Episode 34: Sora-san Gets Sulky!?
“Please! Help me practice the dance…!”
Once we left the shop and turned into a side street, I bowed my head deeply toward Sora-san.
“You’re already behind on the choreography as it is, and now you’re panicking about dancing in high heels on top of that — that about right?”
“Y-yes… as expected of you, Sora-san…”
I hadn’t even explained the situation, and she’d already picked up exactly what I meant. Probably because of the “yuri act” she proposed, and because we spend so much time together now.
“So, why me? I’d think Möbius-san’s actually better at dancing.”
“Ah, well, um, Möbius-san’s busy with all the event prep, and Miyuki-san’s busy making the costumes too…”
We decided as a group to hold the event, but the person actually driving most of the preparation is Möbius-san, as the shop manager.
I can help brainstorm ideas for event-limited food and menu items, but the budgeting and ordering are entirely on her.
“Huh. So basically, you asked me because I looked free?”
“Th-that’s not it…! Sora-san’s good at dancing too, and, and, aren’t we, um, friends… no, partners! Right?”
I laughed it off with an ahaha and slung an arm around her shoulder. Sora-san sighed, but she looked me in the eye and nodded anyway.
“Want to rent a studio somewhere tomorrow after school and practice?”
“Y-yes! Please!”
“I’ll pick the place. I’ll send you the details later.”
“Thank you so much! I mean, for everything, really…!”
“It’s nothing. I’m not exactly expecting that kind of thing from you anyway.”
“Ugh…”
See you tomorrow, then, Sora-san said, waving as she walked off. I kept waving until her back disappeared from view, then headed home.
◆
“…This is the place, right? What Sora-san told me?”
Following the map app, I arrived in front of a rental studio.
Rental fee’s 550 yen per 30 minutes. We booked three hours, so today comes out to 3,300 yen total. I never even knew you could rent a studio like this until Sora-san told me about it.
Apparently the entire building is made up of rental studios. Sora-san had booked Room 203. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, I found her already inside.
She was checking the same choreography over and over in the mirror. Not just a rough version of the moves — she was fine-tuning small details, the angle of her hands, the direction of her gaze.
Sora-san’s really serious about this, isn’t she…
Watching her use her small frame so expansively through the dance felt genuinely good to watch. I got a little too absorbed in it, and our eyes met in the mirror. Sora-san stopped dancing and walked over.
“Ruri. Quit staring and get in here already. Today’s your practice.”
“Y-yes!”
For the event, I’ll be performing three songs total. Two are group numbers with all four of us, and one is a duet with Sora-san.
We’d agreed as a group to keep the choreography relatively simple, but even so, every bit of it is difficult for me.
“Anything specific you want to work on, or a part you’re struggling with?”
“Ah, um, for now, I’d like to do the duet with you first.”
“Got it. Let’s run it once with the music and check what’s not working after.”
Sora-san set her phone down in front of the mirror.
People who are good at their jobs really are efficient even in moments like this…!
Impressed by that, I followed Sora-san’s instructions as hard as I possibly could.
◆
“Well, I think it’s actually starting to take shape, don’t you?”
“Yes! Honestly, that’s all thanks to you, Sora-san…!”
“Dancing in high heels is going to be rough, but as long as you’ve actually got the choreography memorized, the rest is just getting used to it. Just be careful not to overdo the heel practice, or you’ll hurt your feet.”
“Yes!”
Two straight hours of practice, and all three songs had come together pretty well. Sure, there’s still plenty to work on, but I feel like it might actually be manageable.
Between social media boosting customer numbers, more customers buying chekis, and now the dance practice going well too… I’m starting to feel like the event’s actually going to succeed.
“…If it goes well, maybe even Maria will feel a little more at ease.”
Even if the event succeeds, Maria still might not approve of me working at Sweet Stella.
But if I can pull it off without a hitch, I feel like it’d put her mind at ease, at least a little.
“Maria — that’s the childhood friend, right?”
“Yes. About that whole incident, I really am sorry, honestly…”
“It’s fine. I mean, it’s not really something you need to apologize for.”
Sora-san’s voice dropped slightly. Guess she still doesn’t think too highly of Maria.
“…Hey, Ruri.”
Sora-san shifted closer to me out of nowhere. Our shoulders touched.
“You said before that I’m your best friend and partner, right?”
“Y-yes, um, well, I was pretty carried away in the moment… s-sorry.”
“…So you mean you don’t think that anymore?”
“Eh?”
Startled, I opened my eyes wide, and Sora-san looked away, clearly sulking.
“Ah, um, Sora-san! I, I still think that, even now! I mean, think it, or, well, want it to be true, or…!”
Unlike Möbius-san and Miyuki-san, Sora-san’s someone my own age. Maybe that’s exactly why the distance between us feels closer, and why I want us to get even closer still.
Could it be that my feelings just weren’t getting through at all, because I’m such a hopeless communicator!?
“…Ruri.”
“Y-yes!”
“That kind of thing — I’d rather you show it through actions, not just words.”