If You Do

CHARLIE

Students had already started to arrive when I got to the studio. The sun hadn't long risen, it was only about 7.30, they all looked nervous, today was their monthly evaluation. We don't do it for all students, all of the choreographers select a student who they believe is right for the position and would be a good fit for our team, but no one knows who picked which student that way when we vote on the candidates it's fair. Basically, they would perform their routine, then after everyone had performed us, choreographers, we score them on different aspects and then we will have a meeting and after discussing the candidates and their scores, we will also would look at how they are in class, how they interact with both students and choreographers, and then if we all agree on a person we will offer them a position.

We don't always have a position available so usually the evaluation is groups of students that are in the more advanced classes, it's a good way for us to keep an eye on who we want when there is an opening and it gives the students an opportunity for individual feedback and tips on who they can improve if necessary.

"Morning," Austin hurried towards the exit.

"Where are you going? We start monthly evaluation in half an hour,"

"I lost track of time and then fell asleep, I've been here all night and Mary needs breakfast, I'll be back in time," he waved me off.

"Hey," Koosung winked following after Austin.

"You're leaving too?"

"I'm driving him," he nodded and they both left.

Mary was his cat, and I was pretty sure that if anyone pampered the cat as much as I did, it was Austin. He adored Mary and was always buying her things, one year he got her flowers because she was his valentine.

I shook my head making my way towards the Choreographers lounge, which was really just our staff room. It was a little more modern than what you would expect from a normal staff room, but most of us spend a lot of time here so May J Lee and Bongyoung had made sure that we had a nice place to unwind and relax.

I wasn't expecting anyone to really be in there, most of them would either be on their way in or setting up the dance room for the evaluation. But as if the cosmic universe was laughing at me, Shawn and Doobin were sitting at the table together, Shawn was eating cereal and it looked like Doobin was just in here to bother him. Or was it just me that he bothered?

"Morning," I nodded walking in, putting my bag down on one of the chairs.

"Okay, other people are here, time for you to go," Shawn ushered his brother out. Students weren't technically allowed in here but most of us just overlooked it when it was Dooin because he was Shawn's brother. Shawn however usually kicked him out when other choreographers came in.

"It's just Charlie, she doesn't mind if I stay for a while, right?"

"Shouldn't you be stretching for the evaluation?" I raised an eyebrow.

Usually, I wouldn't care that he was in here, but given the fact that he was once again sleeveless and that I was still trying to avoid him like the plague. Also, the fact that his brother was in here, I didn't really relish in the idea of him sticking around.

"I've already stretched," he shrugged,

"I think that was her politely saying get out," Shawn stated as he spooned cereal into his mouth.

"Seriously?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Seriously, go stretch. You wouldn't want to mess up your routine because you didn't warm up properly. Especially when a choreographer position is on the table," I nodded.

"Go on, out you go," Shawn gestured towards the door. Doobin rolled his eyes but got ups from the table and left the room.

"That was kind of rude," Junsun called over the couch.

"What?"

"He's your brother, you don't need to kick him out. He's a good kid,"

"Right," Shawn pulled a face I tried not to laugh at.

"Are you an only child?" I questioned.

"Yeah,"

"I thought so," I nodded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he frowned at me.

"It means that siblings are beyond annoying, and you don't really understand it unless you have them," I shrugged.

"That's a nice way to put it," Shawn nodded.

"How would you put it?" Junsun asked as Jinwoo entered the room.

"It's kind of like having kids of your own to look after but they're not your kids and you have to parent them anyway because their actual parents don't want to anymore, I'm pretty sure that's the only reason people have more than one child," Shawn stated.

"You love your brother," Jinwoo stated sitting down at the table.

"That doesn't mean I have to like him," Shawn shrugged.

"Are you voting against him today?" Jinwoo asked pulling an apple out of the fruit bowl in the centre of the table.

"I haven't decided yet,"

"Bro, come one, he is one of the best dance students we have, the kid has talent. You can't keep voting against him just because he's your brother," Jinwoo stated.

"I can't vote for him just because he's my brother,"

Doobin had come up a few times during the last couple of monthly evaluation meetings, and basically, everyone wanted to bring him on board but Shawn, who always voted against him. I'm not sure if it was because he didn't think Doobin was ready for that responsibility or if it was because Shawn wasn't ready to give it to him. Either way, Doobin would have been on the payroll months ago if Shawn had of allowed it. Not that Doobin knows this, I don't think it would go down well if he found out either.

"Seriously?" Jinwoo frowned.

"Shawn has a point, it's not like the other students don't already think he gets special treatment because he's Shawn's brother," I pointed out.

"Which is funny because he's the hardest on the poor kid," Junsun mentioned.

"There is a reason for that," Shawn commented.

"You're a hardass?" Jinwoo smirked.

"When has he ever been a hardass? Is like 2 foot tall and has the most adorable smile," Thea smiled walking in the door.

"Coming from the midget herself?" Junsun shot back.

"What are you doing here?" I frowned.

"Shawn forgot his phone, I thought I would drop it off on my way into work. Also, I brought coffee,"

"Are you two a thing?" Junsun raised an eyebrow.

"We sleep together," Thea shrugged.

"We're not dating if that's what you mean," Shawn stated.

"Oh good because you can do so much better,"

"Sure, let's pretend you know what standards are," Thea retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Junsun frowned.

"I'm off, or I'll be late," she waved leaving the room.

"Why are you friends with her," Junsun frowned.

"She's not," Shawn stated.

"Right, you're related. I feel bad for you,"

"You slept with her," I pointed out.

"Not by choice,"

"Oh, she forced herself on you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Can I say that she did?" he seemed to contemplate the idea.

"Stop picking on her," Shawn rolled his eyes.

"Ew, do you like her?"

"I don't not like her, I would date her if..." Shawn was cut off by Junsun.

"If she hadn't of slept with everyone you work with?" he offered.

"I was going to say if she was interested," Shawn frowned at him.

"No, you can't date her," I shook my head.

"Why?" Shawn frowned confused.

"Because if you two date and break up it won't be a pretty break up and I will still have to work with you,"

"But they can sleep together?" Junsun frowned.

"Having s.e.x doesn't mean they have feelings, there is no commitment and no jealousy. Besides, you dance with too many girls to date Thea, she is crazy,"

"And Thea sleeps with too many guys,"

"Dude," Shawn frowned at him.

***

"The room is ready," Emma, one of our receptionists, poked her head into the staff room.

"Thanks, Em, " Austin returned her smile.

"Let's do this," Koosung stood up.

"Do we have too?" Junsun sighed.

"Yes, we need a new choreographer," Jinwoo nodded.

"Can't we just pick a name out of a hat?" Junsun continued to w.h.i.n.e.

"I mean we could but then there would be complaints about how it was unfair. Besides this is the only way we can be sure that we get the best candidate,"

"I just don't want to have to watch your candidates botch their choreo, it's just sad," he shook his head.

"We'll see about that," Shawn stated.

"Anyone care to make it interesting?" Austin suggested.

"How so?"

"The person who has the candidate with the lowest score has to pay for lunch?" he shrugged.

"Deal," most of them agreed.

"Okay, let's go," I shook my head.

"Are you scared you'll lose?" Junsun raised an eyebrow.

"I know I won't lose but I also don't see the point in gambling on children,"

"You're such a buzzkill," he pulled a face leaving the room.

"Awe, you don't kill my buzz," Koosung slung an arm over my shoulder.

"You kill mine," I shrugged him off.

"Are you seriously still mad?" he w.h.i.n.ed.

"Yes,"

"But why?" he continued to complain as we left the staff room.

I noticed Doobin in the hallway, pressed up against one of the other students, his tongue down her throat. Rage bubbled in my stomach.

"This is a dance studio, not a brothel. You're here for an evaluation of your dance skills and ability to teach a class, not make out with one another," I snapped.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled with a frown.

"Oh relax," Doobin rolled his eyes.

"You're first," I stated.

"Fine," Doobin shrugged.

"Not you, her," I pointed at the girl.

"Someone is grumpy today," Jinwoo commented.

"Didn't sleep enough?" Austin asked.

"Are we here to question my sleep pattern or to find a new choreographer?" I raised an eyebrow walking into the dance room.

Emma and a few other reception staff had set up the dance room for evaluations which really just meant that there was a line of tables for us to sit behind and score the dancers. There was ten of us so there were also ten dancers, today was a little different from their normal evaluation because we were seeking a new choreographer which meant this was a little harder. We scored them differently and the had their backs to the mirror wall so that they couldn't watch themselves. We noticed a lot of dancers never practised without the mirror which threw them off focus when they had to perform on stage.

Once we were all seated and settled, I got up to bring in our first dancer. Only because I didn't know her name so I could call her in and none of the boys wanted to get in the way of my apparent bad mood.

"Okay, you're first," I pointed at the girl who instead her face invaded by Doobin's tongue.

"I'll go first," Doobin offered.

"No, she will, " I stated seriously.

I would have felt a little bad for the girl if I wasn't so annoyed. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. She was practically shaking, but due to the fact she was just making out with something that is mine, I didn't really care.

I walked back to my seat without looking at her. The boys frowned at me, which I just shrugged off.

"Name," I asking without looking up.

"Huh?" she squeaked. I looked up at her, she looked terrified.

"What is your name?" I repeated slowly.

"Oh, Uh, Alissa," she stammered.

"Well, oh, ah, Alissa, show us what you've prepared," I stated in the most emotionless tone I could manage.

"Oh, okay," she nodded turning around. One of the reception staff started the music. Alissa began dancing but didn't turn around. I signalled for the Receptionist to cut the music.

"Oh, what happened?" Alissa frowned.

"Why are you facing the mirror and not us?" I asked.

"Um, well I focus better when I'm watching myself," she mumbled.

"You do realise that you're essentially auditioning for a teaching position? How are you supposed to teach a class of students when you have to focus on yourself?"

"Why don't you just try again, this time facing us?" Austin offered kindly.

"Why bother? It's fairly clear that she has only practised while facing the mirror,"

"Dude, you're scaring her," Junsun frowned at me.

"Maybe your legs are scaring her," I retorted.

"Enough, everyone is quiet. Alissa, try again. Music," Jinwoo stated.

"You be quiet," I mumbled.

Alissa began dancing again, I didn't say anything until she had finished, instead, I just noted things down. Like when she misstepped or paused because she forgot her choreography. She almost tripped over her own feet twice and the whole time she was either looking at her feet or worrying about what I was doing.

"Comments?" Jinwoo asked.

"I think that you made a few mistakes but clearly you're nervous, I've seen you in class and normally you're a lot better than today," Junsun stated.

"Look, I understand that you're nervous but it's clear that you only practise in front of the mirror. I would work on practising without the mirror so that you'll become more comfortable in your steps," Austin added.

"Is this your first time being evaluated for a choreographers position?" Shawn asked casually.

"Yes,"

"Well, it was too bad for a first attempt, I don't really have any other comments that haven't already been said, good job," he nodded.

"I'm scared to ask, but Charlie?" Jinwoo asked.

"I think that this isn't Dance Dance Revolution and if you were coming in here expecting the choreographer's position then you should have been more prepared," I commented without looking up.

"Thank you, you can go," Jinwoo stated.

"Could you have been harsher?" Austin asked.

"Yes," I shrugged.

"Someone needs to get laid," Junsun commented.

"Well good thing it's not you because you won't be getting any," I retorted.

"Neither are you by the sounds of it," he muttered.

"Annie, can you send Doobin in next please," I ignored his comment.

"Why Doobin?" Shawn frowned.

"Because he was next in line," I shrugged.

"Yeah, we should probably get you criticising your brother out of the way sooner rather than later," Koosung commented for the first time.

"I'm more worried about the criticism that's going to come from Charlie, she's a bit moody today," Junsun stated.

"To be fair, the criticism towards Alissa, though it was a bit harsh and slightly hostile, it wasn't wrong. I don't know which one of us picked her but she was not prepared for something like this," Koosung defended me.

"Don't defend me," I frowned as Doobin made his way in.

"Name," I asked.

"You know my name," he raised an eyebrow.

"The camera doesn't," I pointed towards the tripod.

"Doobin," he replied flatly.

"Music," I stated.

Doobin frowned at me and missed his cue. I raised my hand to signal they stop the music. I head one of the boys sigh at me.

"Are you going to dance or just stare at us?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Who pissed you off today?" he retorted.

"Doobin," Shawn frowned.

"I was just asking, students don't normally leave this room in tears," he commented.

"Why are you focusing on another students reaction to feedback rather than focusing on actually dancing yourself?" I questioned.

"Like you haven't seen me dance before,"

"If you don't wish to audition, then please leave and stop wasting our time," I snapped.

"Can we have the music back please," Austin stated before Doobin could retort.

Doobin rolled his eyes but started to dance to his music. Everyone at the table seemed fairly impressed with his performance. But unlike everyone at the table I had seen that routine several times, enough times to know that some of his timing was off and that he wasn't putting the effort into it that he normally does.

The song finished and one by one all of the choreographers complimented him, including Shawn which shocked everyone else, especially Doobin.

"Charlie?" Junsun asked, honestly I think he was just getting a kick out of my criticizing of other people.

"Your timing was a bit slow and I felt like you kept it too basic, I think he is capable of more difficult moves but instead you appeared to be performing a routine from a beginners class," I stated without even looking up at him. I didn't really need to look up to know he was annoyed though.

"Jesus," one of the boys mumbled.

"Thank you, can you send in the next student?" Jinwoo thanked him.

"I think we should be removing someone before she makes every candidate cry," Austin commented.

"Austin, shut up," I frowned at him.

That's basically how the rest of the evaluations went, someone came in, danced horribly and I gave my opinion. Honestly, none of them seemed good enough to bring on board as a choreographer. Except Jacob, he came in a danced better than the rest of them.

"Are you kidding me? The one time Shawn agrees with the rest of us about Doobin being ready to be brought on as a choreographer and you're against it? That poor kid can't catch a break," Austin frowned.

"Okay, ignoring Charlie's opinion, what does everyone else think?" Jinwoo asked.

"I think it's going to have to be between Doobin and Jacob, they were by far the best two," Koosung stated. Everyone else seemed to agree with his opinion.

"So how do we decide between the two?" Eunho asked.

"We hear Charlie out, everyone else seems to think they both deserve the position. Why do you think Jacob should get it and not Doobin?"Jinwoo asked.

"Jacob danced well, he gets along with all the students and the other choreographers and he has a natural ability to teach," I shrugged.

"And Dobbin doesn't have any of these qualities?" Shawn frowned.

"I didn't say that," I shook my head.

"Then why are you against Doobin today?" Austin asked.

I couldn't exactly say that I was being a little petty sure to the fact he was making out with a random student with absolutely no talent in the hallway.

"Look, he has the talent and is more than capable of running a class. But I think that he has a little bit more maturing to do before we should give him that chance. Let's be honest here, he can have a bit of an attitude, especially when someone says something to him he doesn't like, his attitude earlier proved that" I shrugged.

"You were being a bit of a moody biatch though," Junsun stated.

"Even if Charlie was being a little harsh he shouldn't have commented like that, he is still a student and he should take the criticism without an attitude," Jinwoo agreed.

"Mmm, I would hate to see what would happen if he had a disagreement with a male student," Shawn nodded.

"He's not stupid, he's not going to fight a student, not if he's in a position of power," Austin defended.

"Do you think he would sleep with a student?" Junsun asked. I clenched my teeth to stop myself from commenting.

"He doesn't sleep with them now," Austin pointed out.

"He was making out with one as we walked in here," Jinwoo pointed out.

"Yeah, probably to throw her off her concentration, I'm sure he would have made out with Jacob if he'd thought it makes a difference," Austin continued to defend.

"So, we have a decision?" Jinwoo asked.

***

"Can we get on with classes now?" I asked from the couch in the staff room.

I had been sitting in here being picked on for being so harsh on the students. I think they were just mad that Jacob was getting the position over Doobin.

"Let's go," Koosung nodded.

"What?" I frowned at him.

"We are teaching the beginners class today,"

"No, our beginners class isn't until next week,"

"It was next week, then we switched with Austin,"

"Since when?"

"Since last week, Austin's mum is flying in today, you don't remember this?"

"This is literally the first I'm hearing about it,"

"She wasn't there bro, you said you would talk to her about it and then changed the roster,"

"Whoops, clearly I forgot," he gave me a nervous laugh.

I sighed. I wasn't exactly a fan of beginners classes, but on the plus side, neither was Doobin so at least I wouldn't have to deal with him.

"Fine, let's go," I rolled my eyes.

"Are we sure she should be teaching a beginners class today? She was harsh to our advanced students," Junsun commented.

"Your shorts are harsh on our advanced students," I retorted leave g the room.

"Are we doing the same class as we would have next week? Choreo wise?"

"Unless you have another set," he shrugged.

"No, that's fine," I shook my head.

There was a substantial line outside the classroom, then again there normally was when it was a collab class with me and Koosung. Apparently, the students loved our chemistry, a lot of them had bets running to see how long until we date, some are sure that we're already dating. I'm sure they would all be disappointed if they were to find out that that is never going to happen.

"Come in guys," Koosung swung the door open.

I stood next to him as I watched the students walk in. Doobin smirked walking past.

"What are you doing here?"

"I asked Koosung if I could assist, It would be good for me to learn how to teach, don't you think?" he stated.

"In," Koosung ushered him inside.

Alissa followed behind him which sent my rage levels rising, then I saw a face that sent them through the roof.

"Stop," I put my hand out before she could walk into the classroom.

"Charlie," Koosung frowned.

"What?"

"You can't just stop students from walking in,"

"I can if I know her,"

"You know her?" Koosung looked at the tramp in front of me.

"Unfortunately," she rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here?" I snapped.

"Dancing looks good on a model resume," she shrugged.

"Then go to someone else, you're not coming into my classroom," I stated.

"I already paid, for 3 classes," she smirked.

"Then get a different teacher,"

"Charlie," Koosung hushed.

"What? She's Sam's crazy ex-girlfriend. The psycho probably stalked me here,"

"You think too highly of yourself," Bianca retorted.

"You know what? Fine, why don't you join the other students? Just remember that you're a student, and I'm a teacher and I don't tolerate rude comments. If you don't behave you will be asked to leave," I stated.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes.

"Look, I don't know what's going on between you but the second you walk through that door you're to show the teachers nothing but respect," Koosung backed me up.

"Sure thing, teach," she battered her eyelashes stroking his arm.

"I'm going to kill her," I stated through clenched teeth.

"You can't kill a student," he frowned at me.

"She won't be able to keep up with basic moves, hopefully, she'll trip and kill herself,"

"She can't be that bad,"

"If you don't want me to cold-shoulder you again, don't take her side," I warned.

"You really don't like her huh?"

"No,"

"Are we going to start the class or are you two going to keep flirting out here?" Doobin poked his head out the door sounding less than pleased which actually made me more than pleased.

If he was jealous now then he as going to hate this class.