CIRCLING THOUGHTS
"Keep your shoulders relaxed, Haneul," the instructor called out, moving through the rows of students. "Everyone, remember to extend your arms fully. Good, now let's try that again from the top."
After a while, the instructor moved to the front and demonstrated a new dance move, breaking it down into clear steps. "Watch closely. Step, turn, and then slide. Like this," he said, showing each part slowly.
As he tried to mimic the slide, Haneul felt the familiar tightness in his muscles. He remembered the first day when the instructor tested his flexibility; his range of motion was almost non-existent. Two days later, there was still no difference. He struggled to extend his legs as far as the others, his movements stiff and inflexible.
"Don't worry, just go as far as you can," the instructor encouraged, noticing his difficulty. "With practice, your flexibility will improve."
Haneul nodded, frustration simmering under his calm expression. He repeated the slide, pushing a little further each time, determined to see progress. After all, he couldn't give up just because his body couldn't follow what he wanted it to do. His dream depended on this. If he couldn't at least dance to a tune by the end of the third week, then he might as well expect to be eliminated early in Boys Odyssey if he ever passed the public audition.
He took a deep breath and followed the instructor once again.
***
Haneul slumped down in a corner after the instructor gave them a 15 minute break. His chest was heaving with each labored breath. He leaned forward, resting his head between his knees, his sweat-soaked hair clinging to his forehead. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, and his entire body ached from the relentless practice.
This was only the third day since he started learning how to dance, and his body was already screaming for him to stop. If he had his body from his original world 10 years later, he would have no problem with this intense dance lesson. But his current body was not used to exercise. His muscles ached with every movement, and his legs felt like they were made of lead. His joints protested with sharp twinges each time he tried to stretch or bend.
But Haneul didn't mind all this pain. If it meant he could learn how to dance, then he didn't mind even if ended up bruised and battered.
He jerked when he felt something cold touch his cheek. He instinctively looked up and saw Robin holding a bottle of sports drink.
"You okay?" Robin asked as he sat down beside him.
"Just a few muscles aching, but otherwise, I'm fine," Haneul responded, taking the bottle that Robin offered. He opened it and drank a mouthful.
"Don't worry," Robin said with a reassuring smile. "After a few more days, your muscles will get used to it. The soreness will fade, and your body will adapt. Just hang in there, and you'll notice the progress soon enough."
"I sure hope so."
Robin looked around the practice room. It was where the beginner classes were held. Since he was in the advanced class, he didn't often spend time here.
Most of the people inside were glancing in their direction, particularly at Haneul. It was obvious they wanted to come closer and talk to him. The only thing probably preventing them from doing that was Robin. They probably thought he's an Alpha and was in a relationship with Haneul.
Which Robin didn't mind. In the days he spent with Haneul, he had noticed how uncomfortable Haneul was with attention, especially when it was clearly rooted in physical attraction.
It was probably a good thing that Haneul always used medicinal perfume to mask his pheromones. With his looks alone, he was already attracting plenty of attention, and if his pheromones were added to the mix, people would surely mob him.
"Robin hyung, do you know of Alphas who can't smell pheromones?"
Haneul's question pulled Robin back from his thoughts. He turned to the other. Haneul was gazing down, playing with the bottle of sports drink, his expression inscrutable.
"Why do you ask?"
Haneul shrugged. "I just got curious."
Although he said that, the truth was he couldn't get the information he had accidentally found about Jung Taeyang out of his mind. He tried to put it away. After all, it was none of his business. But when he was alone, it just kept coming back to him.
He searched the internet about it and found a lot of information. It was a condition called 'Pheromone Blindness'. It's not only Alphas who could get this, but Omegas as well.
Pheromone Blindness was a psychological condition affecting Alphas and Omegas, characterized by an inability to detect or respond to pheromones. The condition was believed to stem from psychological and neurodevelopmental factors that impaired the cognitive processing of pheromone signals. Early childhood experiences, trauma, or developmental disruptions might have contributed to the brain's inability to interpret pheromonal cues.
When he first read that, his initial thought was, what could have traumatized Jung Taeyang so much that he developed that condition?
And that thought just kept circling in his mind.