Even so, we are living in the present

Chapter 54 – Feeling and Body

After an hour or so, the reunion party concluded.

Despite being a “reunion,” it was not a raucous, boisterous party, but rather like joining everyone for a light meal. Even so, for Yuu, this was a wonderful opportunity to integrate naturally among the group of fellows he had been dancing alongside.

It was an hour after the end of the reunion.

Once the tables and chairs have been cleared away, and following a restful intermission, each student has begun to get ready for their lessons. During the break, some students took a nap, while others headed home to retrieve their jerseys.

While watching everyone else, Yuu and Kyosuke were resting in a corner of the large classroom.

There, the teacher approached them.

“Sonohara, I’ve prepared a new jersey for you, would you like to try it?”

The jersey, wrapped in the vinyl was offered to him, was made of a vibrant sky-blue fabric with three silver lines.

“Thanks…”

Yuu accepted it with a mumbled and honest thank-you. His previous jersey had been ruined by the accident as a result of which he was required to acquire a new one but was unable to determine this on his own.

Since if he tried to find one, he would be reminded of it…

The colors, reminiscent of a brisk, sunny sky, seemed as if they were congratulating Yuu upon his renewed start. While gazing at the jersey, the corners of his mouth naturally curved up faintly. Looking at the other’s calm demeanor, Kyosuke also smiled, squinting his eyes contentedly, and stroked Yuu’s soft hair.

“Do you want to go get changed?”

“Eh… y-yeah…”

No sooner did he realize Kyosuke was watching him than he nodded, straining his expression to obscure his embarrassment as he stood up and strode swiftly to the changing room. Behind him, Kyosuke and the teacher looked over together.

“… Teacher, please take care of Yuu for me.”

“Yeah, you can count on me!”

They exchanged words and gave each other nods as if they were on the same page. The doctor had already given him permission to dance. All that remained was whether or not Yuu would be able to accept the reality of his feelings. Although he can support him, Yuu himself will have to overcome the obstacles.

A while later, Yuu returned, dressed in the sky-blue jersey.

“… Thanks for waiting.”

In embarrassment, he glanced at Kyosuke.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? You look beautiful.”

“…”

At the word “beautiful,” which he spontaneously uttered once more, Yuu raised his eyebrows while puffing out his cheeks in bashfulness. However, it was understandable that Kyosuke would say so. The vivid color tone accentuated the beauty of his partner’s white skin, which was overall pale in pigmentation, reflecting well on his skin. On top of everything else, he looked very happy. That figure brimming with happiness was indisputably ‘beautiful’.

“Don’t be so puffed up. Aren’t you going to have your lesson right away?”

When he asked while caressing his puffy cheek, Yuu nodded and averted his gaze with a sulky expression on his face.

“Yeah… Kyosuke, stay here.”

Even though the tone of his voice was discontented, his sweetness was not concealed, “I don’t like it if you don’t stay,” which Kyosuke keenly sensed.

“Ah, of course.”

Nodding with pleasure, Yuu showed a slightly calm expression and stepped towards the teacher who was standing in front of a wall full of mirrors.

Speaking of which, this is a first for me.

As he watched his back off, Kyosuke leaned his back against the wall and had a sudden thought. He had never seen him in the dance school before. Thus, to be present at the memorable day when Yuu can return to the world of dance felt indescribably wonderful, making Kyosuke heave a deep sigh of profound emotion.

Ahead of his eyes, there was his beloved partner, who was beginning with flexibility exercises to loosen up his body. While at home, Kyosuke recalled that Yuu never missed a single exercise to maintain his flexibility, which made him smile. He was hardworking and dedicated to what he loved to do.

“You are still keeping your body as flexible as ever.”

“Yeah…”

When the teacher called out to him joyfully, Yuu gave an honest nod. Once the flexibility exercises were over, he moved his body one step at a time, recollecting the basic steps of the dance.

Up and down, side, wave – Kyosuke, who was not familiar with dance, did not particularly grasp them, but Yuu watched the teacher’s movements in the mirror and imitated them.

Don’t worry.

The basics are falling into place.

Yuu’s expression gradually regained its brightness.

However──

“… Ugh.”

“Yuu──!!”

Suddenly, Yuu’s legs became tangled as he was about to make a turn, resulting in his body going dizzy and tilting backwards, which prompted a panicked yelp from Kyosuke. Although he almost fell completely on the back of his head, the teacher caught him in her arms and saved him from falling to the ground.

“Sonohara!”

Several students hurried over, but the teacher smiled and assured them everything was okay and told them not to make a fuss. Even Kyosuke wanted to draw near, but feeling that he should not be among the school members, all he could do was to cast a worried glance at him from afar. Nevertheless, Yuu’s consciousness appeared to be steady and he was still able to converse with the others.

“Sonohara, are you dizzy?”

“… No…”

Having been asked to lie on his back with his head slowly resting on a folded towel provided by a student, Yuu sent a small denial in response to the teacher’s question.

“… I can do it really… but my body is not…”

As Yuu spoke as if his words were squeezed out of him, the teacher simply nodded and listened.

“I can’t… get my balance right…”

The disadvantage of losing one eye was severe. Yuu was on his back with one arm over his eye. The realization that he would no longer be able to perform the feats he used to be capable of constricted Yuu’s feelings. With practice, he will be able to do it, but the road to get there will not be smooth.

“…”

Not even a sound escaped Yuu’s lips as his frustration grew into warm drops, overflowing from his eyes and soaking his brand-new sleeves.

“Give him a towel, teacher.”

One of the students made a whisper to the teacher, who looked on, then offered her a towel.

“Thank you.”

The teacher silently thanked him and accepted it, before letting it touch Yuu’s hand without saying a word. Absent of any comment, he took it and wiped his right eye. After wiping both cheeks as well, Yuu, with the assistance of the teacher, slowly rose to his feet and directed his attention to Kyosuke. While exchanging glances at his partner with a bitter, frustrated look on his face, Kyosuke sensed that he wanted to say something so he waited for him to speak.

“───”

“Eh?”

Failing to hear well, he tossed the question with a blend of a smile and a strained expression on his face. Yuu took a deep breath and then appealed again.

“Leave!”

The voice, which was akin to a shout, reverberated throughout the room. The students fell silent, while Kyosuke could only stare, wide-eyed.

“Leave! Hurry, hurry up and leave… leave…!!”

His cry gradually shuddered and became fainter and fainter at the end of the word. At the sight of the other party desperately appealing, Kyosuke slowly stood up and made his way through the room to the exit.

“… Okay, I’m going home. See you later.”

He didn’t say anything back but simply glanced at the teacher while saying this to pacify Yuu, whose expression stated, ‘I am sorry,’ to which Kyosuke nodded as if to reply, ‘It’s okay,’ and quietly opened the door and left the classroom. When he was out of the other’s line of sight, he exhaled profusely.

Well, it can’t be helped…

It wasn’t that he hadn’t expected it. To be honest, being told to “leave” was a shock to him, but considering Yuu’s feelings, that was a very minor matter.

Although his feeling of ‘I can do it’ was the same as before, his body did not move as he wished.

Judging that nothing he could say would be of any consolation to Yuu who had revealed such mixed feelings of exasperation and frustration in the form of the word “leave,” Kyosuke opted to say nothing and obey his words.