Social Dance Club Step 3

Her Trauma

It had been about a week since Yukiya started ballroom dancing.

For the first three days, his entire body was screaming in such agony that he felt like he was dying even while he slept, but physically, he finally seemed to be getting used to it. Maybe it was because he’d started taking his pre-practice stretching seriously. On his first day, he had pushed his body to the limit without doing any warm-ups—something Fiona had scolded him for later. You're one to talk, Yukiya had thought at the time, staring at her unapologetic face. After all, it was Fiona, and no one else, who had dragged him around the floor before he’d even had a chance to warm up.

Despite all that, Yukiya was gradually starting to find the club—and dancing itself—interesting. When practicing with Fiona, the nervous tension of holding hands with a girl was beginning to fade. He found himself surprised and even a little impressed by the small changes appearing in his daily life. At the very least, he had managed to defeat his Mikka Bouzu (A quitter) ghost. That small victory made him quietly happy.

As for Haruki, he was different too. He now headed to his own club activities voluntarily, as if he were going somewhere fun. They would walk up to the third floor of the club building together, but lately, they rarely walked home together afterward. He must be busy, Yukiya realized. Busy having fun. That was a good thing.

"Huh?"

After parting ways with Haruki and heading up to the club room on the fourth floor, Yukiya turned the handle only to find it locked. It seemed no one had arrived yet. Usually, Fiona or Tamami would be here by now.

Just as he was wondering if he should wait, he froze.

"Ugh."

Yukiya flinched. Walking toward him from the other end of the hallway was Riko. There was no sign of Fiona or Tamami with her.

This is bad, Yukiya thought, feeling completely helpless. He hadn't anticipated being alone with her. He was still terrible at dealing with Riko, a girl he had barely exchanged a proper sentence with. This situation was equivalent to a sudden natural disaster; there was simply no way to avoid it.

"H-Hey."

He tried to sound casual, but his voice cracked pitifully. Riko stood before the door with her usual cool, composed expression.

"What? No one’s here?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"I see."

Riko began rummaging through her bag. The hand she pulled out held a key attached to a surprisingly cute pig keychain. Apparently, she had a key to the room as well.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside. However, seeing Yukiya standing motionless in the hallway, she poked her head back out.

"Aren't you coming in?"

"Huh? O-Oh. Yeah, I’m coming. I’m coming in."

Yukiya panicked and slid into the room, but Riko was already heading for the changing area.

The curtain was pulled shut.

The club room was completely silent. The only sound echoing across the floor was the rustle of Riko changing clothes. Perhaps because the room had been empty, the air felt sharp and cold.

"Go ahead."

Riko emerged from the changing room in the blink of an eye. There hadn't even been time for the atmosphere to get awkward. Her changing speed was practically a magic trick.

Taking her place, Yukiya entered the changing booth.

There was no conversation. A single thin curtain separated them, yet it felt like a massive, towering wall.

In the silence, Yukiya changed into a T-shirt and jersey pants. Technically, the standard practice clothes consisted of a dress shirt and trousers called 'slacks.' Unfortunately, he didn't own anything like that, and he couldn't borrow any from his father, whose body type was completely different. His dad was barreling straight toward obese, so much so that Yukiya used to wonder if they were even related. Yukiya, on the other hand, had inherited his mother's slender build.

When he opened the curtain, Riko had already finished stretching and was facing the mirror.

Without a word, Yukiya went through his own warm-ups and decided to review what Fiona had taught him.

...But it just wasn't working.

Without a partner on his right side, everything felt lacking. He could move freely on his own, sure, but he had absolutely no idea if what he was doing was correct.

"Hnn..."

He tried taking two or three steps while maintaining his Hold in front of the mirror. He stopped and groaned.

Is this really the right way to do it? Why do my feet feel so fluffy and unsteady?

"Your weight is getting swept away by the movement. You need to control it yourself."

The voice from behind made Yukiya jump.

He looked in the mirror to see Riko standing behind him. She wore her usual expressionless mask.

"S-Swept away?"

Yukiya asked, completely intimidated. Riko gestured toward Yukiya’s feet with a lift of her chin.

"You aren't walking properly. With the way you're using your feet right now, you're going to get hurt eventually. When moving forward, your weight needs to roll from the outside edge of the heel, through the center of the heel, transfer to the little toe—meaning the outside of the foot again—then pass through the middle of the ball of the foot, and finally push off through the big toe. Got it?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you just said...!"

Yukiya’s cheeks twitched. There is no way I can understand that, he thought, exhausted. Outside to the ball? What does that even mean? Actually, isn't that way too much to do for a single step?

In contrast to his confusion, Riko seemed somewhat lively as she rattled off the explanation with tremendous momentum. She was talking a lot, which was rare. The fact that she was voluntarily speaking to him at all was a rare drop event.

"In short, it means using the arch of the sole without using the tsuchifumazu—the arch itself. Technically, it’s something humans do unconsciously, but..."

"I... see...?"

He tried to give a convincing reply, but he still didn't get it. Yukiya furrowed his brow, thinking hard.

(The arch of the sole? What is the arch? Does that even exist... No, wait, 'tsuchifumazu' literally means 'place that doesn't step on soil'... so... No, I still don't—)

Suddenly, without any preamble, Riko grabbed Yukiya’s left hand.

"Hah? Eh?"

Yukiya blinked, stunned. Riko was holding his hand. Why? How? What is happening?!

"I'll teach you."

"Wh-Whaaaat!?"

"...What is with that reaction?"

Riko glared at him with dead, flat eyes. Feeling the heat rising in his cheeks, Yukiya looked back and forth between her face and his held hand.

"Because... are you sure?"

"What do you mean, 'am I sure'? Why would you ask that?"

"I thought you hated me?"

"Hah?"

"Or rather, do you just hate men in general? I don't really get it, but you were against me joining the club."

And yet, you're going to teach me? Why?

As Yukiya wondered this, Riko looked away, seeming uncomfortable.

"That... that wasn't really about that."

"It wasn't?"

"...It’s not that I hate you, or that boys are no good. It's not that."

"Oh. Is that so?"

"Yes. It's just that you're physically repulsive to me."

"That means I'm completely no good, doesn't it!?"

"I'm joking. Can't you even tell?"

"I can't understand your thought process at all..."

She looked at him with eyes that suggested she was totally put off, and Yukiya felt his spirit start to crumble. However, Riko’s words made him feel slightly relieved. It meant she didn't hate him personally, and also...

"I honestly thought, you know... that you swing that way."

"What way?"

"You know... like, you were into girls?"

"Wha—! No! God, is that how you were looking at me?! No way! Gross! Die! Don't ever be born again!"

"Hey, that's harsh!?"

"You deserve it. Seriously, why would you think that..."

"B-Because your reactions are confusing!"

"That's—"

Riko started to say something, then cut herself off.

Her gaze wandered as if she were hesitating, but then she let out a sigh and, this time, took Yukiya's right hand.

"Whoa."

The sudden, unexpected situation flustered him.

Unlike Tamami’s small hands or Fiona’s warm ones, hers was cool to the touch. Her fingers were slender and unreliable, looking as if they might snap. Riko squeezed them tight. Yukiya couldn't help but become hyper-aware of her body heat transferring through her hand, and he gulped nervously. His heart was pounding absurdly hard. She's someone I'm bad with... or no, is it precisely because I'm bad with her?

"...I don't dislike people who are motivated about ballroom dancing."

Muttering softly, Riko guided Yukiya’s right hand, which she was still gripping, around to her back. It was the Hold, but Yukiya’s brain couldn't keep up with the sudden development.

As if to deliver the final blow to the shaken Yukiya, Riko looked up at him from directly in front.

"...You're going to practice, right? I'll keep you company."

＊ ＊ ＊

"Ugh, we ended up getting to the club room so laaaate!"

"Because my teach and Tama-chan's teach are total besties, y'know? What a pain."

Because their homeroom teachers had decided to hold an impromptu gossip session, the start of homeroom for both Tamami and Fiona’s classes had been significantly delayed. By the time everything was over, they were more than an hour behind their usual arrival time for club activities. While Tamami thought it was highly questionable conduct for teachers, the students in the "Go-Home Club"—who had no desire to go to extracurriculars anyway—were apparently grateful for the stall tactics. It really depends on your perspective, Tamami thought. However, for Tamami today, it wasn't something to be grateful for at all.

"What should we do? Yukiya-san and Riko-chan are alone in the club room... Ugh, I just hope they aren't fighting..."

"Knowing Riko, she might have already slapped him once or twice by now! Ah-ha-ha!"

"Jeez, that doesn't sound like a joke when you say it, Fiona-chan..."

Fiona cackled as if it were someone else's problem. Tamami, breaking into a trot to keep up, chided her friend walking beside her. One step from the long-legged Fiona was equal to about two of Tamami's. Since Fiona was currently in her uniform, the difference in their builds was even more distinct than usual.

When Tamami and Fiona arrived in front of the club room, they could hear Waltz music drifting from inside. Fearfully, Tamami opened the door.

"Umm, sorry we're la—"

"I told you, that's not it!"

At the sound of Riko’s raised voice, Tamami flinched and squeezed her eyes shut. Assuming a fight had broken out just as she predicted, she panicked and rushed into the room.

"R-Riko-chan, calm down! No slapping allowed—"

"Don't fight the movement. If you resist, you'll just strain yourself. The Leader has to follow the Partner's movement too."

"L-Like this?"

"Right, exactly. See, you can do it when you try."

"—Wait, huh?"

Confronted with the scene before her, Tamami let out a dumbfounded squeak.

Yukiya and Riko were in Hold. The two of them had formed a couple and were practicing their dancing. They both looked serious, and there wasn't a trace of animosity between them.

"Oho? Looks like those two are getting along surprisingly well," Fiona said from behind the stunned Tamami, sounding amused. "Well then, let's get practicing too, Tama-chan."

"R... Right!"

Tamami followed Fiona, who was already kicking off her shoes and stepping onto the floor.

Everyone enjoying the club, enjoying Ballroom dance together—that was how it looked to Tamami. And that made her happy. So happy she could barely stand it.

Tamami was the one who had created this Social Dance Club. On that day Riko had slapped her Leader, Tamami had fallen in love with Ballroom dance. Tamami—a beginner who had been turned away at the door by the Competitive Dance Club—had established this club all on her own shortly after starting high school, and subsequently recruited Fiona and Riko.

But she had harbored worries.

Was she forcing Riko, Fiona, and even Yukiya to go along with this? Was she dragging them into her own hobby, leaving her as the only one truly having fun?

But watching the members dancing on the floor now, Tamami shook her head.

Surely, that isn't the case.

They must love this club too.

Tamami repeated those words to herself, soothing her anxious heart.

＊ ＊ ＊

"Yukiya needs dance shoes too. Let's go buy some next weekend."

It was Fiona who had said that in the middle of the week. Since Yukiya had no plans for the weekend and had been thinking it was about time to buy proper dance shoes, he had nodded along to the proposal.

Fiona was definitely the one who suggested it. She was the one who made the plan and set the date.

And yet, here he was at the 10:00 AM meeting time.

Standing before Yukiya at the ticket gates of the station nearest to the school was Riko, and Riko alone.

"Umm............................ Why?"

Her ponytail was the same as always. However, instead of her uniform, she wore a cream-colored chiffon cut-and-sew top paired with denim shorts. She was wearing wedge-sole sandals that gave her significant height, especially at the heel.

"Fiona asked me to escort you."

"Where's Fiona?"

"She said she had 'errands' or something and went out with Tamami."

"Is that... so. Errands, huh."

Even so.

Yukiya felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Why? Why did it have to be this specific combination of people?

"Relax. I'm thinking the exact same thing you are. I'm wondering what kind of penalty game this is supposed to be."

"I'm not thinking about it that hard!"

Riko sighed with genuine exasperation, making Yukiya want to cry.

But seriously, why?

The other day, she had helped him practice the Waltz. But they had only really spoken on that one day. Since then, they had only exchanged harmless greetings. Even now, Yukiya couldn't bring himself to interact with Riko as casually as he did with the other two.

He still hadn't broken the ice with her, and he was still bad at dealing with her. He couldn't help but feel a distance between them.

"Is your Saica charged?" Riko asked the bewildered Yukiya.

"O-Oh. Yeah. More or less."

"Then let's go."

"Go where?"

"Ueno."

With that, Riko passed through the ticket gate. Yukiya hurriedly chased after her.

From the station nearest to Tama High in southern Saitama, it took about thirty minutes by train to reach Ueno in Tokyo. It was actually much easier to get to than many stations within Tokyo itself. Because the transit access was so convenient, many students and working adults commuted from Saitama to Tokyo.

"Hey, aren't you gonna sit?" Yukiya asked Riko about five minutes after the train started moving.

At this time on a holiday, the train wasn't particularly crowded, and there were empty seats. Despite that, Riko stood by the door, showing no intention of sitting down.

"I'm training my balance by utilizing the train's sway. I don't expect you to join me, so if you want to sit, go ahead."

After being told that, he didn't feel like sitting either. It would be a bit pathetic for him, the guy, to sit while a girl stood. Plus, Yukiya felt it would be wrong for him to sit when he was so much worse at dancing than she was.

As the two of them swayed side-by-side on the train, the silence between them remained unbroken.

She's stoic, Yukiya thought inwardly, stealing a glance at Riko’s profile. She didn't sit on the train, and when she came to the club room, she just practiced silently.

What on earth is she always thinking about?

"What?"

Noticing Yukiya’s gaze, Riko made a suspicious face. Yukiya panicked and said, "Nothing," turning his eyes to the train window.

There was nothing to do while standing on the train. Occasionally people got on and off at stations, but aside from that, the scenery flowing past the window didn't change much. He didn't feel like playing on his phone when he was with someone... So naturally, prompted by Riko’s words, Yukiya’s consciousness shifted to the swaying of the train.

When he actually paid attention, he realized the train car rocked side-to-side quite a bit. He noticed that trying to keep his body straight without using the hand straps put a significant load on his legs.

"Woah."

A sudden large lurch caused Yukiya to stagger. But when he looked next to him, Riko remained standing perfectly straight, unphased. She's so skilled she doesn't even use the straps, Yukiya marveled, lamenting the difference between them.

Follow, Yukiya suddenly remembered.

That technique of matching the partner's movement. Couldn't he stay standing if he "Followed" the train's sway, too?

Yukiya concentrated on the motion. He felt the sway through the soles of his feet, became aware of his body's axis through his core, and balanced himself. It was surprisingly difficult. However, he vaguely understood that if he could match the sway, he could reduce the burden on his legs. I want to grasp this sensation somehow, Yukiya thought. If the train tilted right or left, he shifted his balance to match. Using his knees like cushions against acceleration and deceleration—

By the time they arrived at Ueno, he was exhausted. However, he felt like he had gotten just a little bit better at Following.

"That really was training..."

Yukiya dragged his legs, heavy with lactic acid, off the train. For a wimpy guy like Yukiya, who had no habit of jogging or exercising, this was more than just a little tough—it was grueling.

Among the several exits in the station, the Iriya Exit was on the opposite side from Ueno Park. Yukiya, completely winded, hurriedly chased after Riko as she headed out that exit.

They wove through a clutter of buildings and entered a deserted, narrow street.

Before they had walked very far, Riko stopped.

"It's here."

Riko pushed open the glass door of a small building's first floor and went inside. Yukiya followed her.

The interior hadn't been visible from the outside, but it appeared to be a specialty dance shoe store. Posters of foreign dancers adorned the walls, and the shelves were lined with rows of shoes.

"Welcome."

A petite, kind-looking elderly man approached from behind the counter. He was dressed crisply in a dress shirt and tie. Despite his apparent age, his posture was far better than that of most young people.

"What are you looking for?"

"Men's Standard shoes. Please find something that fits him. The budget is up to 10,000 yen."

Riko did the talking for him. The old man, understanding the situation, approached Yukiya.

"Understood. Well then, please show me your feet. Take off your shoes there."

Yukiya took off his shoes and stood on a clear plastic board.

"You have a nice butt, young man."

"Huh?"

The comment came so abruptly that Yukiya’s heart skipped a beat. He remembered Riko saying the exact same thing to him.

"Oh, I don't mean it in a weird way."

"Right."

Even so, it was undeniably subtle to be praised only for his butt.

"The way your muscles are attached... It's an ideal shape for a dancer. Did you play any sports?" the old man asked, seeming to sense Yukiya’s state of mind.

"No, nothing in particular..."

Up until now, he had never done any real exercise outside of P.E. class. The most he had ever used his body was probably back in kindergarten, flipping his teacher's skirt. He had burned quite a bit of stamina running away from the teacher as she chased him in a rage. What a pervy brat I was.

He had no memory of feeling physically tired from anything since then. He had cut corners at every opportunity.

"Is that so? Perhaps doing nothing was actually for the best. When people exercise poorly, they often develop unbalanced muscles, but your body doesn't seem to have that issue. You are still overflowing with potential."

"...You think so?"

For as long as he could remember, his body had been perpetually out of shape. Yukiya had assumed he was unsuited for dance, which had a higher physical intensity than he expected. So, the old man's words made him a little happy. He started to get his hopes up that maybe, just maybe, he could get good at dancing.

"Depending on how muscles are developed, one can actually struggle when dancing—doing everything by brute force, you might say. In dance, how you use your body is more important than how it's built. If you use it correctly, the necessary muscles will develop naturally."

"I see."

"In dance, natural movement is the ideal."

It was a very persuasive statement.

The old man crouched down. He looked at Yukiya’s feet and nodded with a "Hmm."

"25.5 centimeters. The right foot is slightly larger."

Yukiya was startled. His foot size was exactly as the old man said. It explained why the right side always felt tight whenever he wore new shoes.

"You can tell just by looking? You didn't even use a measuring tape or scale..."

"Well, I am a pro."

The old man grinned. Yukiya was simply impressed. Pros are amazing.

In less than a minute, the old man stopped looking at Yukiya’s feet and disappeared into the back of the counter. He returned in under a few minutes.

"How about this?"

The old man brought out two pairs of glossy black enamel shoes. However, he only offered one pair.

Yukiya slipped his feet into the shoes he was handed.

The fit was incredibly comfortable. It felt so right, he couldn't believe it was his first time wearing them.

"These are really good."

"Are they? As I thought... However, there is one problem."

"What is it?"

"The price. These are the most expensive Standard shoes we carry. They cost 20,000 yen."

"Twenty thou...?!"

Yukiya’s voice cracked. That wasn't just significantly over budget; it was double the price.

"So, if we are talking about shoes that fit your budget, these would be the most decent option."

When he tried them on, "decent" was exactly the right word. The fit was several tiers below the previous pair. It felt like he was just wearing an extra layer of socks.

"These are 8,000 yen. However, my recommendation is decidedly the expensive pair."

"Umm..."

"I don't want to sell them just because they are expensive. It's that they suit your feet. Your right ankle seems a bit stiff, so the other pair would absolutely be better for your legs."

Yukiya himself had certainly felt that his right ankle had a narrower range of motion than his left. Having his physical quirks guessed so accurately made him feel like he was standing in front of a psychic.

But he had no financial leeway. Even 8,000 yen was a considerable sum. For a high school student without a part-time job, a 12,000 yen difference was huge.

"I'm sorry, my budget is..."

After agonizing over it, Yukiya chose the cheaper pair.

"Hmm, is that so... Well, it's not as if you can't dance in these," the old man said, looking truly disappointed. However, he couldn't refuse a customer's order, so he went to put the unchosen shoes back in the stockroom. The sorrow drifting from his back resembled that of a child who hadn't been bought a toy.

"In selling you these, there is something I must tell you," the old man began with a serious expression as he wrapped the shoes. "Please, be very careful with your knees."

"My knees?"

"Yes. Burden on the feet travels to the ankles, and burden on the ankles travels to the knees. Please stretch thoroughly and try not to put too much load on them."

"U-Understood."

It sounded almost like a prophecy.

Receiving the shoes in a classy black paper bag, Yukiya paid the money and left the shop with Riko.

"You should have gone with the other ones," Riko said the instant the door closed.

Yukiya flinched. "Ugh."

"But 20,000 yen is too expensive... Besides, he should have told me that before I decided to buy them."

"Well, you're the one choosing."

That was a fair point, but she could have at least given him some advice. Yukiya swallowed his retort, but Riko had already started walking. Yukiya followed silently.

"But, you're lucky," Riko spoke again as he fell into step beside her.

"What's lucky?"

"That man is the Company President."

"Eh? That guy?"

"Yeah. He rarely serves customers himself. This is only the second time I've met him too."

"He just looked like a nice old grandpa..."

"You might really want to be careful with your legs. Knees are like a dancer's life, after all."

"Y-Yeah. I got it."

Having Riko press the point made him a little anxious. No one wanted to get injured.

But he had never had a leg injury before, let alone a knee injury. Surely he would be fine?

Right, if I'm just careful—

"Isn’t that Riko... Hey Riko!"

It happened just as Yukiya was thinking about injuries.

A man walking from across the street called out to Riko familiarly and approached them.

"Whoa, it's been a long time! I was wondering what you were up to!"

"Atsunari..."

In direct contrast to the man's delight, Riko called his name with a look of blatant disgust. Apparently, they knew each other. His hairstyle and nasty eyes somehow reminded Yukiya of a Rockhopper Penguin.

This guy, Atsunari, seemed to be about the same age as Yukiya and Riko. His height and build were also close to Yukiya’s.

"Running into you in a place like this... we really do have a connection. Is this that 'Red String of Fate' thing?"

"No. If there were one, I'd tear it to shreds and burn it so it could never be reconnected."

"Oh, oh, a tsundere as always. I love it."

Yukiya, watching from the sidelines, couldn't understand where exactly the "dere" (sweet) element was in that exchange. What incredibly positive thinking.

 "Anyway, what are you doing in a place like this?"

"Whatever I'm doing, it has nothing to do with you."

"That's cold. You shouldn't talk to your Leader like that."

Leader. Hearing that word, Yukiya looked back and forth between the two.

Riko's Leader? Was he a dancer too? Had Riko formed a couple with him?

But Riko flatly denied it.

"You're forgetting the 'former'."

"'Former,' schformer. If you're up for it, we can get back together anytime."

"I'm not going back. Absolutely not. I refuse to be with you—not now, not ever, I'd rather die."

Being told so flatly, Atsunari looked like his buzz had been killed.

It was then that he finally seemed to notice Yukiya standing next to Riko. He stared at Yukiya as if observing a specimen, then looked annoyed.

"...Don't tell me that's your boyfriend?"

Atsunari asked Riko probingly. His gaze, bare with hostility, pierced Yukiya.

"No."

"I knew it! There's no way you'd have a boyfriend!"

He seemed to be talking to Riko, but underneath, it sounded like he was convincing himself. However, depending on how you heard it, it was a pretty rude remark. Riko, too, wrinkled her brow in rare, open displeasure.

"But, then... don't tell me he's your Leader?"

"That's wrong too."

"I... I see, I see! That makes sense. There's no way you, who couldn't be satisfied with me—who wins constantly at competitions—would pair up with some other guy, right?"

Atsunari rejoiced without even trying to hide it. It was obvious, even to Yukiya, that he had feelings for Riko.

"But you went to buy shoes, didn't you?"

"Yes, I'm just escorting him as a fellow club member... wait, this has nothing to do with you. That's enough, go away. Actually, disappear. Get out of my sight. Don't ever appear again."

Riko's words were harsh. Even though they weren't directed at him, Yukiya couldn't help but feel a phantom pain in his chest.

The damage to Atsunari seemed substantial as well.

"...You can only talk like that for so long. You will definitely come back to me. Your body remembers me."

"Hmph," Atsunari snorted displeasedly and walked past Yukiya and Riko. Apparently, he had also come to buy dance shoes at the shop they just left. Glancing back at Riko repeatedly, he entered the store.

Riko remained standing there. She didn't look back, nor did she start walking. She simply glared coldly into empty space. It was as if the enemy of something precious to her was standing there.

Yukiya scratched his head, unable to say anything. The atmosphere felt like he had just stumbled upon a scene of ex-lovers breaking up after a fight. If he said that out loud, though, Riko looked like she might glare him to death.

Leader, Atsunari had said. Former boyfriend might not be entirely wrong either... had they dated?

"We were not dating. Who would date trash like that?"

Yukiya stiffened with a jerk. He panicked, wondering if his inner voice had leaked out of his mouth.

"U-Umm, but, he said something about your body and whatnot."

"He was talking about dance. How else would you interpret it?"

"You're absolutely right..." Yukiya said, but no, normally anyone would think it implied a physical relationship given that phrasing. He couldn't say that, though.

It was terribly awkward.

However, it was Riko who changed the mood.

"...Hey. I'm hungry."

Riko said it abruptly.

True, it was about time to eat lunch.

"Umm............ Want to grab something to eat?"

He was inviting Riko to a meal. It was something Yukiya himself couldn't quite believe. Until a few minutes ago, he would have thought such a thing was absolutely impossible.

Just as Yukiya was thinking, It would be easier if she refused, she spoke.

"I'll eat."

Riko answered with a pout, looking displeased.

＊ ＊ ＊

Yukiya had no sense of direction when it came to Ueno. Aside from a family trip to the zoo as a child, this was his first time wandering around the area.

"I'll leave the restaurant choice to you," Riko had said, leaving Yukiya completely at a loss.

What is the correct answer in a situation like this? Yukiya, having zero experience dating girls, mobilized every scrap of non-existent knowledge he had.

If he were alone, a ramen joint or a gyudon place would have been fine. But somehow, he couldn't imagine Riko in a place like that. She would clearly stick out like a sore thumb.

With no other choice, Yukiya played it safe and chose an Italian restaurant in front of the station.

They sat facing each other at a round table by the window. While waiting for their food, Riko sat silently, looking down.

"........................................Hey."

Feeling the limit of the long silence, Yukiya spoke up. Riko slowly lifted her face.

"What?"

"A-Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Like what?"

"We went to the trouble of eating together. Staying silent is just... it's uncomfortable, you know?"

"...Sorry for making you uncomfortable."

Riko puffed out her cheeks in a pout.

Ah, jeez, Yukiya felt frustrated by his own choice of words.

(What's the point of picking a fight? That's not what I wanted to say at all—)

If they weren't in a public place, he would have been tearing his hair out over his blunder.

Calm down. Don't choose the wrong words—just as Yukiya was telling himself this, Riko spoke.

"...Come to think of it, this is the first time."

She murmured the words softly.

"First time for what?"

"That I've had a proper conversation with you."

"Ah... now that you mention it, I guess you're right."

"Proper" was one way to put it; they had never really spoken outside of practice.

"...Say, what are you supposed to talk about at times like this?"

"Huh? ...I don't know either. I guess... common topics, if there are any?"

"Do we have any? Topics common to us?"

"Don't we have... a lot?"

Same high school, same club. There should be a mountain of things to talk about. Normally, it would be weird to even worry about this.

But he couldn't just say anything. She was like uncharted territory. The thought of carelessly stepping on a landmine terrified him, keeping him from taking that first step.

"...Hey. Are you, by any chance, scared of me?"

"Eh? Ah, no, I wouldn't say that."

"You are, aren't you?"

"................................................Sorry."

Her sharp attitude, her permanently equipped poker face, and that cold atmosphere that kept people at bay. On top of that, she was a beautiful girl who made ten out of ten passersby—regardless of gender—turn their heads. Even now, gazes from around the room were flickering toward her. He could almost hear them whispering, Why is a girl that cute with a guy so plain?

Shut up, Yukiya retorted in his heart.

However, Riko, whose thoughts were completely unreadable, was like an alien to Yukiya.

"You don't have to apologize. I get told that a lot. I know perfectly well that I'm hard to approach. Especially when dance is involved, I get uncontrollable... well, something like that."

"Well, that just means you're serious about dance. You're diligent, or maybe stoic... As someone who usually quits everything after three days, I honestly respect that about you."

Riko opened her eyes wide, looking slightly surprised.

"...Well, I'm certainly more serious than you."

"You could just honestly say 'thank you' there...!"

"I don't particularly feel grateful, so."

Riko rested her chin on her hand and spoke listlessly. Her expression looked as cool and detached as ever.

She turned her gaze out the window. To Yukiya, her profile looked somewhat sorrowful.

"It's true, though... because I'm like this, I can't get along with my Leader."

The words that spilled from Riko's lips sounded like a mix of a complaint and a moment of weakness. It seemed as if she were speaking to herself as much as to Yukiya.

She must be talking about that Leader from earlier.

Since she had brought up the topic herself, Yukiya decided to jump in and ask.

"That guy was your previous Leader, right?"

"...Yeah. That was Atsunari Shiroyama. In my third year of middle school... up until February of this year, actually, he was the Leader I was paired with."

"That's pretty recent."

When he pointed that out, Riko pouted again. Yukiya hurriedly continued.

"You know a lot about dance, but when did you start?"

"Since kindergarten."

Yukiya involuntarily looked back on his own kindergarten days. What was he doing back then?

The memory that had crossed his mind at the shoe store earlier surfaced again—the scene of him and his friends playing by flipping their teacher's skirt. Remembering that he was just a perverted brat, Yukiya stopped thinking about it. It was the oldest dark history he could recall.

Riko, having no way of knowing Yukiya's embarrassing memories, continued her story.

"There was a ballroom dance studio in the neighborhood, and the teacher there was good friends with my parents, so I started learning. I paired up with Atsunari through the teacher's introduction, and we even won amateur competitions."

"You won? That's amazing."

"...But as a couple, we didn't last three months. Even though he was my first Leader."

Riko had been dancing for about ten years. Yukiya was simply impressed that she could stick with one thing for so long. It was something he couldn't do—something he hadn't done.

However, over ten long years, there must have been unpleasant moments. For her to have continued ballroom dancing through all that, yet dissolve a partnership in less than three months... It was unexpected to Yukiya. Vaguely, he had assumed that "couples" were in it for the long haul.

"I thought couples stayed together until one of them quit dancing."

"Some people stay together a long time, but if you don't match, you break up. It depends on the will of the individuals."

In other words, Riko and Atsunari just weren't compatible. It just didn't work out.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but... why didn't it work out with him?"

"He was..."

When Yukiya asked directly, Riko glared at the table as if she had found a nasty stain.

"...He thought of his partner as a doll or something. He only saw me as a tool to enhance his own dancing."

"A tool?"

"He wouldn't listen to a word I said. 'Don't say unnecessary things,' 'Just shut up and follow me'—it was always just that."

What era did this husband-in-chief come from? Yukiya thought. He couldn't believe there were still guys who said things like that without any shame these days.

But Yukiya recalled Atsunari’s behavior from earlier.

There was no doubt he saw Riko as a romantic interest. It was a guy's intuition.

If so, he probably said those things trying to look cool. Yukiya felt like he somewhat understood the urge to act that way. However, being a high schooler and acting high-and-mighty, posturing without considering the feelings of the girl he liked... Yukiya had no intention of doing something so fruitless. That kind of behavior should be left behind in elementary school. Even Yukiya, who had never had a girlfriend, knew that much.

First of all, one look at Riko’s attitude made it obvious that Atsunari had failed completely. This wasn't a "Tsundere" where a "Dere" was waiting for you in the wings with a "It's-It's not like I like you or anything!" line. It was just the "Tsun." Pure coldness. Actually, Yukiya couldn't even imagine a "Dere" Riko at all.

"Maybe it's that thing where you bully the girl you like," Yukiya muttered his impression.

Riko glared at him with full force. I said something unnecessary. I'm sorry.

"He's not just a jerk to me, you know. He partnered with several people before me, and he swung them all around doing whatever he pleased until he dumped them."

"Eh? Wait, you got dumped?"

"No way. I was the one who dumped him."

"Right, it makes sense," Yukiya nodded. In that case, that man’s obsession with Riko might stem from his wounded pride. His pride did seem exceptionally high.

"Dancing like that... it's no different from dancing alone..."

Riko narrowed her eyes, staring into the distance.

At that moment, the answer to one of his questions settled deep in Yukiya’s chest.

(Ah, that's why she said she didn't need a male leader when I joined.)

She wasn't allowed to assert herself as a Partner with her first Leader; she was treated like an object. It was no wonder she had developed a distrust of male Leaders.

Yukiya remembered Riko when she helped him practice the other day. She had given him detailed advice. It was easy to imagine that If she were to dance as a couple, she would want her partner to listen to her opinions too. After all, she had taught him that earnestly. The method of dancing together.

"Being a couple is difficult, huh."

"...When you start entering competitions, both sides get desperate."

Competitions—matches for ballroom dance. Yukiya recalled hearing that the "Competitive Dance Club" at Tama High participated in those with the goal of achieving high rankings. He remembered Haruki worrying, "You didn't join that one, right?"

It must be an incredibly cutthroat environment, Yukiya imagined. I'm glad I didn't join that one by mistake. He was confident he wouldn't last three days in a place like that.

If they hadn't entered competitions, perhaps Riko and that man wouldn't have become so hostile toward each other.

"You get so desperate that dancing stops being fun. That's why I didn't join the Competitive Dance Club. Besides, Atsunari is there."

"That guy is a Tama High student...?"

Yukiya felt a wave of gloom. The way Atsunari had looked at him was as if he were facing a love rival. If they ran into each other at school, things might get complicated.

"Is he good at dancing? He said something about being 'ever-victorious'."

"Whether he's 'good' depends on the viewer, but simply put, he was strong."

Riko sipped her water as if swallowing something bitter.

"There are two scoring methods in competitions. The Point System and the Check System. Rumor has it Atsunari always reached the finals in Point System matches. We won the amateur competition we entered together, and apparently, the titles he won with his other partners amount to about the number of fingers on both hands."

"Seriously? That's impressive..."

"I suppose. His passion for dance, or whatever you want to call it... honestly, I think that part is amazing."

Riko narrowed her eyes as if looking at something dazzling. It looked almost as if—

"Sounds like you really liked him."

The moment Yukiya inadvertently let those words slip, the air froze with a crack.

But just as Yukiya was about to stutter out an excuse in fear—

"............Is that wrong?"

Riko murmured in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"But, it's different now."

Riko averted her eyes from the stunned Yukiya as she said it. But to Yukiya, her demeanor made it look like she was implicitly saying she still liked him.

—Somehow, it made him feel unsettled.

"You know," 

As Yukiya was irritated by the unexplained discomfort arising within him, Riko spoke up as if to reset the mood.

"Because of what happened with Atsunari, I decided I wouldn't join the Competitive Dance Club. It was actually... a pretty big shock for me. But I still wanted to dance in a club in high school... That's why I'm grateful to Tamami. Tamami created the Social Dance Club, and she was the one who invited me."

"Ah. So Tama-chan really did invite you."

"Right. She apparently saw me at a competition. She came up to me on the day of the entrance ceremony, and when I said I wouldn't join the Competitive Dance Club, she said, 'Then won't you join the club I made? It's just two of us right now, though.' So I joined, and we became three."

"Heh, so Fiona was first?"

"Fiona stands out, right? Because of her appearance, Tamami apparently recruited her immediately. Tamami only found out about Fiona's experience after she joined... It seems Fiona was looking for a place to dance, too. She said something like, 'Japan is cramped in various ways.' I didn't ask for details on what she meant by 'various', though."

"I see. So that's how it happened."

"...I like this club. I just want to dance. Even if I have to dance alone without a partner, dance is a part of me... So I don't need to enter competitions anymore, and I don't want to form a couple. I don't want to get hurt, and I don't want to hurt anyone."

"I see."

Yukiya nodded in understanding. And then—

(Couples aren't something you should form. It's a hassle.)

At that moment, Yukiya vaguely thought so. Even if it was with someone you liked.

He looked at Riko's face. Her expression, gazing into the distance, was calm. That's rare, Yukiya thought, observing her face intently.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, you really don't smile, do you?"

Until now, he had never once seen her laugh. She was short on expressions other than her poker face, and even when she showed a change, it was usually just a scowl. She was like a plaster statue frozen in a sullen face. Maybe this is what an Ice Queen feels like, Yukiya thought.

"Is that bad?"

"It's not bad. I just thought you might be cute if you smiled."

"..."

Riko froze, staring at Yukiya. Seeing her reaction, Yukiya realized too late.

"Ah, no, that was just, you know, a figure of speech... or something... Forget it."

Yukiya waved his hands, desperately making excuses.

Thinking about it calmly, it was an embarrassing remark that could easily be interpreted as "Are you into me?" He might have let his guard down because they had talked more than expected. Even though he had been so careful not to say anything careless just moments ago.

"...won't..."

"I don't particularly mean that I—hm?"

While Yukiya was panicking in shame over his blunder, he thought he heard Riko’s voice. Looking at Yukiya’s face, she spoke clearly.

"If there's something to smile about, I'll smile, won't I?"

It was a simple, clear-cut answer.

How long had it been since she last laughed? Surely not since she was born. But Yukiya could vaguely guess that her facial muscles hadn't moved in quite a long time. The phrase dissolving the couple crossed his mind. She probably hadn't smiled since at least the time she started considering that. Has Atsunari frozen her heart like this? He didn't know the details. But he wondered.

Is there anyone out there who can make her laugh?

Even Fiona and Tamami couldn't do it. If there was a guy who could, Yukiya thought he would be truly amazing.

(...It's probably impossible for me.)

Yukiya let out a sigh so small Riko wouldn't notice. For him—someone not even recognized by Riko as a dancer, unlike Atsunari—it was surely impossible.

Perhaps because the restaurant was crowded for lunch, the food still hadn't arrived. Yukiya, in a desperate attempt to cover the awkwardness, took a tiny sip of water from his glass.

＊ ＊ ＊

Monday, the start of the week. Fiona and Tamami were in the club room. Yukiya immediately put on the shoes he had bought and debuted them on the floor for the two of them.

"Ohhh! Yukiya, good, good! Now you can get completely soaked in Ballroom dance! You're in the stew... hmmm, wait, was it the brew?"

If she meant "immersed," the word she was looking for was doppuri. Apparently, Fiona struggled with this type of Japanese phrasing. Since no one corrected her, she started agonizing over it alone. "In the glue? In the goo?" She started listing words that sounded increasingly suspicious, causing Yukiya to involuntarily stare back at her.

Incidentally, her cosplay today was a character called the Galactic Fairy from Macross Frontier. Whether it was Fiona’s fault or thanks to her, Yukiya’s knowledge of anime was gradually increasing.

"But having new shoes is somehow really nice. Doesn't it make you excited?"

Tamami’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the brand-new, shiny shoes encasing Yukiya’s feet. Yukiya certainly understood that feeling. Getting brand-new equipment just for yourself made your heart dance. The last time he felt like this was probably when he got his first cell phone.

"By the way, where were you two yesterday?"

Yukiya asked the uneven duo standing side-by-side. Riko had mentioned something about errands, but he hadn't heard the details.

"There's a dance studio in Ikebukuro run by a teacher I know, so we went there for a bit. To pick these up."

Saying that, Fiona went "Ta-da!" and pulled something out from her ample cleavage.

"Where the hell are you pulling those from?"

"Important things should be kept in important places!"

With that, Fiona fluttered the Important items in the air.

It was an envelope. A completely ordinary brown one.

What she pulled out from inside were four long, narrow slips of paper. They looked like tickets.

"What's this? 'Kanto Standard Dance Championship'?"

"Tickets to a pro competition. For Standard."

"Competition tickets... We can watch?"

"Yes! It's not until summer break starts, but why don't we go see it? With all the club members together."

"But since they're tickets for a pro tournament, doesn't that mean they cost money?"

Having just bought shoes, Yukiya had no financial leeway.

Seeing Yukiya hesitate, Fiona shook her head.

"Non, non, no money needed. My teacher gave them to us for free."

"Really?"

"Let's go, Yukiya-san! It's really amazing, so I'm sure just watching will be a great study experience!"

"Well, I don't have any plans around then, and if it's free, I have no reason to refuse."

It wasn't that he wasn't interested.

Yukiya had only ever seen professional dance in videos uploaded to the internet. To use the internet, aside from his phone, his only option was the single computer in the Hino household's living room. But his parents, who usually didn't pry into anything, seemed interested in what their son was obsessed with lately and would frequently peek at the screen, so Yukiya had never been able to concentrate on watching dance videos.

A competition. It was a good chance to watch dance properly.

"OK! Then I'll give you the details later. Ah, Riko! I got the tickets!"

Having finished her explanation, Fiona ran off to hand a ticket to Riko, who had just entered the club room.

Yukiya stared intently at the ticket in his hand.

"A competition, huh."

He didn't think he wanted to participate himself, but simply watching seemed interesting.

He found himself feeling uncharacteristically excited. Realizing this, Yukiya gave a bitter smile.

It was a new side of himself he had never known before.

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