Operation Dancefloor Romance (part 8)

“So, Lazy-kun, did that unexpected hug make your heart skip a beat?”

Ryota froze for a moment, struggling to process the unexpected question. “Wha—”

Mai leaned forward, her eyes filled with a playful gleam. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like that,” she said, her breath warm against his skin. “It didn’t make your heart beat faster?”

Ryota struggled to speak. Mai’s nearness was overwhelming him, and his mind felt like it was stuck in a fog.

“Your face is red,” Mai said.

“Wha—”

“I think you’re just too shy, Lazy-kun,” she said. “But if that’s the case, then I won’t hold back.”

The young man opened his mouth, trying to find the words to protest. But all that came out was a strangled noise.

“You are so cute,” she whispered, her lips curled in a smile.

“P-prez... I...”

“Relax, Lazy-kun,” Mai said, taking his hand.

“But—”

The red spotlight shone down on Koyama and Takumi. Ryota felt his heart flutter in anticipation.

“Shh, Just watch and wait.”

“Watch wha—”

Ryota stared, his jaw hanging open.

“What the...”

Mai laughed. “See?” she said. “It’s always good to be patient.”

“Since when did the dance club have this red spotlight? Is this part of the plan?”

“Didn’t I tell you, Lazy-kun?” she replied, smiling at him. “You’ll get an answer for the budget issue soon.”

“Does that mean...”

“You can figure the rest by yourself,” she said, winking at him. “Little Poirot!”

Ryota stared at her in confusion.

Just then, Takumi leaned forward and kissed Koyama.

“Look, they’re kissing! They’re kissing!”

“In public?”

Mai’s gaze softened, and she stepped closer to Ryota.

“Does that mean... you wouldn’t mind those kinds of things in private?” she asked.

Ryota was quiet, his mind still struggling to find the right words to respond.

“...”

“Oh, Lazy-kun, your silence speaks volumes. Should I count that as a yes?”

“I... uh... um...”

“I knew it,” she said, her voice filled with delight. “You’re so cute.”

“P-prez...”

She leaned forward, her lips brushing against his ear. The feel of her breath against his skin sent a shiver down his spine.

“I’m glad you agree,” she said, her voice full of lust.

With that, Mai pulled back and gave Ryota one final wink. She stepped away from him, then took his hand in hers and spun him around. He followed her lead, his heart pounding in his chest.

As the two of them danced, they watched Koyama and Takumi trying awkwardly to conceal their affection and resume the dance. Their movements were stiff and awkward, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Mai whispered, smiling at Ryota.

“I don’t know what to say...”

“Oh, so you do have something to say?”

Ryota nodded. He tried to form the words, but his mind was a whirlwind of emotions and confusion.

“Don’t worry about it. I know how you feel.”

“P-prez...”

“Shh,” Mai said, holding a finger to her lips.

Ryota nodded, but his thoughts were racing.

“Now it’s time for Sato to turn the spotlight off and...”

“I don’t think he’s going to do it.”

The young woman stopped dancing and turned to face Ryota, her brow furrowed in concern. “Are you sure?” she asked.

Ryota nodded. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he replied, his voice filled with concern. “I mean, we both know Sato, right?”

Just as Ryota finished talking, the red spotlight slowly began to move. It made a deliberate turnaround, sweeping across the dance floor before finally stopping on Mai and Ryota.

The two of them froze, their eyes widening in surprise. The spotlight illuminated them from head to toe, leaving them feeling exposed.

“I can imagine Sato smirking right now,” he muttered, a faint smile crossing his lips. “I know him well enough.”

Mai kept silent, her expression unreadable as she watched the spotlight fixed on them. The music was still playing, the couples swaying to its rhythm.

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder as they noticed the change in focus.

Ryota continued speaking, his voice filled with confusion and concern. “I had a feeling that something like this could happen, but I don’t understand why Sato would do it.”

His words hung in the air as the girl before him remained silent, her gaze fixed on the spotlight illuminating them. He could feel her grip on his hand suddenly tightening. He turned to look at her, only to find her face flushed, her eyes locked on the spotlight.

“Prez...?”

Mai’s movements were slightly awkward as she stumbled over her steps, her gaze shifting away from the crowd. She lowered her head, her lengthy hair falling around her face as if trying to escape from the scrutinizing looks and the spotlight’s glare.

“Prez, are you... okay?”

Mai remained quiet, her hand trembling in his. Her eyes were downcast, refusing to meet his gaze.

“Prez, are you uncomfortable with this?” Ryota asked, his voice filled with worry. “We can stop if you want.”

“I...” she started, her voice quivering. She bit her lower lip, her gaze flickering towards the spotlight. “I...”

“Are you okay?”

“Of course, I’m not okay, you idiot,” she replied, her tone laced with frustration. “Can’t you see how uncomfortable this is?”

“We can always stop if you’re—”

“It’s not that,” Mai whispered, cutting him off.

Her words hung in the air as Ryota’s gaze met her own, both of their expressions filled with confusion.

“Prez...?”

“I want to win!”

The young man remained silent, unsure of what to say next. Mai’s grip on his hand tightened, her knuckles turning white.

Before he could respond, the red spotlight turned away from them and resumed its sweep across the crowd.

Ryota released a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the young woman stopped dancing and pulled him towards her. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“What’s wrong?”

“I... I sprained my ankle,” she said, her voice barely audible over the music. A single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. “I can’t continue.”

                                                                                            End of "Operation Dancefloor Romance"

                                                                                                                  7 days till Valentine's day...