Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. © Kure Yuki & KOEI Co.
Note: First one-shot for this year. I had to endure the coldness of the alps while making this. Do enjoy!
WIENER WALZER
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1, 2, 3—1, 2, 3, SLOW DOWN, and bow. She took a lungful of air, and waited for the verdict. Somewhere on her right, Kahoko heard someone clap their hands, and knew she had done well.
"Very good, Hino-san," Mrs. Tsukimori said, approaching her with towel in hand.
"Thank you," Kahoko said, pulling herself away from her foreign instructor, and taking the piece of fabric to wipe the sweat off her face. "But I made a slight mistake. Did you happen to notice?"
"You did?" she said, surprised. "No, I did not. That last dance was very polished from my point of view."
"Oh." Kahoko blushed at her compliment. "That's very kind of you to say . . . uh, Hamai-san."
Mrs. Tsukimori smiled at her. "Please, Hino-san. Why don't you call me obasan instead?"
"Eh?" her cheeks turned the same colour as her hair.
"I just think that it's too formal of you to call me Hamai-san," she said. "You've been staying with us for a whole week, so I thought you should be able to loosen up around us by now."
"Well . . . it's just that," her voice slowly drops to a whisper. "I'm a bit embarrassed."
"Embarrassed?" Mrs. Tsukimori repeated. "Why be embarrassed?"
Kahoko took a few seconds to collect herself before answering, "Because I think I've trespassed on your hospitality long enough. I don't want to be inappropriate in any way."
A series of light giggles followed her statement, and she was stunned to see a graceful mother like Hamai Misa to show such a carefree reaction.
"Hino-san, we don't mind you trespassing on our hospitality," she added. "We're very much happy to have you with us."
"Really?" Kahoko said.
"Yes," Mrs. Tsukimori took her hand, and placed a hand over hers. "Now, why don't we get ready for tonight's event?"
"Hai," she said. "Uh . . . obasan."
Kahoko bid her foreign instructor goodbye, took a quick hot shower, and left the dancing studio arm in arm with Hamai Misa. Once outside the building, the wintry atmosphere and the tall gothic-inspired structures greeted them, and every single time they did, she could not help but have the urge to pinch herself. She still could not believe that she was there, staying in the Tsukimori household for the past seven days in the heart of Austria: Vienna.
She vaguely remembered how the invitation came. It was the last day of classes for the year, and she was keen on using the remainder of the month to fully enjoy her vacation with her family. But when she got home, she found an unfamiliar car parked outside her house. Her mother immediately asked her to pack a few of her clothes, get changed while shoving the plane ticket and a letter in her face.
After scanning through the letter and the ticket, she wanted to decline the offer but the driver only reminded her that she has an hour to prepare before he could take her to the airport, heavily emphasising that it was an order he has to complete. A few hours later, she was on board the Boeing 777-200, doing a long-haul from Tokyo to Vienna.
"Perfect," Mrs. Tsukimori said, circling her. "Just the way I had pictured it."
They were back at the Tsukimoris' vacation house, and she had just slipped on her gown for the event later.
"The shade does you wonders," she pressed on, checking the hemline for any flaw.
Kahoko stared back at the full-length mirror in front of her, and for the first time, she saw exactly what Hamai Misa meant.
When they brought the dress at an antique store, it was pure white and partially outdated. It was Kahoko's decision to pick a dress from a small boutique because she didn't want to burden the family for her needs. Mrs. Tsukimori understood her and let her have her pick under one condition: She will tweak the dress to make it look like it came from a labelled store.
"The colour is very nice," Kahoko said breathlessly.
The gown was dyed in a very pale pink at the top that went a shade darker as it goes all the way down the bottom. Some of the beadwork and laces were removed, and fresh, up-to-date seaming was done with accuracy and cleanliness it made her wonder how much it must have cost getting the gown repaired like this.
"Hino-san," she heard Mrs. Tsukimori call her. "What's the matter?"
"Oh," Kahoko said distractedly. "Sorry. I was thinking of something. . . ."
"Were you thinking of him?"
"Huh?"
"Don't worry," she reassured her. "I'm sure he'll like what you have on."
"No—I wasn't," her hands covered her face, hiding her glowing cheeks. "I'm not expecting him to like what I'm wearing."
Aside from thinking of how expensive the alternation might have been, her mind shifted right away to the person mentioned. How long has it been since she last saw Len?
It wasn't that long, perhaps it's been a week or two but through it all her head has been filled only by him. She thought that coming all the way from Japan to Austria would end it, but it didn't. It only got worse.
Even though she was under the care of his parents and grandparents, she still hasn't seen him since she arrived. They explained that he had no knowledge of her being there, and they wanted to keep it a secret and a surprise till they meet up with him at New Year's Eve for the annual gathering at the Hofburg Palace. She agreed with the arrangements, and considered that surprising him would be a surprise she wanted to see herself. But there was one thing they asked in return before they could proceed with the entire plan: She needed to take a week-long course on Viennese waltz.
The minute she heard the word 'waltz', she was confident that she would have no problem executing the steps. It probably was the easiest form of ballroom dance she could do, but when she arrived at the studio, met her instructor, and watched him do an example with the help of another instructor, everything she knew about the dance was quickly thrown out of the window. She had no choice but to put herself under days of rigorous training for the event.
"Uh, obasan," Kahoko started, once inside the car and on their way to the venue. "Does he know the Viennese waltz?"
"You mean Len?" she asked.
"Hai."
"He does," she said, amused. "He knows the dance since he was ten."
"Oh," the very confirmation made her stomach churn in nervousness. "But that was a long time ago. Would he be able to remember the steps?"
Mrs. Tsukimori turned to her, and gave her an interesting smile—one that looked almost like a smirk, and said in a casual tone, "Why don't we both find out?"
The car had just stopped, and the doors were opened for them. Kahoko let Hamai Misa get off first before scooting over, and following her out the vehicle. Not far from them was Mr. Tsukimori, standing by the entrance and beaming at both of them. He took Mrs. Tsukimori's hand, and gave it a gentle peck as a greeting. This made her feel like she was seeing something she shouldn't, and made to look away . . . towards a pair of eyes she had been hoping to see.
"Hino?" the owner of the eyes said. "Why are you here?"
Kahoko opened her mouth, and started, "I—"
"We invited her," Mrs. Tsukimori answered for her. "I hope you don't mind but she's going to be your partner for the night."
Len stared at Kahoko. "I—"
"Come now," interjected Mr. Tsukimori. "Let us not stand out here in the cold." Turning to his wife, he said as he offered his arm for her to take, "Shall we?"
"Well," Len said, taking a step forward, and copying the gesture his father made. "We better do as we were told."
Kahoko nodded, and placed her hand on his forearm. They entered in silence, only listening to the crowd chattering and the orchestra playing at the far end of the room. The room was huge, perhaps the biggest room she ever saw to be used for a ball. Then, slowly, people were starting to flee from the centre of the room towards the sides. The music had reached its ending, but Len kept moving over to the centre, obediently tailing his parents. She gave a quick glimpse over her shoulder, and saw a pair behind them and another and another and another. Soon, they had formed a long line of couples in the centre, and everybody within the vicinity was looking at them expectantly.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen," said a man on the stage in front over the microphone, "The Danube Waltz."
Kahoko felt being gently turned on her spot to face Len. He bowed, and she curtsied in return. Then, he took a step forward, placing his right hand firmly under her left shoulder blade while extending his left hand with her right hand in it towards the pair in front of them.
"Hino," Len called.
"Hai?"
"Your hand."
"Oh, right." She placed her left hand upon his shoulder as firmly as he had on her back. "Sorry."
"Don't be," he said. "Just remember what you're supposed to do with your feet."
The instruments started playing, and one by one the couples made their turn about the room. Kahoko, at their first turn, managed to do the three figures of the first set of steps she came to learn. But somehow, she got a little confused on the second set of steps she needed to execute—the set of steps that Len had started off with.
As she tried remembering the second set of steps, she quickly forgot about the first set of steps she began with. Soon, she wasn't so sure anymore what to do, and was struggling to keep up with the speed of the music while trying not to impale Len with her heels. All she could remember was that they were supposed to rotate within each other at a clockwise manner while keeping in line with everybody as they all waltz away in the huge room in a counter-clockwise fashion.
"Hino," Len called for the second time.
"Hai?"
"Remember the time when we performed as a quartet?"
"Hai."
"Relax," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "And let me guide you."
Kahoko nodded once more as he pulled her closer to him, making sure that their bodies were well paralleled with each other. She could feel his knees brushing against her legs like they were there to constantly support and remind her what she ought to do next. While these were happening, her thoughts were focused only on him.
Was it just her or there's something different about Len? He may have greeted her the same way he would back at Japan, but the way he had come to her rescue felt odd in a positive way. Perhaps it was just the closeness of the moment . . . but how come it made her tummy tumble in a giddy girlish sort of way?
Just when she was starting to finally regain her week-long training and enjoy their waltz, she realised that the song was about to finish, and the other participants of the dance was forming back to the long line. They pulled apart, and did the last move of bowing politely to one another.
"Well, that was fun," Kahoko commented, catching her breath.
"Ah," he said.
She smiled, and gestured for them to sit down with his parents at a nearby table. She had only taken two steps towards the table when she felt a hand grab hers. Kahoko looked at Len with every ounce of curiosity as he gave her a nod, and placed his eyes over to the window.
There was a loud but low pitched blast from outside, and everybody saw the inky black sky studded with glittering fireworks. Most of the guests moved near the window, but Len had his eyes set on the exit. It was her turn to give his hand a squeeze.
"Let's go," she said softly.
He led her out of the colossal room, and onto the archway of the Hofburg Palace where only a few had also chosen to watch the on-going display in the heavens. They stood side by side, hands still clasped together.
"I can't believe you're really here," started Len, partially tilting his head to look at her.
"Me either," she said, smiling back at him. "Why didn't you tell me you were a good dancer?"
"You know me, Hino," he said, withdrawing his look on her. "I wouldn't go telling people I could dance."
"You don't just dance," Kahoko corrected him. "You're a great dancer. Did you practise before tonight?"
"Just once."
She faced him with a wide beam on her lips. "See?" she squeaked. "Just once. Goodness, I bet you practise every single day back then to master the dance. . . . You know . . . like your violin playing."
"Kind of," he said.
Kahoko sighed. "I wish I could be like you, you know."
"Hn?"
She closed her eyes, and turned back to look at the sky. "You practise a lot just to make sure you execute things perfectly. It makes me wonder whether you're capable of doing something in a heartbeat."
"What are you saying?"
"Like . . . just do stuff," she tried to explain. "Do things without any kind of test-drive or—"
"Hino."
"You know what I—"
"Hino."
"Hai—" the second she turned to look at him, she saw a blur of blue flash before her eyes and found herself staring back at a pair of eyelashes, her mouth quieted by something warm and tender.
Slowly, she saw Len's eyes open before her, and his face pulling away from hers. Her mouth slightly parted in sheer shock, and her cheeks began to burn.
"Will that stop you from wondering?" he asked.
"I-I—" Kahoko started nervously. "Hai. . . ."
"Good then," he said, holding her hand again. "I wanted to greet you with a normal Happy New Year but since you brought up this split second decision-making, I thought I should give it a try after seeing how eager you are about it."
"Oh," she said, blushing.
"And," Len said, tugging her back close to him, "I could not let you get away for surprising me like that today."
She felt her lips curl into a smile as his arms went around her body. "Tsukimori-kun."
"Hn?"
"This is a lot better than the last time you hugged me," she whispered, bringing her arms around his torso, and resting her chin on his chest. "At least now I could hug you back."
He allowed a smile to stretch across his lips before leaning forward, and placing his head on her shoulder.
"Happy New Year, too," Kahoko greeted him quietly.
Note: Sorry for the delay. Unlike normal music used for waltzing with 120-140 bpm, Viennese waltz uses music with a bpm of 180-216. So, that's like doing 3 steps under a second. To make things worse, you and your partner will rotate within each other at a clockwise turn while doing a counter-clockwise turn about the room. It's crazy, I tell you!
01.01.11