Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Maria Sama ga Miteru. I'm just a fan writing a fanfic. Please don't sue me.
Save the Last Dance
The hall was filled with some of the finest people in Tokyo. The orchestra had just begun playing soft music to accompany the night for the guests. They have gathered to celebrate a woman's entry to adulthood. Everyone gave their wishes of good luck and good health for the young woman. She deserved it. She was one of the brightest Japan has ever seen.
A guest silently watched the crowd who patiently waited for the celebrant to come down from the marble stairs. She stood at a corner still feeling awkward with the tux she was wearing. Yeah, she liked doing what boys do, flirt with girls. Yeah, she liked the short hair. And yeah, she liked girls but that doesn't mean she was comfortable being seen in a tux.
"Stop fidgeting Sei, it doesn't suit you." Eriko whispered to her ear.
Her friend wore a white evening dress that could make Yamanobe-san faint. But alas, her arm was hooked to her arm. Tonight, Satou Sei wasn't just Satou Sei.
Satou Sei was Torii Eriko's date.
"Seriously, Eriko, you could have asked Rei to pose as your date. She looks better as a boy than I do."
"Nonsense, my dear friend... You look charming and I'm sure those ladies over there aren't staring at me." Eriko winked as she pulled Sei closer.
Sure enough the women across the hall sent the two old classmates a shy smile.
"I find it difficult to comprehend why your father agreed for me to be your date instead of Yamanobe-san." Sei sighed, her eyes darting to the still empty stairs.
"Why wouldn't he? He knows I'm not your type." Eriko replied snuggling to her friend's shoulder.
She could feel Sei tense up and giggled to the fact. She smiled as they waited. Soon enough, for sure, Sei would have to ease up.
"Eriko!"
They heard a voice call out.
The duo turned and gave the older woman a smile.
"Gokigenyou, Mizuno-sama." They bowed and smiled back.
"My, my, is he your boyfriend?" The older Mizuno asked smiling at a surprised Sei.
The blonde was about to speak but Eriko held her back with a glance. It seemed to say that she should ride along with the notion. So, Sei shrugged and just let Eriko do the talking.
"Iie. I brought Sei-kun here for the dances."
"Ah… I see. Arigatou. We were short on the men who would dance with her. Arigatou for gracing us with your presence, Sei-kun." The older woman bowed.
Satou Sei stood there, mortified, for the first time in her life. She turned to her friend who was suppressing her laughter. When Youko's mother left, Sei couldn't help but shoot dagger-like glares at her friend.
"That's not funny Eriko!" She complained crossing her arms across her chest.
"But it is! I was only talking about you dancing with me. I didn't know they lack a guest to dance with Youko!" Eriko giggled some more giving Sei further torment on her task ahead.
"This isn't funny Eriko. I don't want to ruin her party!" Sei tried to keep her voice down because she wanted to literally scream at her friend's ear.
"Oh, come on Sei. Don't you want to at least experience taking Youko for dance?"
"Na-Nani?" Sei stammered, feeling a blush creep through her cheeks.
Eriko laughed and pinched those cheeks before making a reply.
"Do you think you could hide it from me Satou Sei? Do you think you could hide what your eyes are telling me?"
Sei didn't answer. Instead, she looked away from her friend who just giggled once more. She's just teasing me, Sei thought. It would be such a big deal if Youko found out about how she really felt.
Two years after graduation and she still can't forget about Youko. The feelings were so strong that sometimes Sei thought they were greater than what she felt of Shiori.
This scared her badly.
She succumbed to the silence once more, while Eriko waved and greeted some of the people her family knew. No one seemed to recognize her though. Sei sighed as Eriko found the crook of her elbow once more.
"Eriko-sama!" A person greeted from a distance.
Sei closed her eyes and hoped it was at least someone they knew. She couldn't take more of the notions Eriko was pushing amongst the guest. It did surprise her though that Youko's mother didn't recognize her.
Maria-sama isn't watching. She should give her better eyesight.
"Sachiko! Gokigenyou!"
Eriko giggled once more when she found Rei in tow. Sporting a tux, no less.
"I supposed you were bribed too?" Eriko asked her petite-sour with a smile.
"Iie, onee-sama. Kashiwagi-san is sick with flu so I decided to help Sachiko out. Yumi is busy with some lessons and Yuuki is just too small for Sachiko."
"How wonderful! I wish my date was sweet like you." Eriko replied earning another glare from her friend.
Sei turned around and glanced at the stairs. She didn't feel like revisiting Lillian through stories and what-not. Her heart was feeling a little restless considering she had to dance with Youko at any moment.
Youko.
Her name was in the blonde's lips but it was never spoken.
The brunette was her main pillar of strength since her onee-sama left for college. When graduated from Lillian, they would meet a few times, for lunch or for coffee, neither speaking about their personal lives. They just shared the meal, the coffee, nothing more. Nothing less. It made Sei's heart twist and turn at times. Understanding the situation was difficult too. Since Kubo Shiori, she had kept her distance when she came closer to Shimako. But with Youko, the farther Sei distanced herself, the closer her heart seemed to yearn for the former Rosa Chinesis.
Her reverie was rudely interrupted when the orchestra played a new song.
She turned to find Mizuno Youko gracefully taking the steps to meet her guests.
Her black hair marvelously swayed with the soft wind. Her dress was white as snow. Though Eriko was the best dresser among the three former Rosas, Youko seemed to have the edge tonight.
"She's beautiful." Sei said out loud but didn't notice.
Her three former schoolmates just gave her a knowing smile and turned to look at the former Rosa Chinesis as well.
"Sei-kun? You are Sei-kun right? Come with me. You are next in the program." The man in a tux, presumably part of the party planners, took Sei's hand.
The blonde kept quiet, not really knowing how to react. She saw Eriko giggle so she shot her a knowing glance. Soon, when the party is over, Torii Eriko will face Satou Sei's wrath.
"Please wait for your turn here." The man gave her a rose and left her in a long line.
She heard the orchestra change the music once more. It was a waltz Sei knew too well. She nervously held the rose and noticed it was red.
"How perfect…" She sighed.
A long stemmed red rose that meant everything inch of feeling she had for Mizuno Youko.
Sei could remember words she kept inside her heart.
I like you.
I'm falling for you.
I love you.
I'm in love with you.
They weren't uttered, just kept till present. Sei, all seriousness, wasn't anywhere saying those words to Youko. Not now. And maybe not in her lifetime.
Nevertheless, Sei would speak those words.
To Maria-sama in her prayers.
So that Youko would always be happy, safe and well taken cared of.
She smiled staring at the red rose.
Sei didn't notice the number of men on queue dwindling. She didn't even notice she was the last one on the line. When she realized it was her turn, all eyes were on her when she walked towards her friend.
Youko stood at the center of the hall surprised but didn't react violently. It was a gift, a freebee. At least her friend wasn't mad at her.
Sei bowed and handed the rose to Youko who in turn curtsied. She then took Youko's hand with hers, her other hand rested on the former Rosa Chinesis' waist. The song changed once more, into something more romantic. But the two were unmoving, they just stared, unsure.
"Gomen… Your mother didn't realize it was me."
"Iie… She knew first hand it was you." Youko replied as they started to dance a waltz.
"But she thought I was a man…"
"It was only for show. I knew you wouldn't agree to dance with me if I asked you first hand."
"You… Never changed at all…" Sei huffed but held Youko close.
The former Rosa Chinesis still got what she wanted. No matter how hard it was. It was a note Sei would remember for all times.
They danced slowly. Hands clasped together. Bodies close to one another. It seemed an eternity but neither took notice. They stared into each other's eyes, neither saying a word. It was as if they were both afraid everything would stop if they spoke. It was as if speaking would break them from whatever it was they shared at that moment.
"Why me?" Sei asked realizing she was Youko's last dance.
"I always wanted to save the last dance for you."
"Funny…" Sei sighed pulling Youko a little closer.
"I'm serious." Youko sighed, resting her head on Sei's shoulder.
She felt the blonde tense, knowing there were other people watching, gushing over the celebrant and her escort.
"Don't play games with me, Youko. You don't have to do this to make me feel better."
"I'm not doing this to make you feel better, Sei." Youko looked up to the blonde with loving eyes.
"I'm doing this because it's what I want." She added stopping their dance.
"I'm doing this because I can't just wait and watch you hurt yourself not knowing if I love you too or not." Youko leaned and kissed Sei on the lips.
They melted into each others arms. Youko's arms clung to Sei's neck, the latter's arms held Youko by the waist. There were claps and sighs among the crowd but neither paid attention.
They finally pulled apart from the kiss. But their arms still around one another. They let out a happy smile, foreheads touching as they resumed the dance. They glanced at their old friends who were looking at them with supportive eyes. It was fine. It was perfect. Finally the last wall had been broken down.
"Well, I think you're stuck with me now." Sei returned to her teasing while Youko merely laughed.
"Like they say, you can dance with every one in the room, but you would only go home with the person you share the last dance with. That… my love… Is something I don't really mind." Youko replied sealing their new found love with a kiss.