@Raizel: we'll going to see if sakiko's character is a good one or a bad one
but one thing is for sure... she will be part of this story until the end
@wmatsuifanfic.: that's a nice idea you have there for yukirena! i'll give it a shot once i write another new story
@Ruka Kikuchi: hi senpai! sakiko's name was already mentioned since chapter 1.. i'm just waiting for the right moment when to finally include her
@sastio13: oh i just noticed your picture's koixdao! i'm a fan lol. anyway about airin, she has a big supporting role in this story.. i like her tsundere character here
@yurin23mayuki: okay, here's more! haha honestly, this is the first story that i wrote with consistent drama.. jurimayu's quick story is even much fun to read than wmatsui story
@junchan48: ah new reader! yeah, complicated it is.. so here's the next chap! please enjoy
The Forbidden DanceChapter 9The music that can fill color in every space between walls of the mansion... was the sweet, calm music coming from her graceful fingers dancing across those monotone piano keys.
"Oneesama, sugoi desu ne!" I clapped my hands.
She put her lovely hands on her lap as she finished playing for me. She then looked at me with those gentle eyes and gave me a bright smile.
"You think so, my little Rena?" She asked with a soft voice.
"Un~! Oneesama is best pianist in the whole world!" I hugged her tightly.
Then she tapped my head like she used to do. Her warmth embraces all my senses. I really admire my Oneesama so much and I always look up to her. I wanted to be a lady like her when I grow up.
But then after that, our grandfather came home.
"Ah, Grandfather!" She immediately ran to him and called his attention.
"I wanted you to see this! I won this year's Europian piano competition." She excitedly showed her trophy. But Grandfather only ignored her and continued to walk away.
"Sakiko!" Our mother suddenly pulled her away. "Can't you see? The chairman is busy. I already told you not to bother him with unimportant matters!"
"But, Okaasama... I worked hard for this. Aren't you at least proud of me?" I could hear sadness in her tone.
"That piece of thing won't able to change your situation here in this family. So keep that away! And don't use the piano when the chairman is here. You know he doesn't want to hear any noise. You understand?"
Our mother left her with those hurtful words. I immediately went to Oneesama to comfort her.
"P-Piece of thing? T-This?" Her grip on her trophy tightened. I saw sudden drops of tears on her hands.
"She's right. No matter what I do, nothing will ever change." She told herself in a serious tone.
She ran upstairs straight to our room. When I entered inside, I saw her packing up her clothes.
"Oneesama, where are you going?" I asked her.
But she only ignored me and immediately went out our room after she's done. I ran after her.
"Oneesama!!!" I cried out.
"Stop calling me!" She shouted back at me. Her eyes were not as gentle as before, like they we're replaced with anger. "We're not even real sisters!"
"W-What are you talking about?" I tried to follow her. "W-Wait... Please..."
She continued to leave until she finally went out the gates of our mansion. I was left behind those rails and helplessly watched her slowly disappearing. And she never look back.
"DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"
-
"Rena-chan... Rena-chan... wake up."
Ah... that familiar voice...
SNAP.
I opened my eyes then immediately sat up on my bed. It was only another nightmare of the past.
"Rena-chan, are you alright? You're crying." It was Jurina-san calling me. She's right beside me on my bed.
"I'm fine. I just had a nightmare." I said.
"I'm sorry. I don't know you're having nightmares. I shoudn't had left you alone here earlier." She apologized.
"I've always had nightmares like this since I was little, so this is just normal." I told her.
I look at the time. It's already 2:00 in the morning.
"Jurina-san... why are you still awake?" I asked.
"I can't sleep, maybe because of my excitement for tomorrow. I almost fell asleep earlier by hearing the lullaby sound of Sensei's music from here. But I can't hear her playing anymore. Maybe she's already sleeping, too."
Right. What happened earlier was real. I'm not dreaming anymore. I'm wide awake and I'm sure of who I saw in flesh. It's her... she's back. But why is she here?
"Rena-chan?" Jurina-san called me again. "You don't look fine. Do you want me to sleep here next to you?"
"E-Eh?"
"To make sure you won't have nightmares anymore." She explained.
She wanted to share same bed with me?!
"I-I'm okay now... T-Thanks for the concern... You may go back to your bed. We're still early tomorrow." I answered.
"Are you sure? Okay, then. Oyasumi, Rena-chan." She went back to her bed.
I smiled. For a moment, my worries disappeared. This tiny room is filled with Jurina-san's presence. By simply knowing that she's near me, makes me already feel safe.
-
Today is the first day of the dance competition. Jurina-san and I arrived at the venue. The place is filled with different groups of students. Some consists of all-boys, some are all-girls, or combination. I can also see participants wearing cute costumes. I never thought joining a competition is this serious.
"Jurina-chan! Rena-san! Over here!" Akane-san called us.
Airi-san and Akane-san we're already there waiting for us. We saw another familiar person talking to them.
"The two of you almost didn't make it on time. You both overslept or something?" Airi-san scolded us.
"Gomen... actually, we slept a bit late last night." Jurina-san admitted.
"Ah, Sakippe-sensei here told us you already met last night" Akane-san said.
"S-Sakippe-sensei?" Jurina-san sounded confused and looked at her.
"Hehe~ I told them to call me whatever they want since we're outside the school. And besides, I'm only here as your group's official chaperon." She giggled.
By looking closely at her, she seemed didn't change at all. But something was off. Why do I feel that she's different person now?
"Your number is after few minutes. I'll be watching you from the audience." She told us. "If you win today, I'll treat you all to a special dinner later. So minna ganbatte, ne?"
"Hai! Sensei!"
-
We prepared ourselves backstage. What's this? It's getting harder to breathe, I'm starting to get nervous. This is my very first competition and I'm so afraid that I might mess up out there.
"Guys, we're next." Airi-san called.
"Rena-chan, are you ready?" Jurina-san asked.
Maybe she noticed that I'm not calming down. She grabbed my hand. Her hand felt cold and sweaty.
"We feel nervous, too. Like you, this is also our first time to compete with a large number of people. But we all prepared for this, remember? So, let's have fun dancing out there." She told me like she's saying no pressure.
"Come, I'll share you a little trick." She came closer and whispered to my ear. "Close your eyes. Remember how we practiced before? Imagine there are no audience. Then just like those practices, there's only music and us here alone. Now, open your eyes."
The stage curtain started to open. She's still not letting go of my hand.
"Let's go?"
And just like a casted magic spell, everything else became invisible. Jurina-san is all that I can see. The whole place suddenly belongs to us alone.
I was once her audience before, and now here I am, dancing with her on stage. With our movements synchronized with each other. The music we chose is a strong and heavy street type, giving off angst genre. And whenever I meet those fierce, aggressive eyes of hers, my desire to dance with her burns up like flames inside of me.
Me dancing with her isn't just a dance. For me, it is a battle between my family and her. Between my mind and my heart. I know I shouldn't be involving my feelings into this, it is wrong. But it keeps on making me feel like it's the only right thing that I've ever done in my life. And deep inside of me, even if I must not, I hoped that our dance never comes to an end.
And then, I heard loud applauses.
"They liked it!" Jurina-san sounded so happy.
She smiled at me and I smiled back at her.
Our dance number has finished. I can now finally see the audience infront of me. And then my eyes we're locked into one single person from the crowd. That person who I used to look up to.
Now, I understand how she felt before whenever she's joining competitions. I never thought how heavy the pressure she's gone through just to bring home her achievements. She's still there staring at me for long. I'm the one who's up here now. I wonder if she's proud of me. But I can't even tell if she's happy. She then walked away and disappeared from my sight.
-
"To our first victory! Kampai!"
We passed the elimination round and as promised, we were taken to a special dinner to celebrate. It was a high-class restaurant near our hotel.
"Minna, otsukaresama desu!" She praised us for our hardwork.
"Sensei... isn't it a little pricey here?" Jurina-san asked looking around.
"Daijoubu~ you guys deserve this! You did a great job there! So, let's eat!"
We started to have our dinner together and also had a few conversations while eating.
"Ne, Sakippe-sensei.. you're a Matsui too, right?" Akane-san asked. "By any chance, are you related to..."
"Rena-chan and Jurina-chan?" She continued.
"I would love to have such kawaii little sisters! But I don't find myself that cute like them. Can you even see a resemblance between us?" She giggled.
"Eh~ You don't have to be cute. You're already pretty! And also talented!" Jurina-chan complimented her.
"Arigatou~ Jurina-chan! Honestly, it is not my real surname. It is the family who adopted me who gave me their name, and that's how I ended up to be a Matsui." She explained.
"Naruhodo. I never thought that Matsui is now a common family name. I won't be surprised if I wake up one day and see everyone being ruled out under the Matsui dynasty." Airi-san added in a sarcastic tone.
I saw Airi-san glanced at me for a second there. Ever since that incident happened between us, I had no choice but to be extra careful around her.
"Ah, haha~ Don't mind her, Sakippe-sensei. Airin always sucks in delivering funny jokes." Akane-san said.
*Phone ringing*
"Ah, please excuse me. I think I have to leave now. But just stay here and enjoy your food. I'll see you all tomorrow." She stood up from the table and went out the restaurant.
I wonder who's that person calling her.
"I have to go to the restroom. I'll be right back." I excused myself.
I followed her outside and saw her talking to someone over the phone. I went few steps closer to where she is.
"Oneesama." I called her.
For the first time again in many years, I finally said that word.
I know she heard me. I saw her ended up her call and slid back the phone into her pocket.
"Tell me. Why are you here?" I asked her.
"How cold~" She turned around and faced me. "Was that really the very first thing you'll say to me for our little reunion?"
"I've never heard from you for years! I don't even know if you're already dead! What do you expect me to say?"
"But I'm back now. Haven't you missed me? I'm a little sad that you seem not so happy to see me at all."
"Then why? Why did you come back?"
She paused and smiled.
"Hehe~ Okaasama's right. Matsui Jurina is an interesting girl, isn't she?"
Jurina-san? Why was she suddenly talking about her?
"Spare her! I'm warning you, the girl's mine! I-I mean... Okaasama and Grandfather entrusted her to me."
"Hahaha~ Calm down. You're so intense. I'm just here to watch over you. Okaasama told me you're going out for a trip. So, I'm here to make sure my little Rena will get all her needs."
It means... the expensive hotel and the high-class restaurant are all her doings for me?
"Thank you. But you don't have to do that. I don't need anything else here."
"Sugoi~ my little sister is acting like a grown up kid now. Okay then, if that's what you wished."
She turned her back on me and started to leave. But before she took another step away, she talked to me once more.
"I saw how you look at her, Rena. But does she look at you in the same way? Remember, we're the original team first. I'm the real one who cares for you."
She left me with those serious words.
"Oneesama, huh?" A voice from my behind spoke.
I immediately turned around.
"Airi-san! Let me explai-..."
"You don't need to. I get it. Again, it's some family matter. Still none of my business, right?" She said cutting me off.
"Airi-san... Please...."
"People like you who keeps secrets, I hate them all. But there's something more that I hate about you. That's whenever I look at you, I always argue with myself. Because behind those cold eyes, I can see a good soul."
I'm speechless. I didn't expect that's how Airi-san sees me.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to spill out what I heard. I know you have reasons you don't want to tell. The truth is... a part of me wanted to trust you. Because I can feel that your care for Juritan is true. I know you won't do anything to hurt her."
She paused.
"I just hope... I'm not wrong."
She left me and went back to the restaurant.
I reached for the door and saw Jurina-san cheerfully talking with her friends. She always thinks of positive things that's why she seems to radiate like a sun. She wasn't even aware of what's happening around her... that the people she trusted intends to hurt her in the end.
I then asked myself. What is it that I really want from her?
I saw how you look at her, Rena. But does she look at you in the same way?Because behind those cold eyes, I can see a good soul. I know you won't do anything to hurt her.Those words uttered by two different persons kept howling inside my mind.
If she doesn't see me in the same way... if there's someone else better for her... then that only serves me right. Jurina-san is a good person, she deserves to be happy... even if it's not with me.
Because her happiness... is a thing that a liar like me... can't possibly give to her.
つづくne rena, i was just thinking...
you're the only one who knows you're not related by blood
but jurina... she believes you're her real sister!
so how can she possibly looks at you in another way?
thanks for reading!
(arigatou RenshuChan for correcting me! my bad haha!)