1… 2… 3…

Aila was watching her feet.

1… 2… 3…

It was easy, she reminded herself. They made it look easy.

1… "Oops!" she panicked.

So why was it…?

2… she forgot the next step.

3… "Sorry! Oh, no, I'm so sorry!" she apologized for the umpteenth time and let go of the teacher's hands so he could squat down.

Why was it that it was so much harder than she thought?!

Aila just couldn't believe how uncoordinated she was when it came to dancing.

"Don't worry, miss Aila," her teacher, a young man that had been summoned by the queen herself to especially teach her, said. "You will improve soon enough," although Aila thought he was being too nice.

It was already her third class and she hadn't improved at all!

So, after a sigh, she just dropped down to sit next to her grieving master.

Dancing just didn't seem to be her thing. She didn't even understand why she was practicing so much when she didn't think anyone would ask her to dance in the hypothetical case that she was allowed to attend a ball.

Aila had to admit, albeit embarrassed, that she had always been more interested in food than in any other aspect of the parties she had attended as part of the Nemesis team.

"I don't think I can make it," she blurted out, resting her weight on her hands and looking up at the ceiling.

But then, her teacher jumped up.

"No. None of that," he countered, with revived energy and enthusiasm, as if what Aila had said had lit an unknown fire inside him. "I taught the princess, and daughters of dukes and marquises. No matter how many left feet you have, no Jean Van Bortian student will leave his class without even learning the basics! Now get up, we can't let their majesties down!"

Aila blinked a couple of times, rather dazed, but she nodded and jumped up, ready to learn the next steps.

Perhaps she had offended Jean in some way, even though he had been doing everything so she could understand.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you look bad or anything," she decided to apologize, not looking at him not because she couldn't face him, but because she was afraid she'd step on his toes again. "It's just… I don't want to embarrass them. They already helped me enough, I don't need parties or more luxurious things."

Her teacher smiled softly.

"If the royal family supports all of this, it's because they want you to attend their parties, Miss Aila. With your head held high, so that no one sees you with disdain, do not give up."

Reiji's smiling face appeared in her mind for a second and she blinked. Of course, she couldn't make him look bad. But hiding was not enough.

After all, she had promised to always support him.

"Ok, then," she smiled.

—

On the branch of a tree, Reiji observed the practice room with apparent disinterest. His arms behind his head and his legs crossed gave the impression that he was thinking of other things...

"...!"

But his facade was dissolved when he had to hold on for dear life when the tree jerked suddenly, dropping smaller branches and leaves. Not only did it move once, but it was being shaken from side to side as if its roots and trunk were suddenly made of rubber.

Reiji poked his head out of him as much as he could.

"Hey?! Stop that! Reon!"

His brother did not.

"I will when you get down from there! You're supposed to be in class and not slacking off!"

"I'm not slacking off!"

Reon narrowed his eyes.

"Whatever you call creeping on your girlfriend then!"

However, before Reiji could object about how Aila wasn't his girlfriend or anything, his arms decided to give up.

"Gahg!"

It was like a thud, some leaves and dust kicked up, and luckily there were bushes around, which comically cushioned his fall. From the scratches on his arms and face, it was clear that it wasn't for free, though.

"Happy?" he asked, scowling at his little brother.

Reon adjusted his glasses and turned around. "Not yet. Let's go, our teacher is waiting."

Reiji could only sigh as his brother led the way. Reon didn't seem at all interested in finding out if he was okay or not, though it's not like Reiji had a history of being fragile.

He with little difficulty got up and brushed off his clothes, and then walked quickly to catch up with his brother.

"For the record, she's not my girlfriend."

Reon rolled his eyes.

"Sure."