Party: Would you like to dance?

The voice was gentle, and Neo's heart began to beat faster. Deep down, he already knew who was standing in front of him. He lifted his head slowly, first seeing the tip of a long dress with golden details and the main color being sky blue. He was met with a charming smile and eyes as blue as the sea, which, from up close, looked like galaxies that, if stared at for too long, could make anyone travel. Her golden hair shimmered in the light. At first glance, he couldn't recognize her, as her hair was tied up, but his heart was certain that it was Saya standing before him. He rubbed his eyes, partly to dispel the sadness and partly because he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He continued to admire the figure before him.

"What's wrong? Something amiss?" Saya asked, confused.

And he could only respond, "Your eyes are so beautiful."

Saya covered her face with her hand, blushing more than the lipstick she was wearing, completely ruining the atmosphere between them. Suddenly, Sunny appeared, wearing a dress in shades of red and orange, making her resemble a flame. She watched with curiosity.

"Hi, Sunny," Neo said, a bit annoyed.

Sunny waved to him. "Sorry, Neo, I need to borrow Saya for a bit. I have to show everyone my creation."

She then pulled Saya away, and Neo watched as they joined the other girls: Natasha, Mônica, Elena, and Cassandra. 

Elena had dark hair and usually wore a ponytail, but on that day, her hair was loose, and she was wearing a dark blue dress that looked quite elegant. Cassandra also had dark hair, but hers was short with small waves at the ends. She wore a white dress with details that gave her a more mature aura compared to Natasha's cute style.

He stood up and headed to the bathroom. The entire baseball team emerged from the bathroom. Takeshi and Tadashi were supporting Pietro on their shoulders.

"Hey! I thought you guys wouldn't show up," Neo expressed his frustration.

"Sorry, Neo, we were taking care of Pietro," Takeshi replied, struggling to hold Pietro.

"Pietro was so nervous he was vomiting," Shike explained.

Pietro looked pale. "Arggg, I'm better now."

Takeshi, still holding Pietro by the shoulder, asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, you can let go of me." Pietro nearly stumbled to the ground but managed to stay upright. He stood up and took a deep breath. "Maybe I need to sit for a bit."

Pietro headed to the chairs where Neo had been sitting before.

"You're taking this too seriously, man. Relax," Maeda said, trying to lighten the mood.

Neo decide to courage him, "Look, you'll do great! If I managed to get an outfit to be here, you can do what you want too!"

Pietro looked at him and laughed. "The outfit suits you well, by the way."

"Never mind that. Just think, you trained hard, and there's no one here more prepared than you. So, you're definitely going to win the competition."

"You're right, Neo. Thanks."

Pietro felt calmer after hearing Neo's words of motivation.

"In the end, who will he dance with?" Neo asked curiously.

Shike answered, "Elena."

Neo sighed in relief, knowing that he wouldn't be dancing with Saya.

"I'm hungry!" Maeda exclaimed, looking around and noticing someone missing. "Where's Nagoya?"

Shike pointed to the table. "He's already eating."

"Without me?" "Come on, Shike, we can't let him beat us."

Neo went to the bathroom since he had been interrupted earlier, and on the way out, Takeshi approached him, draping an arm around his neck.

"Hey, have you asked Saya to dance yet?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What?" Takeshi asked, alarmed. "You washed your hands, right?"

"Of course!" Neo replied, embarrassed.

"Good. So, back to what we were talking about. This is your big chance! When the couple's dance starts, go over there and ask her to dance."

It was a good idea, and Neo wanted to, but there was a problem.

"I don't even know how to dance!"

"No problem, the dance doesn't matter. What matters is that you'll be together." Takeshi said, imitating kiss, clearly teasing his friend.

Neo laughed. "Stop being silly, Takeshi," and playfully pushed him.

Maeda, Shike, and Nagoya were still eating, and Neo went to them, forced to eat more as they kept offering him different things to try.

"Did you see that Lenner came to the party?" Maeda said as he picked up a large piece of food.

"Lenner?" Nagoya asked, surprised.

"Yes, and he brought his girlfriend," Maeda continued explaining.

"What a surprise." Replied Nagoya.

"I heard they had a fight," Neo said, finding it strange that they were together now.

"And you didn't tell us, Neo?" Maeda scolded.

"How did you find out?" Shike asked, curious.

"Well, when I was talking to Erick, I could hear him saying things like 'let the girlfriend go,' so I figured things weren't going well," Neo explained.

"Poor Lenner, that must be why he wasn't showing up for practice," Shike said sympathetically.

"Those two have a complicated relationship. I certainly wouldn't want to be in his shoes," Maeda said.

"It's good that they're okay," Nagoya expressed.

The lights focused on a corner of the gym, where Karine appeared with a visible microphone to announce the upcoming competition. Erick was standing next to her, spotted Neo, and gestured to him, indicating that the outfit looked good on him.

The students turned their attention to the principal as she began to speak.

"Good evening, students. I ask that you clear the center of the gym so that we can begin the couple's dance. The secret prize we promised will be a basket filled with food, mainly fruits and juices made by our sponsor."

She pointed to a table filled with items that weren't there before, placed there as soon as she picked up the microphone. There were so many things that Neo couldn't identify.

"Remember that, in addition to this, the winning couple will each receive a trophy, and we'll take a photo to publish in the school newspaper."

There were whispers as people discussed what they had heard.

"The teachers who will judge you are: Diana, Martha, and Mariana."

"Oh no, the English teacher. She's going to be tough to please," Shike said, concerned.

"I'll give you time to find your partners. You can invite anyone, so feel free to ask your friends if you want."

"Hey, Shike, want to dance with me?" Shike asked, laughing at his friend's expression.

"Get lost," Shike replied, annoyed.

Most of the lights dimmed, leaving the gym with a dim glow. A slower song started playing, creating a romantic atmosphere.

"Pietro, go win that prize for us!" Maeda said, pointing at the table filled with food.

"Yes! We're hungry!" Shike shout at him.

Nagoya and Tadashi joined in, supporting Maeda and Shike.

"Hungry? Even though you've been eating so much."

While the entire baseball team rooted for Pietro, Takeshi looked at Neo, challenging him to do what he had encouraged earlier. Neo feeling pressed slowly crossed the dance floor, following Pietro.

Pietro approached Elena, who was in the midst of the girls. He was a bit nervous, focusing on the choreography he had practiced. Elena, on the other hand, seemed calm and composed.

Mônica, upon seeing Elena getting ready to dance, looked at Natasha uncertainly. "Do you want to dance?"

"I'm not sure," Natasha replied, undecided.

Saya stood with Cassandra and Sunny, watching as the couples gathered in the center of the gym. Neo was definitely nervous, his heart beating so fast it felt like it might leap out of his chest, his hands trembling.

He stood in front of Saya. "Would you like to dance?"