Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 37
Sinister
Anshii had turned Akio down, and now he was going to show her the level of control that he could exert. She was positive that he was going to do something to Ayomi and she would be powerless to protect the girl while he was dancing with her.
As they danced, she watched them, all senses on alert, while Juri and Miki stood to the side, talking quietly between themselves.
Akio was aware that Anshii was watching, and he smiled at Ayomi, just to make Anshii wonder. "Ayomi, you look lovely tonight. I'm pleased to see that you are making an effort to interact with people."
Ayomi was more paying attention to her feet, but she managed to reply politely. "I still don't remember a lot, but I'm trying." Truth, she wasn't paying him much attention at all. She didn't want anything to do with him, and was desperately hoping that she didn't end up with her feet tangled up in the hem of the gown, or worse. on Akio's feet.
"Things will come back in time, so don't push yourself. Careful." He had turned her a bit too fast and she'd stumbled. He caught her easily, taking the opportunity to pull her in closer to him. "There, you're okay now."
She blushed, looking at him curiously. "Did you do that on purpose, Chairman? I know that I am not that good of a dancer, but there really isn't any need for me to be any closer to you. It's not. proper." She spoke quietly, but with a curiously arch tone, admonishing him while at the same time being polite about it.
Akio immediately stepped back and placed a more modest distance between himself and Ayomi, smiling disarmingly. "Is that better? I wanted to make certain that you wouldn't fall again."
For some reason, Ayomi found that she couldn't warm to him. Something had settled over her, like a cool shroud and she felt distanced. A flash of anger rippled through her, and she felt her shoulders stiffen. Don't touch me! "I won't fall because I don't feel like dancing anymore. So if you will excuse me."
But Akio didn't let go of her.
Anshii saw Ayomi try to turn away from Akio, saw Akio's refusal to let go, and clenched her hands, glaring at her brother. "Let go of her," she hissed under her breath, and Miki and Juri turned to see what was going on.
As they watched, Ayomi's cheeks went from pale to flushed, and it was clear to those paying attention that Akio was not acquiescing to her wishes.
What surprised both Juri and Miki was that Anshii suddenly drew herself up, squared her shoulders and proceeded to march across the dance floor and right up to Akio and Ayomi.
The music was ending as she tapped Akio on the shoulder and he turned slightly to look at her. "The dance has ended, Akio. Time to let go." Her voice was dry and clear, and the closer couples turned to look at them.
Abruptly, he turned Ayomi loose, and she ended up stumbling into Anshii, who brought her arms protectively around the slightly taller girl. A distant part of her mind wondered at the height difference, for she had thought that Utena had been considerably taller than she was. Outwardly, she narrowed her eyes and looked coldly at Akio. "The Chairman of Ohtori should behave better at a public function." She could feel Ayomi shaking, and turned her away from Akio. "At the very least, you should apologize for upsetting Ayomi."
"In truth, dear sister, I had not intended to upset her. Certainly I had not intended this. spectacle that has just transpired on the dance floor, and I will gladly take my leave of all involved." He bowed slightly and gave Anshii that dark look that she knew entirely too well. "Good evening, sister. Ayomi."
Couples parted to allow Akio to leave the dance floor, silence falling as he swept out of the room and left the party. Touga moved away from the girl he had been flirting with and frantically motioned to the musicians to play something, anything, but to get things moving again before the whole evening fell apart.
The musicians started playing, and Anshii turned to look at Ayomi, who was still shivering in her arms. "Ayomi. are you.?" But the girl wasn't shivering from fear. There was pure anger in her eyes, and Anshii stepped back in concern.
"He makes me so angry! Anshii. why do I hate him so? It just came on suddenly, this cold loathing. I didn't want him to touch me while we were dancing, and he wouldn't let go, and." She saw the strange smile on Anshii's face and paused in her tirade. "What?"
Anshii shook her head. "Nothing." She waved away the concern, noting the fire fading from Ayomi's eyes and as the music changed, she had an idea. "Ayomi.?" She lifted her hand to the girl, palm up.
A soft pink eyebrow quirked, and Ayomi tilted her head. "Hmm?"
"May I have this dance?"
Anshii had turned Akio down, and now he was going to show her the level of control that he could exert. She was positive that he was going to do something to Ayomi and she would be powerless to protect the girl while he was dancing with her.
As they danced, she watched them, all senses on alert, while Juri and Miki stood to the side, talking quietly between themselves.
Akio was aware that Anshii was watching, and he smiled at Ayomi, just to make Anshii wonder. "Ayomi, you look lovely tonight. I'm pleased to see that you are making an effort to interact with people."
Ayomi was more paying attention to her feet, but she managed to reply politely. "I still don't remember a lot, but I'm trying." Truth, she wasn't paying him much attention at all. She didn't want anything to do with him, and was desperately hoping that she didn't end up with her feet tangled up in the hem of the gown, or worse. on Akio's feet.
"Things will come back in time, so don't push yourself. Careful." He had turned her a bit too fast and she'd stumbled. He caught her easily, taking the opportunity to pull her in closer to him. "There, you're okay now."
She blushed, looking at him curiously. "Did you do that on purpose, Chairman? I know that I am not that good of a dancer, but there really isn't any need for me to be any closer to you. It's not. proper." She spoke quietly, but with a curiously arch tone, admonishing him while at the same time being polite about it.
Akio immediately stepped back and placed a more modest distance between himself and Ayomi, smiling disarmingly. "Is that better? I wanted to make certain that you wouldn't fall again."
For some reason, Ayomi found that she couldn't warm to him. Something had settled over her, like a cool shroud and she felt distanced. A flash of anger rippled through her, and she felt her shoulders stiffen. Don't touch me! "I won't fall because I don't feel like dancing anymore. So if you will excuse me."
But Akio didn't let go of her.
Anshii saw Ayomi try to turn away from Akio, saw Akio's refusal to let go, and clenched her hands, glaring at her brother. "Let go of her," she hissed under her breath, and Miki and Juri turned to see what was going on.
As they watched, Ayomi's cheeks went from pale to flushed, and it was clear to those paying attention that Akio was not acquiescing to her wishes.
What surprised both Juri and Miki was that Anshii suddenly drew herself up, squared her shoulders and proceeded to march across the dance floor and right up to Akio and Ayomi.
The music was ending as she tapped Akio on the shoulder and he turned slightly to look at her. "The dance has ended, Akio. Time to let go." Her voice was dry and clear, and the closer couples turned to look at them.
Abruptly, he turned Ayomi loose, and she ended up stumbling into Anshii, who brought her arms protectively around the slightly taller girl. A distant part of her mind wondered at the height difference, for she had thought that Utena had been considerably taller than she was. Outwardly, she narrowed her eyes and looked coldly at Akio. "The Chairman of Ohtori should behave better at a public function." She could feel Ayomi shaking, and turned her away from Akio. "At the very least, you should apologize for upsetting Ayomi."
"In truth, dear sister, I had not intended to upset her. Certainly I had not intended this. spectacle that has just transpired on the dance floor, and I will gladly take my leave of all involved." He bowed slightly and gave Anshii that dark look that she knew entirely too well. "Good evening, sister. Ayomi."
Couples parted to allow Akio to leave the dance floor, silence falling as he swept out of the room and left the party. Touga moved away from the girl he had been flirting with and frantically motioned to the musicians to play something, anything, but to get things moving again before the whole evening fell apart.
The musicians started playing, and Anshii turned to look at Ayomi, who was still shivering in her arms. "Ayomi. are you.?" But the girl wasn't shivering from fear. There was pure anger in her eyes, and Anshii stepped back in concern.
"He makes me so angry! Anshii. why do I hate him so? It just came on suddenly, this cold loathing. I didn't want him to touch me while we were dancing, and he wouldn't let go, and." She saw the strange smile on Anshii's face and paused in her tirade. "What?"
Anshii shook her head. "Nothing." She waved away the concern, noting the fire fading from Ayomi's eyes and as the music changed, she had an idea. "Ayomi.?" She lifted her hand to the girl, palm up.
A soft pink eyebrow quirked, and Ayomi tilted her head. "Hmm?"
"May I have this dance?"