Chapter 235 : Standing Ovation

There’s a total of 50 performers coming from Konpeki school who will be dancing…it’s approaching climax soon

In the program, the last dancer would be Konpeki Nadeshiko-sensei’s dance.

Before that…Manami-san who’s the granddaughter of the headmaster.

Since Manami-san is a candidate for the successor of Konpeki-style, the dance of the two are treated as an exception.

In the sense of the presentation of the disciples who go to the dance class itself…there will be three last dancers after this.

Yoshiko-san, Ruriko-san…and Misuzu.

In short…the granddaughters of Kouzuki house will be presented to the leaders of government and financial circles gathering in the hall today.

「Is Yoshiko-san a daughter from a noble family too?」

I asked Michi…

「Of course. She’s the daughter of Komori-sama…one of Kouzuki-sama’s aides」

…What?

「…There’s a rumor that he’s Kouzuki-sama’s child」

『Kakka』has raised Misuzu and Ruriko-san crookedly for his own pleasure.

From the time when they’re born until the two year age difference, that’s all instructed by 『Kakka』

Then…even the『retainer』Yoshiko-san who’s been serving Ruriko-san since childhood must also have been born from『Kakka’s』plan

Yoshiko-san’s currently 18 years old, a third year high school student.

Misuzu’s 17 years old, second year high school student.

Ruriko’s 15 years old, third year middle school student.

「…It’s starting」

Megu whispers to me.

Then…first, Yoshiko-san’s dance begins.

Yoshiko-san’s bathing in white light.

The performance of the lute prosper the atmosphere

「Wow…so gorgeous」

Mana admires.

A katsura1 attached to her red kimono…Yoshiko-san’s face made white with make-up…

The humble『attendant』of Ruriko-san until a while ago, is now a completely different person.

So she has this much presence.

Normally…she’s trying to erase her presence in front of Ruriko-san as much as possible.

That’s not Yoshiko’s deliberate behavior but…she has assumed it’s natural since childhood…

She has acquired it habitually…

Therefore…when Yoshiko-san dances in the stage alone, her original charm is exposed at once.

Beautiful, good style, honest and serious…the ideal girl shows up.

「…To dance is to act. If you act something, that person’s original figure will come to surface」

Michi said.

「…If you have a delicate personality, you’ll dance delicately. If you’re usually deceiving, you’ll only dance crudely in front of people A broad-minded one will dance greatly. Even if you have a good physique, if you’re narrow-minded, you’ll only make a small dance」

Dancing shows people’s heart.

「The dance choreography is traditional so it hasn’t changed from long ago…and yet, the reason why there’s someone superior or inferior when dancing is because they have different minds」

Un…even though they’re only making a set of movement tailored to the music…

Their individuality comes clear.

Yoshiko-san…you’d think that she’d have a generous and warm and comfortable personality just like her lord, Ruriko-san but…

Yoshiko-san’s dance is very delicate…and detailed

You can tell that her fingertips of her hand and toes dances without distraction.

And yet…it doesn’t feel oppressive.

Just like a big flower…glossy and gorgeous.

Yoshiko-san’s a beauty that’s matured for her age…

「…Haa」

The dance ended and Yoshiko-san thanked the audience.

Mana leaks a sigh.

「That’s unfair…it’s so beautiful and mature」

She has shown a dance with a very high level difference compared to the first elementary school girls…

Along with the big applause…people with bouquets come together in front of the stage.

There’s 7, 8 young men.

「Yoshiko-san’s very popular」

Michi said.

「Whenever she dances every year…there’s that many men offering her flowers…」

But…Yoshiko-san only receives bouquet from the elementary girls, then bows to the hall again.

「Unlike Misuzu-sama…Yoshiko-san didn’t have Kouzuki-sama recommend a『fiance』for her」

…I see

They’re not men who just like Yoshiko-san…

If they marry Yoshiko-san…they can become acquainted with Kouzuki house through Ruriko-san.

With that plot in mind…there’s a lot of them approaching her.

「Therefore…Yoshiko-san never accepts bouquet from men」

If you receive a bouquet from a man in such a public place…it’ll be misunderstood in various ways.

To avoid that…Yoshiko-san rejects the men’s flowers.

That’s what happens every time and yet there’s as much as 8 men carrying a bouquet of flower.

…That much

It must be really attractive to become friendly with Kouzuki house.

Yoshiko-san exits and the lights changed.

「It’s Ruriko-san’s turn this time!」

Mana looked at me with a smile.

Ruriko-san wearing white clothing appears in the darkness.

She sits facing down on the posotion on the stage.

Biiin, the lute sounds…

A strong light shines on Ruriko-san…!

Ruriko-san’s costume is embroidered with silver.

The silver thread reflects the light and shine brightly.

Ruriko-san looks up.

…Then begins to dance.

……！！！

The atmosphere of the audience changed instantly.

Ruriko-san’s dance is beautiful.

It’s like a beautiful flower blooming on top of the mountain where no one can reach.

It’s a sacred flower that would shatter at the moment a person’s hand touch it.

It’s a clear and pure soul incompatible to the world where humans live.

Yoshiko-san’s dance shows that she’s an attractive girl who’s maturing but…

Ruriko-san’s a fairy. She’s no human.

Pure…no,I can feel her soul that’s just too pure.

「…That girl’s so pitiful」

Yukino mutters

「Even though she’s so alone…she only thinks that it’s natural for her…」

I’m surprised from what Yukino said.,

Ruriko-san’s different from everyone.

She’s living on a different world.

Even if she looks the same…she seems different from other people.

Even with Yoshiko-san, her 『attendant』has always been by her side…

Ruriko-san, the successor of Kouzuki family is living on a different dimension.

That’s the extent…『Kakka』has isolated Ruriko-san from this world.

The audience see the girl on the stage as a pretty and pure fairy…

I was the same…

Yukino’s the only one…

She’s the only one who saw Ruriko-san as a 15 year old human girl.

「…In that girl’s world, there’s no one but her」

Ruriko-san’s dance continues…

…Un

Only the stage feels like a different world.

Ruriko-san’s in a really far away place…

As if we’re watching a satellite broadcast.

Yes…it’s earth and moon away.

And yet…Ruriko-san is happily dancing in a sanctuary where she’s alone.

She’s waving at us from the other world.

She’s sending a one way traffic.

What a sad dance.

The spectators misunderstands her dance…misunderstanding the feeling out of place as a wonderful power of expression, they’re amazed by it.

「Ruriko-san looks very cold」

Mana’s mutter expressed everything.

Ruriko-san has no one to warm up together.

「Even though it’s so cold…she’s smiling」

An innocent soul that doesn’t notice that she’s lonely.

She only knows her solitary world…

In her life, it’s natural for her to be in solitude…

Ruriko-san smiles alone, plays alone in extreme solitude.

And yet…she’s turning her face towards us…

She’s smiling at our distant world

…That is.

The way of life Kouzuki『Kakka』forced into her…

As the daughter of Kouzuki house…

…Before long.

The communication from the distant world ended.

Ruriko-san’s dance…

…Waaa!!!!

At the moment Ruriko-san bow to thank…!

The entire hall applauded loudly.

Everyone…what they saw just now…

They only think of it as a wonderful dance.

They haven’t noticed Ruriko-san’s expression of her solitary soul.

……！！！

…Then.

I’m surprised.

Ruriko-san who finished dancing…

There’s nobody coming with a bouquet…

「…What’s going on?」

I ask Michi

「It’s considered to be a vicious performance if you give flowers to Ruriko-sama…」

…Hmm

When you try to give the granddaughter of Kouzuki『Kakka』flowers in public…you’ll likely to be resented and envied from the shadows.

Therefore…it has become an untold agreement that nobody would give Ruriko-san flowers.

…But.

Is this okay?

Will it benefit Ruriko-san to have such strange special treatment?

Even though Ruriko-san danced with all her best…

Not only applause from far away…shouldn’t you deliver your feelings properly?

…I!

「…Ruriko-chaaaaan! That was awesome!」

I stand up from my seat and shouted loudly.

This might be vulgar…

This might be foolish…

But, I didn’t think of those.

「Hey, stop that. That’s disgraceful」

Yukino tries to stop me but…

Like hell I care!

「…That was very beautifuuuul!」

I applaud Ruriko-san loudly while standing up.

I might be picked up by the guards.

But…I had to do something.

Ruriko-san makes a surprised face…

The audience also fell silent in an instant from my barbaric act.

「…Bravo! Bravoo! Ruriko-saaan!」

Nei-san followed me and stood up clapping her hands.

She understands my feelings.

「…Ruriko-saaaan! That was so cooooool!」

Following…Mana gets up and clapped her hands.

「…That was wonderful!!」

Megu stands up.

「…That was satisfying!!!」

Michi too…

If I was alone, it would only look like a mischievous kid’s prank but…

When everyone stands up…it’ll become a standing ovation.

「BRAVO！！！」

Margo-san stood up shouting in English…!

Minaho-neesan and others know that they can’t move because there are the guests of『Kuromori』having eyes on them.

Yukino…she shows a face of giving up.

…then.

「OH！BRAVO！BRAVO！BRAVO！」

A foreigner’s voice comes from a place different from us.

Looking at it…in the middle of the seats where foreigners gather, one white man gives a standing ovation.

Perhaps…it’s someone from American government who came to see today’s performance.

It seems he responded to Margo-san’s「BRAVO」

Immediately after…the surrounding Americans stood up and applauds too.

「……BRAVO！！！」

After that, the atmosphere of the hall has changed.

The ordinary Japanese crowds stand up and give Ruriko-san an applause too.

Lastly…even Kouzuki『Kakka』

Of course, the elite group behind『Kakka』reads the atmosphere and stood up as well.

Finally…the whole venue storm up with a standing ovation.

Minaho-neesan, Katsuko-nee, Nagisa and Mao-chan too are also clapping their hands.

Yukino’s the only one sitting.

Also…the three guards of『Kakka』…

Ruriko-san seems to be embarrassed at the start but she soon calmed down and expressed her gratitude.

「…Master, please seat down before others」

Michi told me.

「IN this case, the first one who sits down won’t be noticed」

True…it would stand out if the guy who started the standing ovation is still standing.

I take a seat…Megu and Mana follows.

The clapping gradually subsided and the audience who stood up sits down.

Ruriko-san smiles and thanked the audience once again…then she left to the stage wing.

「…Misuzu-san will be in trouble after this」

Mana said

「It might be hard to dance after a standing ovation」

Shit…I didn’t think of that

「It’ll be fine」

Michi told me

「Misuzu-sama will rather fire up after this…!」

「…Is that so?」

「Yes…please trust Misuzu-sama」

Un…let’s do that

Misuzu…do your best

…Then

Misuzu appears on the stage…

The hall quiets down.

Misuzu sits in the middle of the stage…

The atmosphere of the audience finally calms down…

The lute sounds quietly…

The lighting of the stage grows brighter.

…Bibiiiin!

Misuzu raises her face.

She’s wearing a crimson clothing.

Face painted in white…

Scarlet lips.

…Beautiful.

My Misuzu’s divinely beautiful.

……！

A different air comes from the hall just like with Ruriko.

Everyone’s admiring Misuzu’s beauty.

Misuzu stands up and opens up her fan.

Misuzu’s dance is a dance of love.

A dance of a girl who just discovered love…

Growing up to be an adult…it’s a suitable dance for the 17 years old Misuzu.

「…this is frustrating」

…Megu?

「Why, Misuzu-san who’s a year older than me…that beautiful」

Megu envies Misuzu’s beauty

「…I’m no match」

…Megu

「You don’t have to」

I tell Megu

「Misuzu has hers…and Megu has her own charm too.」 There’s no need to compete with each other」

「Un…I know that but」

Megu fell silent.

Misuzu on the stage is different from Ruriko-san.

Misuzu’s on the same world as we are.

In the same space…knowing love, a girl writhes from it.

The shaking of her heart can be seen in Misuzu’s dance.

A girl who’s confused about love…

But still, the flames of affection burns passionately.

Burned by the passion…the girl dances violently…

I…

I remember having sex with Misuzu.

The first…the innocent losing her virginity.

Misuzu woke up as a woman bit by bit.

Now…Misuzu knows the pleasures of sex.

…Misuzu.

My Misuzu…

Misuzu on the stage…I see her having sex with me.

Misuzu has changed from girl to a woman…she’s reproducing that in a dance…

Inside my head…

Misuzu’s luxurious clothes disappear…

Misuzu’s dance…the soft body under her clothing has become transparent.

Even her white socks…the fingertips of her pink foot, I know that.

I know Misuzu’s whole body.

Misuzu’s body is an unknown place.

I know the feeling of her skin…her embrace…the flexibility of her body.

Only I who have ejaculated inside Misuzu many times knows how Misuzu trembles in pleasure.

I’ve seen, touched, embraced her…

The body expression of a woman who’s loving is very mysterious.

Perhaps…I’m the only one who can see her different dance in this hall.

Every time Misuzu flutters…I remember her body.

No…not just her body.,

…Her heart.

I feel Misuzu’s heart burning like a fire.

Even though her words are calm and polite…Misuzu’s always passionate.

I can see her passion in the dance.

Un…this is Misuzu.

A dance only Misuzu can do.

It’s very lovely…

This time…that body…that heart.

I want to embrace it tightly in my arms.

This girl’s mine…I want to declare it to the world.

「Misuzu-sama today is at her peak」

Michi said.

「She’s perfectly dancing with her mind and body…!」

Un…Misuzu’s amazing.

The dancing figure of the girl in love takes the hall’s breath away

Misuzu’s dancing violently in the stage…seeking her loving partner.

…Then.

The passion remains dripping…her dance reached the climax.

Beyond the fan…looking up at the person she’s in love with…

The hot dance of love ended.

Closing the fan…Misuzu bows to the audience.

…For a moment.

I didn’t need to do anything anymore.

The audience voluntarily stormed a standing ovation…!

「…I’ll polish myself even more」

Mana said.

「Mana won’t lose to Misuzu-san. If this continues, she’ll take Onii-chan away」

「Hey hey, don’t make strange worries」

「It’s fine! I’ll do my best either way! I hate to lose against Misuzu-san!」

…Either way, it’s good that they’re positive.

「I also…I’ll do my best in the next competition」

Megu also speaks frustrated.

「I only can do running but I won’t lose. I’ll enhance myself just like Misuzu-san」

The two seems to have seen Misuzu’s dance as such.

「…Kuromori-sama」

A voice called me from the back.

Oh right, I’m Kuromori Kounosuke right now.

Turning back…Kanako-san’s standing there.

Kanako-san’s holding a big bouquet.

「…Misuzu-san asks Kuromori-san to bring this」

Kanako-san smiles at me.

…Does that mean?

Looking at the stage…Misuzu’s looking at me with a serious face.

It’s the same as Ruriko-san a while ago.

Though there’s applause…There’s nobody trying to give Misuzu flowers.

The act of giving flowers the daughters of Kouzuki house in public is a taboo as expected.

Misuzu’s telling me to violate that taboo.

Giving her a bouquet of flowers in front of the famous people and her grandfather…Kouzuki『Kakka』

「…Yoshi-kun」

Megu looks at me.

「…Onii-chan」

Mana also looks up.

I…

If Misuzu wishes for it…then I’ll accept everyhing

「Kanako-san…thank you」

I take the bouquet from Kanako-san

Misuzu has prepared herself for this beforehand

All of the flowers are red roses.

「…I’m going」

I begin to walk down the stage

…At that moment.

The surrounding audience were at unrest.

They’re surprised that someone’s breaking the taboo…

The waves of unrest spreads across the entire audience…

…Like hell I care.

I head straight towards the stage.

Misuzu’s waiting.

Misuzu…I…

「…Misuzu!」

I hand Misuzu the bouquet from down the stage.

Misuzu…

「I believed that you would come!」

She happily accepted the bouquet…

At that moment…

「Eeeeh! W-w-w-w-w-w-whyyyyyy!!!」

A scream comes from the second floor seat.

The source of the voice is Misuzu’s fiance.

Shiba Takahiko’s mouth is opened wide in surprise.

「Geez…please look this way. Danna-sama」

I look back at Misuzu.

Misuzu’s face is beautiful.

「Misuzu…i loveyou」

「Me too…I love you」

Misuzu reaches for me.

I hold her hand.

「…Please get up the stage, Danna-sama」

…Misuzu?

「…Oh」

Pulled up by Misuzu…I got up the stage.

The people’s hot gaze gathered on the two of us.

「Danna-sama…I love you!」

Misuzu jumps to my chest…!

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercidiphyllum_japonicum ↩