(Teji Note: Holy crap, 3500 views and counting! Thanks so much to everyone who's still reading this great wall of text! With this, I've finished upwhat I like to call the "Soccer Arc", and we can now move on...though I'm sure it will be impossible to keep Katsumi away. *shifty eyes* Drop me a line if you'd like! :3 )
Part Thirteen: At Last, We Dance
"Everybody, sooner or later, sits down to a banquet of consequences." -Robert Louis Stevenson
Masa stood uncertainly in the home ec room, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She was all dressed up, hair done perfectly, and almost confident in her dancing skills. Tooru and Mikoto appeared in the doorway, looking impeccable.
"Ready to go, Masa?" Tooru inquired.
"I...suppose," the brunette sighed. "I'm actually rather nervous."
Mikoto's ruby eyes looked woefully at Masa. "Welcome to my daily life."
"You'd better not fold under pressure, either of you," Yuujiro's voice floated through the doorway. "I'll beat you both if you embarrass us."
"Us?" Masa asked curiously. "Are we using royal terms now?"
"Don't forget the Board Director is going to be there," Yuujiro reminded her. "This could well determine whether or not the Princess Project continues."
"Thanks for that, Yuujiro," Tooru said dryly. "I hope our existence doesn't hinge upon our performance. That may not end well for these two."
Masa and Mikoto were looking quite ill.
"Chin up now. There will only be a few dignitaries at the banquet, and they already know about the Project. The award ceremony shouldn't last long. We just need to worry about dancing...and not spilling on our dresses." Yuujiro did a twirl, dress flowing around him. "Shall we? I think the Kiba girls are already there. We're all at different tables, but we have nameplates."
Yuujiro paused, thinking. "Tooru, you're with Hiro-san. Masa's with the twins, Mikoto has
Tsutomu at his table, and I'm sitting with...Akihiko." He sighed, looking tired already.
Masa laughed at his reaction. "He really seems smitten with you."
"Too bad, 'cuz he's all ours," Tooru said, snuggling up to the blonde.
Mikoto rolled his eyes and stared at the floor.
"Let's go, while we have our courage," Masa said, grabbing Mikoto's hand and dragging the unwilling redhead down the hall, the other two Princesses following after.
The hum of conversation could be heard outside of the gymnasium, the doors unable to block out all sound. Masa, still holding Mikoto's hand, paused at the doorway. Drawing a deep breath, she opened the doors, blinking in the light.
The gym's raised stage had a podium and a long table set up, six chairs sitting at it. The wooden floors were polished and shining brightly under the light. Round tables were set up around the gym, though no one was sitting yet. People stood around chatting; most were adults.
Masa wondered where the Kiba girls were, since they had all disappeared after helping the Princesses get ready. She looked at Yuujiro, who shrugged.
As Masa was pondering this, a voice on her left side nearly made her jump out of her skin.
"Ah, Himes," a tuxedoed figure said in mild surprise. Masa turned and came face-to-face with Fumio, an amused look on the tacturn boy's face. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you."
"It's okay," Masa said after taking a moment to collect herself. Looking around, she saw a lot of Fujimori students in formal attire. "Why are there so many students here?"
"They took on waiter duties in order to be able to dance with you," Nori said with a small smile. "The duel was rather impressive. I believe the Student Council had a hand in it."
The Princesses shivered. They could imagine what would prompt that.
"Speaking of which, I believe Arisada-san would like to speak with you," Fumio said, after glancing towards a group of people. Indeed, the glittery Student Council president was waving them over. "I will take my leave of you." Bowing to the four Princesses, Fumio trotted off.
They approached Arisada with caution, averting their eyes to avoid the Blinding Aura that he gave off.
"Ah, welcome, welcome," Arisada said enthusiastically. "You all look fantastic. Natasho-san was upset that he couldn't design your outfits, but the fashion show is currently taking up much of his time." His green eyes swept over the four, critically examining them.
"I must say, Akane-san and Mio-san did quite well. Remind me to thank them." Nodding to himself, Arisada turned and murmured something to Wataru, who gave a grin before covering it with his hand. "That being said, I do hate to keep you. Please keep in mind your duties. I'm sure you will uphold the reputation of the Fujimori Princesses."
"Do...does everyone here know we're guys?" Mikoto asked in a small voice.
Arisada, taking pity on the poor redhead, nodded. "Well, aside from the award presenter. But it should be fine, right?"
"I...guess." Mikoto sighed and fiddled with his loose curls, looking quite downcast. Female voices got louder as the Kiba girls entered the gym, dressed to the nines. Chihiro glanced at Masa, giving the brunette a wink as she sat down. The other girls dispersed to their tables as the Fujimori boys appeared, also taking their seats.
The Princesses sat as well. Masa, Fumio, Akane, and Nori were seated together; Akane gave Masa a devilish smile.
"How nice," she purred, blue eyes shining. "I get to keep Masa-kun to myself."
Fumio and Nori looked quite put out, and astonished, at that statement. Masa herself shivered.
The third-year giggled, sweeping her curly locks out of her eyes.
"I'm kidding...for now." She glanced up at the stage, where the main banquet table was. The principal was speaking with a middle-aged man in a brown suit who seemed a bit nervous as they sat down.
The room bustled with activity as the Fujimori students prepared, the guests slowly filtering in and sitting down. Many people Masa didn't know were here, some of them important-looking.
As if noticing her gaze, Akane leaned over.
"Those are scouts," she whispered into Masa's ear. The brunette nearly leapt out of her seat, heart racing in shock. "Those three idiots are quite talented, despite their failings at dancing."
Masa grimaced, and Fumio gave a small grin.
"What?" Masa demanded, glaring at the twins, who had given each other knowing looks.
"You have improved a great deal, Masa-hime," Fumio said. Nori gave her a thumbs-up.
Masa had a sneaking suspicion they were being slightly sarcastic. As if reading her mind, Fumio shook his head.
"I am serious, Masa-hime. You have been stepping on my feet a lot less lately." He paused, eyes widening as he realized what he had implied. Nori's face twitched.
The brunette stared at him, then started giggling, muffling her laughter behind her hand.
"I'll take that as a compliment," she said after she calmed down. Even Akane had a smile, eyes glittering with amusement.
"Ah, here come the men of the hour," Akane said suddenly.
The noise level had slowly died down, most people quietly conversing at their tables, when the doors suddenly boomed open, startling everyone.
The three third-years appeared, Eiji looking rather sheepish at the noise. They were dressed magnificently in complete tuxedos, down to their brightly polished shoes.
Eiji had a dark green tux, and he fiddled with his buttons as he walked to the main table. Iwao looked like he hadn't noticed how all talk had stopped at their arrival, stoic as always in his black tux.
Katsumi moved smoothly, as if he were in water, a half-grin on his face. His bangs, usually held up by his headband, were clipped neatly behind his ears. His dark blue tuxedo contrasted with his red hair, and he seemed to enjoy the attention. As he passed by Tooru, he whispered something that caused the blue-eyed boy to blush and look down.
Once the three were at the main table, another man appeared. He was tall and imposing, carrying an air of authority with short, black hair and serious brown eyes. He stopped and spoke quietly to the principal, then moved to the microphone stand.
"That's the school board's Director," Nori whispered. Masa nodded as the man cleared his throat.
"Welcome, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, to this prestigious occasion. A student at Fujimori has been recognized for his excellence in soccer and granted the award of the National Most Valued Player. I congratulate Eiji Tanaka-san, and would like to ask Takagi-san, the representitive of the National Athletics League to say a few words."
The man bowed and sat, a smattering of applause meeting his speech. The smaller, portly man sitting beside the principal stood up, hurrying to the stand.
"I would like to gladly present this award to Tanaka-san, who has shown leadership, enthusiasm, and a great love of soccer. We wish him luck in future endeavours and hope he can continue pursuing the sport." He glanced over at Eiji, who beamed.
Eiji stood up, chair scraping along the floor. Everyone winced, and he flushed.
"Sorry, sorry," he said, rubbing his short hair. He stepped up to the microphone, adjusting it so it was at the proper height, then inhaled.
"Friends, family, teammates. We have been through a lot together; rain, wind, an uncomfortable amount of training. Through it all, we perservered, and I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the amazing people on my team. As captain, I'm proud to say that I have seen firsthand the growth of our younger members, and am sure they will make the Fujimori Falcons that much stronger in my absence. I'm humbled and honoured to accept this award, knowing that my team has had my back the entire time. Without them, I wouldn't be here. I'd also like to thank our cheerleaders, who have been a ray of sunshine even during the hardest practices. We put our all into every game, and I believe we should all share in this moment. After all, our medals for winning the nationals haven't arrived yet. In closing, I want everyone to know"-here, his warm gaze encompassed the entire team-"that I truly appreciate the time we've spent together, and that I'll always treasure these memories. Thank you."
Eiji rubbed at his eyes, mumbling about bright lights as wild applause, and a whistle coming from Katsumi's direction, thundered around the room. He accepted the award with the obligatory handshake/photograph, a Blinding Smile of Joy on his face, then sat back down.
The principal took the stand once more, the ruckus dying down as he cleared his throat.
"With that, I would like to invite the guests to help themselves to the food. We'll start with the head table, obviously, then move to this end of the room"-he gestured to the left, making Masa groan-"and will go from there. Thank you very much, and there will be photos afterwards. The dance will commence after."
The sounds of chairs moving quickly overtook any additional words the principal was speaking, and he eventually gave up and joined those already in line at the buffet tables.
As Tooru stood up, shaking his skirt out, Katsumi came up behind him.
"You look fantastic," the redhead whispered. Tooru jumped, blushing.
"Senpai, stop it," Tooru whispered urgently. "People are looking!"
Katsumi laughed, arms encircling the blue-eyed boy. "Let them look. I'm not ashamed. Are you?"
His green gaze unnerved Tooru, who looked at his feet.
"I-I guess not," the Princess of Spring said after a long moment.
"Good," Katsumi said with his usual cheerfulness. "After all, I want to be your first."
Masa, who had been coming up behind them, stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she stared uncomprehendingly at the two.
"Dance partner, that is," Katsumi said with a wink and a whistle as he slipped off to bother Eiji.
Tooru watched him go with a confused and embarrassed look on his face. Masa slipped her arm into his, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
"He's quite the charmer, eh?" Masa whispered with a devilish grin. Tooru shook himself out of his stupor and elbowed Masa.
"Doesn't matter one bit," he said, nose in the air. "We're sought after by all."
Masa just laughed and shooed the blue-haired boy on, wondering about how that was going to work out. She was quickly distracted, however, by the elegant and lavish feast.
Baked, vegetable-stuffed chicken breasts, three salads, mixed vegetables including mushrooms, corn, peas, and broccoli with a savoury sauce, roast beef and gravy, two kinds of pasta, and a seafood platter met Masa's wide eyes. She almost gasped in awe.
"This is a grand feast indeed," Fumio said from behind her. She whirled, face alight with glee.
"I can't believe it," she said, bouncing on her feet. "I think I'm going to cheer a lot harder for all the teams if we get to eat like this every time!"
Fumio looked at her bemusedly before chuckling. "I suppose that is a rather good incentive?"
An arm suddenly found its way across Masa's shoulders. Akane smiled at her with a bit of a wolfish glint in her eyes.
"I see Masa-kun enjoys this," she said, waving an arm lazily in the direction of the food. "If you'd like, I can..."
Mitsuru, as if sensing his sister's intent, suddenly appeared behind her and dragged her away. Masa blinked, then shrugged and turned back to the food.
While Masa was infecting those around her with enthusiasm, at another table the tension was rather high.
Yuujiro and Chihiro were glaring at each other as the rest of their table stood. Akihiko, having been attempting unsuccessfully to get Yuujiro to join him, took Kyoko's arm and the two made their way to the buffet. Mitsuru was chatising his older sister, who simply grinned and winked at Masa.
"Your eyes haven't left Masa," Chihiro said in an undertone. "Suddenly you're seeing her as a girl? Do you have any idea what that's doing to her psychologically? She was fine until this damn dance."
Yuujiro's golden eyes glinted. "I think that my being around her more than you has allowed me to sufficiently judge her emotional states," he shot back, though a bit disturbed at he and Masa's altercation at Kiba.
"You..." Chihiro began, then sighed, amber eyes closing. "Do you, dressed like this"-she waved at his dress, his hair, and his face-"really think you're man enough to take her from me?"
The blonde leaned across the table, flicking Chihiro's forehead. Her eyes snapped open as she yelped, then clapped a hand over her mouth.
"I'm certainly more capable than you, tart," Yuujiro said with a smirk, standing and leaving Chihiro frowning at his back. Muttering to herself, the childhood friend rose and followed him, wishing she could get him alone so she could teach him a lesson.
After the amazing meal, ending with cheesecake, fruit tarts, and muffins, Masa sighed happily. Akane was staring at her with amazement.
"Masa-kun, where did you put all of that?" she said with a smile. "One would think your petite stature wouldn't allow such large quantities."
The brunette looked suspiciously at Akane. "Was that a short joke?"
"We all hate him for it," Tooru said, coming up behind Masa and leaning on her. "He doesn't gain any weight at all, even though he eats like this all of the time."
Yuujiro nodded, and even Chihiro looked a bit put out.
"Why do you guys care?" Mikoto asked, frowning. "It's not like it matters."
Five pairs of eyes glared at him, and the redhead balked.
"What? We're guys, aside from Ito-san and Takahashi-san," he said, nodding in the two ladies' direction. "A little weight gain shouldn't matter."
"She should be about 100 pounds heavier," Yuujiro grumbled.
"A little weight gain can cause problems," Chihiro said wisely. "It usually goes to the worst places first. Besides, your dresses wouldn't fit properly, right?"
Tooru sighed. "Don't give Mikoto any ideas. Besides, he looks ravishing tonight. It'd be a shame if he were to, let's say, split his dress open."
Mikoto paled. "Don't even think that," he growled. Chihiro giggled and looked around.
"It seems as if we're going to be clearing the floor," Nori said, appearing beside Akane. "May I ask you all to move to the other side of the room?"
"Only if you escort me," Chihiro said with a wicked grin. Nori bowed and took her hand, expression serious as ever. Chihiro's amber eyes flitted to Masa with surprise; Masa simply grinned.
As if sensing a challenge, the other soccer members quickly bowed and took the hands of the Kiba girls, who giggled and linked their arms graciously.
Masa was a bit intrigued at the couplings. Tsutomu and Miwa were chatting as they walked, and Masa noticed the grace with which they moved.
Dancer's feet, she thought wryly.
Akihiko managed to snag Yuujiro, and was happily escorting him. Yuujiro's expression was one of exasperation and tiredness, and Masa chuckled. Yuujiro, sensing her laugh, stuck his tongue out at her over his shoulder.
Kyoko and Takeo were deep in discussion, occasionally looking over at Shion, who was giggling with Karin. Hiro and Sayaka were talking music as they walked over.
Fumio appeared behind Masa, startling her. She let out a squeak, then glared at the stoic boy.
"If you would like, I can be your escort," he said with a smile. His brown eyes were rather serious, but Masa detected a hint of mischief behind them.
"I suppose," Masa said after scrutinizing the twin. They quickly joined the group of people, chatting and having drinks from a snack table.
As Masa stood idly by and watched the floor being cleared with practiced efficiency, Akira popped up beside her. Tapping her lightly, Masa nearly leapt out of her skin.
"Why does everyone feel the need to sneak up on me?" she asked irritably. Akira's green eyes were apologetic, and Masa sighed.
"Sorry. I'm a little on edge." She went to run her hands through her hair then stopped, remembering the fancy hairdo she had. Masa grimaced as Akira nodded wisely, then gestured. The board director, the principal, and Arisada were deep in discussion.
Glancing up, the Student Council President quickly waved the four Princesses over, straightening up and adjusting his tie.
"These are our Princesses," Arisada said with a Blinding Smile. "They are the inspiration for most of Natasho-san's creations, as well as part of the reason our soccer team was able to do so well. Director Uchida is the head of the Fujimori school board."
The intimidating man gave the four a once-over.
"Though I am new to the post, I am quite interested in how this Princess Project works, and if it works well." He bowed slightly, an acknowledgement Masa was curious about. Why would he care so much? Although it did have a rather large budget.
Masa paled, thinking her lunch might be in danger, and resolved to be the best damn Princess she could.
"Tooru Kouno, class 1-D. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am known as the Princess of Spring." He curtsied, head bowed in respect.
"Yuujiro Shihoudani," Yuujiro said, giving the board director a Blinding Smile. "Class 1-D. I hope we are able to meet your expectations. I'm the Princess of Summer." He also curtsied, golden eyes curious.
The board Director's gaze remained impassive as he watched them, and Masa was a bit unnerved.
"Mikoto Yutaka, class 1-B," Mikoto said with a slightly lackluster tone. "The Princess of Autumn. Nice to meet you." He bowed and missed the thoughtful expression that crossed the Director's face, but Masa saw it.
The brunette gave a deep curtsey, praying she wouldn't fall over.
"I'm pleased to meet your aquantiance, sir," she said politely. "Masa Inoue, class 1-D, the Princess of Winter."
The Director nodded curtly, then turned to the principal, who had been speaking with Arisada.
"I would like to set up appointments to speak to these boys so I can discuss this...project...with them." He waved at the four Princesses, who were doing their best to stand up straight. "As well as Arisada-san and Natasho-san."
"Of course, of course," the principal said, wringing his hands nervously. "What would work best for you?"
The board director rubbed a hand over his chin, thinking. "How about Wednesday, at 1pm? After the lunch break?"
"That would be splendid," the principal assured him. "Now, let us go discuss the upcoming events..."
The principal took the Director back to the head table, and the group relaxed. Masa let her breath out in a whoosh.
"Interesting," Arisada said quietly. "Usually the school board lets us be, for the most part. Then again, he recently gained the position, so things may change."
Mikoto got a hopeful look on his face, but it was quickly replaced by a scowl as Tooru lightly elbowed the redhead.
"You'd lose your source of income to buy presents for Megumi-san," Tooru teased. Mikoto flushed and gave the blue-haired boy a Look, which Tooru promply ignored.
After a bit of bantering between the Princesses and Chihiro, who had wandered over, the band had set up and the tables had been cleared. Masa trembled, all of her gusto over lunch slowly ebbing.
As if sensing her nervousness, Tooru reached out and squeezed her hand.
"You'll be all right," he said assuredly. "No judo throws tonight. I can feel it." His blue eyes twinkled, and Masa gave him a weak smile.
"I'll do my best," she said with a sigh.
Fumio trotted over, beaming at her. "May I have this dance, Hime?"
"Of course. It's the least I can do, after putting up with these." Masa gestured to her feet with a laugh, any hint of discomfort gone from her face.
Just as Tooru was marvelling at her ability to change expressions so quickly, Katsumi had bounced over with a huge grin on his face.
"I was serious about being your first," he said with a laugh. "Tocchi, may I have the honour of your accompaniment for this waltz?"
His green eyes were serious, contrasting with his light tone of voice. Tooru, a bit unnerved, stammered something unintelligible. Masa gave the boy a nudge.
"Go on, have fun," she whispered. Katsumi winked at the brunette, then took Tooru's hand and led him onto the dance floor.
As other people moved to the floor, Masa could feel her heart thumping. She felt as if everyone was watching her, judging her...
Fumio leaned in, concern in his brown eyes. "Are you all right, Masa-hime?"
"I'll be okay," she said after a long moment. "I need to get over myself, that's all."
"You are fine the way you are, I think," Fumio said thoughtfully. His sincerity made Masa blush.
"Thank you," she said, smiling. Fumio looked a bit surprised. "What?" Masa asked, patting her face. "Do I have cake on my face or something?"
"That was...quite different from your usual smiles," the twin said curiously. "A real smile, perhaps?"
"Real nervous," Masa said wryly, going over the steps in her head. "Please take care of me."
"Of course." Fumio bowed, Masa curtsied, and the music began.
Mikoto was sitting glumly at a table, having refused several Fujimori students' offers to dance. He knew he was being childish, but the thought of being in front of all those people, dressed like this, made his stomach twist.
Yuujiro poked the redhead's cheek, causing Mikoto to jump.
"You and Masa are rather high-strung today," the blonde observed with a glint in his eyes. "Why are you moping over here?"
"I can't do it," Mikoto said quietly, looking down. "I just can't."
"You have to."
The tone in Yuujiro's voice brooked no argument.
"The Fujimori students took on these jobs just to dance with us. Are you going to deny them the entire reward of this evening? Plus, the school board director is here, and if you refuse to dance we could very well lose the funding for the Project, in which case I will not forgive you." Yuujiro's golden eyes narrowed. "And do you want all that dance practice to go to waste? At least dance with the team members."
Mikoto sighed heavily, then rose.
"Atta boy," Yuujiro said, giving Mikoto a hug. "The dance won't last that long anyway."
Hiro, who had been sitting nearby, stood as well.
"Mikoto-hime, I'd love to dance with you," he declared, leading the redhead onto the floor. Mikoto's eyes pleaded with Yuujiro, who simply shook his head, then snickered.
His attention was quickly diverted with a tap on his shoulder. Akihiko was looking at him, blue eyes serious.
"May I have this dance, Hime?"
Yuujiro inwardly sighed, but nodded. As they began to dance, a question rose in his mind.
"You're quite popular, Yamasaki-san," Yuujiro said, golden eyes curious. "Yet I've never seen you with a girlfriend. Why not?" Realizing what he said, he hurriedly added, "Of course, I don't mean to pry. Sorry. Forget I asked," the blonde backpedalled.
Akihiko considered the question as they glided across the floor.
"You're right, I don't have a girlfriend. I have a fan club," he said with a wry smile, "but that's quite different. They idolize me, and I know if I were to date one of them I would certainly fall short of their expectations, which would end terribly for all involved." He paused, thinking. "Most of the girls I meet are far more interested in my looks. They want to show me off, prove their social status by snagging "the Prince of Fujimori". I want someone who likes me for me, you know? I don't want a shallow, half-assed relationship."
Yuujiro looked at Akihiko, respect shining in his eyes. He had originally pegged the blonde as a narcisstic playboy. As if sensing the shift in attitude, Akihiko raised an eyebrow.
"No," Yuujiro said instantly. Akihiko laughed as the song began to wind down, and the two blondes had an enjoyable chat as they moved off of the floor, ignoring the attention they garnered.
Both were used to it, apparently.
Masa stared in amazement at her feet, which had only betrayed her twice so far. She was dancing, and actually succeeding. No judo throws or anything.
"Take that, Dad," she muttered, grinning from ear to ear.
Fumio was beaming at her proudly. "Tsutomu-san will be quite pleased," he said with a grin. Masa returned the smile with relief as they went and got drinks, gratefully sitting down. She massaged her ankles with a wince as Tooru joined her.
"Where's your partner?" Masa inquired, wiggling her eyebrows. "I saw Katsumi-san making faces at you during the speeches."
Tooru laughed and thumped her, nodding in Eiji's direction. Iwao, Eiji, and Katsumi were surrounded by people, the captain's booming laugh echoing around the room.
"Scouts?" Masa's hazel eyes were curious as she leaned back.
"I wonder if they'll go to a sports-oriented university?" Yuujiro wondered, coming up behind them. He tilted his head, pondering. "Though I don't think there are any near here. Has anyone asked what their plans are?"
"Graduations over half a year away," Tooru said indignantly. "They probably haven't decided for sure yet."
Masa spotted a hint of sadness in his sapphire eyes, and gave him an impromptu hug.
"Let's get drinks," Masa declared, linking her arms through Tooru and Yuujiro's. "Before we're dragged off again, as our partners seem to have moved on."
The number of boys looking at them had increased dramatically after the first song, and now it seemed they were working up the courage to ask. Many of the Kiba girls were flying around with grace, as if they had done this their entire lives. Masa watched with envy for a moment, then sighed and returned to reality.
At least she hadn't fallen flat on her face. Or tossed anyone.
"Score one for me," she muttered, ignoring Tooru and Yuujiro's questioning looks. "Let's hope I keep it up."
Mikoto thanked Hiro after the song and sighed, preparing to be bombarded with dance offers. Staring morosely at his feet, the redhead fervently wished he was back at the dorms, hanging out with Kaoru.
He paused, a thought occuring. Kaoru was leaving soon, right? He was going to go ask Masa, when a hand on his shoulder made him pause.
Large ruby eyes met warm brown ones as Kaoru, as if summoned by Mikoto's thoughts, smiled at the redhead and took his hand.
Kaoru had been debating whether or not he should actually go, the ticket and decision weighing heavily. He stared broodingly at the tuxedo, weighing the pros and the cons.
Pros: He'd be supporting Eiji-san.
-He could dance with the Kiba girls (Chihiro aside).
-Free food, though he didn't have Masa's appetite.
-He could spend time with Ayafuya.
Cons: Debt to Arisada-san (high possibility)
-Having to wear a tuxedo
Seeing Mikoto dressed up...
Pro...
Or con?
Deciding to think it over, he quickly left the P-Room and went to the track, finding that exercising helped him sort out his problems. As he quickly settled in to his rhythm, he found his thoughts wandering to Mikoto.
He did want to spend more time with the redhead before he went back. Though this event probably wouldn't be the most optimal. He wondered what Mikoto would look like in a gown, but couldn't picture it.
Mikoto's smile rose unbidden in his mind, and he shook his head to try to clear it.
He failed completely.
As he berated himself over his indecisiveness, he stumbled and hit the ground. Not hard, but enough to snap him out of his daze.
"That's it!" he roared, startling some students walking near the track. "I'm going! Arisada-san, Ayafuya, and Chihiro-chan be damned!"
That having been said, he raced to the P-Room to get changed; the banquet would start soon.
"K-K-K-" Mikoto stuttered, unable to comprehend what was going on. "Kaoru-kun? What-when-where-"
"Who and how?" Kaoru said with a grin, still holding Mikoto's hand. "I guess I can start from the top. When: I came in just before Eiji-san and the others. Where: I was sitting over with the Photography Club members. They're really excited to take your guys' pictures, you know. And thees ones won't be for sale unless it's a specific request from one of the people here."
Mikoto looked a bit relieved at that statement, relaxing a small amount.
"As for what I'm doing here, well..." Kaoru trailed off, blushing slightly. "I figured you'd be a bit more comfortable with someone that knows you...better..."
The fluffy-haired teen trailed off, running a hand through his hair, which had retained all of its poofy glory.
Mikoto stared at him for a moment, then blinked.
"Kaoru-kun. When are you leaving?"
"On Sunday, I think. Why?" Kaoru's brown eyes were curious as he led the redhead onto the dance floor.
"We should hang out before then," Mikoto said with a small blush.
"I agree completely," Kaoru said, unable to take his eyes off of Mikoto. It was like he was looking at another person entirely, which for some reason made him a bit more comfortable.
This feeling slightly disturbed the teen, but he ignored it and focused on dancing, trying to come up with something to say.
"Your hair looks nice. That clip is a good accessory," Kaoru blurted. "It goes really well with your dress."
"Thanks," Mikoto said shyly. "I thought it would all look a bit weird, but...it doesn't, I guess."
"Nope." Finality was in Kaoru's voice as he shook his head. "Well, I mean"-the teen stammered, trying to crawl out of the pit he had dug himself into-"for the whole Princess thing."
Mikoto gave a small chuckle, looking up at Kaoru. The redhead stumbled, yelping as he nearly fell.
Kaoru quickly caught him, his hand on the small of Mikoto's back.
Ruby eyes and brown ones met, and they both looked away while Kaoru helped Mikoto up.
"Be careful," Kaoru chided after a moment. "You don't want to go over on your ankle again."
Mikoto brightened. "I didn't think of that. Damn," he pouted as the song ended. "That would have been perfect."
"Nice try, Miko-chan," Yuujiro's voice floated over. "We would have had Miyagi-sensei check it out."
"Can't blame a guy for trying," Mikoto grumbled. Tooru, Yuujiro and Masa came over, startled to see the teen in full tux.
"Kaoru-kun, you look dashing," Masa purred, snuggling up to her brother.
"You should dance with me next," Tooru said with a pout, striking a pose. "It's not fair that Mikoto's the only one you pay attention to. There are all sorts of girls here," Tooru said quietly after a moment of thought.
Indeed, Chihiro was trotting over, eyes alight with glee. Kaoru's eyes widened and he quickly grabbed the blue-haired boy's hand, dragging him onto the floor.
Chihiro made a face, then turned to Masa.
"I think Tanaka-san wants to talk to you, Masa," she said, nodding in the direction of the team captain. "Then I heard that glittery guy talking about pictures."
"All right. Have fun, and no fighting," Masa said, giving the two a serious look.
Of course, Masa's serious face wasn't all that serious, so Yuujiro and Chihiro started laughing, leading to the brunette stalking off, grumbling.
"Ah, Masa-hime," Eiji said, waving energetically to the Princess. "These are my parents, and this is my younger brother, Jirou."
His father looked much like Eiji, with the same large build and booming voice as he greeted Masa. His mother was delicate as she smiled, then glanced at the youngest Tanaka.
A small, dark-haired boy was staring at Masa, eyes sparkling.
"You're the Hime?" he asked excitedly. "You look just like Onii-san's pictures!"
Masa shot a questioning glance at Eiji, who laughed and rubbed his head.
"He has them in his room," Jirou whispered conspiratorally, leaning in. "Not a lot, but I've seen them." He paused, straightening up. "You're just as pretty as I thought."
"Thank you, Jirou-kun," Masa said, giving him a toned-down Smile. "I appreciate it."
The brunette curtsied as the realization of that fact dawned on her.
People were buying pictures of her.
What if she had slipped up?
That thought stuck in the back of her mind as she excused herself, making a beeline to Chihiro. Yuujiro, seeing her approach, stuck his tongue out at Chihiro.
"...try, you tart."
Masa caught the tail end of Yuujiro's sentence as he accepted a Fujimori student's offer to dance, and saw the glint in Chihiro's eyes.
Chihiro looked over at Masa, and her amber eyes quickly changed from firey to concerned.
"You look tired, Maa-chan," she said quietly. "Not normal tired, either. How have you been, really?"
"Could be better," Masa admitted. "Haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately, what with this and all." She gestured weakly towards the dance, massaging the bridge of her nose. "I can sleep after class tomorrow, though."
"Hmm. You ought to go see the doctor, just in case." Chihiro sighed and hugged her friend, and Masa leaned in to that embrace.
"Thanks, Chii. I will. Besides, now that I know you're not that far away, we can hang out and stuff."
"And stuff." She grinned. "I can't wait to play around with you."
Hazel eyes widened in alarm as Masa disengaged herself from Chihiro's questing arms, sitting up quickly. Luckily, Mitsuru showed up and offered to dance with Masa, Takeo taking Chihiro's hand, and they danced.
Four songs later, the photography club members had gathered the soccer team members together and were directing them to "stand here, turn this way, too far".
The Princesses giggled at watching the soccer team, so graceful on the field, fail so hard at taking simple directions.
After taking a few shots of Eiji and his family, the entire team, the three seniors, and the first string members, the club members glanced over at the Princesses.
Katsumi instantly had Tooru's hand and had dragged the blue-haired boy over.
"Tocchi and I," he said with a grin.
The photographers shrugged and, realizing that the Princesses knew what they were talking about, were all smiles after that.
Photos abounded: Tooru and Katsumi, Eiji and Masa, Akihiko and Yuujiro, Mikoto and Takeo.
After realizing that they could have pictures with Masa, Nori, Fumio, and Mitsuru snagged Masa and grinned widely, quite pleased with themselves.
The photography club finished up with shots of the four Princesses together, then were getting ready to pack up when Mikoto stepped away, quickly grabbing Kaoru.
"I want a picture with you," the redhead said quietly. Tooru, spotting this, quickly put a hand on the photographer, who nodded.
"Are you sure?" Kaoru said, blushing as Mikoto dragged him into the frame.
"Yes." Mikoto's tone matched Kaoru's earlier, and the two showed True Smiles for the camera.
Masa beamed as she chatted with Iwao, though it was more Masa talking at him than to him. The stoic senior had still barely said anything, though Masa could usually tell what he was thinking from his facial expressions. Chihiro came over and somehow managed to translate for him, much to Iwao's amusement.
"It seems she's been doing this for a while," Masa observed with a grin. Iwao nodded, then gave a sigh. Masa giggled at that.
"I know," she said with a smile as she stuck her tongue out at her childhood friend. Iwao laughed, a deep sound that startled everyone.
"Holy cow, he laughed," Katsumi said in surprise, then clapped Masa on the back. "Well done, Mochi." He paused, green eyes pondering. "I just realized...I've never heard you speak up in class, Icchi."
Iwao gave the redhead a sly grin.
"You bastard!" Katsumi laughed, smacking the tall senior on the shoulder. "How the hell did you manage that?"
"Language, idiot," Eiji said, chopping Katsumi on the head. Katsumi winced and gave a quick, apologetic grin.
"Now, now, little bro knows better than to emulate Katsumi nii-chan, right?" Katsumi ruffled Jirou's hair, who grinned.
"Of course not," he said sweetly, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Nii-san has a lot of things for me to catch up to."
Eiji ignored the raised eyebrows of the group around him and motioned the team to gather around him.
The Princesses, sensing this was a private moment, helped the photography club with some of their lighter equipment. Masa noticed the Director had left, as had the Student Council.
Akira appeared beside her, carrying a portable strobe. "How did you find the dance, Inoue-san?"
"It was better than I had originally anticipated," Masa admitted, rubbing her eyes. "I didn't toss anyone, either," she muttered with a sigh.
Akira blinked, but wisely decided not to press the issue. "The school board director seemed pleased with your performance."
"Oh?" Masa perked up with curiousity. "What were your thoughts on the issue?"
Akira paused, green eyes considering Masa's question. "I believe you all did quite well, considering the pressure and short notice."
Masa beamed at Akira. "Thank you very much. I also appreciate your help in getting my brother the proper attire for this occasion." Her hazel eyes drifted over to Kaoru, who was arguing with Tooru and Yuujiro while Mikoto stared at his feet.
Following her gaze, Akira smiled. "It was no problem at all. Plus, I believe I managed to...lessen...the amount of debt Inoue-kun would have to pay."
Masa shivered, not having thought of that. "How did you manage that?"
"A lot of bribing," Akira said with a wry smile.
Masa wondered just how much Akira was involved behind the scenes, but her thoughts were quickly scattered when someone hugged her from behind.
She twitched, overcoming her natural instinct to judo throw, then relaxed slightly.
"What do you want, Chii?" she asked tiredly. "We're almost done."
"I know, Maa-kun," Chihiro said in a lilting tone. "I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out on Saturday. You know, just the two of us."
Masa could feel Yuujiro's glare, and the brunette sighed.
"Sure, why not? I need to go shopping anyway." Masa pulled away from her friend, then gave her a suspicious stare. "Why are you being so sweet?"
"What, I can't be so overcome with joy at meeting my childhood friend in a chance encounter that I invite him out?" Chihiro's amber eyes glinted mischieviously.
Masa suddenly realized the ease in which Chihiro changed the pronouns in Masa's name, and was a bit disturbed. Only for a moment, though, as the other three Princesses and Kaoru had came over. The rest of the Fujimori team and the Kiba girls also walked over, and soon Masa was surrounded by noise as they all walked out of the gymnasium.
"This isn't so bad," Masa murmured as they walked into the open air. The sky twinkled with stars, the moon casting its all-knowing eye over the world. She thought she may have a solution to the problem of her changing, but a lot of it depended on factors beyond her control.
An expression of resolve crossed her face, spotted by Yuujiro. The blonde sidled over to her after a quick (suspicious) glance for Chihiro.
"You're pondering," he accused. Masa's hazel eyes stared at him in amusement.
"Maybe."
"You are a riddle wrapped in an enigma packaged in a Rubik's cube," Yuujiro grumbled.
Masa laughed, leaning in.
"A girl's gotta have some secrets," she whispered, and the blonde blushed as she skipped ahead, laughing merrily.
"Some of them more secret than others," Yuujiro grumbled, then hurried to catch up with the group.