Chapter 3 – The Ball
I rubbed my foot for the hundredth time. "Jeez Tsuna, is this how you treat any girl that you ask to dance with?" I complained. Tsuna blushed and looked down at his feet. I sighed and stood from the chair that I was sitting on. I hobbled over to the CD player and stopped it.
"I've got to go get changed and get ready, Gokudera can practice with you."
"Juudaime, I'd be honoured to practice with you!" Tsuna sweatdropped.
I smiled and walked up the stairs to my bedroom. Once there, I collapsed on my bed and called a maid to massage my feet.
Once she finished with my feet, I felt less deadened. I went to my wardrobe and selected a purple velvet halter gown that complemented my light blond hair and my stormy grey eyes. I picked out white diamond studded Jimmy Choos. After a maid combed my hair and styled it, my nails and toenails were buffered and polished and makeup was applied to my face, the last thing to do was to put on my clothes. I dressed, and looked at myself in the mirror.
Staring back at myself was a young aristocratic lady. Her back was straight, her face giving no sign of pain from walking. Rosiland, the maid behind me exclaimed, "Risa-sama, you look positively wonderful today! The dress that you picked out looks beautiful!"
I turned around. "Thank you, Rosiland. Could you bring my perfume?"
She hurried to get it and I sprayed myself all over before putting it back. I lifted my dress, taking great care not to step on the hem, and walked downstairs where the ball was starting. I took a chocolate coated marshmallow from a waiter and headed over where Tsuna and his friends where standing awkwardly. Famous people started filling the room.
"Don't stand there like loners," I said. "Mix! Mingle with the crowd. Talk to people. Lambo's in the nursery, by the way. A maid is looking after him, so don't worry! Have some food. Relax. Have fun." I left them standing there and almost immediately, a hand touched my arm. I turned around and saw an elderly English gentleman, Mr Webber, a customer of the Kagayuki group, smiling down at me.
"Miss Risa, how are you doing today?" He asked in English. My brain switched languages immediately. "Oh, hello, Mr Webber! I'm fine. How have you been faring?" "Ah, these bones will hold up for a little while longer. How's your father?" I smiled. Now that the small talk was over, we would be getting down into business. "My father is fine. He was extremely pleased with your purchases in our group's stock."
He smiled. "Yes, I was extremely pleased as well with the quality of your connections. I have more business to do, and so do my friends. Do you know if your father has any spare time?" "He should be free next Wednesday. Feel free to come over or call any time, Mr Webber. You'll always be welcome."
A maid tapped on my arm. "It's time, Risa-sama." She bowed respectively and I smiled back. "Excuse me, Mr Webber. Feel free to call any time."
I walked up to the stage where my father was talking.
"….. Last Monday, my daughter, Risa, won the 52nd western Japanese Piano Competition that was held in Hokkaido. She will be representing Western Japan in November. Next Wednesday, she will be flying to Venice for the International Composer's Piano Competition. Please listen to her piece- Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin!"
I walked up on stage and sat on the piano stool. The piano was a white Steinway & Sons grand piano from the 'Imagine' John Lennon Limited Edition series, Borrowed Time, which includes a sketch of an upright piano, such as the legendary Steinway on which Lennon composed "Imagine." I ran my fingers over the keys. At the back of the hall, I heard a commotion.
A nasally voice could be heard, "Lambo-san wants to play!" I froze. La-Lambo? Wasn't he in the nursery? He came to the front of the room. Titters could be heard from the audience: "Whose child could that be?" They stared as Lambo came up onto the stage. He jumped on the piano stool and proceeded to hit the piano keys. I blanched in horror. "Lambo, could you please get off the piano?"
"NO! I don't wanna! I'm the best piano player in the world!" I sweatdropped. "I'm sorry to say, but Lambo, you're not the best." He immediately burst into tears. "Gotta stay calm. GOTTA … STAY … CALM! WAHHHH!" He promptly burst into tears and pulled out the 10 year bazooka. He pulled it over himself and pulled the trigger. Instantly, white smoke filled the room and I felt something close to my face and touching my lips. I opened my eyes and …. I was face to face with an older Lambo, his eyes closed and …. kissing me on the lips.
Lambo's POV
The noise from the shop that I-pin and I were in stopped. It was deadly silent. I reopened my eyes. Staring back at me were two, stormy grey eyes that mirrored my own shock. I scrambled back. A blonde girl in a velvet halter gown stared back at me. "Wait, where's I-Pin? We were on a date…." I said.
"Lambo?" she said. I stared closer at her. I had seen that face before, 10 years ago…. "Stalker-san?" I looked left. I saw a white grand piano. I had a sinking feel in my stomach. I looked all around and saw the shocked faces of an audience. White smoke came from nowhere, and suddenly I was with I-Pin again.
Risa's POV
Adult Lambo disappeared, and a wailing 5-year old Lambo reappeared. He promptly ran off the stage and back to the nursery. The audience started muttering, who was that boy? I was still in shock. That was my first kiss! And not even from someone I like! The audience was perplexed. Calm down, Risa, I told myself. Get through this ball. Then you can rage. I flexed my fingers and started playing Fantasie Impromptu. The music swirled around the hall, calming the guests and my inner self. The music played and everyone relaxed, falling back into the usual patterns. I gritted my teeth, trying not to think murderous thoughts towards Lambo.
Here's a random omake:
Tsuna's POV
An elegant brown haired girl came over to where I was sitting.
"Hello! What's your name?" She said. "Oh, I'm Tsuna." I stuttered. "I'm Haruka." She smiled. "Do you like dancing?"
"Ah, er….." Gokudera leaned over. "Ask her to dance, Juudaime!"
"Oh, sure! Would you like to dance?" I asked.
"I'd love to!" She replied. I led her out onto the dance floor. It was a foxtrot, a dance that I had practiced with Kaichou. Since I was terrible at it, I followed Risa-san's guidance. Surprisingly, I only stepped on her foot once.
Once the song ended, she bowed. "Thank you, Tsuna-san. I hope to meet you again soon." She smiled, straightening and walking away.
Kaichou soon came over. She smirked. "That was the popular teenage model, Haruka Yue. So how many timed did you step on her feet?"
Gokudera stepped up to defend me. "Don't insult Juudaime! He only stepped on her foot once!"
Risa-san laughed. "Still Dame-Tsuna, I see; but getting better. I'll acknowledge that."
So what do you think? Please review! :)
