Chapter 3
Everyone falls in love at some point in their lives. Some are for unexplained reasons, while others are unexpected, and directly — sometimes surprisingly; they just feel it. Perhaps even me.
I happened to be in the room where the ballet dancers were training one day. I recall my sweaty body and my chest panting since I had just completed training. I can also feel the bruise on my face from a battle that happened only a week ago. It's good to get a gold belt that you can be proud of since you worked hard and poured it all.
When my gaze was drawn to the room and I spotted the woman dancing in the middle, it was as if my eyes were glued to the destination. It's like a camera that autofocuses on her and turns into a recorder because it wants to remember every movement of the woman in the middle of the room while her acquaintances are watching. I should have ignored it since I acknowledge it's a trap of adoration and excitement.
But I never imagined I'd drown. I wasn't expecting her to drown me in the ring of adulation, and it was as if her fist strike me and instantaneously marked my heart.
"No."
She, undoubtedly, responded to me. As she turned her back on and started walking, my hand dangled in the air. Tom and Jerry were sprinting inside as my heart stopped pumping. It's difficult to maintain a casual demeanor while acting cool. Even if my heart appears to be beating, it's tough for me to appear calm. I never imagined I'd be able to bring her here, and we will be alone. It's as if we're on a date.
"At least for a month!" I shouted because she was far away from our spot. People were already looking at me because I shouted, but I ignored them and ran to follow Yavana.
It seemed as though the agony had pummelled my body. I haven't had a day off in a few days since Albert refuses to grant me one. It'll just be four or five months because I'll be back in the ring. That's not your typical brawl. Everyone is expecting a fight like this.
The international battle.
Because I was in a rush and focused on the shoes I was carrying, I didn't know she had stopped, causing my chest to collide with her back. She would have practically jumped if I hadn't grasped her waist with my rough body.
Her body was silky, and the hue was similar to cotton. Perhaps their white skin is common in their family. Touching her body is terrifying since it's like paper that can tear at any time if not handled properly.
"Sorry!" One arm was draped around her waist, while the other was still clutching the paper bag containing just ballet shoes. She came to a halt when she approached the parking lot. I was laughing at her earlier, but now she simply wanted to quit. I'm tempted to inquire if she suffers from racial insanity, but I want to avoid insulting her because of an untrue joke.
"One week," she said abruptly, and that's all she said. She wasn't looking, but I could hear the refusal in her voice as if she was worried I'd give it to her.
"Two weeks!" I exclaim again, but she's ready to walk away when I grab her hand. Is she that reluctant to speak with me? "All right, one week! You should constantly speak to me, and I'm not simply a breeze to you."
She never talked again after I said that. It's almost as if I still had to buy her every word. I handed her the shoes, and she accepted them.
"All right, let's go. I'll take you home," I assured her, and it was as if a thorn drew me out when she told me where she lives.
"We live in Zhejiang. You can drop me off at the sign entrance; I'll just walk," she said, peering out the window again. I instantly felt like an insect that she couldn't look at. Surprisingly, they are placed at the outermost reaches of the city. Because there were only trees, I assumed no one lived there.
We simply drove for a few minutes till we arrived at the illuminated residence. I go there since it seemed she lives there. When she got out of the car, I noticed a large crowd waiting for her. That is around six or five.
I got increasingly interested in her life as time passed. How can she go home if no vehicles are passing by? Why is her life so modest, yet she manages to get into our training camp? I wanted to know a lot of little details about her, and I was much more interested in her family when her frightened mother and father raced into her. As her mother began to talk, she smiled and greeted them.
"Where have you gone?! You didn't say anything about being late. We shouldn't have to be concerned about you anymore!" Her mother hugged her, and she returned the hug. Her mother's gaze was locked on me before she continued to talk. "What Rebecca said was that you were left at APT School, but your school is closed at this time." she couldn't keep her eyes away from me, so I introduced myself to them.
"Good evening to all. I'm Yavana's friend, and I honestly brought her here." I just bent down and waited for what they would say next when someone tapped on my back. When I looked up, Yavana's father was still wearing the country clothes and didn't seem to have changed. I feel guilty because I took Yavana with me even though it was time for her to go home.
"Since you're already here, why don't you join us for dinner?"
Her father offered to me, and because my mind had been preoccupied beforehand, I didn't realize that her parents' acquaintances had departed.
"W-wait! Pa! He's leaving. It's already late at night, and perhaps something can be done outside!" Yavana instantly retracted her father's offer to me, so I glanced at her sharply yet sweetly, and she returned my stare with a fierce eye as if to warn me. I taunted her, even more, when she walked behind her father and pretended to punch me. I'm not going down!
"Really? Uncle, are I allowed? I'm also hungry because I'm afraid I'll run out of energy on the way home." I even rubbed my tummy to make my acting more genuine. I did it right away since her lips were bent in the shape of the letter "O" and she couldn't believe what I was doing.
We were allowed to eat on the inside. We were just talking about Yavana and how she grew up. I didn't leave out any specifics or any of the notable things I did. But I still haven't heard why he was accepted into the APT school. I didn't even inquire, since I was frightened of inadvertently bringing up a sensitive subject.
"Yavana, take him outside for a walk while he rests and digests what he eats." I was quickly enthralled by what her mother said, and I wanted to embrace her for giving birth to such a lovely woman. I wouldn't have regarded her daughter's bony beauty if it weren't for her.
Yavana stomped her foot, as though troubled by what she was about to do, but she walked out of me even sooner. I moved toward her parents and asked for permission to follow Yavana, and they consented. I almost sprinted out the door, only to see Yavana. I feel like I have a hangover because she was sitting next to him in the car not long ago now that I've met her parents.
I noticed the wind blowing her long hair. It was like swing dancing in the wind. No. It's almost as if the wind is dancing with her. Because Yavana was on the side, I couldn't see much of her face, but as she turned to face me, another tremendous wind slammed us. It seemed as if the wind was pushing me closer to her, and I couldn't help but walk into the space where she was.
The wind was picking up, and the long grasses were already apparent as they danced in the chill of the night. This is Yavana's domain. Only Goddesses or anybody else could be seen in the forest, which seemed like a paradise. The chilly breeze was blowing again, and her green eyes gleamed brightly. She wasn't smiling at me; her expression was simply bored because she was forced to.
As she stands up straight, her lips just pout. I noticed her return her gaze to me. I took a step closer to her when I finally gained her attention. My face and hand moved on their own.
I stroked her chin and moved my face closer to her to offer her a gentle kiss—and when I finally touched her soft lips with mine. It feels good.
But it only took a split second for me. I feel her warm palm on my cheek and her furious eyes on me.
"Is this the replacement for the ballet shoes you bought me?"