To make this chapter extra special, I've drawn many canon characters in their outfits for Goodwin's 50th birthday party. You can find them on my DeviantArt account, including the outfit Estelle is wearing in this chapter.
Also, a new canon character will show up in this chapter, so look forward to it.
There will be a hardcore StarParticleShipping moment that I've been dying to write. If someone could draw that moment for me, it would make me the happiest girl ever. :3
It's all thanks to you, my dear readers, who's followed and supported me since I began writing "Crimson Star Priestess" and its old version, that I was able to rewrite the fanfic and achieve so much. I wouldn't have made it this far without you, so give yourselves a grand round of applauds. And I'm so happy to know my fanfic has been able to support you and give you a bright light in your days.
Special thanks to my French friend, CitrusUnshiu, for helping me once again by coming up with the Signers' and some of the canon characters' outfits.
We have the winner of the 750 review shout-out! It's matt dot alatorre! Congratulations! The next review shout-out will be by the 775 review. Remember, those who already have won a shout-out won't get another shout-out and the guest reviews don't count.
The chapter begins in normal point of view.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 45: Goodwin's 50th Birthday Party
It was early evening with the sky slowly turning from light blue into navy blue, but New Domino City was still bright with all the lights and neon colors. However, there was one certain building that had special attention in this evening than usual.
It was the five-star Hotel White Diamond. Spotlight shone upon the tall building while there was quite a crowd gathered by the entrance that had been sealed off from the public and reporters. Only the ones with special invitations could enter the hotel for the Sector Security Director's birthday party.
A path made of a long red carpet had been made for the guests to walk on to get to the building that was highly watched by Sector Security officers and bodyguards alike. Many families consisting of husband, wife, and their children or relatives received a ride by fancy black limousines that stopped one by one next to the red carpet. Reporters and photographers were busy snapping pictures of each visitor, but their main attention were the famous celebrities and VIPs that had been invited for Goodwin's birthday anniversary, like Misty Tredwell and many more.
Misty was dressed in an elegant dark green halter dress with a deep V-cut on the front, a pair of black heels, an emerald choker, a pair of dark gray elbow-length gloves, and a half-transparent gray shawl wrapped around her shoulders to keep herself warm. She held a black clutch-purse with green spangles as she was being interviewed by Angela Raines.
"Enjoy the evening", Angela told Misty when the short interview was over.
"Thank you", the model nodded softly before heading to the entrance.
Angela turned to the cameraman to give the viewers an update about the big event. "I'm Angela Raines from Daily Duel reporting live from the red carpet of Hotel White Diamond where the Director of Sector Security, Rex Goodwin, is having his 50th birthday party. He has invited not only his employees, but also several celebrities from our proud city, like Misty Tredwell who I just had a few words with." Her attention turned to the next limousine that braked next to the red carpet. "And we've got the next guests coming to the party. Is it another celebrity or one of Director Goodwin's loyal employees?"
The back door of the limousine opened slowly as the reporters and photographers waited impatiently to see if the next guest was worthy enough to interview or take pictures. A long white pants-clad leg stepped out on the concrete with a shiny white leather shoe, followed by its pair as the guest revealed his true identity.
The media grew mad and hysteric as they saw it was none other than Jack Atlas, the former King of Games. Jack was dressed in a pure white tuxedo with a pair of white leather shoes, a light purple vest, a very light grey undershirt, and a dark purple tie. He still had his huge A-earrings as they reflected the lights from the flashing cameras. The blonde Signer ignored the reporters' flowing questions as he reached a hand into the limousine. A much smaller and feminine hand reached up and placed itself on the offered hand, allowing Jack to gently help his date out of the vehicle.
The crowd got louder in shock as Jack's date stepped out of the limousine and linked her right hand with his left arm before they walked down the carpet. The woman was dressed in a light blue dress that had a thin layer of half-transparent skirt over the main dress. The sleeves reached a bit underneath the elbows and spread out like a funnel. The dress had a flower emblem formed by tiny diamonds, just as the edge of the sleeves and the main dress were decorated with diamonds. She was wearing a pair of dark gray boots with high heels, so she reached up to Jack's collarbone, and held a blue and dark blue clutch bag in her other hand. Her dark forest green hair was tied up in a ponytail as her gray eyes shone in the bright light of the camera as the reporters poured question after question.
"Mr. Atlas, who is this beauty?!"
"Mr. Atlas, is she your girlfriend?!"
"Mr. Atlas! Mr. Atlas!"
Angela and her cameraman pushed themselves through the crowd as Jack and his date walked toward the entrance of the hotel. The reporter was determined to get a scoop from the former King of Games and his date. "Excuse me! Coming through! Out of my way!" She was almost out of breath as she made it to the front. "Mr. Atlas! What brings you here with a date? You're no longer the King of-"
When Jack and his date stopped walking and turned to the blonde woman, Angela nearly dropped her microphone in shock when she recognized the woman linked with the tall man. "Carly Carmine?! Is that you?!"
Carly giggled softly, but she did her best to hold back a tiny evil grin. "Good evening, Angela."
Angela held back a growl as the grip on her microphone tightened a bit. "What do you think you're doing here, you reject of a reporter?!"
"She's my date for the party", Jack intervened with a strict but straight voice, his eyes narrowing into a glare, which caused Angela to flinch back. "Now, if you excuse us. Carly."
"Yes, Jack", Carly nodded, tightening her hold on the Signer's arm.
Angela bit her lower lip in anger as she watched the couple walk to the entrance. Jack handed his invitation letter to one of the guards along with his ID to verify his identity. The guard gave the former King of Games a nod before giving back the letter and ID, allowing Jack and Carly to enter the hotel.
"Caaarlyyy…!" Angela hissed through her teeth before remembering she was being aired live. She recollected herself and put up her Miss-Perfect-Reporter ego. "Weeell, what a surprise, dear viewers! It appears Jack Atlas, the former King of Games, is one of the exclusive guests for Director Goodwin's party. Could this possibly mean the current King of Games, the winner of the Fortune Cup, Fudo Yusei, will also make an appearance?"
The limousine stayed by the red carpet as the next guests stepped out of the vehicle, causing the media to grow even wilder. Yusei was dressed in a royal blue suit with a black vest, dark blue tie, white undershirt, and dark blue leather shoes. Just as Jack and Carly, he ignored the media and their questions as he walked down the red carpet, followed by his friends.
Aki was dressed in a dark purple off-shoulder dress, slightly decorated with cherry blossom embroideries around the waist, and just as Carly's dress, it had a thin layer of half-transparent skirt over the main dress, flowing down to half of her calves. The off-shoulder part had a small cape wrapped around the young woman's upper arms while she had a pair of dark purple elbow-length gloves, mainly to hide her Signer Mark. Her dark purple high heels made soft noise as she walked down the carpet, her hair straightened down, so it didn't stand up as usual, revealing her emerald earrings that matched with her green pearl necklace that looked like a flower.
Crow was wearing a dark gray suit with an orange tie and a slight light gray undershirt, and a pair of dark gray leather shoes. What stood out the most about him was his hair. It wasn't up in its usual style; it was down and reached his shoulders. It kinda looked messy, but more presentable for a party.
The little trio of Leo, Luna, and Dexter walked after the older group. The twin girl felt a bit nervous as she used her left arm to block the light of the cameras while she held hands with Dexter, who was her date. Leo was dressed in a pastel blue suit with a white undershirt, pastel blue bow-tie in a different tone, and light blue leather shoes. His ponytail was lowered a bit since he preferred to keep his hair up.
Luna was dressed in a simple gold party dress that reached her knees, while wearing a black bolero, black tights, and light yellow flat shoes. Her only accessory was a small mirror pendant resting on her collarbone. Unlike her brother, who kept his hair up, she had her hair down instead of her usual pigtails.
Dexter was dressed in a light beige suit with a white undershirt, dark red bowtie, and beige leather shoes to match his suit.
The group made it into the hotel without any issues. Crow wiped his forehead while releasing a soft sigh. "Man, I knew there was gonna be a crowd, but this is crazy!"
"Welcome to my world", Jack retorted proudly. "I feel like home now."
Carly giggled softly. "You like being in the spotlight, do you?"
"Wow…!" the three pre-teens were in awe at the fancy decorations in the lobby and the guests wearing luxurious clothes.
"It's so pretty…", Luna mumbled.
"It really is", Aki nodded.
"If this is the lobby, then I wonder how the rest of the hotel looks like", Dexter commented.
"I wonder what the food tastes like!" Leo said as he looked around, drool staining the corner of his lips. "Where's the buffet?"
"Oh Leo…", Luna sighed in defeat.
"Good evening, everyone", Misty called as she walked over to the group.
"Good evening, Misty", Yusei greeted.
"You were invited too?" Aki asked.
"Yes. Director Goodwin insisted, so I couldn't say no", Misty explained.
"I wonder who else we're gonna meet…", Crow commented as he looked around. "Where'd you think the host is?"
"I'm sure he'll show up soon, guys", a familiar voice replied.
The group looked up and saw Mei and Sakura walking towards them. Sakura was wearing a strapless dress with the top being white and the long skirt being soft hot pink. The waist had a white thick belt that was part of the dress and had a metallic pattern going around. Her shoulders and most of her arms were covered by a light pink cardigan with ruffles at the edge, and heels in the same color. A triple pink necklace rested on her chest as her hair was down from her usual ponytail, and wearing a pair of silver diamond-shaped earrings with pink jewels in the middle. She had her hair flowing down her back instead of keeping it up in a ponytail.
Mei was sticking out among the women because she wasn't wearing a dress. She was dressed in a white blouse with a black top with beige edges and pants, and black heels.
"Hi, Sakura, Mei", Aki greeted her classmates with a smile. "You're here too?"
"Well, my father and cousin work for Sector Security, so my family was invited", Mei said.
"And my mother is a chef in the cafeteria, so she, Dad and I were invited", Sakura added.
"You two look great!" Crow said while giving them a thumbs up. "Pants look better on you than a dress, Mei. No offence."
"None taken", Mei shook her head. "I really don't like skirts, but the only skirt I can wear is the Duel Academy uniform."
"Ohohoho!" a loud laughing voice interrupted the group. "So you're here too, Izayoi Aki!"
"She's here too…?" Leo whined as he rubbed his aching ears.
"Yes, she is…", Luna sighed.
Ran walked over to the group, dressed in a white qipao with blue flower pattern and other ornaments, and silver heels.
"Good evening, Kobayakawa", Aki greeted in a calm voice.
"Yes, a good evening to you and your friends too", Ran nodded.
"Why are you here, Ran?" Jack questioned as he narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman.
"My family incorporation is one of the biggest industries in New Domino, so I received a VIP invitation to celebrate this historic moment", Ran replied as she cast a curious eye on Carly. "Oh? You've got a date?"
Carly tightened slightly her hold on Jack's arm as he placed a hand on hers. "Got a problem with that?" the blonde Signer asked.
"No. Not at all", Ran shook her head before turning her eyes on Aki. "Speaking of, Izayoi. I've been meaning to ask you something."
"Yes?" Aki raised an eyebrow.
Ran's lips shifted upward into a serious smile. "I'd like to challenge you on a Duel again. Woman against woman. My insects versus your plants."
"You're still mad at Aki for defeating you?" Mei asked.
"Maybe a bit", Ran shrugged. "So what do you say, Izayoi? Name the time and place and I'll meet you there."
"Aki…", Sakura mumbled worriedly.
The female Signer pondered for a few seconds, trying to figure out whether Ran was still mad at her for the defeat, but she soon realized the rich blonde girl wasn't holding a vendetta anymore. She just wanted to Duel her for fun.
"Okay", Aki nodded. "I accept your challenge, Kobayakawa."
Ran's eyes widened slightly before she looked away and cleared her throat. "A-Alright then. But to make things less awkward between us, I'll give you permission to call me by my first name… Aki."
Aki blinked once in surprise before she replied with a warm smile. "I'll give you the details later, Ran."
Ran blushed a bit before she turned away with small pouting and pink cheeks, causing the twins and Dexter to giggle softly. "Kobayakawa must be a tsundere…", Leo whispered to his twin sister and their friend.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please!" Lazar's voice called.
Everyone in the lobby stopped their mingling and turned their attention at the small clown who was dressed in a dark wine red suit with white undershirt, black tie, and black leather shoes. He stood next to a pair of open stairs next to the lobby. His wife and young son, Atsuko and Kaoru, stood in the front of the crowd that had gathered around.
"Allow me to introduce tonight's hosts; Director Rex Goodwin and Ms. Estelle Goodwin!"
Yusei and his friends turned their eyes up on the stairs and watched Goodwin walk down the stairs calmly from the left side. The Director was dressed in a silver-gray tuxedo with white undershirt, dark gray bow-tie, and silver-gray leather shoes.
Some of the guests were complimenting Goodwin's outfit, but others questioned where Estelle was, until they figured out she was walking next to the Director on his left and his huge body was covering her. Once Goodwin turned to the guests and stopped around at the middle of the stairs, everyone could see Estelle had her right arm linked with Goodwin's.
The brunette was wearing a black strapless dress that hugged her curves until the rest of the dress flowed gently from the knees to her ankles. The dress had light gray pattern underneath the chest and at the lower part of the dress, and red corsages decorating the edge. As accessory, Estelle wore a pair of black lacy elbow-length gloves, black heels, and a necklace made of black and red pearls. She held a black clutch bag in her free hand that was decorated with crimson lace. Instead of her usual square glasses, she had a pair of black cat-eyes glasses. She had very little touch of makeup as her eyelashes were a bit longer.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
I felt a bit nervous when Goodwin and I walked down the stairs after Lazar announced our names. I held my adoptive father's arm and tried to stay calm, not thinking of how I would trip on the stairs or carpet and make a fool out of myself. Thankfully, no accident happened as Goodwin and I turned to the guests. I spotted my friends among the crowd and smiled softly, my heart singing in relief to see them.
"Dear friends, first of all, I'd like to thank you for coming to celebrate my 50th birthday", Goodwin began as he looked at the crowd. "Second of all, I'd like to thank my daughter and secretary for making this party possible."
There was a short round of applauds to me, which I felt embarrassed by, but I simply bowed my head a bit to show my gratitude.
"I'm sure this will be a memorable party for us all", Goodwin continued. "Dinner will be served in half an hour, but there is a small buffet on the second floor next to the restaurant where you can have a drink and snacks if you need something beforehand. Once again, thank you and enjoy the evening. More will come after dinner. Thank you."
There was another round of applauds as Goodwin and I bowed our heads and walked down the rest of the stairs. We unlinked our arms to go on separate ways to greet the guests. I immediately walked over to my friends as I saw they headed my way.
"Good evening, guys", I greeted them with a soft smile.
"Good evening, Estelle", Misty greeted.
"I'm so glad you could all come", I continued before turning my eyes on Dexter. "It's been a while, Dexter."
"Y-Yeah", Dexter stuttered shyly with red cheeks. "Y-You look great."
"Thank you. So do you", I replied with a smile. "You all look great in your suits and dresses."
"Thank you, but yours is stunning", Sakura complimented.
"Goodwin wanted to pamper me as thank you for organizing the party", I shrugged softly.
"You seriously mean you planned everything for the party?" Crow asked in disbelief.
"If you include the decoration, the corporation between the hotel's kitchen and the catering with the menu, the drinks and snacks, the orchestra-", I began as I counted on my fingers.
"Alright, we get it", Jack interrupted. "You fixed literally everything."
"I did get help from my colleagues, but you could say I was the one who completed the jigsaw puzzle", I confessed.
"Okay, okay, but can we go to the buffet now, please?!" Leo whined as a loud growl erupted from his stomach. "I'm hungry and I can't wait half an hour for the dinner!"
"Leo, try to behave for once", Luna face-palmed with a sigh.
I giggled softly. "If you promise you'll behave, Leo, I'll show you the way."
"Really?! Thank you!" Leo smiled widely.
"He's got lots of energy despite being hungry…", Mei mumbled.
"That's Leo for you", Aki giggled softly.
Ran snorted loudly. "A real man should have proper manners, but a child will remain as a child."
"The years you're a child are the golden years", I added. "Follow me."
I turned around to show my friends the way to the big ballroom where the staff of the hotel had prepared drinks and snacks when Yusei stepped over to me and offered his left arm without a word. I got a bit confused first by the action, but when I looked at him in the eye I saw an unknown emotion reflecting in them. I smiled shyly before I moved my clutch over to my left hand and linked my right arm with Yusei's.
At this very moment, I felt like a high school girl who was going to prom with her date. I had never once been to a prom before due to me being homeschooled in my world, so I could kind of consider this my chance to enjoy a luxurious evening.
"You look beautiful…", Yusei whispered softly as we walked up the stairs to the second floor.
"Thank you…", I whispered shyly in return and blushed hard while looking away.
I spotted Goodwin surrounded by several men and a few women as they chatted and had a good time. My adoptive father smiled or chuckled every once in a while, but I noticed how his face would turn serious. I wondered what that was about.
"I should've brought my camera with me", Carly spoke up behind us. "I would've loved to take pictures and capture this moment and keep it as a memory for a lifetime."
"You'll get more chances in the future, Carly", Jack told her calmly.
"I've hired a photographer who'll take a few pictures of Goodwin throughout the evening", I revealed. "I want to make a scrapbook for him about this special birthday anniversary as a Christmas present."
"That's a kind-hearted thought of you", Aki said.
"Goodwin and I have grown close since the incident on Halloween", I explained, quickly sensing doubt from the Signers through our Marks. "Everything is fine, so don't worry about it, okay?"
"Wait, what happened on Halloween?" Mei questioned.
"You don't want to know…", Crow replied in a very low voice.
XXXXXXXXXX
Dinner came and went and now most of the guests were in the ballroom as Goodwin and I had the first dance as father and daughter. I had never danced before, but after I got adopted Goodwin had a private dance teacher coming over to the mansion to teach me the basics of waltz and other gentle dances.
Slowly and surely, as the orchestra kept playing, one pair after another joined us on the dance floor and danced waltz. I saw Jack and Carly dance around as the others stayed in the background and took it easy. Leo was busy by the snack table for children. Speaking of children, I had also arranged a small area for small children to play around, supervised both by their parents and the staff of the hotel.
"Estelle…", Goodwin suddenly spoke up.
"Yes, Goodwin?" I asked as I almost missed a step.
"I don't know if you're aware of it, but… You've caught many eyes tonight."
I took a few seconds to comprehend and understand the meaning behind those words. "You mean… Men are looking at me?" Goodwin nodded, which I shook my head at and released a soft snort. "That's not true. Men have never once put an eye on me before."
"Maybe that was so in the past, but you're a woman now. You are attracting many suitors."
"I don't want to marry someone I don't know", I shook my head. "Besides… You know just as well as I do that, one day, I'm going to leave this world."
Goodwin's body grew rigid at that statement, but we continued dancing, passing Mina and Trudge who were dancing together, but the bluette had her eyes stuck on Jack the entire time. Trudge was dressed in the traditional black tuxedo with a brown bow-tie while Mina was wearing a deep-sea blue flowing dress.
"I can't afford to establish a relationship here, only to know that I will return to the world where I truly belong…", I continued as I rested my left cheek against Goodwin's chest, a sad feeling washing through me. "But I love this world too… I'm very conflicted."
"I understand…", Goodwin whispered softly. "Let us talk about this another time. I don't wish to see my daughter looking sad on my birthday." He lifted my chin up with one hand. "Smile for me. Can you do that?"
I blinked once before giggling softly while a smile grew on my lips. "If that's your birthday wish… Father."
XXXXXXXXXX – Yusei's POV
I couldn't put the feeling I had throughout the evening into words. My heart hurt in a way that I had never felt before. It was like the time when I got scared of Dark Signer Kalin and feared to go against the Earthbound Immortals and Estelle embraced and comforted me. At that time, my heart felt the same, but this time the feeling had grown ten times.
My heart sang in joy by seeing Estelle wear that luxurious dress and smile at me with soft pink cheeks and, strangely, dominant at the same time. I wasn't a dominant person, but when I saw how several men her age eyed her I felt angry and the need to protect her.
I had never experienced such feelings before Estelle appeared in my life. She had triggered something inside me and I knew it wasn't just because she was the Crimson Star Priestess. It was something else, but what?
"Yusei?" Crow called, snapping me out of my trance. "You okay, man?"
"Yes", I nodded.
"You looked very lost in your eyes", Aki added. "Are you feeling sick?"
"No, I don't think that's it", I shook my head.
"What do you mean?" Crow questioned.
I looked around to see Luna and Dexter had walked to the dance floor and danced together. Even Mei and Sakura found partners to dance waltz. Ran was talking to a few people she seemed to know.
"It's…hard for me to explain", I sighed.
The orchestra finished the song and the dancing pairs stopped in their movements as the rest of the guests clapped their hands at the ending of the first dance. Goodwin and Estelle let go of each other as they went on separate ways.
"Hey, looks like Estelle's free now!" Crow said before lightly elbowing my side. "Wanna dance with her, eh?"
Dance with Estelle? That didn't sound like a bad idea. I nodded to Crow before I walked forward to ask Estelle to dance when, all of the sudden, I got surrounded by several girls my age that wanted to either dance or just talk to me.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
I was on my way to Crow, Aki, and Yusei when the raven-haired man headed my way. My heart began beating in a fast pace, thinking he was going to ask me for a dance. But the next thing I knew, just before I reached him, he got surrounded by several girls and young women. I blinked in surprise at the sight, never seeing girls move so fast.
But I guess it was just a matter of time before Yusei got bombarded by fangirls since he was the new King of Games, even though he threw away the title shortly after the war with the Dark Signers.
I walked past the group, not wanting to get involved with trouble that could escalate, and headed to Aki and Crow who were stunned by the sight.
"Whoa… I've never seen girls move that fast at Yusei before…", Crow mumbled in disbelief.
"Tell me about it", I said. "I blinked once and, bam, the girls were there. But weren't you three by yourselves just a moment ago?"
"We were", Aki nodded. "Perhaps they were…scared to approach Yusei because of me."
I knew immediately what that meant. "They must've seen your Duels at the Fortune Cup and think you still have your destructive powers."
"Welp, he was gonna ask you for a dance, but since he's busy…", Crow began before he grinned softly. "Want to dance with me?"
"Sure", I nodded. "To tell the truth, I was hoping to dance with you, Yusei, and Jack this evening."
"May I have the next dance with you, Estelle?" a familiar voice spoke up.
I turned around and came face to face with Kaz. He was dressed in a dark teal-green tuxedo with a black tie.
"Hi, Kaz", I greeted him with a smile. "Sure, I'd like to dance with you after Crow."
"Sorry, pal", Crow grinned. "You've gotta wait for a moment."
"That's fine", Kaz turned to Aki and offered a hand, palm up. "May I have the dance with you?"
"Yes", Aki nodded as she gently placed her hand on top of Kaz's hand.
The two young men escorted me and Aki to the middle of the floor and danced away while Yusei was still busy with the fangirls. My heart sank a bit by the sight, especially after I got to know he wanted to ask me for a dance.
I shook my head to get rid of the negative thoughts. The night was still young. Surely, we would get a chance to dance together.
XXXXXXXXXX
After dancing with other men, including Jack and Trudge, mingling and making sure the party was rolling smoothly, I felt my brain send signals that I needed to take a break, so I snuck away while no one had their attention on me. Or so I assumed.
I didn't retire to the hotel room I had hired where I had changed into my dress and do makeup, no. Instead, I walked out on an open balcony on the fifth floor and sat down on one of the two dark oak chairs with red cushions. I put my clutch bag on the dark oak table and rested my left elbow on it and leaned my left cheek against my hand. I stared out at the clear night sky with the millions of stars and the silver moon.
During this whole time, I never got the chance to dance with Yusei. He had been busy dancing with one girl after another. Even though my friends and I tried to "rescue" him from the fangirls, they always snuck back to him whenever we left him alone.
I let out a soft sigh, my breath visible in the slight chilly air. The temperature had dropped, but I wasn't feeling so cold, despite being skinny. My Mark provided me warmth, so I didn't have to get dressed in layers that I used to do back in my world.
"Hey", a calm but familiar voice called.
I turned away from the night sky to the open door of the balcony. I held back my surprise to see Yusei. Last time I saw him, he was trying to get away from the fangirls by making excuses. He looked a bit tired, but he was hiding it well. He held two white mugs that I could tell contained hot liquid by the steam above them. I caught the scent of fruit tea as he approached me.
"Hey", I said as I took the mug Yusei offered to me. "Finally managed to get away from the fans?"
"Yeah", Yusei sighed tiredly as he sat down at the other chair. "They all wanted to talk and dance with me because I'm the King of Games."
I sipped my tea, enjoying the flavored liquid that smoothed my dry throat. "I guess it's the downside of being popular. It can be quite tiring."
We sat there on the balcony, just enjoying the silence around us and the hot tea. I was mostly staring at the sky, trying to avoid eye-contact with Yusei. I didn't know why, but I felt nervous. I was used being around him, but something tonight made it a bit difficult for me to look at him with normal eyes. Was it because we were formally dressed? Or the fact that Yusei looked a whole lot more handsome in his suit?
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Yusei suddenly asked.
I snapped out of my trance and turned to him after the question. "Yes", I nodded softly. "It's my first time being on such a formal party. I was never able to go to prom because I was homeschooled in my high school years, so I've never got the chance to get dressed a bit extra. You could say that tonight made it up for the lost time."
Yusei nodded, but then he looked away, so I couldn't see his facial expression. "You danced with several men."
His voice sounded neutral, but I noticed a pinch of irritation. Why was that?
"Yeah", I nodded before I slightly shuddered. "Most of them were trying to flirt with me, but I found it creepy. The only ones I felt comfortable with were Crow, Jack, Kaz, Trudge, and Goodwin." I hesitated a bit for my next words as my hands tightened the hold on the mug I held. "I was…kind of hoping to dance with you too, but you don't have to if you feel tired after dealing with the fangirls."
There! I said it!
I turned away to hide my red cheeks. It was in times like this I wished I had my long hair to cover my cheeks. I felt so embarrassed for saying such things, especially to the man I had feelings for. I was sure I was going to be rejected, but instead of saying no, Yusei stood up from the seat and walked to me before holding out a hand to me. I looked at him confusedly, but was met by one of his very rare smiles that caused my heart to beat an extra time.
"I wanted to dance with you too", Yusei said softly. "So… May I have the honor?"
I giggled softly as I put my mug on the table next to my purse before placing my left hand on his hand. "Yes."
Yusei gently pulled me up from the seat before he placed my left hand on his right shoulder. We took each other's free hands in a gentle grasp before Yusei began taking the lead. The balcony was wide enough for us to dance around in a gentle waltz.
(Insert: "So Close" by Jon McLaughlin)
We were able to hear the orchestra from a few floors below, but it was low enough to make this moment feel magical. I had a hard time looking away from Yusei as it seemed our eyes had locked onto each other. His hair looked like it was glowing in a silver aura from the moonlight and his royal blue eyes shone like the stars.
This was a moment I wanted to cherish forever. Even if the two of us never ended up becoming a couple, I wanted to collect so many precious memories to carry on in life. But at the same time, it was bittersweet.
I was his, but he wasn't mine.
I unconsciously exhaled a soft sigh before I leant my right cheek against Yusei's left shoulder, moving my hand so it was resting by his shoulder blade. He never flinched or reacted to my movement; instead he tightened the hold on my waist and pushed me closer to him.
Slowly and surely, our other hands let go of each other. I wrapped my right arm around Yusei's back as his left hand rested on my bare shoulder blades. I held back a shiver as our skins touched each other. His hand felt rough yet smooth on my skin. It felt nice and I felt protected at the same time. My heart was soaring in the feelings of love, but I knew I had to stop myself from making those feelings grow stronger. It hurt, but I had to.
The song shortly ended and we came to a halt. I could feel Yusei's warm breathe on my bare shoulder and it caused me to almost shiver again. We stayed still for a moment until I felt like it was dragging out, like Yusei had been glued onto me.
"Thank you for the dance, Yusei…", I whispered as I removed my arms off him and moved my head back.
Yusei seemed to be in a trance because his eyes were a bit hazed before he snapped out of it. "Huh…?" He blinked a couple of times before he realized his intimate hold on me and removed his arms. "Y-You're welcome."
I blinked as I noticed his weird behavior. It wasn't like him to be embarrassed by a simple dance, but I admit the dance had been intimate. I giggled softly as I picked up my purse and mug from the table, preparing myself to head back to the party.
"I really enjoyed it", I told Yusei, trying to break the awkwardness between us. "You're good at dancing. Did you teach yourself to dance waltz?"
"No…", Yusei shook his head as he picked up his mug. "I've never danced before."
"Then you must have a natural talent for dancing, just as with Duel Runners and mechanics", I said, sensing the romantic aura was slowly dispersing. "You were able to spare my feet."
Yusei chuckled softly. "I can say the same about you. It would've been painful if your heels stepped on my feet."
I let out a playful snort before gently slapping his shoulder with my purse, making him chuckle again at my defense. "Har-har."
XXXXXXXXXX – Yusei's POV
The dance with Estelle felt magical. It was like we were the only ones in the universe with Stardust Dragon and Star Eater watching over us. My heart grew warm and I couldn't help but smile when she rested her head against my shoulder. I could smell the faint scent of citrus perfume on her. It wasn't strong, but perfect for her.
I felt the need to cherish her and hold her close to me. It may sound ridiculous, but I felt like if I let go of her she would vanish in front of me.
A small part of me was aware of the truth. Estelle would one day return to her world and that thought scared me. She was one of my precious friends, and special. She triggered feelings inside me that I've never experienced before. I wanted to get to know her even more. I wanted to know her tiniest secrets and I wanted to tell her mine. I wanted to learn more from her.
I didn't care if she had autism; she had some difficulties, but besides that she was just like any other human being. You should never prejudice someone without knowing them first. They could be the kindest people you've ever known.
I liked Estelle…immensely.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
We walked back to the ballroom and put the mugs on a tray for unclean dishes as the guests had gathered in front of the small stage where the orchestra. They had prepared a microphone on a stick and I knew it was my cue. I excused myself as I hurried to the stage.
It was time for me to give my present to Goodwin.
The leader of the orchestra gave me a nod as I walked up to the stage and stepped to the microphone. I knocked it with my finger softly to check it was on before turning to the guests. I spotted my friends in the back where Yusei joined them. Crow went straight to him with a mischievous expression and seemed to ask something, which in turn caused Yusei to act embarrassed.
"Ladies and gentleman", I spoke, getting everyone's attention as the ballroom turned silent. "First of all, I'd like to personally thank you all for coming and celebrate Goodwin's birthday. I hope you received an experience tonight and will cherish it." I turned my eyes on my adoptive father as he stood in the front of the crowd. "Goodwin, I'd like to give you my present to you right here, right now. May I introduce the Nightingale from Nazca; Ish Kiq Garcia."
I saw how Goodwin's eyes widened at the name. While the applauds were echoing in the ballroom, I moved away from the microphone as a middle-aged woman walked up to the stage. She had middle-length light greyish hair with two red braids in the front, dark complexion, and a pair of mysterious brown eyes that looked like they were dark crimson depending on the light. She was dressed in a black and red traditional Latin-American flamenco dress with two rose corsages, one by the collarbone and one by the part where the main dress and the red ruffles met. She wore a pair of black high heels and had a pair of red half-transparent cloths wrapped around her wrists.
Ish bowed to the guests before she grabbed the microphone with gentle hands. "Gracias. (Thank you.) It is my honor to perform for you all, especially my very good and old friend, Rex Goodwin."
While Ish Kiq held a short speech, I snuck away from the stage and joined my friends. As soon as I reached them, the music was on and the Nightingale began singing mysterious songs in Spanish.
"That was your present to Goodwin?" Crow questioned in slight disbelief. "A woman from Nazca singing to him?"
"Not just any woman, Crow", I waved my right point finger. "Ish Kiq used to be friends with the Goodwin brothers."
"Really?" Yusei blinked.
I nodded, "I've heard about her from Goodwin multiple times. Ish Kiq is from Nazca, like Greiger, but she came to New Domino City to study in college. It was then she met the brothers and both of them grew a crush on her."
"Aww, so cute!" Sakura said in awe as she rested her right cheek on top of her clasped hands.
I smiled a bit sadly at the next part. "Goodwin saw how much Roman loved her, so he tried to act like Cupid and get them to spend more time together while concealing his own feelings. However, Ish Kiq was already betrothed to a rich selfish man by her poor and strict parents. She was only able to study in New Domino City due to her last wish for freedom before she got encased in a loveless marriage."
"That's terrible!" Carly gaped in shock.
"It's very common, Carmine", Ran shook her head. "I've witnessed it myself."
"Yeah, but still…!" Carly growled lowly to not disturb the guests near us. "Her parents were so selfish to throw her into the arms of a man she didn't love…!"
"How do you know all of this, Estelle?" Luna wondered.
"I talked to Ish Kiq a bit when I finally found and contacted her couple of months ago", I replied. "Since then, we've been talking every once in a while without Goodwin noticing it."
"How's her marriage now?" Dexter asked as he adjusted his glasses.
"They're divorced", I replied before speaking in a low voice. "Her husband…was very selfish and demanded things that she couldn't give him. After ten years of loveless marriage, the husband had enough and divorced her, but also threw her out to the streets without a single penny…"
"How cruel…!" Aki growled softly as her hair slightly ruffled by her psychic powers.
"Yes, but Ish Kiq used her talents in singing and dancing to get scouted and now she's Nazca's proud Nightingale", I continued as a small smile grew on my lips. "It was thanks to the articles about her performances that I was able to find her."
"And now you want her and Goodwin to hook up?" Jack questioned.
"I never said that", I shook my head as I turned back to the stage. "But… I wouldn't mind that."
Now that I saw Ish Kiq in real life, I could sense something familiar from her. It wasn't just because she reminded me of her manga self in my dimension, but something else.
"She looks like a nice person", Mei commented.
"Yeah, she looks like Martha!" Leo nodded. "You know, she's got that warm and motherly smile."
Crow, Jack, and Yusei looked at each other with warm eyes, probably feeling happy at the compliment for their foster mother.
I smiled softly as I turned my full attention back at the performance. I hoped Goodwin liked my special birthday gift for him.