For Shiranai Atsune - sempai

Special dedication to HachimitsuOukan - sempai and ShadowCyclone – sempai! Thank you for caring about my health (almost like my mom too)! I'm already getting better! :3 And also, I'm not a Kirino-Midori fan. That was plain coincidence. :D Oh! And Ironman 3 was really awesome! I hoped you watched it already! :3 And ermaigerd, you guys. Who doesn't love Taiyou! xD

Jer-bear. OMG my Sleeping Beauty cast is AWESOME. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inazuma, and I don't own the reviews I get. But I own the love I'm giving out to you guys! X)


8: Use Your Brain to Follow Your Heart

Think straight and break the rules.

Beautiful.

That's what she was, and always be.

'No, stop,' Tsurugi shook his head mentally as he spun Sorano around with his outstretched hand. 'You gotta focus on the dance. Otherwise, you'll be embarrassing her on her first formal.' So, despite the ex-SEED's struggle to concentrate on his dancing, he knew it was a futile effort the moment he eyed Sorano's pink face. "Better not develop a third left foot, Sorano," He teased, just to rid himself of the nervousness he felt around the latter. She scowled amusedly. "The same applies to you, teacher."


Tsurugi was never fond of ballroom dancing, even when the footwork and choreography helped in his SEED training. The moment the song ended, and he and Aoi decided to split, he made a beeline for the fresh air outside.

"Hello?"

"You're slower than a crossbred turtle-snail, you know that?" It was Amemiya, but not the usual Amemiya; he sounded serious and direct to the point. "What do you want? And no, you can't have either my best friend or my brother."

"We'll talk about that some other time. At the moment, don't you think this formal is the best time to confess to Sorano-san?"

"Why are you nosing in on my business?"

"You nosed in on mine when I was wondering who Tenma-kun was. I'm repaying you because I'm kind." Taiyou dramatically said with much emphasis on the last five words. "Also because Churugi really likes her, doesn't he?"

"S-shut up."


"You were great out there, Aoi," Midori said as soon as she and Akane were within earshot. "Especially with Tsurugi as your partner too!" The fiery haired manager grinned mischievously as Akane giggled silently behind her. Aoi couldn't hide the blush travelling all over her face. "Admit it already, Aoi!" Midori quickly grabbed her kouhai's wrists and looked her in the eyes.

"I took pictures of you and Tsurugi-kun dancing, Aoi-chan," Akane smiled as she navigated through her Shindou archives. "You two really stood out, you know." When the brunette manager finally found the pictures, she and Midori couldn't help but share happy giggles.

And there it was, a picture of her and Tsurugi in their dance. Her arms were relaxed around his neck, as was his interlocked fingers on her waist. She wouldn't want to admit it to herself, but Midori-senpai and Akane-senpai were right about her expression. She was practically glowing, but that wasn't she was admiring.

It was him.

He was just…perfect.

And that's when it hit her.


"Hey, hey, Churugi," The apparent owner of the name sighed. Tsurugi decided to let the orangehead off the hook. "Since you're, like, in love with someone, you think that all you have to do now is follow your heart, right? Like Mulan! 'My duty is to my heart'. Right? Right?"

"…What's your point, Captain Sheng?"

"That you should still think before making a move. Fall in love, all you want, but you still gotta think straight."

"Is that all?"

"I'm trying to be a helpful love guru, here, geez!" Amemiya let out an incensed whiff of air out. "But whatever. Tonight's the perfect night, just saying!" Immediately, the hospital patient hung up, momentarily puzzling Tsurugi.

Until Aoi showed up behind him, of course.


"Tsurugi?"

He spun around to meet his caller's eyes. She was beautiful, he knew it; it would be stupid not to look at her. "What is it?" Aoi approached him quietly as she closed the door behind her. "You've been hiding here for how many minutes now; I thought you were sick." Helpfully, she handed him a fruit drink which he took gratifyingly. "I'm not into dancing and balls, Sorano." He explained to her as they both stood side by side. "And why do you care so much?"

This caught the blue-haired girl by surprise. "W-well, that's what friends do, after all."

"And is that all you think of me?"

"Only if you feel the same way," She sipped a bit of her drink. "As emotionally upsetting as it sounds." She forced a small laugh, just to relax herself from an indirect confession. Tsurugi grabbed the surprised girl's hand. "But that's not how I feel or think about you, Sorano."

"Well, judging from how you wanted to kiss me back at the clinic, I guess I never should've doubted my thoughts."

Tsurugi chuckled and drew the short girl closer. "I thought all short people were smart." Aoi smiled at the tall boy in front of her. "Oh, they are," She said with a hint of amusement. "It's just that when they're with someone they like so much, everything just gets so much harder, you know?"

And just for her, Tsurugi puts on a cheeky smile.

"Touché."


Hey gaaaaise! Next chappie will get you KyouAoi fans squealing! I can't say the same for myself; I still have phlegm in my system so I think I'll just grin like a maniac instead. :))

Reviews! Reviews, everyone! Do it for the nonexistent children! :P

Oh wow, I haven't even reached half of page 3 and I've already ended my story. :O It's a pretty short chapter, apparently. :D

Jer-beaaaaaar. I deleted my Wattpad account, by the way. My stories are fugly. :(

-AniMa