A/N: Sorry for the delay ! I kinda made this chapter longer than I expected, so naturally I ended up taking a long time to proofread/edit. But yeah, hope you guys like it! As always, please provide any constructive feedback!
Side Note: If anyone would like to be a beta reader for my fics too, that'd be appreciated! I know it's asking a lot however, but figured I'd try. Thanks again!
The décor inside the gymnasium surpassed both Nagatoro's and Naoto's expectations, gasping in awe at the sight that laid before them.
Hanging streamers and garlands illustrated the school symbol and mascot, with up lights that rhythmically changed with the beat of the song(s).
An iridescent dancefloor positioned center stage reflected any light that hit it, with linen tables that surrounded the periphery.
Upon said tables were elaborate centerpieces, ranging from creative flower bouquets, ice sculptures, and other various arrangements.
"Wow, the school's party planning committee really went all out, huh?" Nagatoro commented as she scrutinized the décor.
"…Yet they always say there's no money for the swimming club…" She added with a tinge of criticism.
Naoto hadn't really heard what his date said however, as his attention was focused on a different aspect: the amount of people.
He estimated at least 80 students occupied the gymnasium, causing a slight tremble in his legs. Under the watchful eye of his kouhai however, she gently grasped his hand.
"Let's find a table, Senpai!"
As they made their way through the crowd, the search for an empty table became more and more daunting. Swarms of people were also rushing to find a seat, slightly annoying Hayase.
A sigh of relief escaped Naoto's lips as he noticed a waving Yoshi in the distance.
"Over here Hayacchi!"
The couple smiled as they approached their friend group.
"Toro-chan and Senpai-kun are here!" Sakura exclaimed with clasped hands.
"Glad to see Paisen cooled you off." Gamo smirked.
"I should've known better than to expect virgin Senpai to do anything." Nagatoro laughed while nudging Naoto, causing a vein to pop out on his forehead.
"Pusillanimous!" Yoshi shouted, before taking a sip of her punch.
"…What, Yoshi?" Gamo questioned, only to be interrupted by the dance MC.
"Welcome to our first annual dance! Who's excited to be here?!"
The question inspired several shouts, ranging from 'Woo!' to 'I'm going to get laid tonight!', the MC nodded in reverie.
"I hear ya loud and clear! We have a special evening planned for you all, filled with the hottest tracks, crazy light effects, and all you can eat yakisoba pan!"
Yakisoba… pan? Naoto mentally questioned, wondering who made that decision as the food of choice.
"So, without further ado, LET'S GET THIS PARTY JUMPIN'!"
On cue, "Back That Ass Up" by Juvenile blared through the Bose speakers, inciting multitudes of students to join the dancefloor.
"'Let's get this party jumpin'!' Who says that? Ahaha." Nagatoro commented, holding an imaginary microphone for added effect.
"I know right? Like, he couldn't have chosen a better line?" Gamo sneered as she leaned her head against her fist.
"Cringy!" Yoshi pointed.
"At the least MC is hot." Sakura remarked while fixing her foundation.
"Whatever attraction he had, just reduced to zero." Gamo laughed as Yoshi pointed.
"Requiem!"
I totally don't fit in at all... Naoto thought as he listened to the girl's conversation. This was his usual thinking whenever he'd spend time with the Toro clan, although he was slightly relieved that he wasn't the topic of discussion this time.
Gradually losing interest, his attention shifted to the dancefloor.
Several dance styles were apparent as he watched closely, the predominant one being grinding. It didn't exactly phase him; he knew the course of most dances led to this.
Plus, seeing it from a distance meant little to no involvement, which brought him a little comfort. Though, he would've preferred no involvement if possible.
His consent to this was a direct influence from his kouhai, he stipulated. Not to say that was a bad thing, he viewed him and Nagatoro as perfect opposites.
And perfect opposites usually assimilate each other over time.
At least, to some degree.
"And thus, virgin Senpai was exposed to grinding. Hoping, one day, he too might be able to experience such debauchery." He heard from his left which popped another vein in his temple.
As soon as the group saw they had gained Naoto's attention, they burst out laughing.
"Paisen was staring awfully hard out there."
"Do you want that to be us, Senpai? Our hips rubbing against each other as we get all sweaty and sticky?" Nagatoro grinned,
"D-don't be ridiculous!" He stammered as he turned his face away.
"Here Senpai, I'll help you get acclimated."
"W-what are you sayi-"
His voice gave out as he felt a new weight on top of his lap, Nagatoro turned back to look at his face with a confident facade.
"Maybe this is too much for you, huh?"
Her embarrassed grin grew more as he frantically gasped for air.
"Wow Toro-chan, so bold~"
"N-Nagatoro aren't you scared of what others may t-think?" He stammered while trying to calm himself.
"Look around, Senpai. We fit right in."
Quickly scanning their local vicinity, she was right; not only did the gymnasium's dimly lit atmosphere obscure them, everyone's focus seemed to only be on the dancefloor
Though, that observation didn't bring him much relief in this situation.
He wondered, was the act of embarrassing herself worth it if she was able to instigate a reaction from him? If so, then he knew how to counter.
As she adjusted herself comfortably on Naoto's lap, he gradually slowed his breathing.
"Senpai, is this your first time having a girl on your lap?" Hayase asked.
"M-maybe." He stuttered, slowly steeling his temperament.
Gamo smirked at the reaction, "Paisen's getting some resilience now."
"Resilience!"
A crooked smile formed on Nagatoro's face as she decided to up the ante.
"You seem to be hanging in there pretty well Senpai, then… how about this!?"
She watched his face contort as she moved her butt further up his lap, then back down. Naoto's mind frenzied over her new action.
A… l-lap dance!?
He remained silent however, holding in his hysteria with inflated cheeks and watery eyes. The tethers that bound his soul to his body loosened with each rub.
"Oi Hayacchi, not sure this is considered bullying anymore..." Gamo remarked as she scratched the back of her head.
"Seduction!"
Hayase only continued to seize his weakness, disregarding her friends' statements. It was at this point Naoto's mind halted all function. His plan thoroughly backfired.
"I knew Senpai's virgin self couldn't handle this! See? See?! Ahahah- kh!"
Her laugh was abruptly cut off as she felt something protrude against her. Now bearing a shocked expression of her own, Nagatoro froze in place, unable to continue her provocative act, but also unable to move back to her seat.
Stuck in perpetual purgatory, she could only turn back to see Naoto's face contort similarly to when she accidentally grabbed his crotch.
"Yo Hayacchi, what's wrong?" Gamo called out while Sakura tilted her head with her typical smile.
"Hmm~ I can think of a few possibilities."
Naoto's mind was now overheated, forcing his kouhai to resolve the predicament at hand. Hayase quickly filtered through her options.
On one hand, if she gets off his lap, Gamo and Sakura will immediately figure out what happened, and that would indefinitely condemn her.
On the other, if she remains, she'll be forced to question exactly what is against her, though she was 99% certain what it was already.
Moreover, they had already seen her reaction, she'd have to come up with a lie to explain her abrupt action.
Before she could formulate a plan however, she noticed Senpai holding a box to her right.
"Y-you almost broke my glasses' case…" He said hesitantly, causing a visible frown to form on Sakura's lips.
"Awh, how disappointing."
Hayase looked down in embarrassment as she still felt the bulge, but at least it exonerated them from Gamo and Sakura's interrogation. She hesitantly reseated herself, looking at Naoto with a strong blush that told Naoto exactly what he feared.
She's going to kill me…
Fortunately, the DJ record scratched into a new mix.
The song, "Candy Shop" by 50 cent was now playing, Sakura brightened at the transition.
"Wow I haven't heard this song in years!"
"Yeah, he's definitely playing all the throwbacks." Gamo remarked.
"Nostalgia!" Yoshi followed.
"You and Paisen should get out there, we'll hold down the table." Gamo suggested while reapplying her lipstick.
"I'm not sure this is a good song for me…" Senpai scratched his cheek.
"Can't we wait until ano-"
"Time to bust a move, Senpai!"
Naoto flinched as his kouhai pulled him to the dancefloor, not expecting her to make such a speedy recovery after what just happened.
Though, she's always been able to bounce back pretty quickly, he noted.
As they weaved through the tables, Naoto found his gaze falling upon his date. It felt like this was the first time this evening he really took her image in.
Nagatoro… looks beautiful. Tonight's been so hectic, I hadn't really had the chance, but… looking at her now…
He softly smiled, hoping that said person wouldn't turn around to see his face. He wanted to savor this moment while he still could.
I… don't really regret telling Nagatoro I took dance lessons… but I should've known her expectations would blow out of proportion…
He sighed as they passed by a faceless second year.
"Whaaat, the manga artist is here?!"
A voice called out from behind the couple, yet neither of them recognized who it belonged too.
"And he's here with Hayacchi too?!"
Nagatoro turned to identify the student but couldn't remember his name, which was better than Naoto, who couldn't even remember his face.
But, from what they could see, he was well-built (presumably athletic,) with brown, spiky hair. He was the same height as Naoto and had a very light complexion.
Senpai began to scratch his cheek awkwardly, "Um… s-sorry but who are you again?"
"There's no need to tell a nobody like you who I am, but-" Pushing Naoto to the side, the athlete now stood in front of Nagatoro.
"Say, Hayacchi, you don't want your reputation damaged being seen with this loser, right?"
Those words stung deeper than Naoto expected. It's not like he hadn't thought that before though; in reality, that thought occupied his mind at least once a day.
It was that very idea that led to Naoto's own conceptions about his and Nagatoro's relationship. She had to know that she was hurting her status, yet she frequented the art room every day without hesitation.
…He's right… Nagatoro compromises her status each time she's seen with me… I'm sure she's already heard a few rumors because of that as well…
I wonder how she deals with them…
"My reputation would be worse off if I'm seen speaking with you." She curtly replied, bypassing him and coiling her arms around Naoto's.
"C'mon don't be like that, my date cancelled on me yesterday. That hurts a guy's ego, you know? But I decided I'd still come because I was hoping I'd run into you. Ditch this loser and come hang with me instead, k?"
It had been a while since Naoto felt his reservations let go, feeling an anger swell within him that he hadn't felt since he was younger.
He wasn't sure where this quiet rage had stemmed from, it wasn't like he ever became angry for himself in the past. Yet, seeing him talk to Hayase so casually felt a bit different.
Amidst his heated thoughts however, he couldn't help but notice the powerful aura emanating from the girl on his left. It felt somewhat suffocating, as the air around him stagnated in place. Viewing his date's expression, she donned the most sadistic smile he'd seen to date.
"You came to the dance all by yourself? How sad! Did your cousin flake out on you at the last second? You should really get it together; you're a second year, aren't you? Trying to pick a fight thinking that asserts your dominance, when in reality, you're just a pathetic loser who still sleeps in his mother's bed. It's no wonder your date cancelled on you; I'm surprised they agreed in the first place! Probably out of pity! Ahahaha! You were hoping you'd run into me? What a creep, why would you ever say that out loud? I'd seek help if I were you."
By this time, Nagatoro altered her tone.
"And, if you ever disrespect my Senpai like that again, I'll be sure you remain a virgin for the rest of your pathetic high school career; not that I even have to lift a finger for that to happen. Ahahaha!"
Sadistoro laughed haughtily as she bore her asymmetrical expression, pointing at the athlete as he turned his face away.
"Oh? You're crying now, too? What happened to all that confidence back there? Well, I guess it can't be helped. Get off the dancefloor before your tears create a spill hazard! Ahahaha!"
It was then that Naoto realized the bullying he'd come to expect from Nagatoro was far, FAR less lethal than what she was actually capable of.
Seeing her insults effectively destroy the athlete's confidence in two minutes flat, really put into perspective how easy he's had it up until now, which spurred a mix of relief and fear in his mind.
He couldn't call Nagatoro's statements simply 'bullying', as her words and tone contained a venom too deadly for that connotation.
No, he couldn't classify this as bullying…
This was verbal homicide.
The second year's face twisted in embarrassment and disdain, tears welling up in his eyes as he clenched his teeth in sheer aggression. He began moving towards the couple in hostility.
"Oho, you're approaching me?"
"You bitch!" He seethed as he raised his fist, only to be halted by a hand on his shoulder. In the next instant, he was tossed aside, landing on his rear with several dark silhouettes encircling him.
Looking up, he saw an orange haired girl.
"G-Gamo Maki!" He reeled, beads of sweat immediately forming on his brow.
"You're lucky I was the one who stopped you; Hayacchi would've been a lot less forgiving."
"Wha- there's no way! Her? She's just a little gir-"
His voice caught in his throat as he witnessed the dark aura surrounding said first-year.
Her red eyes signed DEATH as he slowly felt his heart give out. Every ounce of his body told him to run, but the paralyzing fear she instilled in him prevented that.
By sheer force of will, however, he was able to slowly crawl away, bumping into other student's legs on his way out.
Naoto watched the scene unfold with widened eyes, now looking at Nagatoro and Gamo in a new light.
These two… truly are…
Amidst his thoughts, he also wondered why nobody stopped to help the athlete, but quickly dismissed it as he noticed his kouhai's gaze.
"Are you okay, Senpai? He shoved you pretty hard." She asked with a tone of concern, a complete 180 compared to how she was just a moment ago.
"I-I'm fine…" He awkwardly smiled while adjusting his glasses, feeling a blush softly tint his cheeks.
"Thank you… for s-standing up for me…."
"No one disses my Senpai except me!" She smiled up at him, his eyes once again diverting away from her.
I wonder… how often Nagatoro must deal with this kind of thing… I've seen it once or twice already but never seen her react this aggressively before… is it… because of me?
"Wow Paisen, never realized you were so popular." Gamo-chan sneered as she folded her arms under her chest.
"I-I wouldn't go that f-far… You two are much more well-known."
"We are pretty popular, aren't we? By the way Gamo-chan, where's Yoshi?" Nagatoro asked while searching through the crowd for the pig-tailed friend.
"Someone's gotta keep an eye on our table, right?"
"What happened to Sakura?"
Gamo simply pointed, directing their attention to the gyaru dancing with the gaming club across the floor.
Nagatoro deadpanned at seeing their presence here, as they would've been the last people she'd expect to attend.
"Well, there's been stranger things." She crookedly smiled, before cupping her fist in realization.
"Also, thanks for stopping that guy, I didn't want to end up being paying for another hospital bill."
Naoto crookedly smiled at that last part.
"Yeah, no problem. I figured something like this would happen, given both your social statuses."
"S-sorry…"
"No need to be sorry, Senpai! This is all part of your rehabilitation!"
"I d-don't need to be rehabilitated!"
"Ahahaha! There, there Senpai, your precious kouhai will watch over your recovery." She lightly noodled his chest.
"Hey Hayacchi, come with me to the bathroom real quick."
Nagatoro slightly hesitated before answering, glancing up at Naoto with a look of concern.
A non-verbal 'will you be okay?' was communicated, only leading to Senpai adjusting his glasses once more.
"I-I'll be fine, don't worry a-about me." He answered.
Nagatoro smiled, noodling his chest some more.
"Look at Senpai trying to be cool! We'll be back soon."
The two darted away towards the women's restroom, leaving Senpai amongst the dancing crowd.
Well… I should just head back to the table…
"Oh, Nao-kun you're here!"
A familiar voice called out behind Naoto, turning around to see his friend.
"Oh… sup Tae-kun?"
"Don't 'sup' me! What are you doing here? This is the last place I would expect to see you."
"Well… I'm actually here with a d-date…" He stammered.
"Oh, don't tell me, you're here with that cool first year, right? The one that we met on the ski trip? How'd you manage that?"
At the barrage of questions, Naoto took a deep breath and sighed.
"Well...this and that happened, and I ended up asking her."
Naoto's friend patted him on the back with a thumbs up.
"You're growing up so fast."
"Shut up. What are you doing here?"
"Same reason as you. Looks like this is finally our year, huh?"
"I don't know about that…"
He looked down while adjusting his glasses. Thinking back, a year ago he would've never attended the dance, even if someone asked. Maybe this really was his year.
"Why do you still pretend to adjust your glasses when you wear contacts now?... So creepy."
After a few more minutes of talking, they parted ways, Naoto now heading back to the table Yoshi was occupying until feeling a hand on his shoulder.
"Whoa, not so fast Hachioji."
Naoto froze at the sudden interaction, turning to view yet another unidentified second year. At the very least, Senpai recognized that he was in his class.
"Can I h-help you?" He muttered, the second year sneering as two girls on each of his sides began giggling.
"You don't remember me? We spent all last year in the same class, man!" He chided, maintaining a devilish grin that only served to convey his arrogance.
"S-sorry, I'm not the best with faces…"
"That's too bad, but now that I think about it, I do remember you ducking your head every time we'd corner you. Makes sense, makes sense."
A feeling of dread washed over Naoto as he remembered the confrontations he had in his first year.
I guess this guy was one of them…
"What are you doing here anyways? Don't tell me a loser like you was able to find a date?"
"Ah… w-well yeah, I'm here with a date."
A crack in his veneer flashed across his face before he broke down into a boisterous laugh.
"HAHAHA! That's a good joke, Hachioji. Didn't think you had it in you. How about you do us a favor and head back home? Your aura is killing the vibe here."
"Yeah, totally. Your presence, is like, totally ruining this experience for me." One of the girls remarked.
"You heard the girl; you're completely spoiling everyone's good time. It's too bad I can't put you in your place here…" He stated before tilting his head condescendingly.
"…Or can I?"
The faceless second year started conversing with the two girls on the side, while Naoto stood quietly observing them.
For whatever reason, his nerves had been tempered, maybe because of the previous encounter he and Nagatoro just had.
This guy was far less imposing than the athlete, Naoto couldn't help but feel almost confident that he'd overcome this new ordeal.
At least, before he witnessed a group of students form a circle around them. He felt a small panic as the circle expanded, clearly denoting who the centers of attention were.
Senpai peered back to the second year to find him taking off his jacket.
Is he seriously trying to f-fight me?
Multitudes of students, first, second, and third years alike, now surrounded the two in mosh pit fashion. The faceless second year smiled at Naoto as he handed his jacket to one of his two dates.
"I may not be able to fade you, but I can at least put you in your place."
Senpai bore a confused expression,
If he's not fighting… then…
A realization dawned on him as the current song changed to "On Me" by Lil Baby and Megan Thee Stallion, Naoto relented and dropped his shoulders. He felt more annoyed than anything at being dragged into yet another unreasonable situation.
"No way a twig like you could keep up with this." The second year scoffed as he began rotating his arms in rhythmic motion. Naoto squinted his eyes at the motion, slowly recalling what type of dance that was.
…Krumping?
"You show him, Sato-kun!"
"I just love it when he dances!"
Sato's movements became faster as the opening verse transitioned to the chorus, his krump now the bow and arrow sway.
…All these moves... are…
"You can walk away if this is too much for you, Hachioji."
As Sato continued to 'serve' Naoto, both Nagatoro and Gamo-chan made their way back to the scene.
"Wha-what's going on?" Hayase questioned as she witnessed Naoto and Sato encased in the student circle.
"Looks like a dance off, Paisen is getting served!" Gamo pointed as she watched the battle.
From outward appearances, it indeed seemed that way. Sato had been demonstrating all types of moves ranging from jerking, dougie-ing, and two-stepping, while Naoto had remained perfectly still.
Again, Hayase's anger flared as she realized this was simply a tactic to embarrass Senpai.
As she begun to invade the circle, Maki grabbed a hold of her shoulder.
"You'll make things worse if you step in. Let's just see how this plays out."
"But Senpai can't dance!"
"He told you he took lessons, right?"
"Taking lessons and actually being good are two different things."
"I don't think Paisen would've mentioned the lessons if he didn't learn anything from them."
An internal conflict arose within Nagatoro, as she struggled against Gamo's grip. She had no confidence in Naoto's ability to dance, not even from the start. In fact, it was that very excuse of seeing him dance that absolved her from actually asking him to the dance formally.
His proclaimed dance moves were the perfect alibi for her wish, not that she could ever tell Senpai that.
"Damn, I haven't seen Nao-kun in a dance off for a while now."
As Hayase pulled away from her inner struggle, she recognized the second year that now stood beside her.
"Oh! You're those cool first-years! You're here with Nao-kun, right? I can't believe he got himself into another dance battle."
"…Another?" Both Nagatoro and Gamo questioned, turning their attention back to Naoto, who hadn't moved a muscle.
The song was nearly ending and cheers of 'Sato!' 'Sato!' filled the space as Sato ended his set on beat.
"I'm surprised you didn't scurry off like the bitch you are. If you still plan on further embarrassing yourself, I guess I can send someone to request a song for you." Sato mocked as he folded his arms.
"W-well… I'd rather not…" Senpai stated meekly, adjusting his glasses out of habit once more.
"Figures. Get the fuck off the dancefloor then."
Naoto's legs trembled as he viewed the encircling swell of students, all shouting 'Sato!' as said person basked in their praises.
"Well?" Sato prodded, while Naoto slowly unbuttoned his jacket. He soon felt a tug on his sleeve.
To his left, Nagatoro held a pair of sunglasses, with the name "Aviators" branded on the side.
"Your friend said you needed these for some reason?"
Naoto's eyes widened, turning back to see Gamo and his friend giving a thumbs up.
"Are you sure about this, Senpai?"
Her question was filled with apprehension, Naoto simply nodded.
"I… don't think it'll be a problem."
She wasn't fully convinced, yet his answer had a certain air of confidence that discouraged her from thinking otherwise.
Truth was, she regretted leaving him by himself, but she knew him well enough that if he really wanted to, he could've avoided this situation.
"If you say so."
He took the sunglasses from Nagatoro while handing her his jacket, only for her to shoot him a thumbs up.
"Kinda creepy you need these to dance, but good luck out there, Senpai!"
"T-thanks, Nagatoro."
She gave one last smile before returning to the group.
"Hahaha! Sunglasses?! What a loser!" One of the girls pointed out, while Sato simply folded his arms.
"Probably so no one could see him cry."
"I-I'd like to make a request… if that's alright."
Naoto was now unbuttoning his sleeves and top button of his shirt.
"Sure, Hachioji, what song would that be?"
"Um… Gas Pedal, b-by Sage the Gemini."
As one of the students requested the song, the dance MC soon caught wind of the dance-off occurring in the middle of the floor.
"Looks we got ourselves a dance battle everybody!"
The MC began record scratching the intro to "Gas Pedal", the students now keenly watching Naoto.
It was a surreal experience for him, as this clashed directly with his own prerogative, which was to never stand out if he could help it.
Seeing all the eyes on him now, an unexpected memory played in his head.
"I don't really have any talents that are praiseworthy."
He still held onto that idea, as dancing was never something he considered admirable. It didn't really benefit society, nor show off exemplary skill, but he couldn't deny it was somewhat entertaining.
Turning his head, he saw Nagatoro in the crowd, bearing a look of concern and apprehension. A small smile formed on his lips.
That expression is a little uncharacteristic of you… Nagatoro.
But…
I won't let you down.
As the MC scratched the intro for 7th time, Naoto began with a small two step, matching his strides with the beat of the song.
This isn't the most ideal song, but…
"Ohh man, here we go! Nao-kun's opener!"
Nagatoro awkwardly smiled at how excited Senpai's friend seemed to be, while still doubting his actual ability to dance.
(Flashback)
"Oh! You're those cool first-years! You're here with Nao-kun, right? I can't believe he got himself into another dance battle."
"…Another?"
"I guess you wouldn't know… he doesn't like talking about it ever since the injury."
"Injury?" Nagatoro questioned.
"Yeah. He quit his first year because a guy… broke his wrist." He stated with a hint of sorrow towards the end.
Hayase felt an indescribable emotion well up inside her as she heard those words, yet continued to listen.
"He was surprisingly good, even though he only took 5 classes; Shu-kun and I would joke saying he was an artist through and through… aha."
"I'm not sure I get it." Gamo remarked, tilting her head.
"Aha, well. Nao-kun is really talented in the arts: visual, graphic, culinary; so, it wasn't much of a stretch to include performing arts as well."
"Ah…" She nodded in affirmation.
"But I'm kind of glad he's getting back to into it, albeit rather forcibly. He may need these though." He said while pulling out a pair of sunglasses.
"Sunglasses?"
"Yeah, he can't dance to his full ability without them. Something about helping him get into the zone or whatever, it's kind of creepy."
Nagatoro nodded, "Agreed."
(End flashback)
Naoto had already mapped out his dance set in his head, the only thing left to do now was execute it. He tried not to think about how rusty he looked, as he decided that would only be a further hindrance.
It was only when he reached a specific move that he felt slightly more comfortable.
His specialty was b-boying, or in other words 'breaking'. Initially, he was a bit surprised to find that was the style he gravitated too, but figured it was already abnormal he liked dancing in the first place.
As the intro transitioned to the chorus, his two step gradually became more intricate; shifting from the two-step to rocking, all the while maintaining his fluidity of movement.
Nagatoro's eyes widened as his moves became more and more seamless, a crooked smile forming on her lips as he moved on to shuffling.
"There's no way that's Senpai." She found herself saying, while Gamo laughed boisterously.
"Whaaaat, Paisen's tearing it up out there!"
"He was the best in our class, after all!" Tae-kun smiled.
As the song transitioned from the second verse to chorus, Naoto fell to the ground, propping his upper body in turtle position.
Elevating up his legs, Sato's teeth clenched as he realized what he was about to do.
"Oi Hachioji… stop thi-this before you hurt yourself."
He tried to laugh but it came out sounding like a weak huff. Sato bit his bottom lip in anxiety as Senpai slowly swung his legs back,
and forth,
and back,
and forth.
A small gust was generated from Naoto's windmill as the students closest had to shield their faces.
"He's… breakdancing?!" A student called out from the crowd, only for Sato to turn his face away in embarrassment. He never would've expected Naoto to be capable of this, let alone a simple two step.
As he turned to his left, he realized he was alone in the circle, his two dates nowhere to be found.
"Miwa-chan? Sae-chan? W-where'd you two go?"
He scanned the circle, students now chanting 'Naoto!' over and over as he slowly felt himself crumble.
The windmill persisted as the song closed out, finally concluding with a handstand. The crowd erupted at the finisher, clapping and cheering as Naoto breathed heavily.
They soon surrounded the artist, pelting him with questions like 'How'd you get so good?!' 'Can you teach me?!' 'Are you part of the dance club?'
Nagatoro watched as students encircled her Senpai, a mix of emotions welling within her as she slowly approached him.
She wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling. Relief, happiness, and astonishment for sure, but also… betrayal.
Was it betrayal? No… That's too strong, but she couldn't categorize it any other way. It was a certain duplicity that made her feel like… she didn't really know Senpai as well as she thought she did.
Of course, Senpai never hid how good he was at dancing on purpose, this was simply the first opportunity to showcase it.
But given the expectations she already placed on Naoto; it was evident he should've never been talented at dancing. Tonight shattered those expectations, and her fear was that if this expectation can easily be broken...
Then so can others.
A major comfort Nagatoro found within her Senpai was that he conformed into her mental fixture of him perfectly. That'd she never have to worry about him surprising her because he was already an open book.
Senpai was Senpai.
The other aspect was that, now, Senpai garnered a tremendous amount of attention. He would be approached more often, be talked to more often…
Be admired more often.
Nagatoro felt a tinge of jealousy as she looked down. It never occurred to her that she'd worry about Naoto's social status.
Not even during the school festival. Naoto would simply be known as that one artist and that's it.
But now that he displayed his dancing skills, while also showing up the key member of the dance club, his popularity would undoubtedly skyrocket.
"Hayacchi, aren't you going to get Paisen?"
Gamo pulled Nagatoro from her stewing as she turned to view her date. People had been high fiving and fist bumping him with various congratulatory statements.
Slowly however, the crowd began to dissipate, with Sato nowhere to be seen.
"You were a little rusty in the beginning there, but you picked it up pretty quickly!" Tae-kun patted Naoto's back, causing him to scratch his cheek.
"Well… It has been about a year."
"Paisen! Since when could you dance like that?!" Maki exclaimed as she approached with Nagatoro.
"Ah… well things happened and I ended up learning." He gave his usual vague answer.
"That was awesome! You were a beast out there!"
"I don't think it was anything spe-"
Naoto's teeth slightly clenched as he put pressure on his left ankle, Nagatoro quickly discerned what happened during his performance.
"You sprained your ankle when you transitioned from your shuffle to turtle pose." She placidly stated, moving to his side to support him.
Is that what happened...? I didn't even notice…
Tae-kun chuckled, "Always the injury magnet."
"Aha... I guess that's true."
"Should probably call it here then, Paisen. Doubt you'll be able to do much else with that." Gamo-chan remarked as she pointed to his leg.
"Plus, it's pretty dead right now." Which prompted the others to look around.
The dancefloor was indeed much more vacant now, the students that formed the circle now sitting at their respective tables.
"Guess it's time to call it a night then. I'll see you later, Nao-kun!" Tae-kun waved as he distanced himself from the dancefloor.
They all waved back before Gamo-chan placed her hands behind her head,
"I guess I'll head back too, you guys taking off?"
The question prompted Senpai to look at his date, feeling guilty that she didn't get to dance.
He was perfectly fine sitting at the table for the rest of night while Nagatoro danced with her friends. It was actually his preference.
"Yeah, I'm feeling kind of tired." Nagatoro responded, causing Naoto to gasp at her.
His face perplexed as she noticed Hayase recede back into a look of contemplation.
"I... guess we are."
"Alright, see you guys later." Gamo casually mentioned as she headed back.
Naoto watched as she made her exit, then turning to the girl under his arm. She looked up at him with a slight smile.
"Let's head back, Senpai."
The walk back home was almost as uncomfortable as the walk to school; Nagatoro once again fell uncharacteristically silent.
There wasn't any tension this time, but he was still uneasy at her lack of energy.
I guess… I can understand if she's mad. She didn't end up dancing at all...
Peering down, Nagatoro was steadily matching her pace with his own, shouldering his left side in crutch-like fashion.
"Senpai."
"Wh-what is it?"
"Do you have any other talents besides dancing and drawing?"
He tilted his head at the inquiry, unsure of what his answer would prove.
"Uh… Gaming?"
"Besides the otaku and lewd stuff."
A visible vein popped on Naoto's forehead once again, but he continued to ponder.
In actuality, he truly didn't believe himself to bear any talents. Even drawing/painting wasn't classified as such.
"I don't."
Hayase pursed her lips, choosing to change the subject.
"You were… kind of cool out there, Senpai." She said with reddened cheeks.
The compliment caught him off guard as he adjusted his glasses.
"A lot of people were coming up to you after too, you finally got praised, Senpai!"
He scratched the back of his head as they trekked forward.
"I... was p-pretty scared out there, to be honest. There were a number of times I wanted to leave or just remain still...but..."
"But seeing how you handled those situations earlier, k-kinda inspired me... so thank you, N-Nagatoro."
A small blush formed on her cheeks as she heard the last statement, before collapsing into an embarrassed grin.
"You've been saying a lot of gross things lately, I've counted about 200 today."
"200?"
"Yeah, it's the number of sentences you've said this whole day."
Another irritated scowl, Senpai opted to remain silent before wincing in pain once again.
He looked forward, noticing the fork where he and Nagatoro usually split off.
Upon reaching it though, she continued, moving on to his house.
"Y-your house is that way...?" He wasn't sure why he ended it like a question, but Hayase simply shook her head.
"You're injured, Senpai, injured. I wouldn't want the cops called on you because someone saw a creepy person stumbling down the street."
Naoto sighed, no longer possessing the energy to refuse her after tonight's events. She was a bit surprised at the lack of denial as well, thinking he'd panic over her coming over so late.
It was yet another deviation from her expectations.
"My mom is coming back late tonight." He stated while opening the front door to his house.
"No problem, you just go to your room and I'll get the first aid!"
He complied, hobbling his way up the stairs until he made it to his room. Sitting on his bed, he finally had the chance to inspect the bruise on his ankle.
A bit of redness and swelling, but nothing vital as he expected. He figured it'd be gone by the morning... hopefully.
With a quick knock, Hayase opened the door with gauze, an ice pack, painkillers, and a glass of water.
He was somewhat surprised she knew where to find everything so quickly, Hayase had only been to his house once before when he was sick. He figured she probably familiarized herself with the kitchen during the first visit.
Although... why she did that, he could only guess.
She pulled up a chair across from him and patted her lap,
"Give me your foot." She commanded as Naoto quickly diverted his eyes.
"I-I can do this myself." He stuttered, noticing her scowl deepening.
"Your precious kouhai is offering to help, you should be grateful as you will not have this opportunity often!"
He sighed, relenting to her demand as he raised his leg onto her lap.
"You know, I'm pretty good at treating sprains like this. This happened a lot in martial arts training."
She exposed the reddened area, carefully applying the ice pack to the affected region.
"I was going to ask, you did a lot of that growing up, huh? I remember seeing your awards."
Hayase awkwardly smiled while nodding. "Y-yeah, I always had an interest in it growing up, it was fun... for a while."
She continued icing the area, softly kneading her thumb onto the ankle to help circulate the blood flow.
This is... kind of nice... Naoto thought as he quietly watched Nagatoro nurse him. She had a focused expression that he only saw maybe a few times before.
A small smile adorned his lips as she continued, only to be noticed by said person. Her lips contorted into a dark grin as he now regretted showing any delight.
"Don't tell me this is turning you on, Senpai? What was that smile for? Getting excited as I rub and caress your tender area with my hands?"
Her grin widened as she finally broached Naoto's worry.
"Speaking of tender areas..."
Oh no...
"What was that thing that poked me earlier, Senpai? It was your boner, wasn't it? You got hard just from that, what a creep. Ahahaha! Creepy Senpai getting hard from his junior! Ahahaha!"
Her reddened cheeks grew deeper as she uttered that last part.
Before she continued however, Naoto quickly removed the 'protrude' in question: his stencil case.
A small, confident look adorned his lips as he revealed it to her, leaving Hayase in a state of shock.
This felt like the first victory he's had against Nagatoro's teasing.
Too bad for you, Nagatoro...!
As she continued to reel, Naoto relished in the moment, savoring each second that he was finally able to turn the tables.
"-Why would you bring your stencil case to the dance?"
An obvious question, yet one that Naoto didn't want to answer since she was counting his gross statements.
But, since he was already at 200, what's one more? Looking down, he began,
"I... wanted to ask if..." he found his words failing as she continued to stare at him, yet he persisted.
"You'd come with m-me to the art room, so I could sketch you."
His anxiety crept in as he continued, "That's w-why I took out my glasses case instead... because I wanted to ask you p-privately."
A genuine smile flashed across Hayase's face, before she replaced with it a dark grin.
"How lewd, wanting to get me all alone in the art room after hours. I can see why you didn't want to bring it up at the table."
She teased, causing an evident blush to form on his cheeks.
"Tha-that's no what I meant!"
There it is...
Nagatoro finally broke through, and she'd be damned if she didn't push further.
"Are you sure all you wanted to do was sketch, Senpai? You would've known we wouldn't be disturbed in there, so you had to have something else in mind...?"
Her fingers seductively caressed Naoto's toes as he began to implode once more.
"I w-was only planning to ske-"
His words cut out as Hayase rubbed faster,
"What was that, Senpai? Only planning to...?"
Her smile grew more malicious, prompting Naoto to yank his foot from her grasp. The feeling welling up inside him had reached full capacity as he fell down onto his bed cataleptic.
Hayase delighted with that reaction, he wasn't as resilient as she thought. Gamo's remark slightly worried her when it was made; Senpai developing a tolerance for her bullying meant more intricate harassment was needed, and she wondered where exactly the line would be drawn.
Although, the satisfaction she would get upon succeeding would be that much sweeter.
She sat there with a small smile, quietly observing Naoto recover from his overstimulation.
"Do you feel like drawing now?"
Naoto looked at her with a stunned expression before adjusting his nonexistent glasses once more.
"It's a-already kind of late."
"That's okay."
"T-then... could you be my model?"
A warm smile broke out across Nagatoro's face.
"Sure, Senpai."
Upon the confirmation, Naoto pulled out his sketch book and situated himself upon his bed. The room's quietness helped him acclimate to his tranquil demeanor once more as he viewed Hayase in scrutiny.
If his developing resilience was good for one thing, it was that he was finally able to draw her more feminine parts in greater detail.
She maintained her poise carefully, watching her Senpai sketch away as he glanced up at her every so often.
There was no hint of distraction or uncertainty in his eyes, only focus.
She admired that about him, how concentrated he became when sketching her, how his eyes only toggled between her and her portrait.
After a few more minutes, he slowly set down his stencil, smiling as he perused the usual parameters of his work.
That prompted his model to move to his side, inspecting the portrait alongside him.
"Ooo not bad not bad. You even got my proportions right! How lewd!"
Naoto once again looked away in embarrassment before turning his attention back.
"I know if I didn't, you'd just tease me."
"True true, but I'd tease you either way!"
As she took one last glance at her portrait, she stood to her feet.
"Okay! Reward time, Senpai! You know the drill!"
Ugh... what will it be this time...
He hesitantly looked down, his eyes quivering with uncertainty as he pondered what awaited him now.
With reluctance, he closed his eyes.
"I'm not sure if you noticed on the way over here, but tonight's a full moon... Senpai."
He quirked his lips upon hearing that, unsure of where she was going with that statement.
"And for some reason, I just have this certain... craving."
Hayase pushed him down onto his back, straddling his hips as she peered down at him. She was thankful the slit in her dress allowed her extra mobility.
Naoto shot open his eyes as he witnessed Nagatoro's eyes burn with a purplish hue, sporting her fangs innocently.
"Do my teeth seem sharper to you right now?"
Vampiretoro...!
"N-Nagatoro, you can't...!"
"Just a little bite, Senpai... After all, why do you think I chose this color?" He glanced at her red dress once again, covering his neck reflexively.
"H-how much blood do you intend to take?!"
Panic set in as he squirmed, causing Nagatoro to raise her hand to her mouth in pleasure. Her blush deepening as she unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, exposing his neck entirely.
"Just a little... just a little..."
Her hand reached down to the base of his neck, lightly stroking it with her fingertips. He winced at the action, clenching his teeth in apprehension.
She drew closer, despite all his efforts to stop her. She had locked her legs onto his sides, rendering his struggles useless.
"I promise not to bite too hard... Senpai." She cooed, her lips centimeters from the crook of his neck. She licked her lips in anticipation, carefully lining up her incisors along the surface of his skin.
He had relented by this point, bracing himself for the sharp pain that would inevitably happen. As he felt her soft lips press against his skin, he prepared for her teeth, only to be met with the sound of a door opening downstairs.
"Nao-kun! I'm home!"
A/N: And that's it! Congrats on making itall the way through next chapter will be the last chapter, and I intend on uploading it fairly quickly since it's already almost done.
Thanks again !
