Part 2
Above the High Sky
This chapter was set after Key to Her Heart (Chapter 1), where Eli was already in Russia and had been practicing on the performance.
...
Swan Lake
Chapter 3: The Ballerina Idol
...
I met Dream. She wore a black robe with the edges looked like they were damaged or ripped, and an oval ruby chained around her neck. She had a long dark hair like Umi. Her face was beautiful just like Umi. Her voice too, was like hers. The way she moved around, how she turned and her hair followed, was copied off Umi.
"You know, I've visited everyone at least once in their lives and never have I met someone who dreamed the exact same thing more than once."
"Maybe the others don't believe in their dream as much as I do."
"Your dress looks stunning, by the way."
"Thanks. Umi haven't seen it yet, so don't spoil it. And you saw hers, so don't spoil it."
"Eli, in your other dreams you were happy; I mean look at yourself, you should be. It's going to be the most important day of your lives. But why are you crying now?"
"Because I miss her. It's been almost two weeks since I last touched her. Although I'm happy to see her soon, but still…"
"You recently have been ending your sleep before you see her, before there is a ring on you. Why don't you just dream it? And please, don't wipe them with your gloves."
"Because then I had to be asleep for it to come true, and I don't want that."
"Wise."
"If you do see her, please make her dreams pleasant."
"I will. And I will stand when she walks down the aisle."
"You should. She's going to look amazing."
Everyone had something they feared and it kept them in check and sanity would be discarded when they face their darkest fears. Some people confronted them and they thought it would be helpful to get rid of their phobias. But it would not be in the case of mine, where I was persistently feared failure, atychiphobia. I couldn't take on, especially on purpose a fail to get rid of it. I failed on to be a ballerina when I was young and I couldn't live it again another day or else I would lose my sanity and gave into madness. One would agree, it would only take one really bad day to make it happen. It was a scar that I had to live with. Sure, another would argue that it was no big deal but to the looser fragile girl, it was like a sentence, a verdict given by judge of success whose piercing eyes only gazed upon winners.
I had been taking on challenges though, and I worked really hard for them. The love of my life convinced me to take that leap to join µ's and I hadn't regret it ever since. It helped. It kept my sanity at bay and reason on shore. Her persuasion never stopped and I felt like I had her full support on whatever task I dared.
Since then I began to trust myself once more, and it was all because of Umi. I trusted her more than myself since. I wouldn't care if she wanted me to bungee jump, I would do it even though I never preferred great heights. I would care to walk along a narrow hallway in complete blindness, I would do it even though I never liked the pitch blacks. Because I trusted her to be at the end to wait for me, I would do it.
Everyone had something they feared and it kept them in check and sanity would be discarded when they face their darkest fears. Umi couldn't be left by herself, she had the fear of being alone, monophobia. She never liked being left out and she never appreciated if I didn't tell her something that she should know. Because of it she always found it hard to meet new people especially a foreigner, that's why she always paid attention to how well-mannered she looked. But she was never alone, she had her friends who stood by her since her childhood, and she had me, the love of her life who promised to never left her sight. But she never had imagined myself walking away could be such a deterrence for her.
The night I told Umi about my project in Moscow was devastating. It was her worst fear served on a silver platter and I was the waitress. I could never imagine how I would react if I were in her position if I were to fail on my girlfriend. I felt her fear in her eyes. She begged me not to go. But I was given 3 days to make my final decision so I gave those days for Umi to decide – it was the same task I had given her before she confessed. I knew it was my career and my decision to make, but if I hadn't got a permission from Umi I wouldn't go because it would jeopardize our relationship thus her dream too; I would not do anything that would mean my survival for malice especially for Umi. For 3 days during that nightmare we didn't touch the topic but we spent a lot of time together, one of the most memorable time too – I let her open the doors with the key I had given her and she was uplifted about it.
Finally, she gave her answer and she let me take the job. It was the most logical answer and decision she reasoned, it would be difficult for her at first but I would return to her arms again and that was all she wanted.
...
After four weeks, there I was in Moscow. Nico and I had been training for almost two weeks and it was a few days left until the final performance. There were still parts of it that we still needed to get our heads around but we wouldn't get anywhere if we were to isolate ourselves in the practice room. Thus we decided to cool our heads, literally, as we walked around Moscow. We visited Red Square and it was cold, but not so much because Alisa and I were accustomed with the weather and were wearing winter coats, but Nico only wore a striped thin hoodie and a coat – she was not at all chilled.
I counted the time and I predicted Umi should be in my apartment by that afternoon. Nico and Alisa went to the shops around the avenue while I sat outside enjoying a cup of hot chocolate where I could still see them through the glass windows. Then I video called Umi from my phone. She answered the call from her laptop that sat on the coffee table and showed her sitting on the sofa still in her uniform.
'How's the weather like, Eli?' Umi bent forward so she would be closer to the camera.
'Oh it's cold here, Umi. I can manage but I still need a jacket.' I tilted my phone down to showy my clothing. I opened a little of my collar so she could see the necklace around me – the blue Heart of the Ocean jewel on me.
'Are you wearing enough layers? Because I think I'm wearing too many here.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Oh, you know… it's just so hot in here.' Umi began to fan herself and took off the blazer. She tried to tease me, about weather.
'Yeah? Maybe I should take off my jacket too.' I tried to compete with her and removed the outmost layer and hung it on the backrest of the chair. 'Are you happy now? I'm cold.' I rubbed my arm with my phone on its hand for warmth.
'But I still can go one more layer. Can you?' Umi grinned and started to grab the bottom of her sweater by crossing her arms and started lifting.
As she lifted half way through her shirt started to untuck from her skirt, but she didn't know that, yet. So Umi kept lifting her sweater but the shirt was somehow got caught with it so she started to flash herself from the bottom. She showed her navel and up her diaphragm and her ribs too; I remembered how soft her skin was and I remembered the times my hands grope around those parts of her body. I kept myself quiet as I stared at her luscious body until her shirt was lifted above her bra – it was white and blue striped bra with flowery lace around. It looked elegant on Umi as they pushed-up her breasts proportionally, that they made them seemed larger yet still alluring. They were truly divine. I started to blush and stunned as I hadn't seen her body for a long time. I missed her exhales, I missed her whining, I missed her grasp on my hair.
'Um, Umi… your skin is… showing.' I was a little light-headed from the show. I bit my lower lip. I got thirsty.
'Ah!' Umi struggled taking her sweater off; perhaps it was because I often helped her take them off after I kissed her neck, that she lost the ability to do it herself. 'Eli don't look!'
'Yeah? And how do you intend to stop me?' I kept on staring and began to breath heavily. I tried to close my mouth because I didn't realise I was gasping.
'Eli!' Umi whined, and I started to remember the things I did to her that made her called for my name twice before stroking my hair; but I never got far anyway.
Umi finally got her sweater out of her head but her shirt was still above her bra, which she soon realised after looking at the screen. Then she pulled them down as she blushed in embarrassment before she attacked the pillow on her right and buried her face in it.
'Eli! I told you not to stare!' Umi complained with her voice diminished by the pillow. She was lying on the sofa that only showed her hair, her torso, and her legs only until the knees – her legs were another wild wonderland I had fun teasing and experimenting.
'Aww, Umi.' I suddenly snapped back to reality as I was hooked by my own imagination and drooled on her body. 'I'm sorry. Please show your face, dear. Next time I won't stare so long.'
Umi took her time but she finally dug up her face from the pillow and looked at the screen. I gave her smile but I couldn't see hers because the pillow was still blocking partially.
'Were those new?'
'Y-yes… I was trying them. I had to buy because… yours are… t-t-too big…' She clenched on her pillow again but they were red because it got tinted from the colour her cheeks spilled, while I only giggled. 'Eli!' she whined loudly by lifting her head and finally showing her face with eyes closed.
'I'm sorry, Umi. I like them. And they look good in it. I mean you! I mean you look good in it… I can't wait to see it in person. I mean those! No! I mean it!'
'I know,' Umi said with a chuckle. 'And thank you, Eli.'
'I'd gladly entice you with the same show, but I have to tell you, mine are not good looking as yours.'
'No. Don't say that! You have a great… size… and I never found them unattractive.'
'I meant the bra, Umi.'
Umi startled and stammered and finally buried her face again. She looked adorable.
'But you're in luck, I'm not wearing any. Look!'
Umi turned her head and quickly face the screen again, with curiosity on her looks. But I had not moved from the frame of the camera and I hadn't done anything except that I winked. I had my bra on and they're still buried underneath my clothing. She looked puzzled trying to see what was not in frame at all. But it only made me laugh.
'Ugh! Eli! Stop it… and you lied,' she whined and turned her body away and lied on her side.
'I'm outside and it's cold, I'm not showing you anything, Umi. I have to get home and in my room, if you're still on board.' I jokingly suggested.
'You've lost your costumer. I'm not interested anymore.' But not long she turned back to the camera with a large smile across her face. 'Eli… I miss you.'
'I miss you too, Umi. Now, have you eaten?'
'No, I haven't. I was focused on presentation today.'
'Umi!' I scolded. 'Get something to eat now. Do you still have the meatballs I made? How about the pies? And the skewers? Umi! Show me the ridge! It should be almost empty by now.'
She carried her laptop to the kitchen counter facing the fridge and opened the door to show the insides. The freezer still had food containers with food I made for her but some were almost empty, and some ice cream. The middle section still had the raspberry jam, canned tuna and some miso paste next to the tofu. The bottom section still filled with some apples, grapes, and vegetables. On the door were only a few eggs, bars and nuggets of chocolate untouched, half litre of milk left, and some pulped orange juice.
'See. I've been eating them, and I haven't touched your chocolate nibbles too… except the white Hersey's… and the Cadbury's… B-but I've been eating out as well! Maki brought me everywhere, she thought I didn't have food here so…'
'We'll talk about chocolates when I get back,' I tried to intimidate her while she held a leer. 'Anyway, go get some food. If you think you can get me to come back sooner if you get yourself sick… well… don't get your hopes high, Umi… because maybe I will.'
'I'll never get sick of your cooking, Eli. I'll finish the meatballs today. And thank you.' Umi closed the door to the fridge and the freezer and walked towards the laptop again before she turned it around so she could sit on the barstool.
'Anything for you. Oh, when you hang out with Maki, bring her home to eat because I made a lot and I want them finished when I get back - even if it takes two stomachs.'
'Sure, I'll let her know.'
'Good. Anyway, how about I call you again later at night? Nico's about to finish and we're going to grab some lunch.'
'Sure. Oh, bring home some матрёшка. I want to decorate your living room and the one you already given me, I want to keep it at my house.'
'Expected in three to five business days.'
'Thanks, Eli. I love you.'
'And I too, love you, Umi.'
...
After Nico, Alisa, and myself grabbed lunch near Kremlin, we stayed there for another half an hour. While Alisa talked to one of her friends who happened to be around, I looked over my shoulder and Nico had been playing with the straw of her drink. Sure, over years I had been with them, I had read a lot about social behaviour especially on my friends and more importantly on Umi. I started to notice abnormal behaviour when one of us was thinking about something, usually that took over 90% of their capacity. And Nico had it highlighted with bright colours.
'Nico, you're a woman. You can just say anything that's been bothering –' Before I could finish approaching her, she had already cut it without hesitation.
'Well, if she does miss me why haven't she called?' Nico burst rapidly with her speech. 'I mean, I miss her too, Eli. Look at you and Umi: you openly say you love each other, don't you? By the way, she would have asked me what's wrong long time ago.'
'I guess you can hear us huh?' I finished my sip on my drink and put it aside.
'When the two of you talked, it looks like you have zero care for the rest of the world around. I mean, why can't we be more like you and Umi.' Nico had finished her drink but she still played with it.
'Well, first, if one of you were the slightest like Umi, she would have you eliminated even before you have a crush on me. And secondly, if one of you are the slightest like us, you are not Nico and… today, Red.' She stared at me with looks that demanded further explanation.
Nico and I had made a pact since we were still students of Otonokizaka, the day I figured out who Nico was dating. She made me promise to not mention her name whenever we talked about her relationship. While she could just use pronouns, I had to assign a substitute name, such as Red or Tomato; just not to repeat the same too often. She too figured out my crush back then on Umi, she had to keep her name substituted when we talked. Being a blabbermouth as she was, she broke it within the hour we made the pact. She meant to say "Ocean" but it happened to be her name too (I mean, what are the chances?). As punishment I made her tie a ponytail on herself for the whole day and cited "Kashikoi kawaii, Elichika," instead of her "Nico-Nico-Nii". So far, I had kept my end of the pact.
'Don't say that you wish you were like some other couple. I mean our relationship is not perfect either, you know. She got angry at me because I don't tell her enough, that she had to hear it through a grapevine.'
'I'm sorry Eli, but I have to side with Umi. You're cruel.'
'Hey! That's not the point!' I protested and Nico gave a sneer. 'Anyway, sometimes I had wished myself that I was more like you and your diva. Geez, Nico, you two dated even though I told you not to and kept it a secret from the rest of the µ's. For me that's true love, despite I was the one forbidding you, the villain of your early relationship. I was a coward, I made Umi wait for 2 and a half weeks until I said yes.'
'But you turned out to be one of the godmothers of our relationship.'
'I guess so. So what I'm really saying is: it doesn't matter how much you think how perfect other couples are, soon or later you'll realise your own is the closest one to perfection. All those disagreements, those fights, those tears, they all go away. I always look for comfort from Umi as she does from me.'
'I hate to admit, but you're right, Eli. You haven't been dating as long as we were but maybe your meddling gave you such an advantage.'
'I wasn't the one meddling, for the record. But you just have to take your time, and I have to take the bill. And you have to take that phone call.' I stood up after I slid Nico her phone, which I took earlier, across the round table. It was dialling Rose.
...
Later that evening we were more in sync, and we moved with the other dancers better. Closer, but not enough. We took an evening break but we still we couldn't get our heads around some. Even to the other dancers, as some looked up to mine and Nico's. Before we could get anywhere, we decided to take another break, because we thought it was not a problem with our body movement but mental connection between each other.
I decided to call my girlfriend to cool it off.
'Hi, dear. How was your evening?' I greeted her while I was in the longue room as I sat by the long table.
'H-hi. Eli… don't say that out loud!' Umi replied while lying on the bed, on her side.
'What's wrong?' I giggled at first. 'Can't I call you "dear"?'
'B-but you're outside. People can hear you.' Umi hid behind the blanket.
'But no one speaks Japanese here, except the south-easterners; but okay. So how was your night, Umi?' I stressed on her name.
'It's alright,' she replied after she removed the blanket with only her eyes to the top of her head was showing. 'We all had dinner at Kotori's favourite restaurant.'
'You mean the pastry where they only served cheesecake? How was it?'
'No, it was a different place – she found a new one. She said you had been mentioning that place, so Kotori and Hanayo checked it out. It's been her favourite since. The bistro has a great atmosphere, balanced between a place to eat, and a place to chat, and drinks too. It was fun. Nozomi came too and she received hugs from everyone. Oh! And they were asking about you and Nico too. Like, how are things going there.'
'Oh yeah?'
'Yeah. I said that both of you worked hard for the festival and cannot be disturbed. They can't wait to see the recording. You know, Eli, I was thinking that we should invite them over. It's been long since we all hang out and maybe we could have a dinner party.'
'Umi, that sound's wonderful! We can have it in the living room and have everyone bring something to share with the group, then we can watch the recordings. Nozomi might get busy soon and Honoka has got that meeting with other schools. Yes, we should do this soon!'
Then as we talked, appeared in front of me were my friends, the other dancers from the practice entering the longue.
'Эй, Эли,' Anastasia greeted me with Caroline and Olga followed behind her. They had their practice gear still on, and it seemed that they stopped by before heading to the shower.
'Эй, Анна. Привет девочки!'
'Что делаешь? Вы звонить кого-то?' Caroline asked as she went to the table across me because she had nothing to take from the locker behind her while the Anna and Olga had.
'Да,' I replied while I checked my girlfriend on my phone for a second; she looked puzzled in wonder of the people I was talking to. 'Это моя подруга. Ты хочешь поговорить?'
'Абсолютно!' They agreed and they sat across the table from me.
'Hey, Umi,' I finally talked to my girlfriend again but she had a rather revealing sleepwear that exposed her titillating chestal area; I didn't want anyone to have the slightest chance to see Umi's erogenous zones. 'Get a jacket. I want to introduce you to my friends.'
'Ah, okay. W-wait, your friends?'
'Umi,' I turned around on my chair with my phone I took with me, until I was with the trio in frame for the video call, like a video selfie. 'Say hi to my friends. This is: Anastasia, Caroline, and Olga.' I pointed one by one as I said their names and they all waved.
'Ah, um… Привет!' Umi greeted bashfully and had put her rabbit-eared hoodie on herself – my pair would be folded neatly with the rest of the warm clothing.
'Это Umi.'
'Привет Umi! Очень приятно.' Caroline greeted Umi back before she redirected at me. 'Она красивая!'
'Я знаю. Мне очень повезло.'
'Um… Спасибо!' Umi responded as she turned pink.
'Ты говоришь по-русски?'
'Да, немного,' Umi replied to Anna.
'Ваша подруга является великим учителем! Что Эли научит вас в постели?' Olga teased on Umi but I quickly stopped it before Umi got uncomfortable.
'Хорошо. Пока!' I said as I waved at my friends behind me and moved back to my original sitting position, forcing them out of the frame.
'Пока, Umi! Увидимся, Эли.' Anna said her farewell with her sports bag on shoulder and exited with the rest.
'Пока!' Umi replied a little loud because they were no longer in frame, as if she were talking to them from far away.
'Хорошо, увидимся.' I concluded before they closed the door to the longue.
Umi suddenly jumped back to the bed covered by the blanket.
'How could you do that to me.' Her voice was reduced by the blanket.
'What's wrong Umi?' I concerned.
'T-that was… very embarrassing. I understood some of the things you guys talked about.'
'Was it really that bad? I just want to show you off to my friends. To the rest of the world if I could.' I tried to convince her as soon as she popped her head back out, from the rabbit hole.
'You… never introduce me like that before… and you didn't tell me about your friends. Anna was very pretty, you know. Do you find them a-attractive?'
Everyone had something they feared and it kept them in check and sanity would be discarded when they face their darkest fears. Umi's anxiety meeting strangers even though they were my friends had weakened her specially to reveal her true self, as my girlfriend, in front of them. She didn't know any of my friends in Russia because I never told her; she became suspicious and jealous sometimes when I talk to other girls, and I understood that. For some, for me, I wouldn't mind being introduced to Umi's whole family, to Umi's friends whom I never heard, to a complete stranger, I wouldn't mind. But for Umi it was a big deal. It was always the small things that mattered much to her that sometimes slipped my mind.
'Well, they're the dancers too and they are very skilful. Since they're around our age I made friends with them. And because I lost contact with most of my friends here, it seemed sad that I don't have any in Russia. Sure, I have you and µ's, but… it's just sad. I'm sorry I never mentioned them, Umi. I can and I will do better.'
'Do you…' Umi replied but she paused and had herself doubting what she was about to ask. 'Do you find them attractive, Eli?'
'Umi.' I had a quick giggle. 'Of course not. They're pretty but they never caught my attention, especially not how you did to me.' I adopted a smile. 'Don't you find them appealing, Umi? I mean, we do look alike. Anna's pretty, yes, but she's gorgeous when she let go of her hair.'
'No!' Umi denied with a sense of being insulted in between the phonation. 'Don't say that. Y-you… look nothing like them, you're better.' She calmed down and tried to put her words together.
'And how am I better, Umi?'
'Well… you're prettier. I like your smile better… And your voice is beautiful. I… I like how you're caring you are to me and how charming you look when you nap on the sofa. And also when you're focused and hardworking, I like that very much.'
'That's very sweet, thank you Umi,' I said as I was touched because Umi was always troubled expressing it directly to me; often her texts were more detailed and crafty because she can take her time to write the lyrics and some I even cried. 'At the end you're just complimenting, you know.'
'I'm sorry too, Eli. I know you mean well, and you've been very helpful about it. I know, I complain a lot and I got jealous a lot. But don't listen to that Umi – she doesn't see the bigger picture. I never liked it when you leave me out of things, but I gave you freedom to befriend or get close to anyone, but it seemed that I wanted to be a part of it too.' Umi put up a smile. 'But we both always trust and love you.'
'I love you too, Umi.'
'Я люблю тебя больше.'
Then I gave an air kiss to my girlfriend, with only slightly moving my phone closer as I gave it. Umi was dazzled she didn't say anything. She looked adorable.
'Aren't you going to return it?' I gave a pout.
With vermillion-shaded cheeks she nervously and rigidly closed her eyes and pushed her lips forward to reply the kiss. She looked tensed, I adored her stiff attempt on flirting it made me giggle. I took a screenshot.
'That ended your night perfectly, don't you think so?'
'Close. It would be perfect if it were a real kiss.' She smiled while she hugged the pillow she took from my side of the bed.
'Expected in three to five business days. Good night, my dear Umi. Have a sweet dream.'
'Good night, Eli.'
'Oh! One more thing. If you do find Anna attractive, you should find Maki as much! Her facial and body features really resemble –'
'Good night!'
...
There were only myself and Nico in the practice room after a while. Most of the dancers stayed back after our training and practiced on their own, but the two of us stayed even later to get over some sections of the 3rd and 4th act. We were exhausted, our stamina was barely enough to get us through another round, let alone the fact we wouldn't screw up some parts.
'Okay, Nico. What did we do wrong there?' I asked as I was still panting and wiped my sweat.
'Do you want to hear sarcastically or straightforward?' Nico added before she drank the bottle while she sat down.
'Bend it a little.'
'Our timing was brilliant, synced. Our position was spot on, a little too close. But at least our posture was bad.' She stood up and grabbed a clean towel from the ones stacked by the laptop plugged into the sound system.
'And we looked calm, didn't we?' I drank some water too.
'You danced horribly, by the way, Eli,' she added after she had turned around while I was still facing the front mirror wall and I looked at her through the reflection.
'You're just as bad.' We both giggled. 'Okay. After we rest, we'll try again. I'll positioned myself closer, because you're at front and they won't notice me a step closer anyway. We'll keep our posture as it was.'
Nico's position would be far in front of me because of her height. But it didn't matter because we could practice as if Nico was the dancer in front of me when we perform, and I would be the dancer behind her. I considered this as 'partner' as they would be our reference.
'How about our timing and our smile?' Nico triggered. 'As much as we faked it, we lost it in the middle. I can try, though ballet or the kind needed any smiles.' She inhaled a tank of air and exhaled the exact same amount, a little less oxygen. 'Nico-Nico-Nii.'
'Even with that stamina left you can still cheer up and put up a smile huh?' I admitted I got cheered. 'But I'm sorry, Nico, your chant would only cheer me up for so long. And to put up a fake smile, Umi would see right through me – she would scold me for an hour to have a performance like that.'
'I understand,' she acknowledged as she dropped her hands from her head to the floor.
'Well, I can try to think of Umi while doing it, but when we dance how about we consider the partner as our S.O., so maybe you can think of Maki while you –' I was interrupted.
'Hey!' She howled, like an angry beast as if I stole her food; I stayed still and played dead so the savage could probably ignore me. 'Damn you, tall glass of blonde!'
'Nico! Oh my God, I'm sorry! I hope I didn't… Damn it!' I tried to apologise after she threw another towel at my face, a direct hit. 'I didn't mean it I swear! It just slipped! It's true! … Damn it!' I continued after I removed the towel, she looked like she was about to throw another one so I put my arms forward.
'Well I'll be double dogged damned! You broke your pact, you sly fox! You know what you have to do.' She put her hands with dry towels on her hips with cunning looks on her face.
'Ugh, fine, I'll do it when we're on our way back to Japan. Deal?'
'That's fine with me.' She smiled and lightened up, I was too.
'But be careful, if I tied my hair like yours and chant as you do, Maki would fall for me.'
'No, she won't. Because who could resist the most beautiful and charming and cute and adorable and –' She paused to stare. 'Why are you looking at me like that? You don't believe me? Just you wait. She won't like big-breasted girls like you she likes –' Then she paused to look at herself on the mirror and then down on herself. She hadn't lifted her head for some time, I got worried but I could resist so I laughed.
'Okay, can we stop talking about size? Umi likes mine just the way they are and I liked hers, while Maki likes to… yours apparently.' I tried to summarise in one quick breath. 'Then can we continue on the practice? It's getting late and we have to nail this by tomorrow's session.'
'Yeah, yeah, how about you do that. Let me just think how Umi and Maki have been really close lately, maybe because of this size factor.'
'Shut it!'
'Oh, look who's jealous now. Maki has been growing up looking more like you, while Umi's about my size. You can't un-grow someone, Eli.'
'So what, are you not worried if Maki and Umi got close and… you know… start having feelings?'
'That's the problem for non-fate-believers like you. Eli, I'm like the wife material for Maki. If she wanted to have some fling, some fun with other young and attractive girls, I won't stop her. It's her desires and she must let it out – but the flame will kaput. Then she'll have to return to me anyway, someone who truly loves her and a place where she can bloom. Someone who tames the fire flower.'
'Damn it, Maki!'
Thus that night we practiced a few more rounds. I was thinking about Umi, and imagined her by my side as my partner in life, like the one in my dream and on the dance floor; but it was not like the dance we did, when she first fell in love with me. Without psychic ability like Nozomi I couldn't tell if Nico was thinking about the redhead, but as we fixed our timing, our posture, and our smiles I was sure she was. The fusion of ballet and pop had paid its price well. For every session we made we got better but at the same time we got weary and I didn't want to work too hard until fatigued or even sick, so I called it off when I thought we were at our peak and we already drank more water than we should. We rested that night and my grandmother had already fixed us meals.
...
Since then we had improved drastically and the other dancers too, Anna, Caroline, and Olga too. Sure, we were not the main characters of the stories for both performances, but we had given them a very wondrous support by our trial session until D - 1.
The day before the performance, we went through another practice session on stage, a complete rundown of the event. It took us more than half a day, but we finished by evening to let us rest for the festival. We were exhausted yet still excited. I texted Umi before the last run of the practice, but she hadn't answered and she didn't pick up my call either, this was way before I left the house. Umi had only replied and actually video called me when I got home and she seemed very lively, lovely, and lucid. I cried that night because I couldn't hug her before my performance – something that Umi and I did backstage before I went on stage to perform: to had her hold my hands then she would give a random fact to distract me from the pressure and then I would have my eyes closed and waited while I breathed, which she took the chance to hug or even kiss me.
Everyone had something they feared and it kept them in check and sanity would be discarded when they face their darkest fears. That night it was upon me. I didn't even know what anyone else would do if they knew they would be reliving their worst nightmare. A sane person would do anything to prevent it, to run away from it, because a nightmare would always be fearful. And how I dealt with it was to devote and exhaust all my spare energy and time, except for my girlfriend, to turn that nightmare to one of my dreams and to one of the unforgettable moments of my life. And so I did.
A few I had received as I got myself ready, from Nozomi, Honoka, Kotori, Hanayo too, and especially, my girlfriend. Umi texted me before I performed:
Eli, I'm sorry I can't be there backstage to prep you before your performance.
But I just want to hold your hands, I want to talk to you while we are, then I'll let them go. I'll tell you to close your eyes because I have a present. I'll lean in, and I'll hug you. I know that's not what you're expecting but then I'll go to the front row to watch you. But before I could, you'll call me and puffed your cheeks with air. I will kiss those cheeks, Eli. But you'll hold my head and gave me a real kiss.
I promise to do all that when you get back in one condition: you have to perform well. Make me proud, Eli. I love you and good luck and I love you. I'll be in the front row, so watch out for me.'
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Swan Lake at Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow at 8.
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Act 1: A magnificent park before a palace.
Prince Siegfried is celebrating his birthday with his tutor, friends and peasants. The revelries are interrupted by Siegfried's mother, the Princess, who is concerned about her son's carefree lifestyle. She tells him that he must choose a bride at the royal ball the following evening. Siegfried is upset that he cannot marry for love. His friend Benno and the tutor try to lift his troubled mood. As evening falls, Benno sees a flock of swans flying overhead and suggests they go on a hunt. Siegfried and his friends take their crossbows and set off in pursuit of the swans.
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Act 2: A lakeside clearing in a forest by the ruins of a chapel. A moonlit night.
Siegfried has become separated from his friends. He arrives at the lakeside clearing, just as a flock of swans land nearby. He aims his crossbow at the swans, but freeze when one of them transforms into a beautiful maiden, Odette. At first, she is terrified of Siegfried. When he promises not to harm her, she tells him that she is the Swan Queen Odette. She and her companions are victims of a terrible spell cast by the evil owl-like sorcerer Von Rothbart. By day they are turned into swans and only at night, by the side of the enchanted lake – created from the tears of Odette's mother – do they return to human form. The spell can only be broken if on who has never loved before swears to love Odette forever. Von Rothbart suddenly appears. Siegfried threatens to kill him but Odette intercedes – if Von Rothbart dies before the spell is broken, it can never be undone.
As Von Rothbart disappears, the swan maidens fill the clearing. Siegfried breaks his crossbow, and sets about winning Odette's trust as the two fall in love. But as dawn arrives, the evil spell draws Odette and her companions back to the lake and they are turned into swans again.
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Act 3: An opulent hall in the palace.
Guests arrive at the palace for a costume ball. Siegfried's mother commands him to dance with six princesses and choose one as a bride. Siegfried complains that he does not love any of them. Von Rothbart arrives in disguise with his enchantress daughter, Odile. He has transformed Odile so that she appears identical to Odette in all respects. The prince mistakes her for Odette and dances with her. Odette appears as a vision and vainly tries to warn Siegfried that he is being deceived. But Siegfried remains oblivious and proclaims to the court that he intends to make Odile his wife. Von Rothbart shows Siegfried a magical vision of Odette and he realises his mistake. Grief-stricken, Siegfried hurries back to the lake.
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Act 4: By the lakeside.
Odette is distraught at Siegfried's betrayal. The swan-maidens try to comfort her, but she is resigned to death. Siegfried returns to the lake and finds Odette. He makes a passionate apology. She forgives him and the pair reaffirm their love. Von Rothbart appears and insist that Siegfried fulfil his pledge to marry Odile, after which Odette will be transformed into a swan forever. Siegfried chooses to die alongside Odette and they leap into the lake. This breaks Von Rothbart's spell over the swan maidens, causing him to lose his power over then and he dies. In an apotheosis, the swan maidens watch as Siegfried and Odette ascent into the Heavens together, forever united in love.
And the performance was wonderfully magnificent.
