Dancing With The Flower Girl

One of the few activities that made me actually leave the house besides work was dancing. Since I joined the dance club in high school pretty much on a whim I took quite a liking to it and it turned out I had a bit of a talent for it, so it was something I still quite enjoyed and kept on practicing, even though it was just once a week now.

It was there where I met the only other person I would actually call a friend these days. Her name was Kobayashi Kaida. She was my usual dance partner but quite the unusual woman. She was pretty brash and never minced her words and her voice sounded like she was smoking a pack of cigarettes daily since she was in Kindergarten, although she swore she never even touched one cigarette in her whole life.

„Hey there partner, hows it going?“ She was in her typical good mood today.

„I'm doing fine, it's just I feel like I'm turning into a grandpa“ I answered impishly.

„Your dance moves sure are stiff as heck these days, so maybe it's true.“ She answered sharply.

„I have no defences.“

I really did not have anything to say to the contrary since even though I was half her age, keeping up with her energy on and off the dancefloor was quite the challenge and her husband gave up the part on the dancefloor long ago and so it fell to me to try and keep up with her as good as I could. She was also the only person that I could talk about the Flower Girl with.

We were about to start dancing for the day when the door opened and the boss of the place the practice was taking place walked in and with him was a young woman and when I saw who it was my heart first stopped and then went into overdrive, because it was no other then the famous flower girl. I never in a million years would have expected her to show up at this place, but it was definitely her and when the boss introduced her my heart was close to giving up the ghost completely.

„Hey guys, as you can see we have someone new here today.“ he said in an enthusiastic voice. It also sounded like a lifetime of smoked cigarettes, but in his case this wasn't far from the truth.

„Why don't you introduce yourself?“ he continued. The Flower Girl didn't seem to thrilled to have to adress the whole room, but she started to talk in a quiet but earnest voice and I realised that this was the first time I ever actually heard her voice.

„Hello, my name is Nakamura Sophia. I'm 22 years old and I work at a flower shop in Marunouchi. I never danced before but I would like to try and I was told to come here today.“ After she was finished she bowed her head in a dignified gesture that filled my heart with all sorts of pleasent feelings. Those feelings were washed aside though when the boss started speaking again and were replaced with feelings of sheer terror.

„Hey, Sota, can you take care of her for today? You guys are roughly the same age, aren't you.

Kaida, you can dance with me today. If it's not too much to ask.“

He was right in saying that and pretty much all the other people here today were at least in their fourties, so the boss probably wanted to avoid having her dance with some middle aged pervert, not realising that the actual creepy stalker was the one he was handing her over to. But it was no use, she was already walking over to me and I momentarily forgot how to even exist, but managed to keep my cool on the outside at least somewhat. Kaida on the other hand seemed to gain much enjoyment from my obvious lack of composure.

„Good luck Sota, enjoy your time with the lovely girl.“ she whispered as she walked away smiling mischievously. I had no response.

When Sophia finally stood before me I also realised that I've had never seen her up close and her beauty struck me even more in this moment. Her hair was brown, silky and fell down in a thick, braided pony tail that she draped over her left shoulder. Her eyes were of a enchanting blue color and he skin was flawless with an ever so slight tan. Her figure was slim, but she wasn't flat where it counted and I don't think I could have wished for anything more in that department. I usually only saw her wearing an apron so seeing her now in a white blouse and a red skirt that reached down to her knees was quite lovely and I thought to myself that if I weren't already in love with her, I sure would be now.

„So, you want to learn how to dance?“ after some seconds I managed to pull myself together somewhat and actually adress her.

„Y-Yes. I think it's a lovely thing to do, so...“ she was stuttering slightly and she was obviously as embarassed by the situation as I was, but that didn't really make it any easier for me. It sure was cute though.

„Should I show you the basic moves?“ was all I managed to say after that.

„Y-Yes please.“ was the faint answer.

After I did introduce her to the basics and we started dancing I couldn't believe that I was actually holding her and we were dancing together. This was something I thought about in my wildest dreams, but now it was reality. She also did amazingly for a beginner, so she either was a natural talent or she had danced before and pretended she didn't. We danced in silence for a while and I my body actually moved on it's own more or less, dancing for almost ten years made sure I was able to keep up without thinking about it. My mind was still racing though and I was struggling to find something to talk about that also wouldn't give away that I knew her before. Then she suddenly started talking.

„Sato?“ she said in a surprisingly firm voice.

„Y-Yes?“ now I was the one to stutter and answer with a faint voice.

„Do you come by the shop every day?“ she continued. She looked straight at my face now.

My blood was running cold because now I knew that she knew that I was the person starring at her creepily from a distance.

„I know you are looking at me. Why?“ she answered, still firm.

My mind was going blank at a rapid pace and I didn't even know where to start. Then all her resolve seemed to suddenly leave her body and her face turned about as red as mine and in one swift move she turned around and ran out of the room, leaving me flabbergasted as Kaida looked first at the girl running away and then at me with an surprised look on her face. 

After the training was over Kaida and I sat outside on a bench, waiting for her husband to pick her up. The beer I was holding wasn't my first of the day.

„Well, what was that then?“ Kaida finally burst out. I clenched the beer can even harder in the hope it would channel some divine power before I gave an answer.

„You know the girl I'm always going on about? The one that works in a flower shop? The one I'm too chicken to talk to?

„Yeah, of course, what about her?“

„Well, that was her.“

Kaida eyes went wide and she looked like she was about to drop the can of beer she was holding herself as she processed what I just told her.

„You kiddin' me.“ she finally answered.

„I wish I was.“

„And why did she run away? What did you do?“ she pried.

„Well, she knows that I stare at her from the street. She wanted to know why, but before I could give an answer she ran away.“

Kaida walked away a couple steps, sipping her beer.

„I told you your creepy ways ought to catch up with you.“

„I know. But I can't really change that now.“

Kaida seemed to gain back her usual confidence and a devilish smile appeared on her face, making me worried for what she was about to say.

„Well, there is only one thing to do, is there boy.“

„And what might that be?“ I answered hesitantly.

„Well, go to her and apologize. If you want to have any chance with her that is.“

I suddenly froze in place and squeezed the beer can hard in my hands. The sound of the metal being bent all out of shape brought me back to reality.

„I-I can't do that.“ I answered sheepishly.

„Listen boy, we both know what you did wasn't great, but the fact that she was willing to dance with you even though she knew who you were must mean something. It's for you to find out what though. Got that into your thick skull? I hope so, there seems to be a lot of empty space in there at least.“

I realised that she was probably right. She was asking me why I was looking at her. What if I said that I did it because I thought she was very pretty? Was that what she wanted to hear? Or was I just deluding myself? Maybe she just wanted to confirm I was the creepy stalker before she reported me to the police. At that moment Kaidas husband arrived and she was about to leave.

„Well, I have to go partner. I think you know what to do. Let me know how it went.“ she said as she got into the car and the two of them drove off. I sat there for quite a while longer before I could finally move again and go home to a sleepless night.