Recap
"Rima, maybe dance practice will get your mind off everything," Temari said.
"Probably, but I thought of something to help with Nagi and his grandmother," I said.
"What is it?" Rhythm asked.
"Come in closer so I can whisper it," I said. They crowded around me and listened.
Chapter 22 It Just Got Good
*Nagi's POV*
"Are you sure you want to dance today?" I asked. After Rima ate her pancakes she insisted that she go to dance practice today. It was still too early so we watched TV but now it was time. I was sitting on her bed while she was changing into a kimono in her bathroom.
"Yes, I called your mom and my mom and they said it was fine," she said through the bathroom door.
"You know...she'll be there," I said. Kurami was in the same dance class. She used Rima to get to me.
"Your mom said you're not dancing today," she said as she came out in an orange kimono. Her hair was tied up. She was stunning.
"Did you hear me?" she asked.
"What?" I said focusing on what she was saying. What's wrong with me? I'm not a pervert like Ikuto.
"Your mom said you aren't dancing today," she repeated.
"Why?" I asked.
"I don't know, ask her not me. Now are we going or not," she said. I got up and we left. I can't believe that Rima got over everything in a second. It's like she's gone crazy.
"What's up man? You've been staring at Rima," he said with a smirk.
"It's just that she seems suddenly better. I don't know it's just a bit weird," I said.
"I wouldn't question it. Let her be happy," he said.
"You're right," I said.
"Nagi," Rima said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Back when you practically saved me from those two, you yelled at them to stand up for me. Why?" she asked.
"We're in this mess together aren't we? I don't want anyone to hurt you. When I see you cry, which is not often, I honestly don't know what to do. I only feel I have to make you feel better," I said not really knowing the answer. I almost never yell. It was very out of character. She smiled and grabbed my hand.
"Together," she said. We made it to my house. I guided her to the dance room even though she already knew where it was. We let go of each other as we made it to the dancing room.
"Glad you feel better Rima-chan," mother said. My grandmother and mother were sitting on the floor in the front of the room while the other girls stretched. I noticed Kurami was here.
"I would never miss dancing," Rima said and I could have sworn she winking at my mom but she probably wasn't.
"Nagihiko, come sit next to your mother," she said as she patted the floor next to her. I did as I was told.
"Mother? Why am I not dancing?" I whispered.
"Rima-chan suggested it. She said she owed you for what you did for her," she replied. I looked at Rima who was stretching.
"Where is her other chara?" mother asked. I looked back at her.
"In her egg," I whispered.
"I see," she said.
"Alright ladies, we will begin dancing," my grandmother said. I looked at her. She seemed a bit...happy. I thought she would be furious that I skipped school and I wasn't dancing but she looked just fine, maybe even excited. She wasn't smiling or anything but I've known her long enough to know she wasn't upset right now.
"Mother, why is grandmother not upset with me? I thought I would be scolded for missing school and punished for not dancing," I whispered.
"Rima-chan can be convincing. You should thank her later," she replied. I looked back at Rima and she was looking at me, smiling. I couldn't help but smile myself. Rima had managed for me to have a free day which almost never happens.
"Alright ladies. We have a show in a couple weeks. You know what to do. Go ahead and practice," Mrs. Fujisaki said. We had a show? Oh right, Rima and I had to finish our dance by the end of this month.
"Mrs. Fujisaki, where's Nadeshiko-chan?" a random girl asked.
"She's a bit under the weather today," my mother replied. I'm pretty lucky to have a kind mother. I might've gone crazy if my mother turned out like my grandmother.
"Begin" The girls began to dance as my grandmother played music. All of them were doing pretty well. I glanced at Kurami once. She smiled at me but I glared at her. I then turned to Rima. She was fantastic till she stumbled on the floor. She stood right back up and kept dancing.
"Rima fell," Rhythm pointed out the obvious.
"She did what she was supposed to do. She got right back up," Temari pointed out. Rima fell again but it took her a little bit longer to get up but she did.
"Maybe Rima isn't into it today," Rhythm said.
"You can only dance as good as you feel. Rima feels bad right now so her dancing isn't good," Temari pointed out. Rima fell once again. The music stopped and all of us looked at my grandmother. She had turned the music off and was currently walking through the girls right to Rima who hadn't stood up.
"Get up Rima," Rhythm said. I could see Kusukusu trying to get Rima up too.
"Mashiro-san, what's wrong with you? You fell, not one, not twice, but three times," my grandmother scolded. I was shocked to see my grandmother yell at Rima but what surprised me more was Rima was there on the floor taking it. All she did was look at the floor. Her bangs covered her eyes.
"Mother I think-" my mother began.
"Not now Natsumi," my grandmother said. My mom backed down. My mom wouldn't take crap especially with Rima. I saw a tear fall down the part of Rima's face I could see.
"I thought you were the best dancer here but I guess I was wrong! You shouldn't even dance! You just got lucky and you are dismi-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I heard the words come out of my mouth. I didn't even think about it. It took me a couple seconds to realize I was the one who said. All eyes were on me. I checked my shoulders for headphones but there weren't any. I didn't feel anything on my head either. I was in control and I was defending Rima.
"Nagihiko? You have something to say?" she asked me.
"I said that's enough!" I said in a much more calm tone.
"How dare you raise your tone-"
"How dare you yell at an innocent girl!," I snapped back at her. There was silence. The air was so tense that you probably could feel it in the room. No one dared to say anything. I was honestly scared of what my grandmother would do but I wasn't backing down.
"Sit down," my grandmother spat.
"No," I said as I walked to Rima. I picked her up bridal style.
"Rima is done for today," I said then stormed out. I didn't really know where to go so I just took Rima to my room. I set her on my bed. She didn't look at me, just at her lap.
"Rima, I'm so sorry," I said. She didn't say anything or look at me.
"Rima?" I said concerned. I saw a grin form on her face. She looked up at me and the tears were gone and a huge smile was there just like I thought. She wrapped her arms around me so quick. I just stood there frozen and confused.
"You passed," she said then pulled away.
"Passed?" I asked.
"You needed to stand up to you grandmother so what better way then get her to yell at me. You stood up for me. This was all a test and you passed," she said.
"So that's why I didn't dance, and you asked earlier why I stood up for you, and why you winked at my mom, and my grandmother looked excited, and you took all the crap she yelled at you," I said really thinking to much about it.
"Nagi, it's all a yes. I called your mom earlier seeing if I could get her to allow you to be a boy then I told her my plan. I had your mom tell your grandmother and she surprisingly agreed," Rima explained. I hugged her close to me.
"Thank you Rima," I said. She said something but it was muffled in my shirt and I couldn't understand.
"What was that?" I asked as I let go.
"I couldn't breathe," she said.
"We better go and get your things," I said. She hopped off my bed but she fell.
"Ow," she said as she held her foot.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"My foot hurts," she said.
"Oh no! Rima must've really hurt her foot when she was falling," Temari gasped.
"That means she won't be able to dance," Rhythm said.
"Let me see," I said. She let me inspect it. Her ankle was a bit swollen and it would be fine but she'd have to keep off it for a couple days to be safe.
"It's just a sprain. If you stay off it for a day or two then you should be fine," I said.
"We'll miss dance practice," I said.
"You can't dance with a sprained ankle. It could get worse and then there would be no way we could dance. Just relax. I'll go get my mom and-" I began to head for the door but Rima stopped me. I looked back at her.
"She's teaching, you stay with me," she said. I nodded my head. She smiled at me. I picked her up and set her on my bed again. I put a pillow under her sprained ankle. She was laying down and seemed better.
"Aren't you going to sit?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said as I sat next to her.
"Thank you Nagi," she said.
"For what? Passing? Having you do a test that caused you to hurt yourself?" I asked.
"It wasn't your fault. It was my idea," she said.
"Still-"
"Still nothing," she said as she grabbed my hand. I didn't really know what to hurt herself to help me even if it wasn't part of her plan.
"Nagi lay next to me," she said. I was a bit confused why she'd want me to. In the other world she'd yell at me just getting near her. This world has definitely brought us closer. I listened to her lay down next to her. She wrapped her arms around my torso and rested her head on my chest. What was I supposed to do? Say?
"Wrap your arms around her," Rhythm whispered in my ear. I honestly was nervous but I did what he said. She snuggled up to me a bit more. She then looked up at me.
"Is it ok if I sleep next to you?" she asked. It a bit late to ask.
"S-sure," I said. Why did I stutter? She let go and faced away from me.
"I can tell your not comfortable," she said.
"Dude this is going down hill. Character change!" Rhythm said. I felt headphones pop on my shoulders. My arms wrapped around Rima and turned her around and pulled her close. We were face to face. She was...blushing?
"Your face is pink," Rhythm made me say. She looked down but I placed my hand under her chin and brought her face back up to look at me. I felt myself lean in but the headphones disappeared as I was so close our foreheads touched.
"Did Nagi get nervous and knock you out?" Temari asked.
"No, I'm not gonna force him," Rhythm said.
"You just gave him a push," Kusukusu said. I wasn't really paying attention to the charas. I was looking into Rima's eyes, too frozen to move. She was doing the same to me. If she wasn't pulling away then does that mean she was considering... I need to stop thinking and just act. I leaned in closer until our lips touched. She seemed shocked that I actually did it but she kissed back. Her arms wrapped around my neck and my arms snaked around her waist. We didn't stop till we needed air. Both of us were breathing heavily.
"Rima I-" She cut me off with another kiss. I didn't try to speak again. After a minute she pulled away and hid her face in my chest.
"Rima's embarrassed!" Kusukusu giggled.
"Shut up," Rima said but she didn't move. I wrapped my arms around her. She looked up at me. I smiled at her. A blush creeped onto her face.
"Nagi, I..." she looked down not really knowing what to say. I lifted her head up again this time with control of my body.
"Rima, I want you to know that I like you. I don't really know when it began but I do," I confessed. She seemed a bit shocked but then she smiled. That must be a good sign. She snuggled up to me.
"I have been having this feeling when I'm near you. It never seems to go away when you're near. Either I have a deep hate for you or I like you," she said.
"Which do you think it is?" I asked. She looked up at me and smiled.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"I sure hope it's the second one," I said. She smiled then kissed my cheek.
"Is it ok if I take a nap. I know I already took one today but I'm a bit tired," she asked.
"Go right ahead," I said. She rested her head on my chest. She also made sure that her sprained ankle was elevated. She then drifted off to sleep.
"Nagi got the girl!" Rhythm cheered.
"They are so adorable!" Temari and Kusukusu said together. Even though Rima didn't like anything word that meant cute, I had to agree with them. There was a knock on my door.
"Come in," I whispered. My mom popped her head in.
"I'm guessing you listened to my advice and acted on your crush," she said.
"Yes, is it that obvious?" I asked.
"I'm your mother, I can sense these kinds of things," she said.
"Mother, thank you. Rima told me about your plan to get me to stand up to grandmother," I said.
"Now she may give you a bit of space," she said. She then looked at Rima's foot that was bruised and swollen.
"What happened?" she asked.
"She sprained her ankle but it should be fine if she stays off of it for a couple days," I informed.
"Which means you will have to come up with all the dance moves the rest of this week," she said. I was really hoping Rima would come up with something but I can't push all the work on her.
"Rima told me that you are leaning on her to do all the dance moves since my mother liked her but the task is to work together," she said.
"I guess I need to step up," I said.
"Yes, and by the way, we have a visitor," she said.
"A visitor?" Temari asked.
"Yes," my mother said as she pulled back the paper door. All of us couldn't believe who it was.
"Yo."
I'm so mean to leave you on a cliffhanger! Bwahahaha =)! Anyway, who do you think it is? I want to see if anyone can guess who. I'll give you a hint. It's not Nagi or Rima. I know that's a wonderful hint *cough* sarcasm *cough*.
This chapter was 100% Nagi's point of view. It's a bit hard for me to write as if I were a boy since I'm a girl but I feel I did a decent job.
Anyway coming up... Amuto? Dance practice/competition? maybe a prom?
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