Chapter Fifteen: Challenge



The first week was coming to a close and with the pending group performance and the duo one. I was looking forward to both, which told me it was a good omen. My group was All-Star and worked perfectly well together and my duo performance with Keita had been so fun to prepare for. 

After finishing our lunch, Keita and I walked back to the practice room together. We continued to talk and laugh along the way. As we entered the practice room, I saw Matthew sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone.

"Hey, guys," he said, looking up as we walked in. "How was lunch?"

"It was great," Keita replied, sitting beside him. "We had some amazing food. They really changed up their game after Lux complained in name of all trainees."

Matthew nodded absentmindedly, still engrossed in his phone. I could tell something was bothering him, but I didn't want to pry.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, taking a seat next to Keita.

Matthew sighed heavily. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, still not looking up from his phone.

Keita and I exchanged a worried glance, but we didn't push him. Instead, we began to warm up, practicing some of the dance moves we had been struggling with. Matthew had been drafted with Jisoo as his partner for the duo performance and they didn't match at all. Even though they made a strong team, they weren't a 'team' at all. 

As we danced, I couldn't help but notice the way Keita moved. He was so confident and fluid like he was born to be on stage. I felt a rush of admiration and attraction, and I couldn't help but steal glances at him whenever I could.

Eventually, Matthew put down his phone and joined us in practicing. He had asked us yesterday for some private dance training and we were happy to help. He seemed to be in a better mood, and we all laughed and joked together as we practiced.

After a few hours of intense practice, we took a break to catch our breaths. As we sat down on the couches, I felt a strange tension in the air. I knew Matthew was still feeling jealous of the connection I was developing with Keita, but I didn't know how to address it.

"So, who's ready to win this thing?" Keita asked, breaking the silence.

"I am," I said, nodding firmly. "I'm not going to let Matthew and his team beat us."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

I smiled slyly. "You bet it is."

We all laughed, and for a moment, the tension dissipated. But as we returned to practicing, I could still feel the lingering sense of competition between us.

As the day wore on, we practiced harder and harder, pushing ourselves to our limits. But through it all, I couldn't stop thinking about Keita. His smile, his laugh, the way his body moved as he danced - it was all I could think about.

As the sun began to set, we finally called it a day. We were exhausted and sweaty, but also exhilarated by the progress we had made.

"Good job, guys," Matthew said, clapping us both on the back. "We're both going to  do great at this thing, I can feel it."

Keita grinned. "Don't get too cocky, man. We've still got a few days left to practice."

Matthew shrugged. "Bring it on."

As we walked back to our dorms, I couldn't help but feel torn. I knew I had a deep connection with Keita, but I didn't want to hurt Matthew's feelings. And yet, I couldn't deny the attraction I felt towards Keita, no matter how hard I tried.

As I lay in bed that night, I couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. Whether it was the competition or my own confusing feelings, I didn't know. But one thing was certain - nothing would ever be the same again.

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