25 August. Summer is almost over. The news had reported a long-awaited summer downpour, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It seemed that the weather forecasters' prediction would be wrong again.
Meanwhile, SoMi was preparing for Ms. Min's party, organised to celebrate the end of her dancing and teaching career. Although it was only five in the evening, the girl was in a hurry. She had organised the event herself at Ms. Min's request, and she already knew that she wouldn't be able to relax and enjoy herself today — she would have to spend the whole evening overseeing the preparations.
She had got her hair and makeup done at the salon in advance, and took her dress and shoes with her so that she could change into them once she got there and look more festive. Excited and going over all the points of her plan in her mind, SoMi rushed out of the apartment, impatiently pressing the elevator button several times. The taxi had been waiting outside the building for ten minutes.
Standing in the hallway, she suddenly felt someone's gaze on her. A warm feeling spread across her back, taking her breath away. SoMi turned around sharply. The door to Do Hwan's apartment hung heavily on the wall, a constant reminder. The moment of their quarrel, and the words spoken in the heat of the moment, flashed before her eyes.
"I hate you!" — the memory pierced her heart with sharp pain. Was this really the end? Would they never talk again, not even as good neighbours?
More than two weeks had passed since that day. During that time, SoMi had not seen Do Hwan once. His apartment was quiet and dark; even at night, there was no light in the window.
Why is it always like this? As soon as something painful happened, both sides shut themselves off and avoided each other instead of meeting and talking openly. Perhaps it's human nature: it's easier to suffer alone than tell the truth directly.
The sound of the elevator bell interrupted her thoughts. SoMi went inside, glancing at her neighbour's door one last time. On the way, she spent a long time thinking: would Do Hwan come to the party? He was Ms. Min's favourite and she had begged him to visit the studio one last time to dance a farewell dance with her...
Meanwhile, Do Hwan was just about to leave. He was wearing a black silk shirt and dark trousers, with his jacket casually thrown over his shoulder. He gathered his phone, keys and wallet from the table. Glancing quickly in the mirror, he fixed his hair, sprayed some more perfume on his neck and reached for the door handle. But suddenly he froze.
He heard a sound in the hallway — the door of the neighbouring apartment had opened. Do Hwan leaned towards the peephole. SoMi. She was standing in front of the elevator. She turned around and her gaze, simultaneously shadowed and luminous, seemed to pierce him through and through. Then the elevator doors closed and she disappeared.
Do Hwan bowed his head. He remembered the argument. Shame burned in his chest. He was ashamed of what he had said, but even more so because he hadn't had the courage to explain why he had been acting that way. The truth was that he was head over heels in love with SoMi. That was why he had been so frantic when he saw her with someone else. The director's Kim words about her had upset him, and his very presence had irritated him. He knew that a man like that definitely had no place next to this incredible woman. She deserved better. It was just a pity that he would never be able to tell her that now. All chances of being with SoMi had vanished like morning fog over the city.
Do Hwan finally left his apartment when the elevator had long since gone down. Sang Yi, whom he had invited to keep him company, was waiting for him outside the building. Fortunately, his friend had not refused; he would have someone to talk to and share a drink with, and perhaps drown his heavy thoughts in a bottle of beer.
At around seven in the evening, guests began to gather at Ms. Min's dance studio, where the event was due to take place. SoMi took this event very seriously and conducted a final check before the evening began. Lee Hyun had also come at SoMi's invitation and was trying to help as much as she could.
Snacks and drinks were already on the tables, and there were name cards for the guests on small tables. Although there seemed to be enough chairs, they had to bring out extra ones as more guests arrived. The dance school students — old ladies and ahjussi, women and men — were preparing the entertainment for the party, which included pair dancing, singing and contests. Meanwhile, the DJ was checking the equipment and adjusting the lighting to the rhythm of the music. The waiters were serving drinks and the chef was grilling juicy ribs over an open fire. Everything seemed to be going according to plan and nothing unexpected was likely to happen.
Do Hwan entered the studio unnoticed by SoMi, carefully avoiding her gaze. She was busy with organisational tasks and wasn't looking for her neighbour in the crowd. Hwan and Sang took the most remote table in the corner of the hall. Sitting in the semi-darkness, Do Hwan watched the girl, slowly sipping beer from a bottle. Sang was talking about something, looking at the guests, but Do Hwan was lost in thought, barely hearing anything.
The hall was already full. SoMi, dressed in a festive gown, took the stage and picked up the microphone. Her voice immediately caught the attention of everyone present. Do Hwan was among them, craning his neck to get a better look at her.
The deep cherry-red dress clung to SoMi's figure, accentuating her slim waist. The light fabric flowed with every movement as if alive, and the ruffles on the skirt flared up like tongues of flame, scattering in all directions. The open neckline and thin straps gently exposed her collarbone, while the high thigh slit revealed her legs. A thin black belt adorned with floral embroidery completed the look. Her long, wavy hair fell like a waterfall over her shoulders and her red lipstick drew the eye to her full lips.
Do Hwan's mouth fell open when he saw her. His heart filled with a pleasant warmth that grew with every passing moment. He smiled involuntarily.
"Do Hwan, isn't that your neighbour?" Sang's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes, that's her."
"SoMi, right?" he asked again.
"Yeah," he replied briefly.
"She's incredible. Even more beautiful than when I last saw her," his friend remarked. These words struck Do Hwan, and dark thoughts consumed him again. His mood changed dramatically. Lately, these emotional swings had been tiring him out more and more.
"Dear guests!" SoMi addressed the hall. "I am glad to see everyone here today. For those who don't know me, I'm SoMi, the youngest student in Ms. Min's dance group this year." The guests laughed, especially the older students. "I have the honour of organising this farewell party for Ms. Min. Although I have known her for only a short time, she has already left an indelible mark on my heart. Each of her lessons is special and filled with her love for dance. If only you could hear her talk about dance — she treats it as if it were a living being! Every emotion, every movement and every glance adds to its perfection. You have to feel it with every cell in your body and dance as if it were your last time." She paused for a moment. "Tonight will be all about dancing. The students of our school have prepared some performances for you and they are about to begin. So, please welcome our dancers!"
The hall erupted in applause as the students came out onto the dance floor in pairs. The first performance opened the festive evening.
While the audience enjoyed the dancing, SoMi hurried backstage. She glanced into the hall from time to time, hoping to find Do Hwan among the guests. But there was no time to look around; she had to check the lighting and look at the lists. Someone's dress had also torn before the performance, and this had to be dealt with urgently. There was not a minute to spare.
Performance after performance, number after number — and the evening gradually transitioned from the formal to the entertainment segment. Drinks flowed freely. The guests enjoyed appetisers and the chef's juicy, spicy ribs. Gradually, they took to the dance floor as soon as the DJ started playing rhythmic music that made it impossible to sit still. Their feet just wanted to dance.
M.s Min accepted congratulations, gifts and flowers. She chatted to guests, smiling sincerely, and was occasionally surprised to see people she had not seen for years, but who had been invited to Ms. Min by SoMi. This farewell party was not just another ordinary evening for Ms. Min. It brought her much more joy and happiness than she had hoped for because her first students were among the guests. Seeing them melted Ms. Min's heart with warmth and tears appeared in her eyes.
As the evening slowly drew to a close, Ms. Min decided to give a farewell speech.
"Dear Friends, thank you all for coming today. Special thanks to SoMi for organising this celebration for me. I had no idea that you would invite the people I taught at the start of my career. I am incredibly grateful to you all for that. You melted my heart," she said, and the audience responded with applause. SoMi bowed modestly."You know, sometimes you work your whole life and it seems that nothing will ever change, and then one person comes into your life and turns everything upside down, bringing you happiness. I'm talking about you, SoMi. Thank you for coming into my life at this moment," she said, bowing to the girl. "Today I saw many performances by my students, and the creaking of knees could be heard even at the back tables," she joked, causing an explosion of laughter in the hall. "But I haven't seen the performance I've been waiting for the most yet. SoMi," she said, addressing the girl again. "I ask you to dance the tango for me one last time. The way you and Do Hwan perform it is unique. In your performance, this dance takes on a completely different meaning."
"Oh, Ms. Min, but Do Hwan isn't here today..." SoMi whispered, confused.
"Yes, Ms. Min. I'd be happy to dance for you," a voice suddenly rang out from the darkness.
A spotlight picked him out from the crowd and led him straight to the dance floor.
SoMi remained silent, watching him in confusion as he took off his jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. Then, as if preparing not for a dance but for hard work, he unbuttoned the top button of his black silk shirt and rolled up his sleeves. His movements were confident and decisive, which confused her even more.
He smoothed his hair, signalling that he was ready, and a tense silence hung in the hall. Sang, who had been sitting in a distant corner, quickly moved closer to get a better view of the upcoming performance.
SoMi knew there was no way to avoid this. Rejecting Ms. Min on such an important evening for her was also out of the question. She handed Lee Hyun the folder containing the lists, straightened her back and fixed her hair. Her eyes flashed with determination. She accepted the challenge.
A storm of emotions raged in their hearts: hatred and rage intertwined with desire and love. SoMi even felt an almost irresistible urge to slap Do Hwan for what he had done last time. Now, however, they had to express all these emotions through dance. This dance promised to be intense, passionate and dangerous.
The lights in the hall dimmed and took on a red hue. Those present held their breath in anticipation of fire and passion. The first chords of the song rang out. Do Hwan stepped forward to the centre of the room and extended his right hand, inviting SoMi to dance with him. SoMi took her first steps forward but did not take his hand, simply walking around him without looking him in the eye. Do Hwan chuckled to himself. "Yes, it's clear. She's not going to give in so easily," he thought. In response, he received a malicious look from SoMi which said it all.
"You dared to come here? Take that!" she said, smiling maliciously, like a movie villain. (Their dialogue continued — that is, they communicated mentally.)
When SoMi wasn't expecting it, Do Hwan abruptly grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. No matter how hard she tried to break free, his arms were stronger and refused to let her go. She shot Do Hwan another angry look:
"How dare you? Aren't you ashamed of your terrible behaviour that time?'
"I'm not ashamed. Besides, no one knows about it. Only you and I know about it."
SoMi moved her body in wide curves, and he lifted her onto his toes and lowered her smoothly, maintaining eye contact throughout. A turn. Her feet glided across the floor as Do Hwan led and SoMi followed. Her movements were precise and almost mechanical, yet full of strength. His hand on her waist never let go, pulling and guiding her, showing who's in charge. Her hand was on his shoulder, her elbows bent, her movements smooth yet sharp.
"Are you going to explain or what?" she finally blurts out. But Do Hwan manages to catch her hand, pulling her towards him and lifting her left leg by the thigh — the slit in her dress allows him to do so — and slowly runs his palm along her curves. SoMi barely manages to stop herself from moaning when he leans dangerously close to her and inhales the intoxicating scent of her sweet perfume, which has notes of vanilla and honey.
SoMi's dress cascaded in ruffles as if dancing its own separate dance. Her hair flew with every turn and her heels clicked on the parquet floor, setting the rhythm. SoMi leans back, arching her back, and Do Hwan supports her, making the parquet floor beneath them seem to float. Do Hwan pulled her closer with a sharp step forward, his chest touching her body.
"I'm sorry, SoMi," he said, pressing her against him as they paused.
"I'm still waiting for an explanations!" There was a slight tilt, a sharp turn, intertwined legs and glances that spoke without words.
"She's incredible," thought Sang, watching SoMi move. He smiled because he couldn't hold back the emotions suddenly swirling in his heart. Something seemed to click.
"What kind of chemistry is going on between them?" Lee Hyun caught herself thinking this when she realised that the two were having a dialogue with their eyes and that it looked like a war was about to break out.
At the end of each turn, Do Hwan stopped SoMi and pressed her against him, before immediately moving on to the next movement. She leaned back and he supported her, then abruptly picked her up to start a new series of steps. The tango was rhythmic, fluid and passionate — a masterful dialogue of bodies without a single word. Each movement emphasised his leading role and her movements emphasised his control and desire.
The last turn. He pulled her sharply towards him, almost relentlessly, their bodies pressed chest to chest. Their legs intertwined and the parquet floor beneath them seemed to sway from the movement. Then — a sharp stop. Do Hwan holds her waist and SoMi's hand is carefully on his shoulder, her elbows bent. Yet the tension between them does not subside.
They are both breathing rapidly and their hearts are beating wildly. They stand motionless, barely touching, but each touch speaks volumes. The moment lasts a few seconds — time seems to have stopped. Their skin touches, they breathe heavily, and their eyes speak of everything that has accumulated during the dance: desire, passion, tension and an irreconcilable connection that is hard to let go of. It is this pause, this final chord, that leaves an echo of tension in the hall, like an echo of unquenchable passion. The music fades and the hall erupts in thunderous applause.
The lights brighten again, hurting the eyes. Do Hwan loosens his grip and SoMi bows to the satisfied audience. She pulls her hand out of his fingers and hurries into the darkness of the backstage area. He did not stop her, but followed her with his gaze, thanking the audience for their applause for a long time.
"SoMi, what was that?" Lee Hyun caught up with her friend.
"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it right now," SoMi replied, trying to steady her breathing. "I hate him," she whispered, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white. Her head was swarming with thoughts: "Why? Why do I have so many conflicting feelings about this idiot? I don't understand. Do I love him or hate him? I want to hit him and hug him at the same time. I want passion, but I can't let him get closer than a metre. What's happening to me?"
As if sensing everything without words, Lee Hyun did not rush to hug her friend, did not try to calm her down and did not say the clichéd "everything will be fine". She knew perfectly well what was happening to her friend. SoMi was in love. She had to go through this stage herself to understand the truth. Her feelings were currently deeper and more intense: hatred, anger, pain, love, passion and desire — an explosive mixture of emotions.
Meanwhile, Do Hwan danced the promised dance with Ms. Min and revelled in it for a long time. His table in the corner seemed to glow, with darkness scattered around it. However, it was useless for him to look for SoMi — she had disappeared as if she had sunk into the ground. The hall became stuffy. Sang Yi brought more drinks.
"Wow, you danced incredibly! So much passion! And SoMi... she's just beautiful. I'd like to dance with her, too. Do you think she'd teach me to dance like you?"
"Ms. Min taught us both," replied Do Hwan gruffly.
"Do you know where she is?"
"No. Why do you need to know?"
"I want to ask her to dance. I've been dreaming of meeting her for a long time. And who knows? Maybe she'll agree to a date. Oh, there she is!" Sang jumped up when he noticed the girl near the stage.
Do Hwan was seething with every word his friend said. When he saw SoMi, he downed his drink in one gulp, then snatched Sang's and emptied that too.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Sang asked in surprise.
Do Hwan put down his glass with a dull clink, stood up abruptly and moved towards SoMi, almost pushing through the crowd.
She was talking to someone when he interrupted her abruptly, grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the exit. SoMi said nothing — she just followed him as he led the way with long, decisive strides to a quiet place. They descended the stairs to the street, which was deserted except for a few lonely streetlights.
A warm wind blew in her face, swaying the trees and scattering their leaves. A deafening silence enveloped the sleepy city. The sky was black as spilled ink, and lightning flashed between the clouds. A long-awaited storm was approaching.
Do Hwan stopped, still holding SoMi's hand. He bowed his head and remained silent. She waited for him to start talking, but there was still only silence. Sighing heavily, the girl pulled her hand away.
"I'm tired of always being the first to start the conversation. This time I won't," she said, turning and walking away.
Suddenly, it started to pour with rain, flooding the roads and roofs. SoMi stopped on the stairs when she heard a clap of thunder.
"Do Hwan!" she shouted over the patter of raindrops. "Come inside; you'll get wet!"
But he stood motionless. SoMi grimaced but turned back to him. Large drops of rain stung her skin.
"Can you hear me?" she shouted.
Do Hwan muttered something under his breath and finally looked up.
"SoMi... I like you," he said clearly, expressing what he had held back for so long. Slowly taking her hand, he took a step towards her, and without looking away, he gave her a tender kiss that said more than any words could.
His soft lips touched hers, warming her and igniting a fire that had barely smouldered lately. At that moment, it didn't matter that they were standing in the rain, getting soaked, or that they might get sick tomorrow. Only one thing mattered: they had finally confessed their feelings. Well, confessed... They kissed. But that was enough to make it clear to both of them. This was love.