Dance Steps
By Chiharu Tanaka
A/n: Hi again! I'm sorry if you weren't satisfied with the previous chapter. Even if you weren't, I was. Chapter 7 is not good…(sigh) Sorry for the long wait, anyway.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of D.N.Angel whatsoever.
Chapter 8: Tango for Two
A thunderous wave of applause ensued at the end of Satoshi's grand performance. He just humbly stood up and bowed down in front of his sudden audience. Stepping down from the centre podium, he walked over to his table, greeted by a wide smile on Risa's face.
"Hiwatari-kun, that was incredible!"
He knew she wasn't able to resist his charms. "Thank you, Risa…" he said monotonously, with a little curved smile etched on his lips.
"Ah, gomen…I forgot we're on first-name basis…"
"It's okay. Let's just enjoy the meal."
Their orders soon arrived. Risa blushed silently as the waiters served them with first-class service. The soft clinking sounds of their knives and forks (as well as other people's) were heard. Risa's golden eyes darted slowly upwards as she turned her attention from her delicious looking steamed fish and towards Satoshi who was popping a piece of cut steak into his mouth.
"Ano…Satoshi-kun?" she squeaked, before pressing her lips together. Using the first-name basis felt so awkward to her.
"Hmm?"
"I was wondering…for quite some time now…why did you take dancing classes anyway? My mom forced Riku and I to take them…but still…"
"My father said I needed a hobby. So here I am."
"Oh."
They ate once more in silence. As dessert arrived, consisting of a delicious top-quality vanilla ice-cream, coated with melted chocolate and diced nuts with a cherry on top for Risa; and a slice of carrot cake topped with creamy white icing for Satoshi. Risa swallowed a dessert spoonful of cold ice cream before turning to look at Satoshi again.
"Thank you, Satoshi-kun…for lunch."
A warm, caressing smile formed on his lips. "You're welcome, Risa."
Golden eyes slowly shut and opened once more. Riku smoothed out her green skirt and walked over to Satoshi and Risa. She could tell they were both comfortable and happy with each other, just by the blissful glimmer in their eyes.
"Had a good time?" she asked.
Risa just answered her sister with a small, shy nod. Satoshi, on the other hand, just monotonously mentioned, "Yeah."
Riku just beamed at them. She knew there was perfect chemistry between them. The 'twins instinct' gave her so much insight on her twin's life. She strode a few steps forward towards the class to catch up with Daisuke, who was already inside the studio.
As Risa sat down on a bench to take off her shoes, she could hear the little voice inside her brain talking to her again. 'Why is Hiwatari-kun like this?' it said. 'He's usually so cold…not to mention uncomfortably close to Daisuke-kun before…what made him change?'
She turned sideways to look at his ever stoic face. He was untying his shoelaces when he caught her staring at him. He turned to her.
"Is there something on my face, Risa?"
She gave a high-pitched squeak that made the other students in the locker room jump up in surprise. A few girls started whispering to each other, noticing the first-name basis.
"No…it's nothing…"
She turned back to changing her shoes, all flustered and embarrassed. As the other students huddled together inside, Maria stepped outside the studio to the locker room where the pair had just finished changing their shoes.
"Ah – just the pair I wanted to meet," she said, her blonde locks bouncing left and right in a high ponytail as she looked at them with gleaming blue eyes.
"Konnichiwa, Maria-sensei," chimed the two, bowing down.
"Konnichiwa. I have something to discuss with the two of you."
Satoshi raised a confused eyebrow. Risa just looked at her with a 'You're-going-to-make-me-do-something' look. The two looked at each other before looking back at Maria's smiling face.
"Hai…" said Risa slowly.
"Well, I noticed that you both have excelled wonderfully in waltz – therefore I signed you up in the inter-state dancing competition!"
Risa's jaw fell from where it was originally positioned – closed. Satoshi blinked once, then asked, "Isn't that…next Wednesday?"
"Yes, that's right. I know you only have only six classes left, but I really want to see you both perform at the competition and make Azumano proud! You're the best dancers I've seen in the past three years! Will you do it, please?" she begged. "It's just a qualifying round…you'll be doing the actual thing in September!"
Risa had six more classes to freedom from that studio and the gossiping public – and now things had just gotten worse. She turned to look at Satoshi grimly. She almost fainted when she heard his next line.
"Why, of course, we'd be delighted. Anything for our dear Maria-sensei…"
Risa wanted to scream directly at Satoshi's left ear until it bled painfully. She had no time to argue with the decision as Maria grin got wider.
"Magnífico! You'll get an extra hour after classes from today, and an extra 3 hours this Sunday, okay? Carlos and I will teach you how to tango. Don't worry – these classes will be on the house."
Risa was left speechless at the doorway as Maria skipped happily inside. 'Why me, oh cruel fate?' she pondered as she stepped inside with a pitiful expression on her face.
"TANGO?" screeched Riku and Daisuke. They were inside the locker room after class…well, at least for everyone else's class.
"Shhh!" hushed Risa, as curious classmates looked at them strangely. Riku covered her mouth in apology.
"Sorry…but…tango! Whoa, Risa – I know you and Hiwatari-kun are really good and all…but I really didn't expect this…" said Riku.
"Yeah…so I guess I'll catch you later then…" she mumbled miserably.
After Riku and Daisuke had finished changing their shoes, Riku waved goodbye at the sad looking Risa. "Have fun!" she exclaimed mischievously.
Risa pouted and stuck her tongue out at her twin before walking back inside. She sat down on one of the empty plastic chairs laid out. Satoshi was outside, getting some fresh air.
She sulked and covered her face with her hands. Carlos, who passes by, took a seat beside her and tapped her on the shoulder. "What's wrong, señorita Harada? Are you nervous?" he asked.
She turned upwards to look at his brown eyes. "No, it's nothing, Mr. Carlos…"
"Just call me Carlos, señorita. Don't deny it, I know you're nervous. You think that tango is very…how should I say…intimate, am I right?"
Risa found herself answering in Spanish. "Si…"
"I claro(no problem). Tango is going to be quite okay for a dancer of your standard. I've seen you perform the waltz with señor Hiwatari…it's quite splendid, actually."
"It's not that, Carlos…it's just…"
"Ah…I see where you're going, señorita. You have feelings for him, am I right? Or maybe it's he who has feelings for you?"
"What about you and Maria-sensei then?"
"We're engaged. We met in a dancing school…a lot like this one."
"…"
"Ah, señorita, don't mind it too much. Just follow your heart – after all, destiny is…unpredictable."
He stood up and left Risa pondering on the chair. She breathed in and let out a big, regretful sigh.
Maria came into the studio with a few cans of energy drinks. She handed one cold one to Risa.
"Drink up, Risa dear – tango is fast and furious."
Risa let out another squeak. 'Fast and furious!' her mind screeched. 'I…I…I can't go fast and furious with Hiwatari-kun! It's as if our relationship isn't rocketing sky high already!'
"Oh c'mon, don't be so surprised…I'm sure you've watched people doing tango before."
Risa gulped nervously. She did watch them…and at the moment, she wasn't very pleasant with the thought of being THAT close to Satoshi. Although, at the same time, she couldn't bear the thought of seeing the look of disappointment on Maria and Carlos's faces.
'Fine…I'll do it,' she thought.
Satoshi stepped inside the studio a few minutes later. Maria handed him a drink as well, which he opened and emptied more than half of it.
"Well, every dance happens with the flow of music – therefore, as you both should know, music for tango steps are very fast…well, faster than waltz, at least," explained Maria.
Risa sighed. 'You don't have to try and make me feel better – I KNOW tango is the dance where partners get CLOSEST to each other…' she thought miserably.
"Okay…Carlos and I will show you then."
Maria walked over to the stereo system that stood in the centre of the stage. She pressed the play button and hopped off the podium and quickly positioned themselves. Satoshi, a few seats away from Risa, raised an eyebrow.
That second, thunderous, deafening, yet groovy beat filled the still air. Hip beats of Latino guitar and castanets filled the room. Maria and Carlos's feet started to move with the music. A few basic box steps were done, before their hands were raised high as Maria twirled around.
Risa gulped nervously as their dancing brought them closer together, literally centimetres apart from each other's faces, before Maria leaned backwards, supported by Carlos's hands on the back of her shoulders.
She felt the old habit of hers come back as she wanted to start biting her nails. As she raised it up to do so, she felt another force tugging it downwards. Satoshi, apparently moved a few seats towards her and sat right beside her.
They did a series of circular steps around the room as the music became slightly faster. Arms together and fingers intertwined, they moved in a linear step before doing another series of box steps.
As the dancing finally ended, Risa's face was supposed to be chalk white, if it wasn't for the thought that was playing in her mind, where instead of Carlos and Maria, it was Satoshi and her dancing. And her face being so close…close enough to finally come in contact with each other's lips.
"Risa!"
Maria's voice stunned her for a moment. She was even waving in front of Risa's blank face. "Are you okay?" she asked, eyebrow raised. Risa nodded with a sheepish smile on her face. "Well, if you're okay, come! Carlos and I will slowly demonstrate, you guys follow, okay?"
Risa found herself drowning in a raging ocean of disturbing thoughts. It was hard to forget the fact that the stoic man standing in front of her, holding her hand, had just confessed his love for her a day ago. It was hard for her to forget the fact that he was the man with a sensitive side which she only was able to see. And it was hard to forget the fact that he was also the man who cared about her more than anyone else.
"I'll do this from the guy's point of view…mainly. You take four steps forward before making three box steps clockwise, okay?"
Risa just nodded. She found herself staring into his wonderfully calm blue eyes again. What was the feelings she harboured for him? Love? No, it was too early for that. 'Then again, what is love?' she pondered.
"Okay, let's start. One, two, three, four…"
Risa moved her left leg backwards just as Satoshi moved his right leg. She wasn't even looking at the floor, somehow she got used to it during waltz.
"That's great, now, let's move on…"
"Oh gosh, my feet hurt…"
Risa couldn't help but say that out loud as Maria made them do the same steps over and over so that they memorised it in time for the qualifiers.
"Do you want me to give you a foot massage?"
She turned sideways to look at Satoshi. 'Cheeky!' she thought. "No, that's okay…" she said, slightly freaked out.
"Are you sure?"
He was smirking as she pouted miserably at him. "Yes, Satoshi-kun…I'm sure," she replied, tightening the straps on her sandals. She stood up, picked up her pink sling bag and left the room. Satoshi, however, was hot on her heels.
"You want me to give you a lift home?" he asked. She looked at him, bedazzled.
'That's so nice of him…' thought Risa. "Okay, sure…why not?" she replied.
They walked to a nearby parking lot, where the limo was already waiting for them. Satoshi graciously opened the door for Risa, which made her blush. "Thank you," she mumbled, cheeks pink.
"You're welcome," he replied, before climbing in the vehicle himself. The trip back to Harada mansion was quiet, as the car slowly passed by Azumano streets in peace as the sun shined down on the tall, green trees.
They arrived at her house later. They climbed out of the car, and walked down the front porch. As Risa was about to ring the doorbell, Satoshi tapped her shoulder.
"What is it, Satoshi-kun?" she asked, turning to him.
"I had a great time on our date today. Thank you."
"No, it's nothing really – it should be me who's thanking you…for the ride, for the roses, for the lunch…"
Without warning, or any planning or prediction, Satoshi leaned forward and gave her a soft peck on her right cheek. Risa could feel her senses tingling with excitement and herself blushing from embarrassment.
"We should do this more often," said Satoshi, smiling. "Good evening to you, Risa."
He left her standing there, speechless at what he just did. 'He's so…weird!' thought Risa, feeling her right cheek that felt slightly numb from the kiss. She rang the doorbell with her left hand.
'No, weird's an understatement…he's eccentric.'
To be continued…
A/n: It's P-O-L-L time people! I hope doesn't ban me for this. (sigh) Anyway, here's the question I want to ask you guys. Do you want a sequel to Dance Steps (1), or do you want me to make Dance Steps longer (2)?
Please answer (1) or (2) in your reviews. No "both", 'cause that's not possible. (heh heh)