busanstyle-a

[busanstyle-a]

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[busanstyle-a]

🐤

[busanstyle-a]

CHEOL-HYUNG.

As soon as he arrives to his car, he unlocks and dumps his belongings in the back seat. Quickly slipping into the driver’s seat, he’s already pulling up some tunes to play while they begin their journey through a fast food joint with the option of a drive-thru. The music remains low though, in the case that their conversation requires just background music or noises as opposed to having it on full blast and belting out notes at the top of their lings (  or attempting to belt out notes anyway  ).  ❝  Any place in particular you feel like treating yourself to at, or are we going to leave it to a little bit of surprise and possibly a flip of the coin ?   ❞ Or even something else Sangcheol likes to do at times when he’s feeling a bit more adventurous, playing restaurant roulette where he pulls up an application that lists a bunch of different places to eat food and just scrolls through it until he presses his finger firmly against the screen. Whatever his finger lands on, he’d go to. Of course with some other rules along with hit, but that’s just the gist of it. 

❝⠀Ah─⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀It was mostly a joke. If Sangcheol knew it was awful to have that type of food even if just rarely, Jimin believed it to be a cardinal sin. Before his university instructors or company mentors ever put him on a regulated diet, he already avoided fast food like the plague, desperate to rid himself of the extra fat on his body that he saw as a blemish. Eating this food would set him back days in his regimen, and he was sure his instructors would catch on─ but think about it, his mind deviously supplied, when will you be able to indulge yourself like this again? He swallowed as he straightened out his outfit and followed the elder out to the parking lot. With the pressure of the competition he was training for in August and the push to finish his last credits for graduation, as well as the new added stress of his parents finally reconnecting after however many years (three, he reminded himself), he decided the universe can go suck it for a night─ he wanted to enjoy some grease-lathered munchies with his hyung.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimin was tense─ too tense, and both of them knew it. Instead of tossing his drawstring bag in the backseat, the bag remained in his lap after he buckled in and they pulled out of the lot. Instead of belting out lyrics and dancing in his seat, he sat still quietly, hands fidgeting with the drawstring straps and mouth twitching between a small smile and a thin line. Instead of rambling on about his happenings disciplining first-year brats who were getting too cocky after placing on the advanced performance team, his eyes glanced out the window on his side, mind trying to process too much at the same time.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The younger kept setting up red flag after red flag for his hyung to notice, but he hated it and wanted himself to stop. Sangcheol was a caring hyung, and he’d trusted him with a lot of things about himself, but there was no reason to involve him with whatever family conversation was looming. Even if Jimin considered him to be a part of a second family, a new family he began to construct for himself after he was thrown to the wolves, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything yet. It was less about pride and more about humility─ Sangcheol was too good of a person in Jimin’s eyes to get tangled up into his mess of a life even more... his eyes began tearing up, and he pointedly turned his head to look out the window further to hide them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Sangcheol’s question snapped him out of his reverie. Jimin snapped his head up, eyes taking one more look at the road on his side before he forced himself to calm down and relax back into the car seat. He glanced at his hyung and gave a small, but cheeky smile.

❝⠀Hyung, what’s the unhealthiest fast food joint around here? I’m feeling diabetes.⠀❞

[busanstyle-a]

◈ ┊ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.

Jimin’s most important competition is called the Seoul International Dance Competition, or the SIDC for short, held annually in South Korea. The SIDC was founded in the early 2000s in order to promote the development and exchange of dance and music across cultures.

A note on the SIDC: If you want to peruse this information at your own discretion, feel free to check out the SIDC website here (last updated 2016), or read the 2017 informational packet here. I’ve tweaked a little bit of the information, but most of it stays consistent with the information pamphlets.

There are three dance styles in the competition: ballet, contemporary, and ethnic dance. The three divisions are meant to emphasize diversity and creativity within the dance community in Seoul and Asia. Competitors can apply to dance as a solo or duet performance. Along with the three dance styles, there are three age divisions for competition: Pre-Junior (ages 11-14), Junior (ages 15-18), and Senior (ages 19-26; ages 19-35 for ethnic dance). In each division, there are awards for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finalists, as well as a choreography award for each division, awarded to the performance with the highest level of creativity and interpretation, based on the judges’ discretion.

Preliminaries begin in April and May of the year, where dancers audition in-person, or send in a video submission to the SIDC Committee. Qualifications are then posted over the course of the month of June, posted at the end of the month. Foreign registration for competitors outside of South Korea happen between the months of June and July. After that, it’s competition.

Competition is spread out over an entire week, in the first full week of August. The first day is an orientation and welcome for all dancers, and the first round of competitors dance for semi-finals. Semi-finals last two days, with the results for the finalists revealed at the end of the second day. Over the third and fourth day, the finalists must dance their performance again. On the fifth day, the top three finalists of each division, as well as choreography award winners, are revealed in the closing and awards ceremony. In order to celebrate the competition, a two-day World Gala follows each closing ceremony, where competitors of all styles and divisions can socialize and make connections with one another.

A note about competition pieces: a dancer can perform the same routine for each competition round (preliminaries, semi-finals, finals), or they can choose to change their routine for their next performance. Each routine must be between 3-5 minutes long.

A note about senior male competitors: If a male in the Senior division (Solo or Duet) manages to win first place, he is exempt from military obligations in South Korea.

Jimin has been competing in this since he was 13 years old, as soon as he got into junior high and began taking his contemporary and ballet dance lessons seriously. His ballet teachers encouraged him to apply, due to his sheer excellence with technique and raw passion for dancing. In the two years Jimin was in the Pre-Junior division competing in ballet, he failed to make it past semi-finals. This crushed his confidence to the point where he didn’t re-apply for competition in his last year in junior high, and his first year in the Junior division.

Even as he got top marks and endless praise from instructors in the Busan Arts School, he almost didn’t register for the competition when he got into high school. However, his first year contemporary dance instructor talked it through with him, and he found himself re-applying as a contemporary competitor in the Junior division. In his first year of high school, he placed the runner-up. However, in his last two years as a Junior competitor, he was able to win first place in contemporary, and receive the choreographer’s award in his last year. In that same year, a scout from the Alvin Ailey School in New York (a prestigious school for dance training) offered him a one-year scholarship to study independently with the school, which coordinated perfectly with his plans to study dance at the Juilliard School.

Jimin didn’t return to the competition for two years while he studied abroad in New York. When he returned to South Korea in 2015, he didn’t re-apply for the competition, opting instead to take a break and focus on hashing out his studies. He registered for the competition again the next year, taking home third place. Last year, he was able to take the runner-up position and the choreography award. This year, he was able to take home first, without a choreography award. He doesn’t plan on returning to the competition, but he aspires to train someone interested in entering it in the years to come.

A note on how Jimin won the competition this year: I ran a poll on his twitter for about a week that basically decided his fate post-competition. Click here if you’re interested in seeing the poll breakdown.

[busanstyle-a]

* a little life prompts

quotes taken from a little life by hanya yanagihara.

‘ i worry about you. ’

‘ you have to stop doing this to yourself. ’ 

‘ eat your sandwich.’ 

‘ you need rest. ’

‘ you know i love you. ’  

‘ i got you something. ’ 

‘ come here. come lay on my lap. get some rest. ’ 

‘let’s get you to bed.’ 

‘ you look tired. ’

‘that’s so kind of you. but – i can’t. ’

‘ you feel hot. ’ 

‘ do you want to be tucked in? ’ 

‘ i’m just not hungry. ’

‘ i want to go home. ’ 

‘ are you listening to anything i’m saying? ’

‘ get away from me. ’

‘ i need to talk to you. ’ 

‘ call me whenever you need to. ’ 

‘ i’m sorry, i didn’t meant to – ’

‘ you don’t understand it now, but i think you will in time. ’

‘ would you like to help me make dinner? ’ 

‘ if something happened to you, i don’t know what i’d do.’ 

‘ this isn’t funny. ’

‘ i thought you were going to tell me you didn’t want to have me here anymore. ’ 

‘ i know this is all different – a house, a bed, plenty of food – but i’m here to help you adjust. ’ 

‘ it’s not your fault. ’

‘ i didn’t know it was going to be so traumatic for you. ’ 

[busanstyle-a]

CHEOL-HYUNG.

❝  C`mon. You hungry ? I’ll treat ya out,  ❞  as he always did. The corners of his mouth pull up even wider, a sincerity and warmth to them for only those he cared deeply for. Prying his hand away, Sangcheol motions his head towards the exist, shoving both hands into the pockets of his joggers and makes his way towards the entrance and into the cool, night air.  ❝  What do ya feel like eatin` tonight ? And I refuse to accept convenient store ramyun.  ❞ 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimin hates it. Always not one to draw attention to himself, he becomes an expert at hiding his troubles from everyone he speaks to, even his dearest friends. It pains him tenfold to see his Sangcheol-hyung so concerned. At the same time, though, he couldn’t muster the words or the courage to tell him everything plaguing his mind. It’s happened once before, on the eve of Jimin’s second year as a K-ARTS transfer, suffering the fall from grace of the prestige of Julliard, weeping for who knows how long without even explaining himself, and when he did end up explaining himself, watching his hyung’s tears stream down his face. Hell, his problems probably don’t even compare to the grief and despair others feel throughout their whole lives. He thinks it selfish to continue talking about the woes in his life, choosing to avoid it. Out of sight, out of mind -- but now, his troubles are running to catch up to him, and he doesn’t quite know how to respond to it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀His form is excellent, executing the movements with impeccable timing and a rapt attention to even the smallest of details. Despite his turmoils, he continues to dance with wonderful technique. It fools the other dancers in the practice room, but Jimin knows better than to think it passes right by Sangcheol’s vigilant eyes. He knows his expression is stiff. The normally expressive dancer runs through the routine with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. It’s a smile Jimin reserves for moments that make him feel uncomfortable, like when someone tries to pull their body onto his in the club, or when an underclassman offers him lunchboxes every day. It appears on his face now, and he skillfully hides his grimace by widening his artificial smile.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Practice finally ends a few run-throughs later, exhausted bodies peeling themselves off the ground and exchanging jokes as they wipe themselves off with towels. Jimin stays crouched on the floor in turnout before standing up and straightening himself. He gives himself a once-over and winces. Though normally composed and energetic after practice, he notices little details in his appearance that showcase his lack of focus during practice. This doesn’t make him happy, because it’s unlike him to let a personal situation affect his performance so much. Better now than on stage, he supposes. He shifts himself into starting position and is ready to begin running over the routine by himself─

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀─until he feels a hand rest upon his shoulder and it takes sheer willpower not to turn around and burst into tears in front of his hyung.

❝⠀Cheol-hyung...⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Perhaps knowing each other so well is another blessing bestowed upon him, but right now, Jimin would want nothing more than to curl up in his twin bed with a bowl of instant ramyun and ignore the situation until he can come up with a better plan of action tomorrow morning. He shakes his head and flashes a tired smile to Sangcheol from the mirror. Lingering for one more moment to look at himself, he shakes his head again, follows after his hyung, and shuts the light off in the practice room as they make their way to the exit.

❝⠀Hyung-ah, I really have to get home tonight...⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀─No, to hell with that. Jimin shakes his head again, not mentally prepared to take the bus all the way to Dongdaemun again. Instead, he looks up at the elder with a smaller, but genuine smile playing on his lips. Instead, he wants to use the chance to spend time with Sangcheol as a sort of Last Supper before his parents come visit his goshiwon. (He knows he’s exaggerating, because he still has several days, but he can’t help it.)

❝⠀You know what, actually? You always told me to try and treat myself to fast food once in a blue moon, hyung. How about we get some drive-thru or something?⠀❞

[busanstyle-a]

a starter for @epigrvm​ ♡ ☼ inspiration: music ( x )

❝⠀Uh-huh. Yes. Yes, mom. Okay, mom. Bye, m─⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The line drops, and Jimin remains standing in the corner of the practice room with the phone still to his ear. The brunet remains frozen in place for a long while, oblivious to the concerned looks the other dancers (and, most noticeably, his Sangcheol-hyung) as he delves into the murky waters of inner panic. Unable to process the news standing up, he startles himself out of his self-induced stupor, backs up to lean against the wall opposite the mirrors, and slides down to a sitting position. Only then does he remove the phone from his ears.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀His mother’s voice repeats crystal clear in his mind, a broken record of curses and insults. Jimin knows it’s unhealthy to continue dwelling on the matter, but now, he couldn’t help himself. After staying out of touch for the better part of three years, he couldn’t process why his parents would even want to come out from Busan to visit him ─ and, more importantly, see the apartment he lives in and see what lifestyle he lives now, having gone into dance and not law, like they wanted him to. Once they see his sorry goshiwon, he’s screwed. Absolutely done for. The thought sobers his mood, causing his face to twist into all sorts of disgusting emotions, lips twisting into a deep and thoughtful frown.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He finally realizes he’s been thinking hard and glaring daggers at the ground when a hand on his shoulder startles him. Jumping up a bit, he shakes his head and looks up.

❝⠀Oh─ Cheol-hyung...?⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀It’s also now that he realizes the music’s been shut off and several of the other dancers now look at him with a strange regard. Honestly, he doesn’t really blame them─ with how much he practices, he’d rather not let personal issues bother him during the practice, either. Now he feels bad for interrupting precious minutes of practice time. He’s not the type to waste practice time over being dramatic, or leave practice unless the situation was absolutely dire. He decides the situation isn’t all too urgent for him to miss the last few minutes of practice, so he shakes his head and sits up to mumble something to his hyung.

❝⠀Sorry, hyung-ah. I just had a conversation with my family. I’ll take it outside next time.⠀❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀And with that, the warm smile slowly returns to his face. Jimin gets up gracefully with a spin and shows the warm smile to the rest of the dancers. His arms stretch out, a naturally comfortable second position, as his grin grows in warmth. He knows his hyung will ask him more questions out of concern, so he decides to jump back into practice for the time being. A few times running through the routine he knows down pat will give him enough time to gather his thoughts and come up with a plan.

❝⠀Whoops~ I guess that phone call went on a little longer than I expected. Sorry, everyone! Did you add anything new to the choreo, Cheol-hyung? Or should we run it from the top?⠀❞