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...

I don't own The One You Love by the fantastic Rufus Wainwright either (I've been listening to his albums non stop lately, which may explain that I find his songs resonate a lot with parts of the story).

Thanks : once again, to snuffyTHEmonkey, for the valuable input in his last review. I hesitated a bit, and I pondered that if stm had trouble making sense of Sophie's attitude, so could other people – don't worry, I'm working on it, chapter 16 should be able to clear that up, normally. In the meantime : Sophie is based from 4 real life girls, two of them have the violence/energy thing, and are salsa lovers all the same. They just choose their partner carefully – gay friends or 'already in couple' friends, for instance... or real gentlemen. ;o) Thos who don't behave... know what they risk !

Besides, I agree, 'what a waste of nice bum' that he usually goes for the older women... But that's what i'm trying to correct her, and explain. For those who worried : akira did not make a move on Sophie mother, and he is NOT going to...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15-No man should be able do that

As they exited the building, they were chatting together, and already there was an improvement to the mood between the two of them. Of course, she still felt he was a moronic womanizer, but the three hour dance class she had just gone through had had sort of a numbing effect on her – she was high on her own endorphines.

He remembered with an inward smile the teacher and the beginning of the salsa class. The teacher, Shizuru Abe, was certainly a most beautiful woman, and obviously a very good latin dancer. Her own dance partner, Kensuke Nakajo, was a very funny guy – while she tried to warn the female students about the attitude of certain men in latin dancing clubs, he made faces and sighs, when he was not whispering remarks and absurd tips on a falsely confidential tone to the male students. And the whole 'female anatomy lesson for salseros' had been most entertaining – and he had to admit it had a ring of truth.

"Okay, so the basic salsa dancing position as a couple in Palladium style Portorican salsa is the following : first, the man places his hand on the woman's left scapula, while her left hand is delicately resting on the man's shoulder, with the less weight possible – think of of a feather, girls. Guys... For you own sake and that of your dancer, here's a little lesson in female dancer anatomy. The scapula bone, she said pointing to her own, is right there, in my back, just below my shoulder. I'm saying this, because some men actually believe the female scapula is down there, she commented while slapping soundly her hip. I'm going to say it just once again so that it's perfectly clear : this is the hip bone, not the scapula. You'd be surprised at how close female and male bone anatomy are... So girls, be aware of that frequent lack of knowledge, and help your partners remember this simple fact by taking the necessary actions each time they ted to forget."

Shizuru was certainly very theatrical during this little demonstration – her warm energy as a teacher helped everyone feel at ease. Akira remembered Sophie's warning when they had tried the couple position to begin practicing the basic step as a pair. Not that he had displaued any sign of that said frequent lack of knowledge in salseros.

"Beware of your hands, Mimasaka, or I won't answer for mine."

The girl was certainly feisty – but that was certainly not a discovery. He had thought she'd be stiff and off beat, before coming to the class ; but, after all, it was not his love of latin dancing that had brought him here. She had not stricken him as the latin dancing type – he had actually been surprised to learn she wanted to learn. Sort of. Because with her curves and long curly hair, he could certainly picture her dancing salsa very nicely – which was kind of an understatement.

But her overall attitude and personality, or more accurately, what he knew of it, was so mistrustful of men that he was even surprised she would want to learn latin dance at all. In the end, he just guessed it was one of those numerous female paradoxes that men should never try to elucidate lest their brains give in.

The fact was, maybe thanks to watching her parents all those years, she had managed to grab the basic step and the first patterns quite easily – obedience to the leader aside. This, as expected, was the most difficult part – it just made sense, considering that she was not the type to surrender to men for any reason. She would not relax enough and let herself be led by him. She anticipated his lead, and he hated that : after all, he was the man.

After a few unsuccessful attempts at making himself obeyed, Akira had begun dubbing her doing the steps without his leadership the 'automatic dance partner mode', which made her wince quite furiously every time he noted muttering : "and here's a beautiful example of reboot in the automatic dance partner mode".

Of course, her hips were still quite stiff : you don't overcome years of habit and culture in three mere hours. It's always problematic for people who don't come from the Caribbean people to manage to swing their hips in opposition to the placement of their weight – and it's the basis of the salsa hip movement.

She had been quite stupefied by the fluidity and amplitude of Akira's flawless hip movement.

"No guy should be able to do this with his hips !"

He had hesitated before answering, but he had not been able to prevent himself from doing so. He had replied with a knowing smile and teasing eyes.

"Well, that only proves that you don't agree with most women."

At which she had begun to frown, before raising her eyebrows in disbelief, and sighing at the 'appalling attitude'. And finally she had smiled in resignation.

"Mimasaka, you're really a pig and a moron.

- Like I didn't know that already – that's all you ever call me. But at least I can move my hips, which everyone in this conversation cannot claim to do. By the way, my first name is Akira.

- As long as your hands don't move too far from where they're supposed to be, she had answered – ignoring his last remark. I won't have to take drastic reprisal measures against you.

- My hands are sworn to leave you alone. Don't worry. Besides, they have better things to do."

Then, he had dropped her off at her house, refusing her mother invitation to dinner under a made up pretense, feeling he'd better not push his luck too much and make her go psycho on him now that he was in a position to begin to soften her towards him. Three times a week, three hours each time, and salsa dancing – it was already a wonder she had accepted to do it without killing him for making her dance with him.

After all, they say that, in everything, moderation is good. Better leave her be until the next class, on Tuesday. Slow and smooth – that could work. Pushing didn't, with her.

It was already half past eight, and he didn't have anything else to do. So he decided to go bother Rui for a change – at least he could get some French done, especially since her suppressed laughter at his accent had annoyed him. But she had, unexpectedly, been kind of nice about, appraising the effort he was making, while still noticing that his accent made him difficult to understand.

Yes, meeting with Rui could be a plan. He didn't feel like just picking up some random married woman at a club tonight, anyway. Had too many of them lately.

As the sun was slowly setting on Tokyo, he drove towards the Hanazawa mansion, deep in his thoughts. This girl was strange. But the reason of her strong dislike for him was even stranger. He wanted to figure out where it came from, to make her like him, if only as a friend. Maybe it was going to come, but he wondered anyway if he really could do what he had told his friends : change completely the opinion she had of him. Well, at least he was trying.

That night, he had his recurring nightmare again.

"The mind has so many pictures

Why can't I sleep with my eyes open ?

The mind has so many memories

Can you remember what it looks like when I cry ?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

well... I'm making some progress in the story, I swear... please review, it helps and ups my mood ! Hope you enjoyed.