I simply want to stay this way together with you... ― Yuki No Hana, Nakashima Mika
xxxxxx
[Rinako]
I wasn't myself once again. But so far, I was still focusing on the path that I was traversing going out of the campus grounds. My partner and I just finished our practice a while back. Until now, I still couldn't believe the fact that that jerk became my partner for the practicum at the dance club.
I didn't know if I was just unlucky when it comes to the things I wanted to happen or if something (maybe even someone) was playing with me and just had the intention of ruining my mind.
But I was really glad and I could somehow talk to Setsuji without the arguing part for the whole duration of our practice together.
Why did I say that I was glad? Think about it. For one and a half weeks, I would be with that guy. I would consider that unlucky on my part. I had a feeling that fate was conniving with God so all of this would happen to me.
This was so much torture for me as each day that these happened would pass by. But I didn't have a choice. Our club adviser already decided on this one. I might as well go with it. Thankfully, my partner had been cooperative so far.
Then all of a sudden, I remembered what happened two days ago with Setsuji. It was the first day of our dance practice for our dance practicum...
I hated that dance practicum, I swear!
xxxxxx
[Flashback]
Setsuji and I had finally arrived at the hidden part of the auditorium where he suggested that we should practice since no other students would go there. It seemed that the place was filled with stories about supernatural and paranormal stuff. But so far, I didn't feel anything weird or scary, for that matter.
That is if there was something about that place that I should feel.
"At least in this place, it's quiet and we could practice here with no other groups to disturb us," Setsuji said and placed his backpack on the sofa that he just dusted. "Why don't you place your bag here?"
Without a word, I did what he said and I took out a CD from my bag soon after.
"Did you bring a CD player that we can use?" I asked without facing him. My attention was fixed on the list of songs on the back of the CD case. I needed to find the right song that we could use for the practice and also for the practicum.
"Yeah."
I just bit my lip as I was thinking of what to do. Seriously, what was going on again?
Now that Setsuji and I were in one place that no people would seem to venture to, I don't know what to feel. Here I was, my heart was starting to beat fast again. Yes, even though we still had a few meters of distance between us, I could still feel that way.
Seriously...
Why was it that I would end up feeling that when it comes to this heck of a guy? I guessed I should be grateful that he was still oblivious to this dilemma I've been dealing with. Perhaps my way of hiding it from Setsuji was different compared to others.
But I won't deny that it was giving me a hard time, though.
"...song are we going to use?"
I got startled when I finally realized that there was another person in this room aside from me. And it so happened that the guy I was thinking about was that person. Talk about embarrassing...
"W-what did you say again?"
No answer came from Setsuji. Instead, he was frowning when he looked at me intently, as if analyzing me.
I couldn't help feeling conscious of that. "W-why are you looking at me like that? I-is there something wrong with my face?"
But the answer that came from him was a bit different from what I was expecting. "Are you alright, Fukuizumi?" he asked concerningly.
It caught me off-guard. I couldn't help looking at Setsuji. For real? This guy was concerned about me?
"What kind of question is that? Do I look like someone who's not okay?" I just went ahead to the table where the radio/CD player that Setsuji brought was placed. But instead of placing the CD into the player as soon as I reached it, I ended up reading the list on the casing once again.
Wait, what song were we going to use for the dance practicum, anyway?
Then something surprised me when I felt someone holding my hand that was holding the CD case from behind me and slightly raising it near my face. I didn't have to turn around for me to know who was behind me at that moment.
My proof? I just need to feel the different beating of my heart. That's it.
"W-what do you think you're doing? You can take this from me without standing there behind me."
But all he did was smile mischievously. Urgh! Was this guy even serious about all this?
"I don't want to. Besides, it's better this way. This is our first step," he replied casually while still looking at the list.
"First step?"
I felt him nod.
Why does this guy have to approach me and place himself behind me? Now here I was, I couldn't even do anything to calm my heart down. I just hoped this guy staying behind me won't even think of teasing me at the moment in case he managed to feel that.
"We're going to be dancing the waltz, in case you're forgetting. So first up, you should be used to physical contact," Setsuji casually said.
"I'm used to physical contact. What I'm not used to is having physical contact with you. Especially the fact that you're possibly planning to harass me again. I just have to make sure."
You know what? I could've laughed at that. I wasn't even sure how I managed to say those words. I could only hope that it was able to conceal the nervousness I was feeling.
"Seriously, harass you? Fukuizumi, if you're not feeling any pity for my face, I do. It's better that I should do something to save my handsome face from your brutality." He was even shaking his head and finally took the CD case from my hand.
I didn't know if I should be laughing or irritated because of what he said. But since he wasn't doing anything disturbing to me, I might as well let him be... for now.
And for me to do that, I could only think of a certain something at the moment. "Can I talk to you properly?"
Setsuji faced me with a frown. "Huh? What kind of question is that? It's like you're saying I'm crazy."
"Are you not?" I shook my head. Here goes this guy again. He had the habit of changing the topic. "But that's not what I meant. We need to do something to make this work. And I shouldn't be the one who needs to do something for that to happen."
"You mean..."
I sighed in hopes of calming my erratically beating heart. This annoying heart! Does it have to beat this fast? "Why don't we spare each other from all the fights we've been having every time our paths would cross. This might be just a club activity to most of you but this is important for me as our grades in our other subjects are also involved in this." I sighed after that. "How about... we come up with a temporary truce? Just until this dance practicum ends..."
After saying that, I noticed Setsuji suddenly becoming quiet along with the change of expression on his face. It looked like he was thinking about my suggestion. While he was doing that, I couldn't help secretly observing this guy. Even though he was serious or playing around, his charisma was still there.
Here we go again...
Okay, fine. I admitted that this jerk could be charismatic. But it would be for the best if I was the only one who knew that.
"You have a point. But why temporary?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Because that's what I want. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"
"Why can't you make it a long-term?"
Huh? Long-term? Seriously? "That would only happen if you finally fixed that loose screw in your mind and you finally decide to stop annoying me every day." Soon after, I retrieved the CD case from Setsuji.
This was just great. He didn't even place the CD into the player. I could only sigh at that.
"Well, you know my day won't be complete without teasing you."
I looked at him incredulously. And he had to give me that kind of reason? With that smug smile on his face? Seriously, he wasn't cute at all.
"You're one hopeless case, you know that?" I guessed I won't be able to talk to him properly. I only had one simple wish, he couldn't even do it.
I heard Setsuji laugh but I didn't switch my attention to him anymore. It was better than I did that so he won't know my whole system was completely affected by that simple laugh of his.
Oh, dear! It seemed that my mind was the one that has a loose screw with all the stuff I was thinking about at the moment.
"Come on, I was just kidding." I heard his footsteps, indicating that he was approaching me. "I'm still in my right mind, okay? In case you're already doubting that part. And I know how much you push yourself just so you could get a good grade. But I want you to remember that grades aren't the only basis of intelligence and skills of a person." He sighed soon after.
That was when I realized that he was behind me again. Why was it that he liked to place himself there? It was like that, every time. Even in our other subjects where he was my classmate.
"Okay. Let's have a temporary truce."
What he said had made me speechless. Was this guy for real? He agreed to what I wanted to happen?
I shook my head inconspicuously. What was going on with you, Fukuizumi Rinako? "You're serious?"
Setsuji frowned and looked at me incredulously. "Can't you even trust me? Now that I'm saying things seriously, you won't even believe it."
"You only act serious once in a while. And it wasn't even towards me so how I would know if you're serious at this point?"
"I'm serious. For the sake of making this practicum work for the two of us, I'm willing to have a truce with you even if it's temporary. Satisfied?"
His expression was serious. No traces of anything that would indicate he was joking or kidding around. Well, I might as well go with this. This doesn't happen often, you know.
I held out my hand in front of him. "It's a deal then?"
He looked at my hand for a few moments before taking it. I tried my best not to show any reaction when I felt a sudden tingling sensation that coursed itself through my veins the moment our palms touched like that.
"Deal."