051119. hoseok & namjoon.

[lovestrippedbare]

SPRING.
May 11, 2019.

WHO hoseok & namjoon
WHAT making plans

WHERE dance studio
TIMELINE cycle 1

NAMJOON Namjoon wasn't trying to be early. In fact, he attempted to put as many errands between texting Hoseok and heading to the dance studio as possible so that he could be a little late. Nerves, however, made him get through these things very quickly. On a normal weekend, this speed would be a blessing.

He had been messaging Hoseok while on the bus to the pharmacy, after feeling a wave of responsibility to his group. The meeting with the principal the day before still lingered in his head, and he can't help but feel like all the shame and reprimanding about his school performance ended up having the opposite effect. Namjoon's mother had explained the situation to them earlier that week, regarding the decision to leave Seoul, and now that all of his efforts in school feel futile, he can't help but simply not care about it, choosing to focus on more important things; things like attempting to explain the situation to his friends.

His business at the pharmacy took almost no time, which was a little irritating, actually. The last time he'll be here is the one time he's in and out in a flash. Still much too early, he had decided to swing by the gas station to pick up snacks: one savoury bag of chips, and one bag of gummies that Jiho had conveniently turned away from. Namjoon had left smiling, but couldn't help wonder if he sees Jiho more than he had seen his friends these past few months.

Now he stands in front of the studio, bag of snacks in one hand and phone in the other, checking the time. He's still too early. An anxiety suddenly fills his guts as he realises what he's going to have to say, in there. Two minutes of nervously bobbing in front of the door was enough to convince Namjoon that it wasn't good for him to stew in these feelings alone, outside, and he opens the front door to stand inside, pressing his back against the wall, trying not to interrupt or be a distraction while the class was still going.



HOSEOK It’s not that Hoseok feels suspicious exactly, but Namjoon almost never comes to the dance studio. It’s been so long since the last time that Hoseok can’t even remember when that was, and he’s pretty sure Namjoon’s never come on his own.

The tone of Namjoon’s text messages had been light, but Hoseok can’t help wondering what has Namjoon coming here on a Saturday when he could be spending the morning with Jin or sleeping in. It’s good that he’s not stuck at home at least, and Hoseok’s excited to see him, is always happy when he gets to spend time with Namjoon. With their work schedules and school, and now that they both have boyfriends, they don’t really see much of each other outside class and yaja, which aren’t exactly prime locations for conversation.

He doesn’t have much time to keep thinking about what Namjoon might have to say to him when he starts teaching, focused on his students and the dance moves he’s demonstrating. He always loses himself when he’s dancing, whether it’s on his own or in front of a class, so when he sees Namjoon sneak in the door at the back via the reflection in the big floor to ceiling mirrors he’s surprised that his second class is almost over. He flashes Namjoon a brief smile through the mirror as he goes back to describing a combination shoulder roll move, demonstrating and then going around the room to correct the posture of a couple of his students, giving out notes and praise.

There are only about five minutes left in class by now and they pass by quickly. When class is over Hoseok says his goodbyes and grabs his water bottle and his hoodie, heading to the back of the room toward Namjoon as the students file out.

“Hey Joonie,” he says brightly, taking a drink from his bottle. “What’s up?”



NAMJOON It got easier to push down his anxiety while he watched Hoseok teach. Namjoon observed with admiration the way that he flawlessly performed the moves, and interacted with the students, picking out anything that was off and encouraging improvement not by being intimidating, but by leading a good example. That admiration still lingered in his face as Hoseok came to greet him.

"Hey, hyung! Sorry for barging in early" The wide smile came easily. "Errands went quickly this morning and I was just thinking that you're always here, but I don't come visit, really. I feel bad being so absent lately and I want to take advantage of the free time." He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, back and forth as he talks. He nods towards the mirror at the front of the room. "It was really cool to see you in your element. You're really cool when you teach."

Namjoon's smile turns into a grin and he holds up his bag. "I did bring snacks! You must be hungry after all that."



HOSEOK Namjoon seems nervous, talking a little faster than usual, fidgeting, and while his explanation makes perfect sense he still seems a little off. Though they’re graduating soon and Hoseok’s already planning on getting at least one other job (if not two), so maybe that’s what Namjoon’s worried about, that they’re not going to be able to see each other nearly as much once they’re out in the real world.

“Aish, thank you!” Hoseok says, brushing his bangs away from his sweaty forehead. “I’m glad I come off as a cool teacher. Jimin says I have a ‘murder face’ when I’m working with other people on choreography sometimes. I swear I’m not a jerk! I’m just a perfectionist,” he adds with a laugh.

Hoseok’s eyes light up when Namjoon holds up the bag. He’d been mostly joking about the snacks, but now that he knows there are some his stomach growls in anticipation. “Wow, thank you!” he says, bending over to peer into the bag. “Do you want to sit down for a bit? We don’t have any chairs in here, but I have a surprising number of picnics on the floor in the place.”



NAMJOON Namjoon can't help but laugh at the description of Hoseok's 'murder face', and maybe nerves pushed it a little louder than he meant to, but it felt like a start in getting them out. "I didn't see a murder face, but maybe it's because you aren't teaching me. So, from here you just seem really cool. I guess I'm lucky I'm not one of your students, huh?"

He scans the practice room, letting himself step further into it now that it was devoid of students, and turns in a slow circle, marveling at how the mirrors make the space seem double the size. "Floor picnics sound good to me," he agrees. "I was kind of worried that you'd be sick of hanging around here, seeing as you work and practice here and everything. Do you ever get antsy to get out of here, or is it still nice?"



HOSEOK “I only use my murder face on people who really should know what they’re doing,” Hoseok remarks with a wink. He’s not sure that he’s ever used it on Jimin, but Jimin’s been around the studio long enough now to experience Hoseok using it on other people; he usually reserves it for other members of the in-house dance troupe who aren’t paying the correct amount of attention when they’re working on routines for showcases or recruiting demonstrations. “If you ever seriously wanted a dance lesson, I promise I’d be very nice to you. I love teaching beginners. I love dancing, and seeing new people learning and enjoying it makes my heart happy,” he says with a fond, genuine smile.

“Actually, no,” he answers when Namjoon asks if he ever gets tired of being in this place. “I started coming here when I was twelve. It was one of the trips the orphanage took us on in the summer, to keep us from going crazy,” he goes on, tugging his hoodie over his head. “I loved dancing immediately, and I started coming here all the time. I couldn’t afford the tuition, so the noonas worked out a deal with me that I could come and dance for free as long as I stayed after and cleaned up. So I’ve been wiping down these mirrors and cleaning these floors for over half a decade now,” he adds with a laugh.

“That’s how I ended up as a teacher,” he explains, dropping down to sit on the floor, gesturing for Namjoon to join him. “I’ve been here so long that the noonas love me, and they knew I needed work, so as soon as I was able to do it for pay they hired me on.” He doesn’t mention the part where they already knew he was an orphan, that he isn’t technically an employee, so he gets to keep every penny he earns. It’s not a great salary, but the money he gets by working her has made his high school years a lot less unpleasant, had afforded him the ability to buy clothes and go out to eat, do other things kids his age don’t think twice about having the money for.

“I love this place. It’s like a second home to me. Better than a home,” he says with a soft smile, knowing Namjoon understands, that Hoseok’s never really had a home, not one that he remembers. He has his apartment now and it’s better than the orphanage, but he’s so lonely there when no one else is around. He’d rather be here, rather be anywhere he can be with other people, than be there alone.



NAMJOON Namjoon is shaking his head as Hoseok suggests teaching him how to dance, arms up and palms out as if to stop him from making some kind of terrible mistake. "I'm glad it makes your heart happy, but let's think about this for a minute before making any rash decisions," he says, with laughter in his voice. "I don't think teaching me dance would be worth all the pain it would cause... mentally and physically."

He sits down on the ground across from Hoseok, resting his hands behind him to lean back as he listens to the story of his history here. "That's a really nice arrangement," he says with a tilt of his head. "Especially that the noonas are nice here. It's really easy to have crappy bosses." Namjoon turns his head to look around at the empty space again. "I could see how this could feel like a home. It's kind of all yours when everyone is gone huh?"

"So many years, though. That's longer than I've worked at the gas station, and that's felt like forever. It's good that you feel comfortable here. The station just feels like a place I have to go and stand around until I'm told I can leave. I'm not exactly doing any real, productive work." He dumps out the bag of snacks between them. "Though it's not without its benefits."

"Truthfully, I think the people you work with can make any job better. In isolation, the gas station is a shit place to be, but Jiho makes it fun somehow." His eyes catch his own reflection in the mirror as he reaches for a pack of gummies. "I can't imagine not working there."



HOSEOK Hoseok laughs softly, fondly, because they all know Namjoon is uncoordinated at the best of times, that things seem to break in his hands. But Hoseok feels like anyone can dance, even the least graceful people in the world, and even though Namjoon can be clumsy, Hoseok has never seen him as graceless. He’s not sure Namjoon would agree with him, but he can see it in his mind’s eye, Namjoon dancing, his long limbs moving with the music, and it makes him smile.

“Well make sure you tell me, if you ever change your mind,” he says, tilting his head. “If you take lessons from anyone else, I’ll be personally offended,” he adds with a wink.

Crossing his legs in front of himself, he reaches for a package of gummies for himself. “This is a really great job,” he admits. “I’m really lucky. It doesn’t feel like work, I get to dance all the time. It’s like a dream,” he adds with a wide smile. “I’m going to have to get a real job after graduation,” he says, pulling open the package. “Probably more than one. I hope I get coworkers like Jiho.”

He pops a gummy into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before going on. “Do you think you’re going to keep working at the gas station after you graduate?”



NAMJOON "Yeah, definitely," he nods, about to put a gummy in his mouth before he freezes. Namjoon had gotten so relaxed that he had answered automatically, not thinking about how he and his boss had already arranged for his last shift on Sunday, and how he was unable to give him an estimate of if or when he'd be back.

But of course he'd go back. He returns to himself after a second or two, throwing a candy in his mouth and then swiftly following it with two more at the same time. Of course he'd go back because it was a relatively comfortable, consistent job. He was trusted and relied upon and Namjoon is sure than even if a replacement was hired, his boss would take him back without question.

"I might also start thinking about getting a second job too," he says while chewing. "But I really should keep the gas station as a safety net. My boss would have me over anyone he'd have to train, so the security is pretty good and it would be irresponsible to let something like that go."

He shrugs as he goes for more sweets. "I know it's not a glamorous thing, or cool in any way, but it's consistent, you know? Not that I want to make it my career, though..." Namjoon sighs and smiles a little. "It's not like I know what kind of career I'll have either, or if it's too far off from being a gas station attendant forever." He laughs. "Hyung must have that question locked down, though. You know what kind of path you want to take. I'm jealous."



HOSEOK Hoseok can’t help the huff of a laugh that comes out with Namjoon’s final statement, smiling at Namjoon fondly. “It’s easy when there’s only one path you can take,” he says, eating another gummy. “I mean, it’s not like university is an option for me. And dance can only go so far, really. I can keep working here, but it’s not like I can make it my career outside of teaching. Even if I teach all day, it doesn’t pay well enough that I won’t need other work.”

He shrugs, eating another small handful of the candies, chewing thoughtfully. He’s not really upset about how his future is likely to pan out, once he graduates. He’s know for a long time that he’ll have to work anywhere that will hire him, can’t afford to be picky. And he’s already so lucky with his job at the studio, that he gets to do what he loves at least some of the time. It could be worse, and even if the rest of his jobs are boring or hard, at the end of the day he has his friends, at least Jimin and Taehyung and Jungkook, who still have school left, and it seems like Namjoon’s not going anywhere either. It could definitely be worse.

“I keep seeing signs for an opening at a fast food restaurant I pass on my way to school,” he says after a moment. “Maybe I’ll apply there. Or maybe eventually they’ll need more help at your gas station,” he adds with a wink.

“You’re so smart, Namjoon. And you’re really good at English. I’m sure you would be great at a lot of things,” he tells Namjoon as he fishes the last of the gummies out of his packet. “Do you really not have any idea what you might want to do?”



NAMJOON Namjoon sighs. This question comes up so often in various places in his life, you'd think he'd have it figured out a little better at this point. "Well, I have things I like to do... But I don't know if any of those things translate to real, paying jobs very well."

He curls the gummy packet between his fingers as he thinks about it. It's something he's pondered a lot, just like anyone else his age, but the idea of having a career always seemed like something too far-off to really plan for. Plus, there was so, so much in the way.

"I think a lot of me is just really focused on how to make things work now, so I haven't really thought about it long-term." He scratches the back of his head and chuckles. "And I think the stuff I'd really want to do, would be hard to make money in. No one cares about some random kid's writing, you know?"

Sighing, Namjoon goes back to rooting around for more gummies. Of all people in the group, he feels like Hoseok would understand his dilemma the most. "I don't know, it's hard to think about when there's so much I need to do in the present. Maybe simply making money by manual labour is enough for now, and I don't need to have any big aspirations for myself just yet. Maybe my job is just surviving."



HOSEOK Hoseok understands what Namjoon’s saying very well; he’d started dancing when he was younger because he thought it was fun, got good at it because he loved it so much, never with the thought that he could make a career out of it. He’s not sure if it’s better or worse knowing that it could be something he did for a living, if only he were in the right situation.

He suspects Namjoon might be in the same place: writing because he likes it, good at it because he loves it so much. And he is good at it, good enough to write lyrics and poetry and novels, fiction or nonfiction. But he has disadvantages too; his family is poor, his dad is sick and he has to work menial jobs to make ends meet, going to university will be nearly impossible. Hoseok likes to be optimistic for everyone’s future except his own (realistic there, because otherwise he’ll let his hopes get too high), but Namjoon’s future – on paper, at least for the next few years – probably isn’t going to be a whole lot different from his own.

Particularly when Namjoon says maybe my job is just surviving. It strikes a chord, because that’s the entirety of Hoseok’s plan. When he graduates his government assistance will change, he’ll need to make more than twice as much money as he does now to afford the tiny apartment he’s already in. Money requires jobs, the fact that he has no entry on the family registry makes that more difficult, so he can’t afford to be picky.

Still, he just has himself to worry about. He doesn’t have to help support a critically ill father, a mother who’s spirit is broken, a brother who refuses to pull his own weight. Namjoon’s smarter and more talented than he is, and it feels like such a waste, him not getting to go to university, becoming something amazing. But they’re still young, and maybe there’ll be a time when Namjoon will be able to focus on his own aspirations. Hoseok at least hopes there will be.

He frowns softly in understanding, reaching out to pat Namjoon’s knee. “I hope you can keep writing,” he says. “At least just for you, for yourself. You’re really good at it, Namjoon.”



NAMJOON "Ah, I have to." Namjoon smiles, looking back up at Hoseok as his mind is brought back to the present moment. "I think it's like hyung's dancing. I just have to. Even if it's just for me. A lot of the time I feel like, if I don't do it, I'll go crazy."

He goes back to the bag of snacks, seeing the chips but pouting a little. "Why did I bring different things if all I wanted was gummies?" he mumbles to himself before laying down on the dance studio floor, stretching out in the space.

"Sometimes," he continues "I'll just be sitting in class, or on the bus, or wherever, and I'll think about something... Like, some idea or nice phrase or some words that just sound nice together, and it'll repeat over and over in my head until I write it down, like my brain doesn't want to let it go until I record it. If I'm in a place where I can't write it or don't have my phone, it really drives me nuts."

Namjoon rolls over on his side to face Hoseok. "And it's not even like it's for anything. Does that make sense? I don't even have a purpose for any of the words, I just need to write them."



HOSEOK Hoseok smiles when Namjoon describes his need to write, the compulsion stronger than desire, and it resonates. He does feel the same way about dancing, like if he can’t do it enough he starts to feel itchy, then anxious. When he hurt his ankle a month ago he’d felt like he was going nuts after only a couple of days of resting, started dancing on it before he probably should have, unable to wait a second more.

He watches Namjoon lay out on the floor, long limbs stretching wide like a starfish for a minute before he relaxes. Namjoon really is gangly, but Hoseok feels like he’s more graceful than he thinks he is. Hoseok can picture him dancing, and there’s probably a lot of nervousness that might make him stiff, but if he let himself unwind a little, Hoseok thinks he could be really good. Maybe someday Hoseok will sneak some soju in here, stay late, see if he can get Namjoon to dance a little when he’s not quite sober.

“You’re a genius,” Hoseok says, stretching his legs out in front of him and laying over them, grabbing his feet as he tests the flexibility of his hamstrings. “A genius and a poet at the same time,” he amends. “Your brain is so full, you have to get the words out so you have room for more.” He smiles. “Dancing isn’t quite the same for me. I don’t think about moves and then have to do them immediately, but I do have to move. It’s hard to sit still. In class, on the train. The only time I like being alone is when I’m dancing. I guess I don’t really feel alone then.”

He shrugs, sitting back up. “I like dancing with other people too, though. I really like that.”



NAMJOON Namjoon wonders for a second how close he would come to touching his toes like Hoseok does so casually in front of him. His eyes glance down to his feet and they seem so very far away, he's not sure it's at all possible. Instead, he rolls onto his back again, gazing at the lights and boards in the ceiling as if he was watching the sky.

The image Hoseok suggests makes sense. Maybe there was a finite amount of space in his head, but it wouldn't stop generating things, so he has to write them down to let them out, to free up space. It rang true, especially on the days where he would have so much in his life to pay attention to or problems to solve, that he would crave a few moments of simply not thinking at all. Maybe during those times his brain is full to bursting, but he's never found a healthy way to pause the constant flow.

"I guess you can do that with dancing," Namjoon nods as he follows Hoseok's descriptions. "You don't need to plan the moves beforehand to be able to express them. It's not like you have to write anything down, like, let it flow through a pen or pencil. Dancing only uses your body. You are the expression."

He turns his head to look back at Hoseok. "Do you dance with Jiminie often? Ah, I should have come when you both were here."



HOSEOK Hoseok smiles, thinking about the comparison Namjoon is offering. There’s a similarity in the creativity between writing and dance, an expression, like Namjoon said. They’re both expressing thoughts, emotions, they’re both taking all of the pent up feelings, dreams and ruminations inside them, and putting them out in the world. It’s just two different mediums, words on paper, movements in space.

Namjoon’s are more long lasting, of course, which seems appropriate. There’s so much beauty in the words in Namjoon’s soul, and it deserves to be preserved.

“Sometimes I think about moves I might want to try,” Hoseok says, shifting to sit crosslegged. “When I can’t focus in class and I’m counting down the minutes. And I’ve gotten out bed to dance after a dream more than once,” he adds with a grin.

He smiles even wider when Namjoon mentions Jimin, and he thinks about the couple of conversations he’s had since they got together, about choreographing some dances for the two of them. “We’ve been talking about doing something together, yeah,” he answers. “Jiminie keeps sending me songs,” he adds with a laugh.

“You know what would be cool,” he says then, leaning closer to where Namjoon’s laying on the floor, “is if you wrote something. Something we could do as a voiceover on a song or something, that Jimin and I could dance too. Something more modern, Jimin’s so good at that kind of thing.” He takes a breath, his brain already running with the idea. “Like… A collaboration. Something like that.”



NAMJOON A slow smile grows on Namjoon's face as the thought grows in his mind. "I like the idea of a collaboration." He sits upright again, legs splayed out. "I never thought about how to merge writing with dance before. Ah, if only I could make music like Yoongi hyung. Although..." His legs shift a little.

"I was also wondering what kind of music you usually use here because... Well, I have a lot, you know? I'm always listening to music and, unless you get enough songs from Jiminie, I could send you some that you might be able to use, too."

He doesn't say that he's already started a list for him. He doesn't say that the playlist was half finished already. He tries not to think about the six particular playlists he's started that are sitting on his phone, and he tries not to show on his face that he's trying not to think about it.



HOSEOK “I know,” Hoseok says with a smile, drawing his knees up. “I have a bunch of the songs you’ve posted on twitter on my dance playlist already,” he adds with a grin.

“Jimin sends me a lot of songs, but I can always use more. I love music, and I can dance to almost anything,” he says. “I would love if you sent me more. Anything you love, anything you think would be cool to see a dance for, send ’em all!” he exclaims, reach out to grab Namjoon’s ankle, squeezing it fondly.

“And if you’re serious about collaborating, I was thinking maybe something instrumental?” he suggests, squeezing Namjoon’s ankle again before letting him go. “Something where you could do a voiceover? You have a really nice voice, Namjoon. It carries a lot of weight,” he goes on, more and more excited about the idea as they continue to discuss it. “It could be really impactful! Something moving, your words, me and Jimin’s movements. Jiminie wold be so good at something like this. And your writing is incredible. I really want to do it!”



NAMJOON He grins while Hoseok clearly gets caught up following his thought. It was something Namjoon found beautiful to witness, watching someone get lost in an idea simply for the idea's sake. Watching Hoseok in his creative element was exciting, and he couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"I dunno about my voice carrying weight or anything, but this sounds like a really cool idea." He finds his thoughts start drifting in the same direction. "I'll have to look up some songs that could be options. Something instrumental but meaningful but also possible to dance to... And then for something written... Well, that would really depend on what it sounded like and what kind of things I could come up with and I guess I'll send you some notes and you can see what's particularly inspiring and I can expand from there and..." He giggles, realising how far away he had let his mind take him. "I mean, I don't know if anything will be any good, but if you're willing to try, then why not?"

Why not, Namjoon? Maybe because you're leaving and won't be collaborating on anything any time soon? He looks away from Hoseok to try and hide how his smile fades, but his eyes get stuck on his reflection in the mirror. It'll be alright though, right? He can work on it while he's away and when he's back he can show Hoseok what he came up with and it'll all work out, right?



HOSEOK “I’m more than willing,” Hoseok replies with a wide smile. “I’m excited! This is going to be so cool,” he goes on, already starting to consider songs that might work, what sort of dance styles could go with them.

“I think once we decide on a song everything else will sort of fall into place together, you know?” he says, his mind going wild with the possibilities. “What if we start sending each other song ideas? I’ll tell Jimin, he’ll have tons of ideas, I’m sure!”

He stops talking, grinning at Namjoon, and he thinks for a moment that he sees Namjoon’s expression flicker, his eyes a dimming a little. Whatever Hoseok sees doesn’t last, but Hoseok reaches out to grip Namjoon’s ankle again, not letting go this time, stroking once over the jut of Namjoon’s ankle bone with his thumb. “Hey, I’m glad you came today,” he says, meeting Namjoon’s eyes. “I really like spending time with you, and we don’t really do it that often, do we?”



NAMJOON Not for the first time, Hoseok brings Namjoon back into the room, his hand anchoring him down before his thoughts could float away too far. Namjoon's smile is soft as he tears his eyes from the mirror to meet Hoseok's. "I'm glad too," he responds after a second, feeling warm. "I'm, uh..."

He almost says it, then. All things considered, it's the perfect time to, or, as good a time as he was going to get. The majority of his brain wants it. He can feel the signals being sent to make the words and he thinks they're about to form, but there's a barrier. It's Hoseok's smile. It's the caring way his hand rests on him. It's how comfortable and pleasant the day has been. Namjoon sees an image of that smile dropping, of the comfort being torn away and it being completely his fault.

"I'm sorry I didn't come more often." The confession filters through the barrier and different words come out the other side. "I know I'm always... you know." He clicks his tongue and shakes his head. "I hope we can do this more. You've got a really nice place here, you and Jiminie are really lucky. And thanks for letting me just show up. I don't know if that's allowed." He laughs quietly. "I don't know what the rules are with dance."



HOSEOK “You can come by whenever you want,” Hoseok says easily, offering Namjoon a warm smile, squeezing his fingers around Namjoon’s ankle. “Even if I’m teaching. You can come watch, or join the class, whatever you feel comfortable with. Dance is meant to be shared.”

He knows Namjoon’s anxious about this sort of thing, that he’s better in his head than in his body when it comes to creative outlets. Hoseok definitely doesn’t want to push Namjoon into doing anything that would make him uncomfortable, but selfishly he’d love to see Namjoon more often, whatever that might mean.

“Or we could do something else together,” he offers, keeping his tone light. “I know you’re busy, but maybe we can, I don’t know… Take walks or something? I go for walks alone a lot,” he says, smiling softly, expression hopeful. “It’d be nice to walk with someone sometimes. If you’re ever interested.”



NAMJOON "Walking just happens to be my specialty," Namjoon grins. "I haven't been able to as much lately but I usually just like wandering around the city when I have time, finding cool, new things or just ending up along the river. We could do that sometime, for sure." He punctuates the statement with a nod, ignoring the lurking guilt in the back of his mind. They're plans for later, he thinks. It's not a lie. He's not lying.

"Wait, it's okay if I came to just watch? That wouldn't be weird?" He tilts his head. Namjoon had just always assumed that what went on in this building was very serious and only very certain, qualified people could enter, like a membership. He knew Hoseok and Jimin were good at dance but would only be able to gather glimpses of fragments of their talents throughout the days, at school and after. He was always curious about how they'd look, seeing them in their element.

"I guess I always thought it was like a... members-only thing?" He scratches the back of his head awkwardly. "I really am curious about seeing you and Jimin doing the thing you're best at. I think I'd like that, if that's okay, hyungie."

Again, not a lie. He has to keep checking and reminding himself that he's not lying to Hoseok. He's not. He's making plans.


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