Slow Burn

Chapter One:

"An Awkward Meeting"

"Where is he? He's going to be late, and I'll get into trouble … again." Kokoro frantically whispered to her mother, Miyako, who tried her best to calm her daughter. "Why does he have to do this?" Miyako frowned, unable to answer her daughter. Kokoro checked her bag for her cell phone, a missed text message showed on the display.

" 'Sry koko, cant b there 4 the rest of the week. : ( Jin' " Her heart sank. She could cry she was so mad.

"This was important and he knew it mom." she put her phone away quickly as her instructor walked over. She bowed knowing what was coming. Her mother walked out of the room.

"Kokoro, where is Jin? You two should be stretching for the lesson." her instructor said with a raised eye brow.

"He is not coming for the rest of the week, teacher." Kokoro was angry now. He teacher began to scold her.

"Again!? This boy will be the end of you Kokoro. He misses at least half of the lessons, now most of the lessons for these last slow dancing techniques?" Her voice rose, the other three pairs of students watching. The instructor paused for a moment, catching herself almost yelling. "Just find a different partner by tomorrow, okay? You can get the last half of the week in there." Kokoro bowed, and turned to walk out of the room.

She couldn't look up, she was too mad. "When I see him, I'm going to kill him." she thought to herself. She was walking in the hallway of the hotel when she failed to see a person so close to her. They collided but she was caught before either of them fell.

"You okay there?" a voice asked kindly, in unsure Japanese.

"I am fine, thank you. I am very sorry about it." she said taking as step back, but still looking down at her feet. She looked up to see a rather tall American smiling down at her. She bowed instinctively. "Sorry."

"Its fine." he said, he paused for short moment. "Are you okay? You look like you need to sit down." She couldn't help but look up at him.

"No, I am alright… my dance partner did not show up again. I got in trouble for it again." she thought for a moment, "But are you busy?"

He blinked, and then paused. "I'm not, but I can't really dance well." She smiled.

"It's slow dancing, you can do that right?" He nodded reluctantly. "Could you spare and hour to be my partner today?" Again he nodded. She smiled. "Well my name is Kokoro." She saw her mother raise an eye brow as she watched, out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm Matt." She placed her hand out, he shook it. She walked back over to the door. "But isn't it a formal dance class?"

Turning around, "Why do you ask? My kimono?" He nodded. "It doesn't have to be. Let us hurry inside." she replied with a smile. He followed her into the room somewhat reluctantly, meeting confused looks from the others in the room. Kokoro looked at him, "Wait here for a moment."

"Alright." he said. She could tell he was nervous, so she smiled at him. She moved to her teacher.

"Kokoro, what is this?"

"I found a partner. May I participate in the lesson today?"

Her teacher paused, looking the boy over. "Where did you find him?"

"I met him outside, and I asked him if he would be my partner today. So here I am."

"Well, a bad partner is better than no partner I suppose. Take your places." Kokoro bowed and went back over to Matt.

She led him down to her spot on the floor. The other three couples starred at him, giggling. "Don't worry about them, okay?" He only looked down at her to acknowledge her, no smile. Miyako entered the room to watch. Kokoro made herself ignore her, or she'd get too nervous. "See, there's only another dancer in a kimono. Everyone else is dressed normally." He smiled slightly.

The teacher instructed the students on how far to stand away from their partner, and where to put their hands on their partner. Kokoro suddenly was glad she had grown four inches in the two years since the Fourth Dead or Alive Tournament, she was five feet six inches but he was at least six inches taller than she was. She placed her arms around his neck and had her back to her mother. He nervously placed his arm around her and laid his hand on her back, she smiled to try to comfort him. "Go on, I'm not going to hit you." she urged him with a kind smile. He smiled back, and placed his hand on her side above her left hip. "Was that so hard?" she smiled again. He gave a sarcastic look to her, but smiled.

After an hour the lesson ended. "Thank you very much, Matt. I enjoyed dancing with you today." she shook his hand again. "I enjoyed it more than I did with Jin…" she thought to herself. She bowed and he began to walk up the stairs when she stopped him, "You're staying here?"

He laughed, "Yes."

"If I can't find another partner for tomorrow, are you free?" she smiled, feeling the heat from her mother's shocked gaze on her.

"Sure, I'm on the first room on the left on the third floor if you need me." he said with a smile. She waived.

"Have a good evening."

"You too, Kokoro." He walked up the stairs. Kokoro turned to meet her angry mother. "What? He is a good partner."

"He seemed like a good boy, for a westerner." her mother said quietly. Kokoro frowned a little.

"Then you don't approve mother?"

"Let's just get home, dear." Miyako said walking for the door. They returned home, with little conversation between them.

After they ate their dinner, Kokoro took a shower. After that she laid on her bed for a while just staring up at the ceiling. Suddenly she remembered him. She really liked him it seemed, he held her just the right way when they danced earlier that day. She suddenly remembered it was late and she didn't look for a new partner. "Could he be that bad of a choice?" she whispered to herself.

She stood up, and walked to her mother's door. The door was open, so she crept in, to see her mother's back turned, watching the news, Kokoro smiled. She snuck up behind her mother and just put her arms around her. "I love you, mother."

Her mother put her arms around her daughter's. "I love you too, Kokoro."

There was a long pause. Kokoro finally broke it, "Do you really not approve of him?"

"Who? That boy from earlier?"

"Yes, and his name is Matt." Miyako raised an eye brow.

"It is not my place to decide whether or not he is your partner. Just be careful with western boys." Kokoro blinked and blushed a little and released her mother who turned to look at her.

"You say that like I've fallen for him."

"Oh?" she mother smirked, "So he's just convenient?"

". . ." Kokoro looked down.

"Then why do you bring him up so late?"

"I. . . I forgot to look for a new partner. . ." Miyako sighed.

"Decide for good tomorrow." Kokoro looked back up at her mother. "But I did notice that you to worked well together, well with he not being very good." Kokoro smiled at her mother's words.

"He was nervous," she smiled, her bubbly personality showing. "particularly about putting his hands on me, like I would get mad at him if he made the slightest mistake."

"Did he mess up at all?" He mother replied, with a smile.

"Actually, he did several times." they both laughed a little. "He lost his balance and almost dropped me halfway through!"

"Oh really? That's funny!" Kokoro nodded. "But you like dancing with him?"

"Very much so, mother." she said. "He was okay when I told him 'not to worry' or 'its okay' after each time. He thought I was mad, so I just wanted to comfort him a little."

"That's good of you, dear, but it is late, so go get some rest. Goodnight."

Kokoro hugged her mother and stood up, "Goodnight, mother." and went to bed.