Arisa's Fake Romance

Chapter 19

"Arisa." I hear Miyu say in a lower voice. 

She drags her black pointe shoes along the ground stepping forward. "The crowd looked like they were having fun." She takes another small step closer. "It looked fun. You guys looked so spontaneous, so smooth..." She takes another step forward and her tutu brushes my hip. "So energetic."

I carefully smooth the side of my Adidas track pants and tell her, "You know who taught me how to dance like that? Daiki. Even before we were official boyfriend and girlfriend we were good friends. He can be a silly idiot sometimes but he's always sincere and enjoys making people happy. Before you rolled marbles down the stairs at the park me and Daiki were under a walkway with street art along the walls in our own little corner learning to dance. It was me, Ako, and Rinko learning para para and Kpop dance from Ran but then Daiki joined us and became another great teacher."

She takes a slight step closer and her bell tutu presses more. She looks into my eyes and speaks with a warm calm tone. "Maybe we could've been friends if circumstances were different."

She sounds sincere. I'll tell her how I feel. "You were very serene and graceful out there. How you time the extensions while pirouetting to line up at same times, the leaps, how high you can kick, your fluid movements."

She smiles and says. "Thanks Arisa. I spend a lot of time practicing to become this skilled. Being sore isn't fun, but I just feel so free and alive moving like this. I guess we have to go on stage since they're announcing the winner soon."

She turns around brushing her tulle against me and I watch her walk.

"Aren't you going too?" I hear Saaya ask.

I respond, "Of course, o ho ho ho ho ho."

We stand side by side with spotlights on us, the crowd dark except for a few phone flashes.

The big screen behind and above us has the votes counted live. "And the winner is...Arisa Ichigaya!"

I wave to the crowd and thank them. Miyu walks fast back stage and her arms shake.

"I'd like to thank everyone. We all came here tonight for environmental causes like saving the animals. But I am happy to keep my boyfriend Daikichi. Daikichi helped teach me to dance like I do, along with Ran Mitake and Tomoe Udagawa of Afterglow. Daiki claims to be the para para king of Akihabara, but since he's my boyfriend he belongs to Shibuya."

"Did someone say Daiki?" Daiki is behind me. "It's such an honor to have a girlfriend who cares about me enough to win this way. This is my it's such an honor to be Arisa's girlfriend dance."

He lunges to the side quickly moving his torso while his forearms extend making fist in a monkey dance then steps right twice moving his left arm diagonal down and up then repeating. He pulls his elbows in and rotates his forearms outside as he bends his knees out. Then moves his arms over his head with his hands framing his face then pulls his arms back then goes back into a para para routine.

"Daikichi is such a hyper model isn't he?" I announce to the crowd.

Miyu asks Daiki, "So umm...I know Arisa won the contest and everything but my dad would like it if you can model for the Olympics. Of course you'll have to go out with me."

Daiki looks at her smiling and upbeat energy projects from his voice. "Sorry but I can't. Arisa is my girlfriend and makes me feel much joy. She means the world to me."

Miyu slumps her shoulders then gets back up. "I know! You can model for Olympics but not have to date me."

Miyu says goodbye then walks away but stops looking back into my eyes.

Eito with a serious voice says, "No one here saw me dancing."

Daiki looks up to him. "Oh but I did and you were stiff and hesitant. But we were all having fun so I won't judge."

Daiki looks over to us, "Eito is taking me to Shinbashi tonight. Mom and grandma think me and you make such a cute couple and they're totally convinced!"

I look up into his eyes, "Well we are an official couple, Daikichi."

His eyes brighten and voice slightly deepens. "Yes we are, Arisa-pyon."

We say bye to each other then we sit on the stairs outside.

We stand up then Pierre says, "I can tell you are dating le girl with ze dumpling hair, non?"

I blink. "B-but how can you tell?"

"It iz intuition of moi...okay I saw you two in le hallway. Do not worry, I can keep ze secret. I am French and know that love iz love, no matter ze genders of le couples."

My face warms and he goes on. "I saw ze fashion show and ze maid was competitive with you. But moi knew you would win, for you have le heart and soul."

"Thanks Pierre but she's not a maid, she's a ballerina."

He slaps his forehead. "But of course how can moi be so ignorant? Moi saw how lovely your outfit is and knew you and Daiki's matching outfits were so adorable. When you come to Paris don't forget ze Daiki and his social media manager and a few friends."

I smooth my skirt. "Thanks Pierre." And we walk in opposite directions, his destination somewhere else. Me and Kasumi are so excited to fly to Paris.