5986 SHORT-STORY ~ GYMNASTICS DAY
NAMIMORI STREETS, ONE AFTERNOON
"Hey guys, you planning to go and watch?" "Watch what?" "The girls' gymnastics competition, of course! Not gonna miss the sight of them in leotard, right, haha!" "Woaw, I'm in!" "Yosh, and you?" "Well, not so inter..." "Raah, don't say that, pal! There's that Tsukimori from your school joining, and also that Miura from Midori, you know!"
TILT. At some distance from the group of gossiping male teenagers, Gokudera stops sipping his can of iced coffee, his ear having caught onto a familiar name.
That Stupid Woman couldn't possibly be making a damn show of herself in leotard in front of the entire district, could she...?
Despite his inward denial, Gokudera's feet can't help but follow after the group of teenagers who ultimately decided to go attend the competition together, hormones speaking louder than their brains at such age.
The 10th is out for shopping with his mother as well, so it's not like Gokudera has anything better to do at the moment. Yeah, for sure he's just going there to check onto some annoying woman who might bring shame on the Vongola Family by behaving like a fool in public... for sure...
Once inside the gymnasium, he can't help but be a little impressed by the neat organisation and serious yet cheerful atmosphere.
Luminous displays are announcing mathematics scores for participants as well, and the meticulousness of calculations behind such scores let him in awe for several minutes. A flip across the program distributed at the entrance and he's even pulling out his glasses to take part in the judging as well, wondering and complaining about why this judge and that one dare and trespass 0.03 marks more than the regular rules should allow on the last presenting gymnast.
"Tsk, just how damn biased people can be as long as the athlete looks a little prettier than usual... Can't even get their maths right, for Hell's sake...!"
On this tantrum, he leaves the benches to wander around in search for his reason for coming.
Where in Hell would that Stupid Woman not giving a damn about perverted schoolmates coming to ogle her in leotard be right now...?!
In the other gymnasium connected to the first one resounds the tunes of the songs accompanying rhythmic gymnastics performance - Haru's specialty - and Gokudera let his feet progress towards it, although not realising they're actually bringing him there faster than usual.
TATATADAAAM.
Just as the blinding spotlights of the new gymnasium stabilize in his field of vision, Gokudera's green eyes catch onto something familiar.
His expression collapses in a face-palm at realizing he's found the object of his search.
There, right in the middle of the presenting mat, a big antique train costume is rolling on its large wheel-like gymnastics hoops to come into starting position.
As if the eeriness of such costume wasn't enough, the luminous displays are clearly indicating the name of the contestant in bold letters: Miura Haru, from Midori Middle School.
"... th-that... that Stupid Woman...! I can't believe her...!"
Gokudera sighs wearily, starting to ponder that at least she isn't participating dressed into some 'mafia wife' costume like she had senselessly mentioned the last time she had talked about her future gymnastics competition.
The crowd around him has fallen silent, only shocked whispers being exchanged, and a similar commotion is shaking the judges at their table, as they all watch the gymnast burying herself inside the train costume, nothing to be seen of her until the song starts.
TUUUULULULULULULULULUU. TULULUU. LULULUU. LULUU...
"Eh...?" The first clarinet notes of the tune come and tickle Gokudera's memories, and just as he's egulfed in the deep string notes embracing the orchestrated opening of the concerto, Haru starts her performance.
Under the jazzy notes, the gymnastics loops detach themselves from the train wheels from inside, and come and dance around the locomotive, animated by gracious invisible hands.
"So that's why that Stupid Woman chose a train costume, haha..."
Gokudera can't help chuckling as the supporting orchestra notes take over after the captivating glissando, trademark of the concerto chosen by Haru for her out-of-the-box performance.
"But does that Stupid Woman seriously expect the judges to know Gershwin was travelling in a train when inspiration stroke for that 'Rhapsody in Blue'...? Tsk, so damn naive, really... That's so like her, humph..."
Gokudera's lips are betraying his excitement as he watches over the hypnotic show of loops flying to the sky before getting caught back, right in track with each pitch of the colourful exuberant measures of the famous concerto.
So crazy and unexpected... Really that Stupid Woman never does things the way people expect... Damn, sure, he's not a good reference himself but it's not like he ever asked to be one, for what he cares... Still, shouldn't she play it safer, if she wants to score good at such annoying uptight competition... The judges might damn screw her because they don't get a thing after all... Damn, what if they really pin her score down... She won't feel broken for something so senseless, right, it's no big deal after all... Wait, didn't she damn practised hard for today... Damn, these judges have better not pull her down...!
Gokudera's hands clench despite himself on the railing and, before he realises, he's jump over it to land a level lower and closer to the performance mat.
TISSSHHH.
Under the clanging of the orchestra gong, the rhythmic melody bursts into another theme just as Gokudera's feet touch ground, just at the same time the train costume in the centre of the mat implodes into a profusion of gymnastics hoops while revealing the athlete.
DOKI. A heartbeat skipped...
Gokudera freezes in a daze as the familiar tunes of one of his favourite piano songs distort into slow motion, just slowly enough for him to notice every little motion detail of the silhouette standing at the centre of the mat.
These wheel-shaped and gear-shaped loops, running and flying all over her like as many dancing jazzy notes engulfed by the piano song...
These slender hands mastering and guiding the loops so gracefully yet straight-forwardly, like the baton of the orchestra conductor...
This steel grey leotard enhancing simply yet smartly every move and jump and turn as she runs all around the performance mat like the flutter of notes of the new measure...
These strands of silky hair tied in a ponytail shimmering under the gymnasium spotlights at each passing and twirling inside the loops, just like the flow of music impossible to catch and making one's heartbeat faster and faster...
And these eyes, these big chestnut eyes sparkling like fiery cunning jewels enjoying themselves amidst the hypnotic high-tempo performance making everyone hold their breath at each rhythmic theme of Gershwin's off-balance yet captivating concerto...
TILT.
By the time Haru has collected back all dispersed loops and closed back the train costume on them and herself just as the last tunes of her performance song are dying out, an entire crowd of spectators have surrounded Gokudera and pulls him out of his daze.
"D-Damn..."
Gokudera screeches as a thundering applause closes the performance, showing him wrong about how amateurs would not feel touched by Haru's unexpected out-of-the-box performance.
Wait, why is he applauding too... And just what is he still doing here, right in everyone's field of vision including hers...
Wait, aren't her eyes looking his way... It can't be that she noticed him, right... Not like he's here for her sake anyway, so...
"Woaw, say, say, don't you want to go and talk to her? I heard that Miura is pretty easygoing on top of having such a great body, so..."
BAM. "Scram before I bomb you...!"
"G-Gyah! S-s-scaryyy!"
DASH.
"Ahi...? Gokudera-san...?"
Damn... He was so focused on getting rid of the annoying bugs that he hasn't noticed her walking his way...
"Is Tsuna-san here as well? Ahi, has he seen Haru's performance...? Embarrassing-desu..."
"T-the 10th is not here so no need to be damned blushing, tsk..."
Wait, isn't he the one feeling damn hot for no reason, right now...
"Huh, then Gokudera-san came alone? For Haru?"
Damn, can't she look somewhere else with these annoying eyes of hers... And what does she expect, looking at him like that... asking something like that...
"..."
Damn, she's still looking, right... Still not saying anything... Damn, she's seriously waiting for his damn answer, isn't she...
"... p-piano... I came for the piano song, 'cause I used to play, so..."
... H.E.L.L, just what does he damn think he's answering...?! Nobody except this annoying Aneki knows about him and the piano, damn it, busting himself out like that, how retarded can he be...
No wait, that's that Stupid Woman's fault to start with...! Just how much does she think she's messing up with him right now, with this damn song pick, this damn flattering leotard and these damn insistent chestnut eyes of hers...?! Tsk, can't even look at her anymore...
"Ahi, Gokudera-san used to play the piano?! Unexpected-desu! It must mean everyone has their good points, huh..."
"O-Oy...!"
"Hihi, then, next time, Gokudera-san, please play the piano for Haru's performance, alright?"
A heartbeat skipped...
"..."
Wait... has he just nodded to that... What the Hell is wrong with him right now...
"Ah, Gokudera-san, Haru needs to go and change, and then we can go home together, alright?"
Two heartbeats skipped...
Wait... why is he feeling even hotter now... Just how many heartbeats has he forgotten to breathe, damn...
"Ah! But Haru doesn't have any omiyage for Tsuna-san's mother... Impolite-desu... Maybe we should find something on the way to Tsuna-san's house...?"
... so she was talking about the 10th all along...
Why is there this damn tightening feeling now that his heart is not skipping beats anymore...
"Wait for Haru!"
A tightening heartbeat skipped...
The frown between Gokudera's eyebrows soften into a helpless scowl as he watches her turn her back and run to the changing rooms.
Damn, will he always have to wait for her... Hearing other guys making that sort of comments as soon as she's out of hearing range... hearing her only talk about the 10th... not that the 10th doesn't deserve admiration, but... but...
The last notes of Gershwin's musical kaleidoscope keep on popping into Gokudera's mind along the distant memories: 'Under its disguise of fussy and futile counterpoint, listen at how sentimental and vapid the harmonic treatment is. The Rhapsody in Blue is terrific and inspired while at the same time predictable, in the sense that whatever happens in it must seem inevitable.' No, wait, even before that piano teacher of his, the first time he had heard this captivating melody, the first comment he ever remembers, it was from his mother: 'See, with its boastful madness, this concerto is just like life, just like love, as captivating yet repetitive, and just as much magical.'
Too many heartbeats skipped to even remember...
Yeah... He can feel it... That mad... magnificent... inevitable... love...!
"HARU!"
GRAB.
Haru barely has time to turn around to answer the call that a strong hand has caught onto her to bring her face to his.
Damn... Just what is he doing... He's always known hearing the piano, remembering the piano, was bad for his heart...
"A...h... i...?" But her exclamation is swallowed at the same time as her lips.
Two hearts skip too many heartbeats to even count...