Unmatchable

Unmatchable (Plastic Tree) Chp. 02 / 06

Tadashi sat at school the next day but only physically. In his thoughts Ryutaro and his conversation from yesterday played again and again in his head. Taro looking so ambitious about his dancing.... Living for something, doing your best for something. Somehow Tadashi admired that. He was never good at anything and there was nothing he really believed in.

The blond looked into his bag and saw Ryutaro's gloves lying in there. He wanted to return the gloves today because it became really cold outside and he didn't want the young boy to freeze. Tadashi could manage the cold but he wasn't so sure about Ryutaro. But to bring them home to Ryutaro? Tadashi wasn't so sure about that. Although Ryutaro seemed not to care about his appearance Tadashi didn't want to cause him any trouble. He was sure that his parents or whoever saw him during the daytime wouldn't approve of a punk hanging around in such a neighbourhood.

So the state ballet school.... That was his next stop. After the lesson was over Tadashi got his bag and left school. It was a beautiful but cold midday so why spend it at school anyway. Tadashi took the subway and got off the station called "State University".... Sounded important enough to him. It took him another half an hour and a lot of asking people before he was finally guided into the right direction and behind the state university was a smaller building with a sign, reading "State Dancing School." Sounded like a deal. The punk entered and the pupils stopped walking, whispering to each other after seeing an outlaw of society walking totally self-confident into the building. His boots echoed down the hall, his metal jewellery jingling with each step and he enjoyed it. After he entered the building he saw a great difference in the pupils he was used to. In this school they all carried a certain "air" around them. Being motivated, creative, happy.... It felt kind of nice. These people were happy to be here.

At the end of the corridor, Tadashi asked a girl where the ballet department was. She pointed down the right corridor and told him around the corner. Tadashi followed her instructions and already heard live piano music coming from inside one training hall. He stopped at the entry door which was slightly pulled open and he peeked into it. A group of girls stood at the back of the hall, dressed in beautiful white tutu dresses. Only three boys were amongst them.... And one of them was dancing a solo. Taro.

In his tight ballet shirt and black trousers he moved graciously to the piano music. Lifting his feet and jumping like a cat, fast steps changing with slow steps... his posture was tensed but perfectly fitting to the mood of the song. The expression of his dance was almost palpable and his feelings seemed to reach from toe to his outstretched fingers. He was really talented. Or at least Tadashi thought so.

Tadashi caught himself watching with his mouth wide open. He was positively surprised. For him the dance was perfect although the grim looking teacher repeatedly yelled French instructions in between. His teacher shouted and the piano ended playing but repeated the last act again. Patiently Ryutaro repeated the last dancing steps but his teacher still wasn't satisfied. She dismissed him and called in for another boy to continue their training. Taro bended down and turned around to head to the others at the end of the room when he saw a familiar strand of hair through the gap of the door. . He couldn't believe his eyes and taken aback took a closer look.

Tadashi smiled to himself when he saw the little one hesitating to come over or not and his smile vanished when Taro turned away from him to walk back to the others. He whispered to some of them but finally came closer to leave the room. He looked down to the ground, closing the door behind him.

"Tadashi! What are you doing here?" He almost whispered. Not that he was ever a loud talker.

"Just wanted to return the gloves to you."

"You came all the way just for that?" The smaller boy wondered.

"Sure. It's cold and you should have them." Tadashi rummaged through his bag but Taro laid his hands onto the bag and told him: "Keep them. You need them more than me."