It was late already, around eleven at night, and Minhyuk was breaking another sweat; shirt rolled up at the sleeves as he went through the choreography again. He truly didn’t want to let the rest of the trainee’s down with his lack of dancing skill; not to mention he was representing TRC. His company. Sweat beaded down the front of his brow as the beat vibrated in his chest, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip; his feet twisting as his arms were held up in position. The worst part was that when he tried too hard, even he could see it; and when he didn’t, he was everywhere. A frustration that appeared more and more; at least when it was an instrument, he knew where to improve, but this was out of his depth. When he felt himself move wrong, he faltered and cringed. A shaky breath exhaled, his head lolled as his hand went to rub the tension in his neck, and he was soon running both hands up through the stickiness of his hair.
His chest rise and fell with the heavy pants; no one saw him angry and there was a reason for that. Eyes squeezed shut, trying to settle the flushed heat through the layers of his skin as he turned away from the dance studio mirrors and languidly drew steps. The song continued to play as his hands rested on his head -- he needed his baseball bat, he needed the cage and the ball that he was anticipating. A release when he swung with all his energy, and heard the rattle of the ball hitting the inside of the cage. Minhyuk bounced a couple times onto his toes, before he felt the reminder of the dance choreography prod the back of his consciousness, and he swung his arms, kicking the air in that same frustration from earlier. “I have to get this down,” he muttered to himself, inhaled on the end of the word, before he heard the song coming to the end; repeat. Bang, Bang, Bang, on repeat for the last hour.
Minhyuk set his feet in place again to start over, to start from the top, to get it right. He had to get it right. That was the perfectionist in him, the part of Minhyuk that would push and push; through bruises and grazes to get this choreography down. Even if he knew this wasn’t his style, he knew what TRC stood for and he knew no matter what, he had to do the hard work to get to the point where he could do what he wanted. Finger messing his bangs as he inhaled again, centered himself and crossed his arms across his chest. He would do this. The beat growing to the beginning of the choreography, and his heart was drumming again. Seohyun told him to work hard, who took care of him, who forgave him for falling asleep on her; he wanted to put in the effort that deserved it. His parents too, they raised him to put his heart into everything, that putting in the work would pay off.