The dance of two left feet

AU of Ballroom e Youkuso

Slow character progress...

The genre is still slice of life, Angst, a hint romance, school life, friendship, and dance sports

Step 1: of uncertainty

He noticed the romantic subtleties and rhythmic body motions, that Hanaoka-san was doing as she shadow dance. From the angle on where he is watching her, he notices that it was sassy and sensual, he notices that her hips were quite active and keeps on moving.

'Slow- Quick -Quick...'

He thought to himself as he is still peeking at the window panels, hoping he wouldn't get notice by his schoolmate and be branded as a pervert.

Nevertheless, he still couldn't believe that the studious, glasses wearer pretty girl of their school can dance.

'4/4 time signature.' He mutters quietly to himself, as he leans closer at the surface of the window and he could faintly heard the upbeat music and the lyrics that is suspiciously sound latin.

He wouldn't deny how enticing Hanaoka-san shadow dance, while being watch by the people that look like some kind of dance instructor. He could tell that the man with a large forhead and the fa- No, the voluptuous woman? Are dancers despite their appearance.

He isn't knowledgeable in ballroom dancing, since he just (accidentally*) started to be some kind of a fanboy of the Sengoku pair this year, or let's just say just a couple of months. Tatara knows that he is not interested at other pairs, other than the pair of Hongou-san and Sengoku-san since he felt like something inside him suddenly lit up.

Is it passion? He is not sure if it is.

Nonetheless, he is curious now that he notices that Hanaoka-san is splendid at doing her shadow dance, he wondered if she is a pro or competing at the tournaments. However a sudden thought crashes on his mind, what if it happens that another student or a faculty member just happens to see her? It would be probably chaotic since some adults might find it bit... He couldn't find the right word to described the reactions they might have when they saw Hanaoka-san is doing a 'quite provocative' dance.

If he we're to ask, Hanaoka-san is doing a pretty normal hobby in his opinion. After all he used to dance as well.

He used to, and he doesn't like it very much.

For some reason he didn't want Hanaoka-san to see him as of this moment, he just felt like he wanted to avoid her, especially after seeing her dance. She looks so alive unlike whenever he saw her at school where she looks so bored.

Its getting pretty late as he notice the lamp posts is starting to flicker the lights and the sun is settling down.

He got up and left the place with uncertainty.

He wonder why did he stop dancing, he loves it so much.

He stopped when he saw an empty basketball court and he went inside it.

He stared at his surrounding and notices he is alone. With a sigh he set aside his bag and stretches his body.

He imagine a certain rhythm of the guzheng that his grandmother used to play, as he closes his eyes.

'Slow - slow - timid steps... Slightly bend knees, he lowered his shoulders, his chin slightly pointing upward, he raises his hand as he is holding a fan... He is starting to feel sick and his imaginary rhythm that is playing on his mind is getting heavier, he felt nauseous, he flick his hand as he steps back...'

He immediately opened his eyes as he stopped his steps and looks around his surrounding, he felt like someone was just there and saw him.

It's not that he cared on who saw him but he felt a very intense stare that made him feel shiver down his spine.

He took his bag and immediately went out of the basketball court, however he saw no one was there. He then decided to go home as soon as impossible, however he remembered a certain memory.

Why?

Oh.

He stopped somewhere in the middle of his freshman years in middle school.

He remembered, it was when his mother left him and his father. Maybe they did divorced though they didn't bother to tell him. He didn't know the reasons why but he still has the right to know since he is still their son.

It feels like yesterday for him, every step, every hand movements, the sway of his body, and every beat and tune that the Guzheng makes as his grandmother played while being instruct by his grandfather should be elegant and precise. He wasn't complaining but he is being taught somehow to be the next onnagata after all his grandfather was once a performer at a Kabuki theatre when he was younger and seems to be eager to share his knowledge to him since he was very old...

Moreover his body still remember everything that has taught to him when he was younger. It was embarrassing but he knew how to perform some traditional dance that was taught by his grandparents, until his grandfather died and his grandmother just turned her attention to sumo wrestling. However he continue practicing it and got into some idol dance that he saw in the television.

It was satifying practicing his dance but it felt lonely since he doesn't have anyone to show it to aside from his grandmother. He doesn't have any friends, he's plain, short, doesn't have any confidence, and pretty much stupid in his opinion.

He felt like an empty shell whenever he practice, yes its indeed satisfying but the emptiness he felt at each step made him feel sick.

Until one day, he saw Sengoku performed and it was enthralling. He wanted to ballroom dance, but he didn't know how to.

TBC

I almost forgot, To be honest the original concept of this au is that Tatara is an onnagata* but I think I needed to tone everything down.