One cold night, Ai decided to stroll around Shibuya by herself. With the agenda of getting everyone she dearly loves their Christmas presents. With multiple shopping bags hanging around her arms, she couldn't help but turn her head towards the direction of two shouting voices that she seemed familiar to.
"I'll work with Kisaki if I have to!"
Walking closer to the direction of the voice, Ai found Takemichi and Chifuyu in the middle of the busy street, clad in their gang uniform.
"Don't you two look festive" She remarked, a small smile painting her lips as she walks closer to them.
"Ai!" They greeted her
"I heard you two shouting and couldn't help but see what the commotion is about." She says, dropping her arms to the side, now holding onto the strings of the shopping bags. "Is the Kisaki guy the one with tan skin and glasses?" She asks
Takemichi gulps. 'So they've met already' he thought to himself. When he failed to answer the question, Chifuyu sighed and nodded his head.
"Yeah that's him" he told her. Looking up at the sky before turning his head to face her again. "How did you two meet?" He asks
"Idiot bumped into me during one of your meetings and didn't even apologized!" Ai grits her teeth, scoffing as she remembers the memory. "That was when I was still injured. But even when months have passed, I still can't forgive him. Shit faces like him don't deserve to be forgiven." She said.
Takemichi could feel a sweat trickling down his back when he hears how Ai is talking about Kisaki. He may not be able to prevent the two of them meeting, but he may be able to prevent-
"Hey, can you take it from here? Takemichi and I still have to meet him and Hanma." Chifuyu says. Ai raised her wrist and took a look at the time. It was almost eight.
"Sure. I'll be on my way home now. See you two again!" She bids, waving her hand at them before walking away. Walking back home.
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
"Let's start rehearsals. We'll need to polish everything from top to bottom." Ms Yamazaki instructs. The staffs working for the ballet academy assisted with the stage lights and audio, whereas the girls were in backstage, nervously talking amongst themselves, or sometimes in groups.
And then there was Ai. In the back corner of the room, all by herself. She never got along with anyone, even though she was friendly and tried to vibe along with them, they just didn't like her. Bringing her backpack on top of her lap, she hid the ten theater tickets inside safely.
Three for her older siblings
One for Mikey
One for Draken
One for Mitsuya
One for Kokonoi
One for Inui
One for Emma
One for Hina
Raising her legs to her chest, she smiled softly as she rests her head on top of her knees. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she felt a pang in her chest as she missed two people who are dearest to her.
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
"Black Dragons uniform....doesn't suit you at all" Ai softly spoke as she entered Hakkai's room, sitting down on the foot of his bed.
A day before the twenty fifth of December, Ai distributed to them the tickets for tomorrow's event. Even though she couldn't approach and talk to both Inui and Kokonoi, she had given them their tickets through Taiju. When he asked what she wanted as a gift, Ai shook her head, mumbled a small 'no thank you' before walking up to her room.
"I know. I bet Taka chan doesn't even like this design." Hakkai says, turning around to check the gang's logo on the jacket. "Man, I look shitty in this uniform."
Chuckling softly, Ai made herself comfortable on his bed. "Did you still have your Toman uniform with you?"
"Of course I do!" Hakkai says, finally smiling to her. "I don't have the heart to throw it away. Taka chan especially made it for me."
"Hey Ai"
Turning her head to look at Hakkai, she found him now sitting where she was sitting minutes ago. "What do you wanna do in the future?"
Ai was slightly taken aback by his sudden question. Blinking twice, Ai pursed her lips before turning her back flat on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Well...I'd be a professional ballerina by then. Marry Mikey and have his children." She shrugs, turning her head to look at Hakkai again.
"It's not much. But that's how I want my happy ending to look like." She told him.
"I still think Taka chan is a good match for you." Hakkai grins, tickling her by pressing his index finger onto her side. Ai lets out a yelp afterwards. "Even Yuzuha thinks Taka chan is a good match for you. She just can't say it to you because well, you know" Hakkai shrugs, spreading his arms out as if to say it was obvious.
"But I don't like Mitsuya kun that way, you know." Ai smiles, staring back at the ceiling. "Besides, I wish things between me and Mikey would stay the same."
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
Pale pink chiffon bodice and tutu decorated with gold, silver and ruby Swarovski crystals, her long, ginger hair tied into a braided bun with a gold tiara on her head. Ai nervously fiddled with her fingers in the dressing room. At first she thought that only friends and family of the participating members were invited, but on the last minute, Ms Yamazaki had surprised them that a few representatives from bigger and international ballet academies were in the crowd.
Ai felt like fainting in her seat. Fanning herself so as not to melt her makeup away.
"Get into your positions, ladies! Fifteen minutes!"
Taking a deep breath, Ai stood up from her seat and left the dressing room to stand backstage. She could her the sounds of chatter among the crowd, the doors swinging open and close and the tune of a melody being played to keep the guests entertained.
"Hey Ai" turning her head around, it was Ms Yamazaki.
"How are you feeling?" She asks, taking both of her hands in hers.
"I'm doing alright" Ai spoke, smiling.
"I know how you feel." Ms Yamazaki consoles her. "And I know you'll do great out there! You're my best student after all." She cheers for her. "I may have bragged about you to a person or two, said that they'll be evaluating you after the performance. If all goes well, they would just take you under their wing. Isn't that wonderful?"
Ai lets out a small chuckle while nodding her head.
"In a few years from now, you'll be a renowned ballerina and you'll be performing in bigger and grander stages than this. London Opera, Bolshoi, Havana Great Theatre, they're all waiting for you, Ai. And all you have to do is to just do your best tonight, and everything else will fall into their rightful places."
Ms Yamazaki brought Ai into her arms for one last hug before walking somewhere else.
"Last three minutes!"
Everyone in the backstage were getting ready, Ai's hands started to feel clammy, shaking her hands to remove the anxious feeling coursing through her. When she heard the familiar tune that they have been practicing for months, Ai waltzed out of the stage, putting on her best smile.
All the while she was performing, Ai cleared her head and kept dancing. Listening and taking up Ms Yamazaki's advice, Ai did her best to look great, especially to the major people sitting in front of the stage. And Ai felt great. Twirling, spinning, leaving the crowd impressed with her, Ai thought of nothing but the people dearest to her watching her as of the moment.
However, her inner smiling facade cracked when she took a glimpse of the designated area for the people she invited. Among the ten seats booked under her name, only Emma was present.
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
Somewhere outside Udegawa Church, were Kokonoi and Inui, sitting down on the snow covered steps outside, see through umbrella's raised on top of their heads as it snowed.
"Ai's performance...is today" Inui spoke
"I remember." Kokonoi says, sighing as he looks down on the snow covered ground. "I wish boss would hurry up. Doesn't he want to catch up and watch her performance?" Kokonoi sighed, adjusting his legs position.
"What do you wanna do, Koko?" Inui asks
Grinning to himself, Kokonoi sticks his tongue out while looking at Inui's back. "Isn't it obvious? I'm sticking with you. The three of us, remember?"
"Keeping your promise, huh?"
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
Ai didn't know what hurts more - being betrayed by your own siblings or being betrayed by your friends. She experienced the second one already, but she didn't see it coming when it comes to her own older siblings. All her life, she lied and defended them. Was it really...going to be this way? Are they really...going to live a life like this?
Swinging her right leg, pirouette, swinging her right leg again. Ai continued to move in these three steps, forming a circle until she hears the tune of the melody being picked up, performing a pique turn continuously until the other end of the stage. With her eyes looking up at the burgundy curtains, Ai could feel her tears prickling in her eyes. She wanted to cry.
But as she turned her head down to look at the designated area for her invited guests. She was surprised to see that they all arrived, though they all looked beaten up, except Hina and Emma. She stared at the nine of them wide her glossy eyes, until she realizes, one seat was left still unoccupied.