Saturday evening.
I left my place with a completely different mindset than last week.
From my newly moved-in officetel to Boogie Woogie was about a fifteen-minute walk.
A week ago, that path had felt like the road to an execution ground—like a prisoner being dragged away.
Today, it felt more like an awkward elementary school kid heading out on a picnic.
Everything was still unfamiliar. Still scary.
But mixed in was a faint hint of excitement and anticipation.
That was thanks to the impromptu chicken-and-beer gathering Jinwoo had dragged me to last night.
A few honest words exchanged under the influence of alcohol.
Just that much had moved us from awkward classmates to slightly more comfortable classmates.
Standing at the stairs leading down to Boogie Woogie, I didn't hesitate like I had last week.
When I opened the door and stepped inside, a familiar scene unfolded.
Under the still-bright lights, the 26th class members were already there—stretching, chatting, warming up.
"Oh! Sseok-hopil hyung is here!"
Ryan spotted me first and waved enthusiastically.
Haetsal and Suji, standing beside him, smiled and greeted me as well.
"Hello, Sseok-hopil-nim."
"Yeah. You all came early."
I awkwardly raised a hand and walked over to them.
Last week, the nickname Sseok-hopil had filled me with unbearable embarrassment.
But today, hearing it from their mouths felt strangely warm.
Like I truly belonged.
"Hyung, why did you leave so early yesterday? We went to karaoke after and it was insane."
Ryan said regretfully.
"Ah… I had something to take care of at home."
"Come on, liar. Jinwoo hyung said you two went for a second round together."
This guy—he'd already spread the rumor.
I smiled awkwardly and shot Jinwoo a glare. Jinwoo just shrugged.
While we were trading pointless jokes, Instructor Charlie clapped his hands to get our attention.
"Alright, 26th class! Enough chatting! Shall we begin Week 2 of Swing Baby?"
We moved into position in unison.
Our movements were far more natural than last week.
"Good! You all remember the rock step and triple step from last time, right? Today, we'll use those steps to learn the most basic partner move in swing dance—Send Out!"
Send Out.
A move where the leader sends the follower forward, then brings them back.
Charlie and Ginger demonstrated.
They came together smoothly like magnets, then sprang apart elastically like a rubber band.
It looked like nothing more than holding hands and pushing and pulling—but inside that simple motion was perfect communication and breath.
Their movements flowed like water.
It didn't look like a dance.
It looked like art.
"Wow…"
Gasps of admiration burst out all around.
I swallowed hard.
The nightmare from last week—stepping all over my partner's feet—flashed through my mind.
Could I really lead someone that smoothly?
"Alright, let's pair up again with last week's partners—no partner change for now."
At Charlie's words, my eyes instinctively searched for Suji—my ill-fated partner from last week.
She spotted me too and walked over with a resigned smile.
"Hello, Sseok-hopil-nim. My feet… should be safe today, right?"
At her pointed joke, my face flushed.
"I-I'll do my best."
We awkwardly held hands.
Less trembling than last week—but her hand was still small and soft, and mine was damp with sweat.
"Leaders, step back with the rock step and give your follower a bit of tension. Not too strong! Think of opening a path so your follower can move forward."
Charlie's explanation was simple.
My body, however, didn't understand it at all.
I stepped back and pulled—but failed to control my strength, yanking her straight into my arms.
"Oh!"
She stumbled, losing her balance, and I panicked, grabbing her clumsily.
Snickers erupted from around us.
"I-I'm sorry! I pulled too hard—"
"No, it's okay."
Suji forced a smile, but her ears were burning red.
Second attempt.
This time, I was so careful that she felt nothing at all and just stood there blankly.
"Sseok-hopil-nim? You're supposed to send me."
"Ah… right."
Push and pull.
Apparently, it wasn't only hard in dating.
I failed a few more times.
In my head, I imagined the perfect Send Out.
In reality, my body just flailed awkwardly.
Damn it. My body won't listen.
The soul of a forty-nine-year-old still couldn't fully control the body of a thirty-one-year-old.
Frustration crept in.
Then—
"Um… Sseok-hopil-nim."
Suji spoke carefully.
"Don't try so hard. Just feel the music."
"The music?"
"Yes. Just let your body follow it. When you want to send me, that feeling will travel through your hand. Don't calculate so much."
Her advice felt like she'd seen straight through me.
I'd always calculated everything.
Stocks.
Life.
But dance wasn't calculation.
It was connection.
I closed my eyes and listened to the upbeat jazz music.
Then, stepping back with the rock step, I conveyed my intention to her.
Go.
And like magic—
She moved forward at exactly the timing I wanted, exactly as much as I wanted.
Then she triple-stepped and came back to me.
A perfect Send Out.
I opened my eyes in shock.
Suji was smiling brightly in front of me.
"See? It works."
At that moment, for the first time, I tasted—just a little—the joy of dancing.
The thrill from that success was stronger than I'd expected.
Like a clogged artery suddenly clearing.
For the first time, I felt a strange sensation—my body, the music, and my partner becoming one.
"Want to try again?"
At Suji's words, I nodded confidently.
The second attempt was smoother.
By the third and fourth tries, my movements grew increasingly natural.
I stopped calculating the steps in my head.
I simply followed the music and conveyed my intent through my hand.
She responded to my lead with surprising ease.
Before we knew it, we were predicting each other's next move without words.
"Wow, Sseok-hopil-nim! You've improved so fast!"
Suji said sincerely.
I smiled sheepishly, feeling my shoulders lift with pride.
But our brief harmony ended there.
"Alright! Partner change! Leaders, move one position clockwise!"
Charlie's booming voice cut through our connection.
"Ah…"
A disappointed sound slipped out of me.
I'd just started enjoying this.
Suji gave me a light nod and moved aside.
And a new partner stood before me.
Twenty-five-year-old college student—Haetsal.
"Hello, Sseok-hopil-nim!"
She greeted me with a smile as bright as her name.
I nodded awkwardly and took her hand.
A different texture from Suji's—small and fluffy.
Trying to regain my confidence, I stepped back to the music.
Then I sent her out.
The result was disastrous.
She flew much farther than I intended—almost launched.
"Eek!"
She barely managed to keep her balance.
I panicked.
"I-I'm sorry! I messed up the strength again—"
"No, it's okay! I'm just really light, haha."
She laughed it off, but the confusion was obvious on her face.
That's when I realized—
Changing partners reset everything.
What worked with Suji didn't work with Haetsal.
Everyone had a different center of gravity, elasticity, rhythm.
Dance wasn't something you did alone.
Once again, I focused—humbly—on the partner in front of me.
The ninety-minute lesson felt like a roller coaster between heaven and hell.
I tasted joy with Suji—then fell back into despair with Haetsal.
After several more partners, my body was drenched in sweat.
With some, I managed okay.
With others, we just stepped on each other's feet like last week.
When Charlie finally announced the end of the lesson, I was nearly collapsed.
"Alright! That's it for today! Great job, everyone!"
I leaned against the wall, utterly exhausted.
My body was soaked.
My mind was in tatters.
But strangely, regret didn't come rushing in like last week.
Instead, a quiet sense of accomplishment filled me.
Today, I learned connection—not calculation.
And just a little, I learned how to breathe with someone else.
That was when—
The atmosphere in Boogie Woogie changed instantly.
The bright fluorescent lights shut off.
Mirror balls and soft indirect lighting flickered to life.
The small speaker used for lessons went silent, replaced by rich, lively jazz blasting from professional speakers near the bar.
Cold beer and cocktails began flowing.
The scent of popcorn filled the air.
And from the stairs—
A crowd poured in, chatting loudly.
Senior members—clearly experienced dancers, relaxed and confident.
In an instant, the once-empty hall was packed.
The lesson had ended.
The real social party had begun.
Overwhelmed by the energy, I stood frozen in a corner, mouth slightly open.
Veterans casually invited each other to dance, stepping onto the floor with flashy, free movements.
Far beyond what we'd learned in class.
I watched in a daze.
This was the world I'd admired.
And at the same time—
It felt like an insurmountable wall.
Quietly, I gathered my things, preparing to slip out unnoticed.
"Hey, Sseok-hopil hyung! Where are you going?"
Ryan suddenly appeared beside me.
"Ah… I think I'll head out early."
"What? Already? This is the real start! We should dance too!"
"I'm not ready yet—"
"It's fine! I suck too! We'll just crash and burn!"
He shoved me gently toward a table near the floor.
This guy didn't even give me time to refuse.
Jinwoo and the others were already there, beers in hand, watching the seniors dance.
"You made it, man?"
Jinwoo grinned.
I awkwardly squeezed in among them.
My heart started pounding again.
The urge to run and the urge to dive in clashed violently inside me.
Eighteen years ago, I would've run without hesitation.
With trembling hands, I picked up the beer glass on the table.