Unmatchable

Unmatchable (Plastic Tree) Chp. 05 / 06

Piano music hailed from inside the huge, luxurious opera hall. It was the very hall where the ballet takes place every evening. It was a splendid baroque opera house in gold and red velvet.

Tadashi stormed backstage. He was familiar with the area because Taro took him there countless times during rehearsal. Sometimes their classes had taken place in there to get the right feeling of stage and appearance. Not to count the fantastic acoustic in this huge building. It was creepy how he felt familiar with this place yet hadn't been there in so long.

Coming backstage, Tadashi passed know faces. Now and then people even said 'hi'. How long has it been since they last saw each other? About two months? And still people remembered him. He hated to admit it but it felt good.

Some students were stretching and warming up for their dance. Tadashi still couldn't believe it. Taro couldn't be serious. He looked over the crowd of students and teachers backstage but he couldn't find the one person he came here for.
Tadashi stopped in his tracks when the chattering suddenly died down and Taro's name was said out loud through the speakers. The lights on stage and backstage dimmed down and Tadashi froze for one moment. He fought his way to the back entrance of the huge stage but it was crowded with all the students who wanted to take a peek through the open sides of the stage. Everything being hopelessly crowded, he dashed out the backstage room and his heart seemed to stop beating when the piano started to play.

He ran through the corridor and opened one door to the side entrance of the audience hall. There he closed the door silently behind himself, seeing the jury of six people sitting in front of the stage and almost all of the seats behind them empty, except of a few parents watching their children.

Absent-minded, Tadashi took a seat in the middle of the empty audience hall and he shook his head in disbelieve. When did he train for that? The past two months? And what about his ankle? A thousand questions came into mind. It was the official audition for 'the nutcracker' and right now, at this very moment, his eyes couldn't believe it but Taro danced there all in front of them, the role of his life, all illuminated by one spotlight, live piano music and the jury watched every step of him, every move of his trained body.

Tadashi rubbed his eyes in disbelieve and he sweated because he was nervous as hell. He had his fists balled so tight that his knuckles became all white. Inwardly he prayed for Taro to end the dance successfully without a failure.

Ryutaro was so beautiful when he danced. All his limbs stretched, his figures and moves came all so naturally. He danced so at ease and yet Tadashi couldn't help but to look at the hurt ankle now and then.
Another jump and Taro landed steadily on his foot. Tadashi narrowed his eyes yet the black strands of hair swung beautifully to the classic piano music. Only three more jumps and he was done. Tadashi caught himself knowing the choreography by heart. How could he not? He was with Taro all the time he had practised and within an instant Tadashi felt that it was wrong to leave him. He suddenly felt so sorry for leaving Taro in this hard time alone... he was such a fool, all the time it was him, all his fault.

Another gracious move with Taro's tender hand before he took the run for the final jump.... Tadashi balled his fists again... Taro ran and he jumped... one pirouette, landing, second jump, pirouette, landing, double pirouette, landing and done, without a failure or shaking.

Taro kneeled on the ground, with his arms stretched into the air and the dance was over. The piano music stopped and Tadashi jumped out of his seat, ready to clap his hands but stopped when no one else did.

The jury started whispering to each other and took notes. Tadashi saw Taro's teacher sitting among them. Taro had meanwhile stood up from the ground and stood there all alone on stage in front of the jury and waited for their judgement. It was then when the dark haired little dancer saw a puff of blond hair sitting in the middle of the audience hall... and his heart jumped. Tadashi saw Taro beaming happily for one moment but went back into serious state when one man from the jury cleared his throat. One woman next to him started to speak.