Operation Dancefloor Romance (part 3)

“So, leaving Mai’s yandere issues aside...” Sato muttered, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “I suppose we should focus on the question nagging at me.”

“What is it?”

Sato paused momentarily, the smirk still lingering on his face. “Who’s even good enough to join this competition? I don’t know about you, but I am not much of a dancer, and neither are you, Ryota.”

Ryota raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a grin. Sato, after all, was not much of a dancer.

“So, what, you want to dance in this competition?”

“Yeah, why not? It sounds fun, you know?”

The young man took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He couldn’t help but find it amusing that Sato would even consider taking part in a dance competition. Shaking his head, he stifled a laugh. “Dancing, huh? I know some basics, but that’s about it.”

Ryota’s words hung in the air for a few seconds, the absurdity of the situation sinking in. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of Sato on the dance floor.

“Actually,” he continued, “scratch that. Dancing is not my strong suit. I don’t even know if I can do it.”

“I can understand where you’re coming from,” Mai suddenly interrupted, her lips twitching with a smirk. “After all, you have a unique favorite sport, Lazy-kun.”

“Uh... what’s that supposed to mean, Prez?”

“Being the laziest person you can be.”

“Hey!”

Mai let out a soft giggle, a twinkle in her eyes. “I’ve been wondering about this for a while now. What is your favorite sport?” she asked.

Ryota fell silent, his gaze drifting off into the distance. A contemplative expression painted his face as he tried to find an answer to the unexpected question. After a few seconds of silence, he shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve always found sports boring,” he replied, his tone neutral. “They’re not my cup of tea.”

“Is there a particular reason for that?” Mai asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

The young man did not answer immediately. He felt a pang of guilt mixed with annoyance. Why did she have to push him on this topic? But he couldn’t stay upset with her for long.

“I guess I’ve just never been good at sports,” he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. “I’ve tried a few, but they never really clicked with me.”

“I see,” she mumbled, her playful demeanor giving way to a more sympathetic tone. “I suppose. Everyone has their way of finding magic in life.”

His response wasn’t satisfactory to Mai, Ryota sensed. The way she behaved seemed to hide a hint of disappointment, as if she had hoped for a different answer. It wasn’t uncommon for her to tease him about his preferences, but this time, there was an underlying tension in the air.

A strange sense of guilt washed over Ryota as he averted his gaze from her questioning eyes. Without a word, he reached into his bag and pulled out a novel, his favorite escape from reality. Placing one hand on the table, he used it as a makeshift pillow while his other hand held the book open.

A steady stream of chatter erupted in the clubroom as Sato and Mai continued to talk, their voices merging into a steady flow of exchanging ideas.

Ryota slipped into the shadows of the background. The weight of expectations and the tension in the room slowly faded away, replaced by a sense of relief and liberation. He let out a contented sigh, grateful for the momentary respite from the spotlight.

Lost in his thoughts, his musings were abruptly interrupted by Sato’s voice breaking through the background noise. “Hey, Prez, can you dance?”

“Can I dance?”

“Yeah, are you any good?”

Ryota glanced at Mai, curious to hear her response.

The girl paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. She then stood up from her chair, a spark of excitement igniting in her gaze. She walked briskly towards Ryota, her usual playful smile lighting up her face.

“Of course I can dance,” she replied, her voice laced with pride and confidence. “But it’s time I shared a secret with you guys.”

“A secret?” Ryota asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Mai opened the music player in the room, the soft melody filling the air. “It was about a year ago when I decided to join the dance club.”

“Prez, you joined the dance club?” Ryota asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Stand up, Lazy-kun,” Mai instructed, her tone leaving no room for argument. “I’m going to teach you how to dance from scratch.”

Ryota hesitated, torn between curiosity and his innate resistance to being in the spotlight. However, Mai’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he slowly rose to his feet, a trace of apprehension in his eyes.

“Alright,” he said, his voice filled with nervousness and excitement. “But let’s take it slow, okay?”

As if sensing his hesitation, she extended her hand toward him, her eyes sparkling.

“Grab my waist,” she said, her tone gentle yet firm. “Just hold on to me.”

“Wha-“

“It’s just to keep you from falling over.”

“I see.”

Ryota’s eyes widened at the unexpected request, his cheeks flushing slightly. He tentatively reached out, his hand finding hers. As their skin touched, a pleasant tingle ran through his arm, sending a wave of warmth through his body. He allowed her hand to guide him, his fingers delicately clasping her waist as she stepped back.

“Now, let’s start with a simple waltz,” she said, her voice low and soothing. “Put your left hand on my shoulder and follow me with your feet.”

Ryota swallowed hard, his mind suddenly reeling. A part of him couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth of her body against his, the feeling of her hand in his, and the subtle scent that emanated from her. He didn’t want to let go, afraid that he would lose this moment. He knew the feeling was fleeting, but it felt too good to resist.

“Okay, let’s begin.”

The young man nodded, and they moved in sync. Mai glided around the clubroom as if she had been doing this her whole life. Ryota followed her steps, his hand tightly wrapped around hers as if to protect it.

“You’re doing well, Lazy-kun,” she murmured. “Now, step forward with your right foot.”

“I can do that,” Ryota replied.

He moved his feet in rhythm with Mai’s, taking tentative steps around the room. Despite the awkwardness, he felt his body move in harmony with hers as if they were two parts of the same whole.

The sensation was exhilarating. Ryota hadn’t realized that Mai was so graceful, and her fluid motions entranced him. He could only gaze in awe, captivated by the way she moved. Each step they took felt like a shared heartbeat, perfectly in tune with the melody playing in his mind.

“Alright, now step to the side with your left foot.”

Ryota furrowed his brow, feeling a mixture of concentration and embarrassment. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“It’s easy. Just do it.”

Taking a deep breath, Ryota focused on the music and tried to imitate Mai’s graceful steps. His face flushed with embarrassment, but he didn’t let it deter him. Even if it meant making a fool of himself, he was determined to match her dance moves.

“Good. Keep it up, Lazy-kun,” Mai praised him, her voice filled with genuine encouragement.

Ryota followed Mai’s lead, his feet stepping in time with hers. He let out a soft laugh, his eyes sparkling with joy. Despite the initial awkwardness and uncertainty, he felt a sense of exhilaration.

“See? You just had to try,” Mai whispered into his ear, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine. “Next time, you should be the one guiding me. Can you do that?”