Disclaimer I don't own any of the HYD characters nor the original plotline of HYD, but I certainly own this particular plot and all the characters I created for it...

Note to justify the new development coming : I don't remember exactly the number of the episode and I'm too lazy to check it out. But when Tsukasa explains to Tsukushi why he owes Rui a favor – it's when he pays off the whole café to have a drink with her after showing up at her house – and he'll let her be with him ('Because you are the woman I approve of'), he has a sort of flash back. The whole making Rui give up eating grated apples because it's not manly, while in the background, Akira makes a stupid pun that results in him telling Soujiro to join him in a cha cha. I'm personally a latin dancer during my leisure time – and I can tell you that his dancing was dreadful. But let's pretend his dancing was breathtaking – for the fiction's sake. Because his character was supposed to know how to cha cha, I'll assume he can salsa and latin dance in general as well. ;o) Please indulge me on this !

Another Note : a double update, because chapter 13 is kind of lame but I needed it to introduce this one that I'm more happy about. (Yes, I don't upload as fast as I write... guilty)... Review, please !

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14-Sort of a first victory

Sophie entered her house dreading the talk she was to have with her mother : she was sure her parents were going to reproach her for not being able to make enough friends at school, for being 'asocial' and 'giving a bad image of the French'. She sighed.

"Well, you've got to do what you've got to do. Head up !"

She walked bravely to the living room, quite sure her mother would be there, reading the newspaper as she did every time she got some time off the laboratory, and waiting for her to come home and see her to the dance class. Boy, she really did not want to confront her mother to told her she had been unable to find a friend willing to be her dance partner for the salsa class.

She summoned all her courage and opened the door as she greeted her mom.

"Hi Mom !"

The scene in front of her eyes was not quite what she had expected to see. Well, her mother was there, and the newspaper was folded on the table by her chair. But there he was, seated in front of her mother, next to her sister Marion on the couch. She could not really get what was going on, but the only thing she knew for sure was that she'd better behave calmly to try and figure that situation out.

"Well, Sophie, here you are. Apparently, Akira was a little early to pick you up for the class. And – may I just say – you are a little late. You just have time to freshen up before leaving if you want to be on time.

- Sorry... What ?

- Akira arrived about ten minutes ago. He told us you had asked him to pick you up for the class at five. Since you were not there yet, I invited him in for a cup of coffee while waiting for you. Nice young man, let me say – il fera sans aucun doute un bon cavalier (he seems like a great dancer material), she added for her daughter.

- Mom !

- Don't worry, sweetie.

- Well, Sophie, you'd better get your things, otherwise we'll be late..."

Akira was actually smiling at her. She pinched her lips, pondering the reaction she should have. But she realized he had managed to trap her where she could not react as she wanted : she did not really have a choice. If she did deny his claim, it would make a scene and her parents would never let her hear the end of it. She'll deal with the moron outside and get him to find an impossibility – with or without use of violence. Or maybe she'd ask Soujiro for an embarrassing piece of information she could use against him to blackmail him into leaving her alone. She forced a smile on her face, hoping the effort it cost her would not show too much.

"Of course, Akira. Would you wait for me outside while I get my stuff, so that we don't lose more time ?

- Not a problem. See you in a sec."

Conniving scheming moronic bastard. And he had made a good impression on her family – she could see the admiring glow in Marion's eyes and the warm expression on her mother's features. He did not know it yet – but he was going to regret this. Dearly regret it. A shame she should deprive his mother from future grandchildren, but, hey, no other alternative. Her nostrils flared. She passed her hand in her locks, and heard her mother make another comment as Akira exited the room.

"I'm glad you found such a fine polite young man to share this experience with you. And he's learning French – his accent was quite cute.

- He's learning French ?

- You did not know that ?"

Okay, bad. She had to divert the attention – her mother's surprise could only lead to embarrassing questions and explanations, now. Quickly.

"Of course, I knew. But he's usually quite shy about it. I would not have expected him to try his French with you.

- Well, he did. Don't make him wait forever. Grab your things and go have fun !

- Thanks, mom."

She got to her room, grabbed the dance shoes her mother had bought for her, an elastic band to tie her hair, and stuffed everything in her backpack. She took her cellphone to make a call while going to where the guy was waiting for her.

" Soujiro ?... Yes, I missed you already ! You wish... No, can't live without you. Okay, stop. ... I need an honest answer... Of course you feel offended by that. Did you put him up to this ?... Who? The moron, who... You don't know what this is about. Okay. Well, I'll call you later. I have to kill someone first."

She hung up, and flashed a killer glance at Akira, already behind the wheel of his convertible, his sunglasses on, his womanizer grin revealing his toothpaste-ad white teeth.

"When will I cease to be a playboy magnet, I wonder."

She put her backpack in the back and got in the car.

"And I didn't even have to take an hostage to get you in this time.

- You might wish you did. Because you've got no protection against my fury.

- I love that you manage to say something so threatening with such a sweet smile on your lips. Afraid your mom might discover your tendency to violence ?

- Shut up and drive. We're going to be late."

Akira put the contact and drove away from the Dessay's home.

"Just so that I can kill him or her too. Who put you up to this ?

- Well, first rule in life : never give up the source of your information. Sorry, won't tell.

- Second question : what is the excuse you're going to make up to have to stop attending the classes ?

- Do I need one ? I don't think so. I'm not stopping – I really want to be your dance partner. Besides, your mother would be very disappointed if I backed off. She really liked me.

- Yes, and how that is, I wonder. You mesmerized my sister as well. But I have to tell you : if you lay as little as one finger on Marion, I will skin you alive and pour salt in your wounds.

- So much violence, and even threats to torture. Are you lacking a part of your second X chromosome ? If you didn't look so much like a girl, I would swear you'd be a guy.

- You're lucky I don't want to die in a car accident.

- Am I ? Well, I guess I am in a way.

- How did you manage to get my mother to like you so easily ? She is a very sensible person, usually.

- Let's say I know how to charm the ladies."

Sophie eyes dilated in horror.

"You didn't ?

- Are you kidding ? Your sister was there, after all. I did not do anything inappropriate. I'm just very effective at charming girls and women. You're the only one I have ever found to be so immune to me. Well – except for Tsukushi, but I would never really try with her, since I have no wish to fight to death with Tsukasa over her.

- You are so full of yourself. And you are so not to be my salsa dance partner !

- Really ? And why not ?

- I am not salsa dancing with a pig such as you are. You might get ideas.

- You think, Akira asked, raising an eyebrow. So I've upgraded from moron to pig. I wonder if it's really a progress.

- It's not upgrade, it's an option. You're a moronic pig, that's all. And I'm not having you as my dance partner.

- Listen : I am not telling your mother that I'm not doing it. I am going to come to your house to pick you up for the class three days a week as planned, and I'm going to be charming with your family every time. What can you do if you don't want to have to explain to them that you hate me ?

- Don't flatter yourself. I don't hate you.

- So you have already told me once. Look, I'm going to be frank. I'm stopping my attempts at you as a potential girlfriend – I've stopped them for a while now. I just want us to get to friendly terms so as to spare our common friends from feeling uneasy when we are both with them. I think this is a perfect occasion for us to get to know each other. I promise the only name I will call you will be your own. And, hush... Let me finish. I will also add that I already know how to dance. And, without false modesty, I'm pretty good at it. You'll make jealous all the other girls in class.

- I already have enough girls resenting my hanging out with the F4 already at Eitoku, you know. Besides, I would not want to burden so good a dancer with my beginner's mistakes.

- I don't mind. If nothing else, I'll teach you."

Sophie pouted and crossed her arms on her chest to think about what had just been said. She did not know whether she could trust his claim or not, but he had a point. It was bad enough that Rui, Soujiro and Tsukushi were always acting all shifty when both of them were there. And they were his friends already before she came along. Maybe he was just really trying to smoothen things up. Sure, he was a pig. But so was Soujiro with most girls, and she had found he was a great friend to her. Maybe she could give the moron a chance. And she could always make him a eunuch out of him if he didn't behave in the end. And she would get to learn how to dance salsa. She had always loved to watch her parents dance together – the harmony, the energy, the fluidity, the fusion with the beautiful latin music.

The downside, of course, would be that the moronic womanizer pig would be the one she'd have to share the whole experience with. Then again, if he was a good dancer, it could be nice and it would be easier. But she had to be sure he would behave.

During this whole silent deliberation, Akira observed silently the young woman as all the different emotions flowed through her. He had played the card of self-assurance and of 'let's be friends'. After all, Soujiro had hinted that it was the only way to Sophie's grace. Inwardly, he was a lot let certain of the outcome than he had let her see. Of course, getting to her home before she could and presenting himself to her family as her dance partner to be had been a risky bet. She could have revealed the scheme and screamed at him in front of her mother. But he had had to try. And he wasn't lying : he was a good latin dancer.

He had started at first because it was a fantastic way to seduce women – they say dancers are the best in bed, don't they ? Besides, the latin clubs are the hottest, and the women's clothing for salsa dancing often were often a treat for men's wandering eyes. Latin dancing was one of the few activities that he found truly liberating and that made him feel good, beside sex. So what could be better than combining them ?

This class would be a perfect opportunity to get closer to Sophie – in both senses. He smiled to himself. If she had not insulted him or uttered a new threat yet, maybe he had won the argument. He could only imagine...

"Don't even think about it."

Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What now ?

- Using this opportunity to try to grope me or something as if it were part of the dance – I know what salsa dancing looks like. My parents are very good amateur dancers. And if you do try something you should not be trying, your mother is going to hate me for denying her the possibility of grandchildren. I'd hate to make her my enemy.

- Does your own mother know how violent you are in reality ?

- I'm trying not to let her see that side of me. I find it is better she believes I'm a good girl.

- How lucky she is !"

And inside, he thought that this girl had to have some kind of psychic super power to guess what his thoughts had been when she had talked. But then, it dawned on him that he had yet to make her admit she had surrendered to his arguments.

"So you are accepting me as a dance partner ?

- Don't rub it in. I already know it's a stupid decision."

Akira grinned, and accelerated at the same time. His first victory over the crazy Frenchie – a glorious day, indeed.

He wondered how Soujiro was going to take the news – after all, he had told him to back off Sophie. Well, it was not as if he intended to force her into anything she wasn't willing to do. She had just accepted him as dance partner. It was a beginning. He turned towards her, as he parked near the dance academy.

"This is going to be an interesting summer break."

Sophie looked back at him. Maybe he was in earnest. She could always try to give him the benefit of the doubt. But it didn't mean she had to be all sweet with him and make it easy.

"Tell me everything about your taking French. With the accent."

Akira swallowed painfully.

"Let's get to this class, already."

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Okay... get where I'm going with this, now?