Hated by You ☆ | Riki Nishimura

第26章

Dance Partner

It felt so relaxing when the calm music played and Hitomi watched the couples dance. Still she boredly fidgeted her fingers and played with her bracelets. Quite a lot of people was relaxing on the sides, not only her. Many of them was already tired from dancing and were enjoying drinks and pastries. 

As the couples were moving continually in the middle of the dance floor, Hitomi saw from the gaps to the other side of the room. There was another loner, who was just gazing the floor in boredness. The gyu catched Hitomi's attention, because he looked too familiar. In a brief moment she recognized the boy. 

Why is he alone? And not dancing or anything? He should be with Sana, right? Maybe she's in the bathroom or something.

Hitomi took her phone and decided to play with it, until her friends were done dancing and could accompany her again. She opened Instagram and browsed it. 

After a while she felt that someone sat besides her, when the sofa swayed. Her eyes immediately directed to the person on her side. It was Niki. Now as she could see him closer, his suit was new and fancy. It was ironed smooth, but the first button of the collared shirt was open and he wasn't wearing a tie nor a bow. 

"Where's your partner, Hitomi?" Niki asked boredly and had a mischievous smile. 

"Tsk.. A parter? I don't have one. And don't even dare to tease me about that or else I'll actually kick you with my heel." Hitomi threathened in frustration and raised her foot to show him that she actually was wearing heels. Niki laughed a little with a wide smile. Hitomi looked at him from the side and from that angle she hasn't never seen his smile. His teeth were straight and the smile looked so warm and lovable. No wonder why girls fall for him.

"Relax. I don't have one either." Niki admitted calmly.

What? Is he joking?

Hitomi looked at him in confusion and furrowed her eyebrows. "But.. Where's Sana? I thought you were.. a thing or something.." 

Niki's facial expression changed after what Hitomi said. Now it was the one when he's angry, but there were confusion, disgust and disbelief in addition. "Sana? Why the hell would I be with her?" Niki bitterly said. The way he said it made Hitomi feel like she was badly misunderstood. Niki changed his position and now fully faced Hitomi. "Gosh. did you really think, that what happened at the party was intentional?" 

"It sounded like it.." Hitomi said quietly.

Niki took a deep breath and then continued, "Okay, I don't what you saw or heard, but I was drunk. Really. I didn't acknowledge what I was doing. Do you understand?" Niki scolded her irritably. It's funny how fast Niki gets angry. What did she even do again? Hitomi has gotten used to it, but somehow it felt miserable in an event where she should be having fun. Niki noticed her miserable look and they way she avoided his gaze slightly. He felt horrible. But why haven't he felt like this before? Why does he even care? Niki abruptly stood up, and Hitomi finally glanced at him.

"Well, um.. Would you mind?" Niki asked in a softer voice and stretched out his hand towards Hitomi. She looked at it and then into his eyes.

Is he asking me to dance?

"I don't really-" Hitomi started, but couldn't finish, when Niki forcedly grapped her hand and lifted her up. It didn't matter if Hitomi was accepting or rejecting his request, but to Niki it wasn't really even a question. He dragged her to the dance floor to a spot, where there was enough space.

 The music has changed while they were talking. It was now slightly faster and more vivid. Hitomi hadn't had any idea how to dance, but now as she has watched people dancing for hours, she has became more confident. 

Niki took Hitomi's both hands and spun her around once, and that's how it began. The dance started naturally and without noticing, both of them smiled widely and their eyes were full of pleasure and joy. Niki's grip on Hitomi's palm was firm, but delicate at the same time, which felt unfamiliar because his grasps are usually so fierce. 

Whenever their bodies collided Hitomi could smell all of his scents. His aftershave, that had a manly and fresh scent. And his perfume that smelled like mandarin and lime .

Hitomi completely lost the track of time and all she could focus on was the passionate dance and her partner. Like all the surrounding disappeared and there were only them. It didn't seem to matter how much Hitomi disliked the boy, but she made the most of it once she had the chance to. 

Niki felt his heart racing rapidly. The small girl in her pretty dress couldn't help, but to make him smile in admiration. Almost like she was entirely under his possession, when he was the one who was leading the dance. It was a great feeling that he actually made her smile like that.

-

A particular song ended, so Mina and Haruto finally came back to the table they left Hitomi in. They were tired and breathing heavily, but Hitomi wasn't there anymore.

"Where'd she go?" Mina thought. Almost at the same time, Yuma came with Hikaru from the dance floor. They looked worn up as well and ready to leave. 

"That was a lot fun. But I'm so tired. And it's getting late. Should we get going, maybe?" Yuma suggested. "Wait, where's Hitomi?" He added.

"Oh, she's there." Haruto spotted her from the dance floor and pointed at her direction. They all turned their gazes at her and stared in disbelief. 

"I knew it." Mina smiled with relief. "She's having a lot of fun." She smirked.

"But it's good. I felt bad for her, honestly." Hikaru admitted and they all could agree with her.

"I do understand, though. I couldn't resist anymore either. Niki looks handsome today, but don't get me wrong, I would never have any feelings for him." Mina admitted and said the clarification a little bitterly.

"What is so wrong with him, huh? He is tall, handsome, kind and the best captain." Yuma defended. 

"Yeah, I didn't mean that. I just meant that he ain't my type at all." Mina cleared.

"Okay, cut it out. Let's start going then, I believe she'll survive home." Haruto assured.

"Exactly. Let's go." Yuma said.

- 

After a long dance, Hitomi and Niki decided to start going home. It was so late already and probably pitch black outside. Niki still found few of his friends and went to them. Hitomi didn't see Mina or Yuma anywhere anymore and just went to the dressing room alone. She took off her dress and replaced it with sweatpants and a hoodie. Because of the long dance, she felt how the heels had chafed her skin a little and she then changed them to sneakers.

Hitomi realized that if Mina and Yuma both left already, she couldn't borrow their jackets, if they even had ones. She has never asked the codes to their lockers, that's why. They could be sleeping already, because Hitomi couldn't see when they left and she didn't want to bother them by messaging to them. It can't be that cold, she thought. And the trip home wasn't even that long after all. Maybe she would survive it only with a hoodie.

☆