* over the edge -- {naeun&ricky}
The music stopped abruptly for the fourth time in the past six minutes, a new record, Ricky thought, as his arms dropped out of the move he was frozen in, an exasperated huff passing his lips. The practice room was all tangible frustration and under-breath swearing, because, really, they'd been at this same three eight counts for two hours, and every time, at the exact same place, their instructor would stop the music, stare them down disapprovingly, and call out a stern, "Again." Yet every time, they'd barely make it to the third set of eight, and the cycle would start all over again.
"I don't know why you look so annoyed, Changhyun," the choreographer finally spoke up. Ricky could feel his face flushing; he already knew what was coming, he'd been here long enough to know,"You're part of the reason we can't advance past this. Do it again. On your own." He could hear the mutterings of his peers around him as they cleared the floor, some apologetic, others not so much. The remaining forty minutes of class consisted of his every move being broken down in great detail about how wrong he was doing them in front of the entire class. In retrospect, he would be grateful for what was very near a private lesson, one that would result in significant improvements in his technique. But at the time it felt like utter humiliation. So by the time he was released for the evening at 7 o'clock sharp, he was sufficiently irritable, though the fact that he was going to meet Naeun for dinner was enough to subdue the feeling.
"Sorry I'm late," he uttered with an apologetic smile as he slipped into the seat across from her, "Long day." He sank into the chair gratefully, the sounds of clinking utensils, bustling waiters, and meat sizzling on grills a good ambiance to distract him from his less pleasant thoughts, making it easy to fall into normal conversation with his childhood friend, "I miss you, noona. You should come visit the building more often."