Chapter 8

"Ok Mai I want you to do this now." Cooper demonstrated another move.

"Gotcha." Mai said and began to copy his movements. She felt more in tune with the ballet now that she realized where it was coming from, but today she was distracted. She had been distract for the last couple of rehearsals.

It had been a month since the break in, but the police were still no closer finding who it was. It was starting to get to her. She had been double checking every lock and window, even the air vents and drains.

She had to admit, maybe that had been a little too extreme. Naru had pointed out to her that no human being could possible fit through them. Every time she came home she had to have someone with her. She did not want to be alone there. She hated feeling unsafe in her own home.

Mai finished up with rehearsal and began to stretch out again.

"Miss Taniyama, I mean Mrs. Shibuya, here's your water and a towel." Megumi stuttered. She was timid and shy. Thankfully she got over the fainting and hysterics. Mai actually didn't mind having Megumi around. She was a very sweet girl.

"Oh thanks, Megumi." Mai said as she grabbed the bottle and towel and took a sip of water.

"You were really wonderful today." Megumi gushed. "It's no wonder why they came all the way to Japan just for you."

"I'm not really that good, Megumi. I'm still learning." Mai smiled.

"Really?" Megumi's eyes widened. "But you graduated and I tho thought that me meant that you had mastered ballet."

"No not at all." Mai laughed. "You see ballet takes dedication and most spend a life time committed to it. Someone who has come even close to mastering it, if that's even possible, would have spent most of their life learning. I'm only 22 so I've hardly come close."

"Oh, don't say it like that. You were only 18 when you stared in the New York summer showcase and the revival of the Red Shoes. You began to dance since you began walking. You're mother began taking you."

"I'm flattered." Mai smiled and laughed. "I see you did your homework."

"Oh yes of course!" Megumi gushed again. "You are my favorite. I remember the first time I saw you dance. It was Christmas time and it was snowing. You were the lead in Swan Lake."

Mai smiled. "I remember that night."

"It was the last performance and I had somehow managed to get tickets." Megumi seemed to be off in her own world as she remembered.

Megumi really wanted the tickets to see Swan Lake. She had spent hours in line waiting for the box office to open, but they had sold out. After pulling some strings, and begging enough people, she had finally managed to get a ticket.

She heard about this ballerina. She was supposed to be the greatest since Victoria Paige. No one has shown this much talent and promise. The rumor was that she had given up the chance to study with the greatest to stay in Japan.

Megumi took her seat and the curtains opened. As soon as Mai appeared on the stage there was a hush as she took the breath away of everyone watching her. Megumi's vision began to blur. She reached up and realized that she had been moved to tears.

The performance ended and after several curtain calls she came out again to speak.

"I want to thank you all for coming tonight. Tonight was a special performance for me. All profits are being donated to help orphans. As some of you may know, I am an orphan. I lost a lot, but thankfully I found some really wonderful people who have loved and cared for me. Please give them a round of applause." She pointed to a section in the front.

Several people stood up and she clapped. "I don't know what I would have done without you guys. Thank you."

Megumi left the performance feeling odd. She had never heard that she was an orphan. Megumi found herself sitting on a park bench. It had begun to snow. She got up and began to walk towards the square that was decorated with lights and bows.

"Oh its Mai Taniyama mommy!" a little girl cried.

"Don't point sweety. Its rude." The mother embraced her daughter."I'm sorry she just loves you."

"Oh don't worry about it." Mai laughed softly. She was beaming. Megumi got a closer look at the people she had been pointing to in the theatre. The one girl was Masako Hara the famous medium. She also noticed a handsome dark haired man. His blue eye seemed to glitter in the snow.

"I want to be a dancer just like you! My teacher showed us Cinderella!" the little girl squealed with delight and bounced up and down in excitement. "We weren't able to get tickets to see you tonight." The little girl's voice drooped with disappointment.

"Hmm I think I can fix that." Mai said and began to take off her coat to reveal a beautiful sliver dress. She slipped off her shoes and put on her slippers.

Megumi couldn't believe it. Mai was dancing the entire ballet again! For this little girl! In the cold and snow! People gathered around to watch. The smile on the little girl's face was priceless. The handsome dark haired man looked lovingly at Mai as she danced.

When she had finished she bowed and went over to the little girl. "I know it was missing a few things, but I hope you like it." Mai smiled.

"OH! It was amazing! Better than anything in the world!" The little girl's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head.

"I'm glad you think so." Mai laughed.

"Ooo he's pretty." The little girl pointed to the dark haired man.

"Hmm you think? I think so too." Mai laughed "Do you think he likes me?" she whispered to the girl.

"Oh of course. Who wouldn't?" The little girl tried to whisper back. "You're much prettier than him anyways." Everyone laughed.

"I would have to agree with you as well." The dark haired man said and knelt down next to the girl too. "Do you could talk to her for me?"

The girl nodded. He turned and whispered in her ear. "He says he thinks your very beautiful." The girl smiled. Naru whispered again. "and that he is in love with you." He continued to whisper. "He says… he says he think you're going to catch a cold out here without a coat…."

Mai and the rest of the crowd laughed.

"And that if that were to happen he'd be very sad… but her would be happy to take care of you…. He wants to… wants to take care of you for the rest of your life…"

Mai had been smiling and now her face seemed to register what was about to happen. Naru pulled away from the little girl.

"Do you think she'll marry me if I ask her?" he asked the little girl.

"I don't know Mr. She might be out of your league." The little girls face was so serious. The crowd and Mai laughed.

"Hmm you think so? Do you think you could ask?" The little girl nodded and turned to Mai.

"Do you think you would marry him?" she asked.

"Hmm I don't know… What are his good qualities?" Mai asked the little girl.

"He seems very nice, and he smells good. Not like most boys who smell bad. Also he is very pretty." The little girl gushed.

Everyone laughed. "Well if you say so." Mai smiled

"In order for such a transaction to be official a ring needs to be given to the young lady." A man with glasses chimed in.

"Mr. you need to have a ring. Do you have one?" The little girl became worried.

"Hmmm let me see.." The man fished in his pockets for a few minutes and then pulled a small with velvet box. "How's this?" he opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. The little girls eyes widened. The crowd gasped. "Do you think you could help me out?" He asked the girl.

The little girl took Mai's hand and put it in his. "Ok now you can ask." The little girl stepped back.

"Mai will you marry me? Please say yes before we both catch a cold and my mother will come over to take care of us." He smiled.

Tears slid down Mai's face as she laughed and said yes. She reached over and kissed him. The crowd cheered and clapped.

"So after that night I realized how truly amazing you are. You see I was an orphan as well. I was raised by my aunt. When I saw how you were willing to you were to dance for the little girl, I knew you were the greatest." Megumi smiled and looked at Mai.

Mai's lips trembled as tears rolled down her face.

"Oh my god! Are you alright?" Megumi began to freak out. "I'm so sorry!"

"Oh Megumi, that was the most touching thing anyone has ever said to me." Mai smiled. "I did catch a cold by the way." She laughed "So did Naru and his mother did fly all the way from England to take care of us."

Megumi laughed as well.

I hope you guys are liking the story. I didn't intend for the flashback to last that long, but i just got carried away and so you see what happened. Please review