Chapter 4
There were plasma screens of arrival and departure times on the wall of the airport. People were lined up at the check in desk with suitcases and baggage. There was a sculpture of a whale with water cascading from its mouth and flowing down its tail flukes. In the background, soft classical music played. In the arrivals lounge there was a curious mixture of bored and excited people. Some looked like they were waiting for a bus, others like they were children waiting for Santa himself. Hyoudou wheeled his luggage bag to the waiting area and chose to sit next to an elderly couple.
" I got you a bottle of water in case you get thirsty during the flight," Shizuku smiled and handed it to him. Hyodou accepted it gratefully and made room for his partner to take her place next to him. He was leaving to further his studies in Germany and to hone his dancing skills while Shizuku was to leave for London in September. He felt excited as he was one step closer of achieving his dream but at the same time, there was a lingering feeling of regret and disappointment. Leaving behind his mother, Sengoku, all his friends and most importantly, his beloved dancing partner, Shizuku.
She had offered to accompany him to the airport today with the excuse of that she had some time to spare but he knew that she wanted to spend every minute till half past one, with him. "Kiyoharu, does this mean that we're officially dissolving our partnership?" she asked quietly. He didn't have an answer to that question as the answer was staring at him right in the face but he didn't want to accept it.
"Yes, the time has come for us to go our separate paths as dancers," he replied.
He hated himself for saying that. Her emotionless visage spoke volumes as he could almost hear her heart breaking into two. She was his partner of twelve years and they practically grew up together. She was the only girl who understood him, confided in him, laughed and cried with him as well as trusted him.
"I understand. I just wanted to make to make sure that we were on the same page," she nodded and looked up at him. Azure eyes met his hazel orbs as neither one of them wanted this to be the end of their journey together. They fought just as frequently as any other dancing couple but a healthy relationship wouldn't be without its fair share of ups and downs. Shizuku was a strong girl who could hold her own but she was in her most vulnerable state when it came to him. His words carried more weight than any of her friends and this was evident when he pitted Tatara against her in the Tenpei Cup.
" I've got another half an hour to go before departure. Time flies when you're wallowing in nostalgia," Hyoudou glanced at his watch as he watched another aircraft take off from the runway. "Kiyoharu, do you remember our last victory at the Mikasa Cup last month?" Shizuku smiled.
He cocked his head and nodded slowly. "Of course, I do. That victory meant a lot to us as it was our last competition together," he smiled. She fumbled around and instructed him to hold out his hand, which he did. She proceeded to press a photo to his open hand and tried to hide the excited smile that was forming on her lips.
It was a photo of them in the locker room, after the Mikasa Cup, with Hyoudou carrying her bridal style with the trophy in next to them. The picture was his final treasure waiting to be packed for the journey. In the locker room, they had called their "hangout spot" since childhood. She was wearing her signature blue dress for the waltz but in its prim colonial hues delicate as some pressed flower. Even in the photo, he could see the red hues that coloured her cheeks as her partner was carrying her in his arms.
He snapped out of his reverie and packed it away in his backpack. " Hanaoka, thank you for the picture. It will serve as a reminder of all the good times that we had together and the time I accidentally groped you as I was lifting you off the ground," he laughed as she sulked and smacked him playfully on the shoulder.
" I saw another side of you that day. A side that you don't usually show to other people. It was quite pleasant and frankly, I'm honoured that I managed to convince you take a few candid shots with me," she grinned evilly and waved her phone in the air much to his chagrin.
" Shizuku, this isn't goodbye," he said finally as the boarding announcement filled the room. She stopped and shook her head. " No Kiyoharu, it's time for you to leave me and fulfil your potential. I can no longer follow your lead nor do I plan on hindering your development. We were never on the same level to begin with," she gave a sad smile and helped him with his duffel bag.
His mouth went dry and he clenched his fists till the knuckles went white. " How can you say that?! Ballroom dancing isn't something you can do alone. You were my pillar and the reason I strive to become greater each day. Don't you ever undervalue yourself!" he burst out and squeezed her hand fiercely.
Her eyes widened at his sudden outburst. Her light blue eyes looked as if an ocean had been encased inside of small glass marbles. "I don't want you to leave me." they said. Then the smooth spheres appeared to be cracked; the ocean had started to leak, little water droplets streamed down Shizuku's soft cheeks.
" Thank you for believing in me and being my partner!" she dried her eyes and gave a muffled laugh. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seeming a little less bleak.
As she watched him made his way to the departure gate, she held her head high and gave him a thumb up. She felt proud that her partner was taking the next big step onto the international stage and that his journey was only getting started.
" Shizuku," he spun around and called out to her.
All eyes were on her as she folded her arms and turned to face him. " Yes, Kiyoharu, what is it? You're holding up the line," she clucked.
" Let's dance again together sometime. I'm expecting you to be on the same level as me," he grinned.
She shook her head fondly and thought about it. " Would our new respective partners mind though? We can get rather passionate when it comes to the Tango," she winked at him.
"When we've been together for as long as twelve years, our relationship goes beyond dancing partners," he rolled his eyes playfully and waved goodbye as he disappeared into the sea of passengers.
Shizuku made her way back to the entrance and stole one last glance at the tunnel before breaking into a big smile. She knew that this was goodbye for now but not forever because they were connected by dance and the unbreakable partnership that came with it.
A/N This was an emotional piece to write but I could envision them going through an equally emotional goodbye if it were to happen at all. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated as feedback and interaction with you guys really keeps me motivated to continue writing. Till next time!
