[OreGaIru : New Me!]

….

[-Continuation-]

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[-Hachiman's POV-]

"Yukinon, you are here!" She exclaimed, her tone light and cheerful.

And just like that, my thoughts shifted, waiting to see what would come next the moment.

As I turned around, there she was - Yukino, standing at the entrance of the hall.

The moment I laid eyes on her, I felt the space between us stretch and snap like an invisible thread.

She was exactly as I had imagined, but even more striking in the way her dress complimented her cool, collected demeanor.

She glanced at me briefly, her gaze steady, before her eyes flicked to Yuigahama, who was already beaming at her with that infectious smile.

"Yukinon." Yuigahama greeted her warmly. "You look amazing! I thought you might have been late, though. But I guess it's worth it."

Yukino's lips quivered into a small smile, but her gaze stayed cool as ever. "Thank you, Yui. I wasn't delayed. Just… making sure everything was in order."

I cleared my throat, stepping a bit closer.

"I see you have finally joined the living." I said, trying to mask the way my heart was racing.

Yukino's eyes turned toward me, and for a brief moment, I caught that familiar glint of both amusement and challenge in them.

"It seems that way." She replied coolly, her voice holding that signature edge that both irritated and intrigued me at the same time.

After that… the event continued.

I and Yukino watched as Yuigahama moved off toward the crowd, clearly eager to mingle.

The soft hum of the music, the buzz of conversation around us.

Okay, time to finally act.

My heart, despite my usual attempts at composure, gave a traitorous beat.

I cleared my throat, stepping away from the catering table and twisting my body slightly toward her.

"Well, my lady, how about a dance?" I said, placing my left hand on my chest, bending my waist, and extending out my right

Yukino's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her features before her expression smoothed back into that familiar, composed mask.

"A dance?" She repeated, almost as if testing the words in the air.

I shrugged, trying to mask the slight nervousness that crept in.

"Yeah. You know, one of those things people do at prom." My tone was teasing, but there was something else there - something a little more genuine beneath the surface.

Her gaze softened just a touch.

"I suppose this lady shall fulfill your wish." She pulled me by the hand, and we made our way to the center of the floor while avoiding the waves of people.

The spotlights and the disco balls bounced from spot to spot, and the people on the dance floor rivaled that irregularity with their bodies.

The song playing was upbeat and hip in tone.

I had no idea what kind of song it was because the genre it was a part of was broken up into so many subgenres, but I suppose there wasn't any issue classifying it as club music.

At the very least, it wasn't the kind of music male and female pairs would dance cheek-to-cheek to.

The hand I still held was tossed and spun, my body following the movement as I attempted to keep up with the rhythm. I planted my foot firmly on the ground, stamping in place as I moved.

"Yukitty… Yukitty…" I called out to her, trying to match the flow of the dance as I held her wrist with one hand, the other clutching her other hand.

She didn't respond.

I paused, raising an eyebrow as I gave a little tug at her wrist, trying to draw her attention.

There was no surprise in her eyes - no sudden gasp or flicker of reaction.

Just a look of dead seriousness as she stared back at me, her expression unfazed.

"It wasn't my mistake." I said, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "It's you who didn't respond when I called you."

Her response was a cool, almost bored tone. "What is it?"

I shrugged, keeping my expression casual. "Huh… I want to kiss you."

This time, her reaction wasn't as restrained.

Her eyes widened, and for a brief moment, a blush crept up her cheek, the color almost imperceptible against her usual composure.

She gasped, a slight hitch in her breath.

"DON'T you DARE." She warned, her voice a sharp, half-amused reprimand.

Ah, there it was - the exact expression I was hoping for.

I grinned wider, leaning in a fraction. "Nah… I was just kidding."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she adjusted her stance, but she didn't stop dancing.

Still, it seemed she wasn't done with me yet.

Suddenly, she stomped her heel down hard onto my foot.

Not just a tap - a full, deliberate press.

I nearly lost my balance, my leg shooting up in reflex, and my teeth clenched as the pain shot through my foot.

For a split second, I was tempted to double over, clutching my aching foot in front of the entire room.

But I didn't.

I straightened myself up quickly, swallowing the pain, not wanting to break the flow of the dance.

That would have been an easy excuse to stop, but this was Yukino.

I wasn't about to let a little pain ruin this moment with her.

I shot her a teasing look, a challenge in my gaze. "You know, that's not exactly how you should treat a partner during a dance."

She tilted her head slightly, a small smirk playing on her lips as she continued to move with the music. "Oh? And how exactly should I treat you then?"

I couldn't help the slight laugh that bubbled up at her deadpan tone.

"I don't know, maybe with a little more gentleness?" I said, only half-joking.

Her eyes flickered with a spark, and she suddenly gave my hand a firm tug, pulling me toward her as she spun us both around with surprising fluidity.

"Gentleness?" She echoed with an almost mocking sweetness. "Like this?"

Her movement was smooth, her precision almost unnerving, and it left me with little room to react.

I found myself following her lead, nearly too caught up in the whirlwind of her momentum to keep up.

I cleared my throat and muttered. "You are moving a bit fast, Yukino. You might fall, so be careful."

"I am fine." She replied, her voice calm, the faintest trace of amusement in her eyes.

I shot her a sideways glance, adjusting my stance as I fought to maintain balance.

"Yeah? Well, I am not. Slow down, girl. You are gonna embarrass your boyfriend in front of all these people."

"Just bare with it… Didn't you do the same the whole day, I patiently let you diluage in your antics." Yukino replied.

Guess she was just waiting for this moment.

Then fine…. I will also bear her for now.

"Not bad." She muttered with a grin as I adjusted to her pace. "You are surprisingly light on your feet. I almost thought you would trip over your own two legs by now."

I chuckled, daring to raise an eyebrow in return. "You really think I would trip? I am way too graceful for that."

"Graceful?" Yukino's lips curled into a knowing smile, but she didn't let go of my hand. "I will believe that when I see it."

With a deft movement, she guided me into another spin, the rhythm of the song shifting just enough to test my coordination.

I nearly lost my footing again, but I caught myself, laughing as I managed to regain my balance.

"See? I told you I could handle it."

Her eyes softened slightly, though there was still an edge of amusement in her gaze. "Mm. I am impressed. For once, you didn't completely embarrass yourself."

"Oh, I can do better than that." I shot back, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.

She looked up at me, her gaze cool, but there was a flicker of something else there - something that made her voice just a little quieter, a little more teasing.

"Is that so? Then maybe you would like to show me."

I was about to respond with something equally snarky, but then, as if on cue, the music shifted again, the beat slowing, the energy in the room becoming a bit more intimate.

Yukino kept our steps light and effortless, her gaze steady on me, challenging me to keep up, not just with the dance, but with her.

It wasn't until the music softened, our steps becoming more synchronized, that I realized just how close we had gotten.

I cleared my throat, keeping my voice light. "Well, now you are just showing off."

Yukino smirked again, leaning in slightly, her tone almost playful. "Am I? Or maybe it's just that you are starting to catch up."

I didn't say anything for a moment.

I just let the music wash over us, both of us lost in the movement, in the rhythm of the dance - and in the back-and-forth of our teasing words.

The tension between us was subtle, but it was there, in the small touches, the way our hands held each other a little tighter, and in the occasional glance we exchanged when the words ran out.

I knew this dance would be one I would remember.

Not for the music, not for the crowd, but for the moment where, despite everything, despite the teasing and the playfulness, we had come together in the simplest way possible - just dancing, and enjoying the connection we had.

…

As the last notes played out, the dance came to a natural end, and we stopped, still holding each other, standing in the middle of the floor.

The silence between us was comfortable, the kind of quiet that felt like it was saying everything words couldn't.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh of contentment, feeling both relieved and oddly proud.

"Well." I said, breaking the moment. "That was something else."

Yukino's smile, small but genuine, was the answer I had been hoping for.

"You did fine." She replied, the warmth in her tone unmistakable.

And for once, I let myself believe it.

Our hands went undone, it being unclear who let go first, and we both retreated backwards one step at a time.

Before long, a low frequency noise that resembled the chimes of a bell spelled the end of this magical moment.

.

….

[To be continued…]

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