Chapter Text
“No, you’re fucking with me.”
“I’m not!”
“... Yeah you are.”
This conversation was exchanged over a rather boring cup of black coffee and a protein bar that tasted bland and dry. Hoseok needed the coffee to survive his next rehearsal, but he definitely did not need the calories and fat from the cream. He knew he needed something more substantial than a protein bar too, but everything in his fridge had seemed too heavy that morning.
Park Jimin was, in fact, not fucking with Hoseok. A corps member had been moved to soloist three months before season. Three months before his second season. Shit like that doesn’t happen, so Hoseok was in no way obligated to believe Jimin.
“Fine,” Hoseok hesitantly took the bait. “Who was this apparent god of dance?”
“More like god of sucking Bang-nim’s dick,” Jimin muttered lowly. “I heard from Taehyung that it’s some kid named… um…. Jeon? Jeon something.”
The surname “Jeon” rung a bell, which wasn’t surprising. He knew most members of the company at least in passing. He probably would know the mysterious Jeon immediately if he saw him.
“What role are they shoving him into first?” Hoseok asked.
“Dunno,” Jimin said around a bite of salad. The salad was small, too small. Hoseok hated that Jimin wouldn’t eat more, but he couldn’t exactly judge his friend while he himself was trying to get by on a bar of dust and sadness. “If he’s contemporary, I’ll bet they’ll stick him in the Wheeldon piece. If he’s classical, I don’t think they’ve casted Bluebird yet.”
“Mm,” Hoseok made a noise of agreement around the last sip of his coffee. “Or maybe Yoongi-hyung will set that new piece on him.”
“Maybe,” Jimin said with a shrug.
The conversation drifted away from the mysterious boy and over to their schedules for the rest of the day. With season starting in three months, both boys were enjoying their final days of easy schedules before shit hit the fan. Hoseok had already had class and one rehearsal, and after his short break he had two more. Jimin had taken company class with him and had gone to his own rehearsal, and next had three more.
Hoseok got up and excused himself to get to the studio. He liked getting there before his partner to go over his solo before they worked on the pas together.
The studio was large and dark as he walked in. The room was a very basic studio: high ceiling, the signature wall of mirrors and a wall lined with barres, and two windows- one to the outside world and one for observation from the hallway. He flipped on the lights and dropped his bag by the door. He pulled out an oversized sweatshirt and thick, stretchy sweatpants and put them on over his clothes. He dug out his earbuds and phone and moved to the barre.
He went through the motions of a basic stretch, focusing on his right hip and torso which he'd noticed were tight in class that morning. Once satisfied that he was properly loose, he moved away from the barre and to the center of the empty room.
It's not a joke or exaggeration that men warm themselves up by turning. While a woman must be versatile at everything in ballet, men who could turn and jump were golden. Sometimes Hoseok resented classical male solos for being basically the same thing to different music.
He was a damn good turner though, so he didn't complain much.
He started with a balance, then a triple, then four, then six. Next were tours, a male signature move. Women never did tours en l’air. His record was four turns, and he knew that Taehyung had once managed five, but everyone’s general average was three. He once again worked his way up the scale- single, double, triple, triple, triple to the knee.
Next were turns in a series.
Prepare.
Breathe.
He looked himself in the eye in the mirror and exhaled.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
He extended his leg and managed two en second, before pulling his foot back into coupé for one last triple.
It was impressive even for him.
Then, he caught movement in the mirror and turned.
There was a boy watching him through the observation window. He was familiar; Hoseok recognized him from morning company class, though they had never spoken. The boy was young, extremely young. Almost young enough to pass as an apprentice, but an apprentice would never wander the halls alone. Even from this distance, Hoseok was struck by the fact that the boy was extremely attractive.
Those observations happened in the split second that he had before the boy got embarrassed for getting caught staring and disappeared down the hall.
Hoseok shrugged it off, but was secretly pleased that someone had seen that fucking great turn. He made a mental note to look out for the boy the next morning in company class. Perhaps he could befriend the kid.
Sana came bustling in, covered in sweat from her last rehearsal.
“Hey,” She said, throwing her bag down.
Hoseok greeted her, and they made small talk while Momo pulled on her rehearsal skirt. Hoseok helpfully latched the hooks for her in the back.
He and Sana were not the only couple doing the particular role; Jimin and Wendy were doing two matinees, and Taehyung and Solar were doing three night shows. However, Sana and Hoseok had been rehearsing the most since unlike the others, they hadn't worked together before. Sana was new, meaning Hoseok didn't have experience partnering her. However, she was proportional to other girls he had worked with and she tended to play it safe unless he gave her the go-ahead which meant they got to know and trust each other quickly. The trust part was key- Hoseok knew that if two partners didn't trust each other onstage then the dynamic would be ruined; he'd seen it too many times.
The rehearsal went smoothly enough, and soon Hoseok was leaving the studio for his next rehearsal. On the way to studio seven, he passed the observation window of studio three and paused.
The boy from earlier was inside, and goddamn did Hoseok stare. The boy’s dark hair stuck to his brow with sweat, and his black shirt was similarly soaked and clinging to his slim and muscled frame. Even as dancers went, the boy was almost obscenely attractive.
And he could jump.
The boy was landing and taking off like he was born to fly, soaring through the air and following as fast and complex set of movements that screamed the style of their resident choreographer Min Yoongi.
Hoseok noticed Yoongi, standing in the corner, watching the boy like a hawk.
Yoongi was both popular and infamous for his fast, complex, and stunning choreography. His pieces were filled with intensity and passion, even when they didn't have a story. They were always hugely well-received, which meant that he'd worked his way pretty much to the top at a very young age. Hoseok recalled all the choreographers he worked with- old Russian women, or plain middle aged men who claimed to paint the world with movement. A short twenty-four year old with bright mint hair was rather refreshing, and unlike others, Yoongi really could paint the world with movement. He and Hoseok had hit it off almost immediately, and Hoseok was lucky enough to call Yoongi one of his best friends.
Yoongi caught his eye in the mirror and nodded in acknowledgement before hastily returning to his work.
The boy finished one final jump that landed with a confident finality that would surely have the audience roaring.
Hoseok remembered suddenly his conversation with Jimin over lunch.
"Or maybe Yoongi will set that new piece on him."
Could that young kid be the Jeon that Jimin had spoken of? The kid looked too young to drink!
Yoongi waved the boy over and Hoseok saw Yoongi’s hands animatedly waving as he gave the boy corrections and directions on the piece.
Hoseok left before the boy could turn and spot him watching, and went directly to the schedule board. He scanned the board for the three o’clock time slot.
Studio three… The Most Beautiful Moment in Life… Choreographer: Min Yoongi… Called: Jeon Jungkook (soloist)
Hoseok’s mouth fell open comically. As he hurried to his next rehearsal, he pulled out his phone to text Jimin his findings.
You : Jeon is Jeon Jungkook. In Yoongi’s piece. He's super fucking young what the fuck!
Moments later, Jimin replied
Jimin : Is he hot?
You: I don't know if I should answer that because he's like twelve.
Jimin: That means yes. Who is he?
Hoseok: We’ve seen him in class before. He's got dark hair and he's tall and muscular.
Jimin: Wow, that narrows it down.
Hoseok: I’ll point him out tomorrow. I've got to go.
He shoved his phone back in his bag as he walked into the studio.
His last rehearsal went well. He was working with Yeri on a small part for act three of Sleeping Beauty; they'd both performed it before multiple times and had worked with each other before, so all that was left was to practice. Yeri was incredibly talented and had been with the program for years, so there were lots of rumors of her getting promoted to principal should this upcoming season go well. Hoseok was determined to help her get there, so he took rehearsal with her seriously and communicated thoroughly.
After that, he went home.
It was seven o’clock when he unlocked and entered his apartment. Evidence of Namjoon’s presence was obvious, from the lights to the pair of dress shoes by the door.
Namjoon had been a high school friend, and they had reconnected over a mutual need for an apartment mate. Namjoon was a teacher for the company’s children's’ program. His salary combined with Hoseok’s dance salary afforded them a humble apartment in a modest building in the city. Jimin and Taehyung shared an apartment within walking distance of Namjoon and Hoseok’s so they were all close friends.
“Namjoon!” Hoseok called into the apartment. “I'm home!”
“Hey,” Namjoon poked his head out of the kitchen. “You want some food?”
“Yeah, thanks,” Hoseok said. He dropped down to take off his shoes and toss his bag by the wall. “I'm going to get a shower.”
Hoseok grabbed a quick shower, ate quickly, and fell into bed by nine. He'd learned early on in his career that sleep could make or break him, and slept as much as he could on the off-season.
As he was laying in bed waiting for sleep, he thought again about Jeon Jungkook. It truly was an amazing feat that the young kid was already a soloist, but he'd never spoken to the kid nor had he seen him interact with anyone at company class. Either the kid was an asshole, or just plain friendless- neither of which would get him far. Hoseok decided that he would speak to the kid the following day if the chance arose.