As Yoojin began to move with the Latin rhythm, her body loosening into a gentle sway, Dongha's expression softened as well.
"You're good, Yoojin."
A faint smile appeared on Yoojin's face, the tension easing from where it had hardened her expression.
"Keep your upper body steady—like a rod—and just focus on the basic steps."
Remembering how she used to ground her core in ballet, Yoojin found her balance. Dongha immediately noticed the smooth wave of her body settling into the beat, her center becoming clear again.
Just one comment, and she changed like this.
Satisfied, the corner of Dongha's lips curled upward.
"I'm going to start now."
Still focused, Yoojin nodded.
Continuing with the rhythm, Dongha kept her in the basic step, then gently guided her forward. With a soft pull and a shift of direction, the CBL flowed effortlessly from his lead.
Then he stepped in close, lifting her right hand and turning her gently to the right.
Instinctively, Yoojin snapped her head in that direction and began spinning quickly.
Her long, silky hair flared out. She spun twice—faster than Hong had earlier.
Just as she was about to begin her third spin, Dongha lightly caught her shoulder, stopping her. Yoojin came to a halt facing him.
"Wow!"
The small crowd watching them burst into amazed reactions.
Spinning twice at that speed was no easy feat for a beginner.
Even Yoojin let out a small gasp as she followed Dongha's lead back into the rhythm of the Latin music.
It had been a long time since she'd turned like this, and her body almost quivered as if thirsting for more. Her eyes gleamed brighter than usual, and her cheeks flushed.
"If I hadn't stopped you, you'd still be spinning."
Dongha teased her with a mischievous grin. Yoojin's face lit up more brightly than ever.
He'd never seen her smile like this—not even in her ballet days. Dongha couldn't look away.
Then, dancing the basic, he lifted Yoojin's right hand. Without letting go, he spun himself once, then pushed her slightly to the left with a light lead.
Yoojin turned again, keeping her basic step. Her turning hand brushed lightly over Dongha's fingers, while her left hand floated softly near her chest, riding the rhythm.
After three spins, Dongha caught her left hand, raised both her hands above her head, and—Releasing them—Her hands drifted down slowly, grazing over her head and down toward her body.
Even without sensual gestures or expressions, something breathless filled the air.
Dongha placed his right hand gently on her back, took her right hand with his left, and began turning with her in sync to the basic step.
Relying on his support, Yoojin stepped to the rhythm, unable to look away from the steady gaze fixed entirely on her.
It felt as though she and Dongha stood still while the world spun around them.
The female Latin vocalist's song swelled.
Dongha tightened his hold just slightly, stopping the rotation. He lifted Yoojin's left hand again—inviting another turn.
She spun left, relying on the pressure of his right hand.
Once, twice, three times—four, five—
Her right arm stayed lightly bent before her chest as she turned, her gaze flicking past Dongha's face every time she completed a rotation.
"Whoa!"
Cheers rose again as the turns grew faster.
Yoojin, who had started with slightly bent knees, now spun with perfectly straight legs.
Her wide slacks hugged her long, slim legs and revealed the hidden lines of her figure.
After fifteen rotations, Dongha finally stopped her.
Breathing hard, Yoojin halted before him.
Their eyes met in midair—quietly, intimately, like two people sharing something precious.
But the song hadn't ended yet.
"Want to keep going?"
Yoojin gave a shy nod—and at her delighted expression, a surge of emotion hit Dongha.
"I've missed this, Princess Odette."
He reached out and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb and forefinger, then softly tugged her hand toward him again.
But suddenly, Yoojin's body stiffened.
Princess Odette.
Right—she was Princess Odette.
The cursed princess forced to dance endlessly.
She had sworn she wouldn't dance again—to escape the past life that had chained her for a decade.
And yet here she was, being led by Dongha—forgetting everything, even Choi Hyun-oh, whose suffocating musk had once clung to her like a curse.
Her awakened body trembled faintly, craving more movement like something freshly released from a cell.
Pulling herself together, Yoojin stopped where she was. Her body turned rigid under Dongha's hand.
Seeing her freeze, Dongha immediately led her off the floor.
People who had witnessed her turn sequence were speechless.
It wasn't the style of a professional salsa dancer, but clean, striking, and undeniably beautiful.
Some wished she would dance more, but when she didn't return, they soon paired up and filled the floor again.
Time was short.
And for Dongha, it felt even shorter.
He couldn't take his eyes off Yoojin's tightened lips.
"Yoojin?"
She finally looked up at him.
Her clear eyes met his.
Dongha leaned closer, speaking near her ear with a trembling voice.
"I've been waiting for the day I'd dance with you again."
He raised his head, studying her face. His gaze settled deeper.
Between her long lashes, something faintly violet glimmered in his pupils.
For a moment, something unfamiliar flickered—something dangerous.
Yoojin felt trapped by the intensity in Dongha's stare, unable to break free.
And Dongha, facing her frozen expression, felt a constriction like invisible restraints tightening over all four limbs.
The words "Be my girl" hovered in his mouth.
But… Should he say that now? What if she said no?
Then even the thin thread—"middle-school classmates"—would snap instantly.
Dongha had never lived by overthinking.
He acted first, thought later.
But with Yoojin, everything slowed—careful, cautious, full of variables he kept calculating.
Maybe that's why she felt impossibly difficult for him.
Eventually, he stepped back—one step—to move forward again.
"I just wanted to dance with you. You never got to enjoy yourself when you danced ballet."
"So… that's why you wanted to dance salsa with me?"
Dongha's face twisted instantly.
He'd hoped for a whole day alone with her, but everything had fallen apart because of the salsa club.
"That wasn't the plan. I just wanted to bring you to the studio. The salsa club meeting just happened to be today."
"Okay."
Yoojin nodded, her lips pressed tightly together.
Seeing her expression dim after she'd just been enjoying herself made something sour curl inside Dongha.
"Was it uncomfortable?"
"No. It was fun."
Even though he didn't intend it, salsa had awakened her dancer instincts—sleeping deep inside her.
The fast Latin music burrowed into her senses, and every cell in her body pulsed with heat.
Her leg muscles twitched, begging for more.
On the floor, couples were laughing, dancing freely, moving naturally to the rhythm.
For a brief second, Yoojin wondered—What if I had just kept dancing with Dongha without thinking?
The thought made a faint sadness gather at her throat.
"Dongha teacher!"
A sweet, youthful voice cut through her thoughts.
A younger girl—sharp catlike eyes, short face, defined features—ran up to them.
She wore a white crop top and jogger pants, her narrow waist peeking beneath the fabric.
Clinging to Dongha's arm, she chirped:
"Whoa, teacher—you're wearing a suit today? You look sooo good! You always wear training clothes!"
Dongha sighed, staring down at her.
"Jaehee, aren't you supposed to be practicing right now?"
"I didn't know teacher wasn't coming today, so I came here!"
"You still shouldn't skip practice."
"Henry teacher ended early since it's the first day, so it's fine."
Henry—The choreographer Dongha recruited for major K-pop idols.
She'd skipped his class to come here.
Feeling responsible for stepping away from the project, Dongha couldn't scold her too harshly.
"I'm not quitting the class. I just won't be able to come often."
"It's the same thing! Henry teacher said you're not coming anymore and—what am I supposed to do? So I came to find you!"
Her nasal whining continued endlessly.
"And Henry teacher is famous, you know? Didn't you say he was your favorite choreographer?"
"But you made all our choreography! You know that, right?"
Jaehee's eyes flicked toward Yoojin—sharpening instantly.
"Who's she?"