tDo2LF

Step 3: Kiyoharu's curiosity.

Back when the tigers used to smoke, there once was a Prince who is gifted with such talent that could mesmerized every person who see it. However some of the people were envious of the talent of the said prince they tried, imitate, and practice yet they couldn't charm the spectators. Though there are still some who considered the Prince as their rival, but the Prince couldn't care less at what the other people see him.

He dance and dance, and they all knew how passionate and gifted the Prince is. So they watch him and let him charmed them, and they couldn't care less. Whether the Prince knew it or not, they wouldn't care. But they didn't know the Prince himself is getting pressured at the expectations the people has for him.

So one day, the Prince decided to wander around his kingdom and he got lost. As he find his way back home, he somehow ended up in a oasis. There he found a boy as old as he is, alone and dancing without a care.

The boy dance with fluidity and is the opposite of how he dance. He couldn't help but to speak his mind and said 'beautiful'.

Caught in that moment, the boy was alarmed and ran towards his camel. The prince ran and stopped the traveller. He noticed how scared and ashamed the boy is as he stared at him.

He spoke but it seems that the traveller couldn't understand him. So he decided to mimic what the boy dance, only to see the other's face flushed red as he stare at him. He noted that the boy didn't know that he is a prince and he was relief by that.

For some reason they somehow understood each other as they communicate through body language, hours passed by and how ended up teaching the traveller dance. And he was more than happy to see the boy is quick to learn. Moreover the prince noticed the traveller is simple minded yet determined, he is more than happy at the company of a stranger.

It is getting late, they both noticed the sunset.

The Prince want to ask the other to come to his palace, so he tugged the boy's hand and pointed the palace as he pointed himself and him towards it. He notice the confusion on the other and for some reason the guards found him, and kneeled. That moment the Prince saw the traveller's eyes widened and stares at him and immediately let go of him. Noneheless, the gifted prince with a passionate soul knew the boy is lying, and seems that he wants to stay but he couldn't. The prince saw the others eyes, and he only saw how empty and lost the boy is.

He wanted to help but he didn't know how and why. He is just curious, but something in him felt that the traveller is special.

The Prince continued to tugged the boy's hand but the traveller let go again and gestured that the prince should go back home. With a heavy heart he left the boy and went back to his palace.

Years passed by, and the Prince has come finally to the age where he should take the responsibilities for the throne. He was torn, he still want to dance until his knees break, until his body aged and could not move anymore, but it seems that he couldn't anymore. Thus, he took the throne and reminisce what he used to do and remembered the young boy who travels alone with his camel on the the sea of sand.

One day, as he is wandering around his kingdom, he met a man as old as he is. He immediately recognized the man but he couldn't talk to the him as he is immediately surrounded by his people and the guards decided to protect him and he was forced to go back to his palace.

That night there is celebration on his palace, they are celebrating his marriage, a marriage between him and his childhood friend but he didn't care less.

Then the dancers came and he felt envious of them. However he immediately recognized a certain dancer who dance with fluidity. He watch the man danced and he the king is the only one who recognized the dance. It was the steps he taught to the boy he met back then. He knew the boy-the man could only dance the way he the Prince-the king could be-.

Little Kiyoharu listens to his mother's bedtime stories, yet he couldn't help but to ask why his mother stop speaking.

"What happened to them?"

"Oh, the the travelling dancer and the king dance and became friends again."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, why my dear?"

"Because the king only danced happily again when he saw his friend.,"

"Oh happily? is that how you interpret the story."

"Yes, I feel sorry for the king, he couldn't dance anymore but when his friend show up he is happy again. Uhmm I don't understand..."

"That's a good insight, so how about you sleep now?"

"Hm"

And little kiyoharu slept wondering if he could met someone interesting and who could be his friend on the dance floor.

Hyoudou Kiyoharu, a boy who loves dancing more than his well being. But there is one

thing that can't get his mind off the whole night and it is what he saw last night.

He was wandering the area that evening, when he saw someone is inside the abandoned court in the secluded area of the said district. He is about to ignore and just pass by but he noticed that the boy is about to do something. It caught his nonexistent interest.

In the middle of the abandoned court is a boy as young he is, is dancing beautifully and precisely as if he is on the stage. The steps were very feminine and some of the movements are very languid.

The dance was done in a slow measure, it was even slower than waltz or any ballroom dance he can remember, and he is sure he doesn't have any patience to dance like that.

He is not familiar with traditional dances but he saw something similar on the steps and hand gestures the boy is doing with fluidity. Then he recalled what he saw on a documentary he saw on television, that the boy is dancing something akin to the performers in a kabuki theater and weirdly how geishas performed their dance.

He couldn't help but to be speechless and to stare intently to the boy. It is indeed interesting and is a whole different level than ballroom dancing, somehow he couldn't help but to think that the boy will have a hard time dancing if he tried ballroom dancing. He wanted to approach him, but the short boy with a dark wild hair stopped and started to look at his surrounding, and by instinct he hid behind the tree. Why? He wasn't sure why he hid.

He watched the boy in the shadows, and saw him leave the area with a weary expression on his face, he also noted that the boy seems to be attending the same school as his partner.

'I'll ask her later' he thought to himself as he watch the boy left.

That night when he got home, he couldn't help but to be irritated when his mother kept on teasing him that someone caught his attention, when his mother notice something while he is shadow dancing.

"Is something bothering you?' He looked behind him and saw a smile on her face.

"You can tell anything to your mother." She said again and he couldn't help but to think it was a command. Therefore, he sighed in defeat and stop shadow dancing, he leaned on the wall and recall what happened earlier.

"I saw someone dancing something like a traditional dance." He said but it seems that his mother gave him a motherly smile and he couldn't help but to glare at her.

"Oh, and that girl caught your attention just by dancing some traditional dance?" He noticed how neutral her mother's voice is and it seems that he couldn't get away from her if he didn't tell everything. EVERYTHING.

"I was wandering the area, when I saw a boy dancing alone in the abandoned court." He said to her and he grimace when her smile widens.

"How I wish to meet such a boy that can catch my son's nonexistent interest towards other human beings, invite him here next time." It was quite sarcastic, he knew his mother like teasing him but he ignore her.

The next day, he decided to cut class and went to the abandoned court, and decided to sleep under the shades of the trees surrounding the court. He didn't know how much time had passed by but then when he woke up he only saw big round eyes. He stared and immediately recognized that it is the boy last night. Petite and insecure is the first things that came through his mind when they had a one sided conversation.

He didn't know why the boy is doubting himself and his skills, and he is clearly disappointed with the boy's personality.

"But I guess I couldn't tell Japanese men apart, sorry for mistaking you are the one I saw last night." He said as he left the boy, he took a glance and couldn't help but to be disturbed for this is the first time he met someone who is clearly lost and who is not passionate on his talent.

He left the boy only to be kidnapped by Sengoku.

The man is talented but despite the talent he has is also an overwhelming amount of arrogance (somehow*).

He is now at the ogasawara dance studio, because their studio is being fix due to ventilation issues, and he could not help but to wonder why his mother told him to use this studio instead at home.

The competition is near and he could not afford to wait for her so he shadow dance for the time being.

"Are you slacking?" He heard Sengoku says to him and he just glared at him he wasn't slacking but his mind is just preoccupied.

Suddenly he noticed a shadow on the floor coming from the windows. The others seems to notice it as well and they look at the window, it is late when they notice Sengoku is missing and his loud voice is coming from the outside.

"But I guess I couldn't tell Japanese men apart, sorry for mistaking you are the one I saw last night."

Tatara didn't know why but he felt scared at what the gaijin boy had said to him and even more mortified at the kidnapping scene he had witnessed. However, Tatara felt the two knew each other and not to call the police at the scene he just saw. Its weird but he felt there is no ill intention in it.

Now, that he is alone again, he couldn't help but to wonder why he is both upset and scared when the boy said it to him.

"Wah, what should I do?" Tatara says as he stares at the sky. He knew he is restless and he didn't know what to do in his life, yet he knew he still wanted to dance.

He noticed that it's still early and he decided to visit the dance studio again, for he knew that Hanaoka-san wasn't there and also to see the other dancers ballroom dance.

As he found himself in the area, he couldn't help but to take a looks again, only to see the gaijin looking boy and his idol... His idol Sengoku.

TBC

The story is just an impromptu made up story, just to make this chapter longer. I think it's quite obvious on the meaning of the little story I made.

Thanks for the reviews!!!!

I am now a field interviewer at a marketing company.