume.
“What’s the matter?” Taeil asked.
“I...I messed up...I’ve made a complete fool out of myself…” Yuta said, as he plunged his body to the bottom bunk mattress.
“Well..who doesn’t mess up these days,” Taeil said, as he climbed down his bunk “What even happened?”
“Well...Mr. Jaehyun walks into my workplace...and then suddenly my hands stop working…and then his drinks end up in his shoes…”
Yuta’s muffled cries were followed by a punch to his pillow, as if he was a three year old throwing a tantrum. Taeil crossed his arms and shook his head—unphased by Yuta’s emotional outbursts.
“How am I going to face him at the auditions?”
“Well...what was his reaction?” Taeil asked,
Yuta stood up from his bed and turned to his roommate.
“He just walked away...he didn’t even want another drink…”
“Oh no...a lost customer,” Taeil said, shaking his head.
“Should I just ditch the audition?”
“Now…” Taeil said, raising a finger. “That’s NOT what you’re going to do.”
“...”
“You’re going to audition for the role of the...what was it?”
“Swan,” Yuta finished.
“Yes...that! You’re going to audition for that role and face your crush no matter what…” Taeil said, as he wagged his finger.
Yuta’s ears heated up...for the 10th time today. Taeil’s eyes were firm and unwavering, as he stared at Yuta with all his might. The images of Yuta spinning on stage, with the Tchaikovsky guiding each of his graceful steps. Surely but slowly, a light beamed in Yuta’s mind—shining brighter than the sun behind him.
“Well...thanks for the pep talk I guess,” Yuta said, sitting back in his chair. “For a moment, I thought you were my guidance counselor.”
“That is my career back up…” Taeil said, as he crossed his arms.
**
The 28th of March came faster than a blink of an eye. Yuta stood in the boy’s washroom. Silently, he battled his inner demons, as he stared at his reflection and filled his mind with manufactured positivity.
You can do it.
You can do it.
No you can’t.
No you can’t.
The more confident he tried to be, the more fearful he became. Honestly speaking, Yuta couldn’t breathe. His chest was tighter than a laced up corset. No matter how hard he tried to free himself from his fears, he found himself stuck at the same spot.
He wasn’t a rich kid like everybody else in this school.
There were better dancers.
And most of all, there were better people suited for Jaehyun.
“Yuta…I know we’re holding auditions for the play but...I can’t help but envision you as the swan.”
That voice lingered in Yuta’s head, haunting him each time he would think lowly of himself.
Jaehyun was like a double edged sword. He was like a pulling force that also pushed someone to their breaking point.
Yuta stepped away from the mirror, as he headed to the exit. If he couldn’t escape his worries, he had no choice but to pull the plug himself and pave his own path.
To his surprise, Sakura stood behind the auditorium door.
“Hey Sakura,” Yuta said. “Are you done with your audition?”
“No,” Sakura said. “I’m just about to go in.”
Out of disbelief, Yuta blinked rapidly, as he suddenly doubted his sense of time.
“But...they said that my slot was at 2:30…”
“Really?” Sakura croaked. “But...mine says 2:30 too…”
**
Jaehyun’s chest grew heavy, as he looked at the clock. Though he couldn’t bring himself to question Yuta’s punctuality, Jaehyun knew that things were going to be a bit difficult between them, especially with that embarrassing incident in the bubble tea shop.
“Who is our next dancer?” Kwon Boa asked.
“Sakura Miyawaki,” Jaehyun said, as he flipped the pages within his clipboard. “Auditioning for the swan.”
“Ooooh, it’s either her or Yuta,” Kwon Boa said. “She’s a good dancer.”
“Who gets to make the final vote if they both end up being good?” Jaehyun asked.
“Well...I don’t want this to be too biased…” Kwon Boa said.
“Wh...what do you mean? Jaehyun croaked.
“Yuta and Sakura are going to audition at the same time…” Boa said, as she stood up from the chair. “They’re going to dance along to Paganini-Liszt La Campanella….whoever dances without missing the beat will get the role.”
“Isn’t….isn’t that unfair for them?” Jaehyun asked. “I mean...we told them to practice from the script...we didn’t even make dance numbers yet…”
“There’s only two people who will obviously get the role of swan….the others do not have the skill that Sakura, nor Yuta have...and I think they know that….” Boa said as she placed the piano of La Campanella sheets in Jaehyun’s hands.
“But...but what about my opinion?” Jaehyun asked.
“If you want Yuta to be in the role so badly…” Kwon Boa said, as she narrowed her eyes. “This is the only way we’ll get him in the role fair and square.”
“...”
“And if Sakura ends outperforming Yuta...then we have no choice but to cast her…”
Jaehyun felt his insides flaring, as Boa’s barbaric gaze got to the best of him. This was not in his plan at all. If he knew that producing a play was this difficult, he would’ve pulled out in a heartbeat.
Though at the same time, he knew that his teacher had a point. If Yuta got the role in a snap of a finger, it would be unfair for the people that auditioned.
La Campanella was the hardest piano piece to master. It took Jaehyun months for him to master that song. If it took Jaehyun months, then how would Sakura and Yuta fare out in a short span of time?
“Come in,” Boa cried.
Two of the dancers slowly walked towards the stage. Jaehyun took a deep breath, as he shuffled the papers and mounted them on his piano.
Judging from their expressions, the two dancers seemed distraught. Sakura’s eyes were wide as a deer, as her gaze bounced back and forth from the piano and the empty seats. Yuta’s hands were in his pockets, as he took small steps towards the stage.
“You two are probably questioning why your audition slots are at the same time. And I guarantee that is not an error,” Boa said.
“So was it intentional?” Yuta asked, as he pulled his hands out of his pockets.
“Yes,” Boa said.
“For...for what reason?” Sakura asked.
“You two are the best dancers in your grade...and you two probably know that,” Boa said.
The two dancers exchanged their gazes.
“As your teacher, I knew that it would be difficult to choose between you two.”
“So?” Yuta said. “What are you going to make us do?”
“You’re going to compete with each other. Face to face…” Boa said, as she walked over to the piano.
“Face to face?” Sakura asked, as she scrunched her eyebrows.
Boa gestured her hands over to Jaehyun’s grand piano.
“Jaehyun will play La Campanella....and you two will dance non stop...on your toes the whole time….I will lead the dance by pulling out cue cards that are labeled with the moves that you’re supposed to do. So if I pull out a pirouette, you must do what the cue card says.”
This was the first time that Jaehyun had witnessed a sense of fear within Yuta and Sakura. Sakura dug her nails through her cuticles, while Yuta rubbed his hands against his sleeves as if he were cold. Usually, they seemed confident in class‒but showed it in different ways. Sakura was loud and boastful about her abilities, while Yuta conveyed his talents through his actions rather than words.
“If you miss my cue, you will lose a point. You can only lose three points, or else you’re out,” Boa said.
“This is like a game show,” Yuta scoffed. “I’ve never had an audition like this before.”
Jaehyun gained the urge to apologize to Yuta again, even though he held no responsibility for Boa’s decisions. If Jaehyun had the choice, he would immediately cast Yuta as his swan. Though the idea seemed unfair, it sounded fair in his mind.
“Start!” Boa cried as she held up the cards.
Jaehyun took a deep breath. It had been months since he’d last played La Campanella. He wasn’t sure if his fingers could handle pressing this many notes in one second.
Five seconds in, and Boa held her card up. The first move was an entrechat quatre. The two moved in sync, as they both leaped up from the ground, their feet perfectly angled, as if their toes were about to poke the ground.
Jaehyun had no time to look at the dancers, as he focused on the keyboard. It felt as if he was auditioning himself, as his heart beat faster than the movement of his fingers Jaehyun wanted to slow down for some reason, but he couldn’t, as he fell deeper in the zone.
Faster! Faster! The voice of his strict piano instructor cried, as his ruler hit Jaehyun’s knuckles.
“Soubresaut!” Boa cried.
The two dancers changed the positioning of their bodies, as they swayed back and forth, with their feet barely touching the floor. They moved as if they were swans with heavy wings.
Yuta could barely breathe. He wanted to jump out of this dance and grab Jaehyun’s neck. How could Jaehyun not tell him about this mini-competition? He, nor Sakura had the chance to prepare for this. His efforts to memorize the script were all in vain.
With every passing second, the tempo increased its speed. Yuta’s eyes were strictly on Boa’s hands, waiting for her card to change. This put him in a dilemma, knowing that moving too slowly could slow his thought process down.
Hell arrived, as the chorus changed. Boa’s card immediately switched.
Fouette.
Yuta swallowed his pride, as his chest began to weaken. With all his might, he tried to defy gravity, as he spun repeatedly, following the pace of Jaehyun’s fingers.
It felt as if Yuta was riding on a Mary-Go-Round that had no sense of time, as he spun and spun. His hair was beginning to fall out of place, as loose strands stuck to his sweaty face.
Suddenly, Boa’s hand moves in a nick of time.
Pas de bourre couru.
Yuta’s moves began to catch up to him, as the light spun wildly like buzzing fireflies. Unlike the quiet and collected Jaehyun that he was familiar with, this Jaehyun was not forgiving at all, as he played multiple notes at once, not stopping for any mercy.
Yuta had no choice but to abide by Boa's (and maybe Jaehyun’s) tricks, as he transitioned to the next move. He knew he was more than capable of these moves. Though, he started to doubt his love for the stage, as he realized how unexpected and cutthroat this whole audition is.
Boa’s cards fell to the ground.
“The Grand Jeté!” Boa cried.
It was one of the moves that Yuta had faced difficulty with, despite his unrivaled competence within dancing. At a young age, he suffered a bike collision that affected his ability to perform this jump.
Yuta bit the bullet, as he spread his legs and threw himself in the air. To fly, humans didn’t need wings. Instead, they needed dreams. And that’s what Yuta had, a vision. A vision to succeed.
The song abruptly finished. It felt as if the song was not done yet. It was too short for a ballet. Looking over, Yuta caught a glimpse of his opponent, whose knees were on the ground.
She was out of breath. Sweat dripped from her temples. The bright stage lights hid the distress from her face, as her upper body was close to tipping over the ground.
“Yuta is the winner!” Boa cried.
It felt as if Yuta had dodged a bullet, realizing that dancing was no different from war. Their moves were like weapons. While their bodies were like gunpowder, constantly needing to be refilled.
“It…” Sakura croaked, as she stood up from the ground. “It was a good game.”
She reached out her hands.
“Good game Nakamoto Yuta,” Sakura said.
Claiming his victory, Yuta didn’t hesitate to shake his opponent’s hand.
It was now his time to shine.
**
“To be honest...I’m going to be jealous of the dancer that you’ll be paired up with.”
Yuta tightened the grip of his cold drink as he turned from the vending machine.
“W...why?” Yuta asked, as he took a step back.
“You know the play…” Jaehyun said, as he looked at the Pocari sweat bottle in Yuta’s hand.
Yuta’s eyes widened.
“I wrote that play with you in mind,” Jaehyun said, as he dropped his coins in the vending machine.
Yuta’s chest pounded.
The milk tea fell into place, as Jaehyun grabbed it out of the machine.
“You...you did?”
“And that’s why I wanted you in the play. Because...in my eyes, you’re the swan. The swan that is hard to approach. But in the end of the day...you’re….you’re not that scary...you’re also like me...who gets nervous and clumsy…” Jaehyun said. “And also...forgetful, considering the fact that you didn’t pay me back yet…”
“Pay you back with….”
“Remember?” Jaehyun asked, as he placed his back on the machine. “You asked me for coins.”
“O...oh! Right!” Yuta bit his lip. “A...about that...I kind of used up all my coi-”
“It’s okay,” Jaehyun said. “You don’t need to pay me back.”
“But you just-”
“It’s really okay,” Jaehyun chuckled. “Look...I just want to a...apologize for the whole audition….I didn’t know that our teacher would change the format…”
“At first...I was really surprised...but the second after she announced that I won...all that resentment sort of melted away…” Yuta said, as he sipped his drink.
“Anyways...you deserve it Yuta...even if I...didn’t have a crush on you I would still think that you’re the best-”
Yuta placed his drink on the ground. Then, he went on his toes.
Jaehyun’s lips were immediately sealed as Yuta pulled the collar of Jaehyun’s jean jacket. Their mouths collided, in a manner that was not too strong or meekly. Simply, it was the perfect kiss--the perfect balance between soft, sweet and subtle; the type of kiss that stopped the world around them, no matter how bright or busy it was in the background.
This game of hide and seek was different from what Jaehyun had in mind. He had a perfectly calculated plan on how to pursue Yuta. Strangely, the plan succeeded without his input, as the swan became infatuated with the scarecrow.
**
A/N: i hope u guys liked it. This was so fun to write !! <3 thank u to the prompter who came up with this idea ;;; :D