Chapter Thirteen

*Flashback

Rukawa stared at the jammed door in stunned horror for a long, frozen moment.

This can't be happening.

He fell to his knees, checking the lock. It had rusted over time, and when he had slammed it earlier in his haste, he had not thought it would do any damage. Cursing in every language and dialect he had learned, Rukawa stood, moving back to give himself momentum. Then he ran at the door, smashing into it with his shoulder.

The door didn't budge.

Rukawa would have screamed if it was in his habit to do so. Instead, he picked himself up, noting absentmindedly that it –hurt–, but retreating to repeat the action. He glowered at the door.

It's either you or me, buddy.

*End of Flashback

Rukawa suddenly realized that every single eye in the entire world, or at least, every single eye in the world encompassed by the gym, was on him. The heavy silence hung tangible in the air, but he ignored it, his gaze rising to sweep the floor before him.

They did it. They really did it.

Anger rose in him as he regarded the open-mouthed people at the announcer's booth. Behind Sujowa, he could see Yumiko, her face a mask of disbelief, and snickered silently to himself. His eyes however, still ended up drawn to the silent figure in the middle of the room, where a bright spotlight made it impossible to miss the striking red hair.

Slowly, he moved forward, barely aware that the crowd was shuffling away to give him space, parting for him to move forward. At that moment, Hanamichi looked up slightly, and the flash of tears in mahogany eyes that had become familiar to him made Rukawa's heart twist. He advanced without a break in his step, keeping his gaze on the power forward.

Look at me, Hanamichi. Look at me.

His silent plea worked better than he had ever imagined pure pleading could, because Hanamichi straightened in that instant, raising his head and meeting his eyes across the cold, littered floor.

*** ***

"Ruiya?" he whispered before he could stop himself. Was he hallucinating?

Could illusions smile at him, take him in with bottomless blue eyes, hold out both hands in the position he had learned was the basic for any dance? He reached out, hesitating, not daring to believe, until his palms encountered warmth. Could illusions feel warm?

"Hanamichi." The voice was low, a whisper that he barely caught.

"Don't look down."

He blinked, startled.

And then Hanamichi cracked up right there on the spot, a huge smile breaking over his face like sunshine as he dashed his eyes with the back of his hand and straightened, looking squarely at the pale face in front of him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, not the least of which was what she was doing here, and he opened his mouth to start, but Ruiya shook her head slightly, throwing him off. She stared at him for another long moment, before another small smile graced her lips.

"Shall we dance?"

*** ***

Kohei laughed softly under his breath, the first sound at the shocked announcers' table. Yumiko was electrified into action, her face an angry twist as she lunged forward to take the microphone…

But was promptly tripped over by her date. Kohei beat her to the sound box, hefting the microphone up in his left hand and switching on the amplifier with the other.

"What music would our prom king and his date like?" the swimming captain asked the silent gym cheerfully.

*** ***

They stood a little way apart, Ruiya cocking her head slightly at him, still with that half smile on her face. Hanamichi was overwhelmed. It was as though everything else had faded away, everything but the steadfast glint in the bright blue eyes that locked onto his face.

The all too familiar strains of a song he had heard over the past two weeks trickled over the speakers. It filled Hanamichi like wine, stoking his senses, making him incomprehensibly giddy.

Now I've had the time of my life

No I never felt like this before

Yes I swear it's the truth

And I owe it all to you

And then she was in his arms, her hands speaking more than words ever could have as she led him skillfully through the mambo. Back and two, forward and four, side, side, close, spin and back. She felt like a butterfly to him, whirling so gracefully on her toes.

He breathed in her scent, by now familiar. She didn't look at him anymore, but he knew she was smiling, if only inwardly. He sent her out on a close-hold spin, checking his footwork. For the first time, the dance seemed real. This was no lesson, and they both knew it.

I've been waiting for so long

Now I've finally found someone to stand by me

We saw the writing on the wall

As we felt this magical fantasy

Something about her looked different today. Her hair was tangled, tousled over her shoulders, and her eyes seemed larger, darker. He bit back the pang in his heart that told him this was only one moment, and not eternity.

*** ***

Rukawa could feel his heart thundering in his chest as he moved, smoothly, under Hanamichi's arm and executed a drop. The redhead's movements were natural tonight, flowing with Rukawa's own, and he was amazed by how synchronized it felt, locked together, as though they had been practicing for this time.

Now with passion in our eyes

There's no way we could disguise it secretly

So we take each other's hand

'Cause we seem to understand the urgency

The rhythm seemed to be the only thing that existed. The faces of the crowd blurred into an unreality, as did the floor, lost as he was in this incredible, unbelievable situation. How had it all started?

With my body and soul

I want you more than you'll ever know

So we'll just let it go

Don't be afraid to lose control

The music was ending. He wrapped an arm securely, deliberately, about Hanamichi's waist, and stepped behind the taller boy, maneuvering his movements to a front-to-back stop, not knowing how to say what it was he wanted to say and still do what he knew he had to do.

I think I like you, Sakuragi Hanamichi.

*** ***

As the last note faded, Hanamichi felt the music pulled from his body, seeming to flow from his soul, leaving him empty but for the warmth at his back.

Ruiya…

As suddenly as that, it was over. Finished, in silence. The protective circle of her arms left him slowly as she moved back, but he could still sense her standing there behind him.

And then the tumultuous applause began.

The crowd surged forward, a sudden burst of noise and congratulations and awe and admiration. He felt his heart swell with something, but he didn't know what it was. He turned, needing to see Ruiya, to look at her.

But she wasn't there. In the chaos of the mob, Ruiya Setsuko had vanished.

*** ***

Rukawa crouched as the stampede to the middle of the room began, grateful to the darkness for once as he fought his way out of the core. The moment he was free of the main tangle of bodies, he stood swiftly, making his way towards the side door.

He looked back once to make sure Hanamichi wasn't watching. The redhead was buried under layers of students, and he could clearly hear Yohei Mito, one arm slung around Hanamichi, cheering and gloating. "You showed them, genius!"

Opening the door, he fled the gym.

*** ***

The only thing he could hear was the blood pounding in his head.

Where is she, where did she go—

"You showed them, genius!" Yohei crowed triumphantly, turning to grin at his friend, "That was absolutely brilliant!"

Hanamichi wasn't paying any attention, his eyes desperately scanning the crowd. Yohei noticed it immediately. "Who're you looking for, Hanamichi?"

The redhead hissed with frustration as someone else knocked him off balance, turning back to speak urgently to his friend. "Yohei, did you see the girl I was dancing with? Do you know where she went?"

"The girl?" Yohei repeated, surprised. "We all figured she was just a junior who knew you and who knew how to dance. She should be around somewhere, shouldn't she?"

"No!" Hanamichi burst out, trying in vain to get his point across. "Her name is Ruiya, she's from Ryonan, she's my dancing teacher. I don't know what she was doing here tonight, but I need to find her!"

Yohei's eyes widened. "Your dance teacher?"

Hanamichi nodded. "Help me get out of here already. I have to talk to her. This…she is…it's important to me. Please."