The following day, it was time to present to the others, what they had achieved during the last week. The orchestra was the one to start. They invited the other ‘dance students’ to come down and dance what they had learned. Duo, Wufei and Heero – amazingly were the first ones down there, grabbing the girls they happened to pass by. Duo, because he was Duo, Heero because he was – for some reason – in an extremely good mood, and Wufei, because he was dragged along. During the waltz, the orchestra played, more and more people found themselves on the dance floor, until Duo let his partner just stand there and danced with Heero. He didn’t get very far with him, though, because the waltz was over. Everyone clapped, until John Sharp announced they should take their seats again for the next piece, featuring Quatre Raberba Winner and Trowa Barton. Quatre smiled at Trowa as they both stood up – Quatre with his right knee resting on the chair, so he didn’t have to stand on his injured foot.
The piece went well, since Trowa and Quatre were playing together as dynamically as never before. Now, there was no barrier or tension between them, one was part of the other, and music was as easy and nothing else in the world. The applause was marvelous.
“Quatre, you’re sweet!” one of the girls cried and a “Trowa, how great!” echoed from the other side of the hall. Quatre and Trowa exchanged glances – these girls were so right.
Next step was the awarding of the swimmers. They had played several water-related games. Either in teams, or alone. All in all, the swimmers had gathered a score and none of them really knew, who was best. The swimming teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Kajuhara, announced the last few places in one big bundle, so nobody could know who really was last.
“And on rank number three with 480 points,” Mrs. Kajuhara resumed, “Aika Loleno!” Aika gladly took the praise and a certificate.
“Number two,” Mr. Kajuhara started, after the applause had ebbed down, “with 500 points: Chang Wufei!” Wufei smiled shortly and went down the balcony for his certificate, while the audience yelled his name in unison. He didn’t even know why they liked him, but they did.
“And the winner of our swimming contest is...” Mrs. Kajuhara made a tension-arousing break before yelling: “Heero Yuy!” Once again the audience cheered. Smirking, Heero went to get his certificate, as Duo yelled above the cheers of the audience: “I knew that guy is good! Whew! Go Heero!”
The voice and movements group showed some of her exercises at first, Duo got a little.. uh... carried away on the ‘we yell our name’ – thing and people got a little scared of the shinigami. Then they read out their interpretation of poems, by acting them out or adding some strange noises to them.
The fencing followed, showing several movements of this sport and putting up a real fight in full costume. This finally revealed, why the girls still liked Wufei: He looked damn good in that suit! Not to mention that he won the fight...
There was a short break before the chorus-presentations, in which people could look at the drawings and pottery. Trowa and Quatre cautiously kept distance to each other – nobody knew yet...
“Hm.. 100 Yen, this is from Quatre!” Duo said to Wufei, pointing at a cup with TEA in large letters written all over it. Wufei refused the bet, it was just too obvious. Trowa’s mask was generally admired, the effort put into it really showed. – As for the pictures – none of the people had seen the other’s picture before, so part of them were quite surprised.
“DUO!” Heero yelled, staring at a picture of him and Duo kissing. “OMAE O KORUSO!”
Duo laughed heartily. “I think it’s a tie!” he yelled, holding up a picture of himself with his opened hair dangling over his shoulders. Heero smirked and went over to Duo. “Am I not supposed to have my own fantasies?” he whispered. Duo blushed and put the picture away. Trowa and Quatre came to Duo, cracking up laughing.
“Did... haha! Did you see the picture Wufei made! Haha!” Quatre pressed out to Duo.
“Nani?” Duo ran over to the other pictures, finding himself dressed in a clown’s costume, balancing on a ball and juggling. “Wow, Wufei, I wished I was that talented!” he said, referring to both, the style of the picture and the stuff he himself was doing on there. But Wufei was too engaged in Janina’s picture, showing himself fighting. A shadow was cast on the picture from the one he was fighting against. That person, however was not visible on the picture. Was it Treize? Janina just looked at Wufei and grinned, “You can keep it.” Wufei took the picture in his hand to watch it closely. “Arigatou.”
The chorus presentation followed, starting off with a well-studied “For the Longest Time” and other group works. Wufei held his arms crossed during the whole performance, pretending this was for onnas, and highly dishonorable. Duo just laughed in his face, causing Wufei to look away in disgust. There were some solo-works as well – especially Kioko with “Somewhere over the Rainbow” was quite chilling. She gladly took the complements from Trowa, Duo and Quatre.
Duo and Heero were next. Heero had no intention whatsoever to sing in front of the audience, but Duo dragged him to the floor and poked him, causing Heero to utter another death thread. “They don’t even know you!” Duo protested and waved at Wufei, who pouted again at this. Duo started stoically:
See the winter days,
they’re so cold and gray,
oh Heero!
I can write your name
on the icy window pane,
I miss you.
I can feel your smile
across so many miles,
I long to be together!
Like a sanctuary deep inside our hearts,
we’re living for
Our true love
A shelter from the storm
our true love
A place to keep us warm
Like a candle burning bright
like a miraculous breakdown every year
And that’s forever young
Our true love, our true love, ...
And that’s forever young,..
When the shades are drawn
and the stares above are shining
ooh yeah!
I can feel you hear
and it’s only heaven knows:
I miss you.
See you in the air,
let me show you where,
a rendezvous with angels
Like a dream come true,
we turn again, we two,
forevermore
our true love...
And that’s forever young.
my true love
my true love
Cheers broke out as the lovers ended in a slight kiss. Heero tucked on Duo’s braid to make him stop. The shinigami definitely enjoyed the applause and here had to force him offstage, more or less. After a few more, very good acts (even Wufei was looking at some singing boys occasionally), the last act came up: Quatre and Trowa. Quatre was deadly nervous, and so was Trowa, so he tried to be all stoic and nice, to keep Quatre from freaking in nervousness. They met in the middle of the stage while singing, they would be holding both hands through the entire song and looking in each other’s eyes. Quatre began, shivering in nervousness.
Long ago a little child
dreamed about a gallant knight.
It’s funny how a dream comes true
that gallant knight was you.
I never dared to show my feelings
are you aware my heart is bleeding?
What are we waiting for?
What are we doing here?
There’s no one there beside you,
there’s no one knocking at my door!
What are we waiting for?
Too much time has passed by.
What are we waiting for?
No one else could love you more than me.
I’ve watched you for so many years
I felt your love, I felt your tears.
I’ve seen your lovers come and go
but none of them were true...
Oh, can’t you see how much I need you?
Won’t you believe you need me, too, so
What are we waiting for?
What are we doing here?
There’s no one there beside you,
no one knocking at my door.
What are we waiting for?
Too much time has passed us by.
What are we waiting for?
No one else could love you more than me.
Your’s was the star that I followed,
Without you there’s no tomorrow.
What are we...
Cheers broke out even louder, when Quatre and Trowa met in a passionate kiss, Wufei fell almost off the balcony, not to mention Heero and Duo. They had had no idea whatsoever – but what those two were doing there – it could not be fake! Heero, Wufei and Duo exchanged meaningful glances. And then, they broke out into cheers, not only because of the song.
As the audience applauded, Quatre leaned against Trowa from the side, as if needing to be protected. The European smiled down at him and picked him up - as he used to do it, when he carried his aoi me tenshi upstairs. The hall cleared, Quatre and Trowa were the first to leave to get some fresh air on the yard. The girls were left behind. One group was looking at each other and gasping a sigh in unison, watching the direction Quatre and Trowa had taken.
“Two of them... that’s not fair,” Kioki sighed.
“The Winner’s heir...”
“Where is Wufei???”
Meanwhile, the pilots met on the yard in the sunlight.
“Trowa, Quatre, what the shinigami is up?” Duo tackled Trowa from behind.
“Hn. Found a Quatre, why?” he said stoically. Duo laughed crazily. “That is so sweet! You should have told us.”
”It was quite a fight to get this far...” Quatre said, nuzzling his kurohyou.
“I bet,” Wufei said in disbelief.
“Have you packed your stuff?” Trowa asked, pointing at the car he had brought to the yard earlier. “It’s time to leave.”
Wufei clutched the picture of himself to his chest. “Mh. Sure.”
Together they loaded the trunk, except for Quatre, who sat on the passenger’s seat, watching. Trowa and Duo carried his bags for him. Wufei had somehow disappeared.
“Don’t forget to talk to your uncle.”
“I won’t, Wufei. Do you want me to tell him that you defeated me?” she asked to tease him a little.
“No. Just tell him from Chang Wufei, that I will kill him. That’s all.”
“I will, if it makes you happy. Have fun with the picture.”
“Thank you.” He still held it in his hand. It was only a shadow, but it was Treize. He and Treize on a picture... He snorted – why did this make him feel so delighted?
"Wufei..."
"What else do you want, onna?" Wufei looked up in annoyance. From his opinion, he just got done talking with her! How annoying. And she looked so much like Treize...
"Just wanted to let you know something. Do you want to know the reason why I'm here?"
"It honestly makes no difference to me."
Janina Khushrenada strode over to the Chinese boy, slyly grinning. Her eyes shone with the joy of knowing something someone else didn't. "Are you so sure? A certain person told me to visit here to watch a certain grumpy Asian who has a homicidal streak..."
Wufei rolled his eyes but tried not to look interested. Treize... possibly?
"My uncle. I believe you know him: Treize Khushrenada."
"What? How did he know I was here?"
Janina smiled smugly. Wufei barely restrained slapping a hand over his mouth as soon as it slipped out. She eyed him and he blushed some, glaring at her.
"He knows a lot of things." I approve of your choice, dear uncle. He's quite attractive, in such an exotic way. And you were right on another point- he is an excellent warrior. How delicate in appearance, but fierce in personality. Interesting little thing...
"What does he want with me?"
"Just observations. He is curious to see how you pilots are without a suit of Gundanium surrounding you. Especially interested in you."
Wufei blinked and looked away, his cheeks blushing, but a hopeful feeling in his heart. Did this mean Treize could possibly return his feelings? Or was it just some morbid curiosity?
He slowly looked up, steeling his countenance so nothing of his feelings would show. "And what are you going to tell him?"
Oh... like you said, uncle, more to him than meets the eye. "Well, I haven't fully decided. I'll tell him 01 has found something to live for besides killing, 02 has found his true happiness, 03 has a strong spirit, 04 is there for all, and 05...."
"... yes..?"
She grinned. "That 05 is a sexist, hot-tempered child," she started and kept right on before he could protest, "but shows remarkable integrity and warmth." She daringly stroked his cheek. "And is extremely attractive." She laughed when he jerked away. He was blushing and on the verge of a nosebleed.
"Disrespectful onna!!!"
"Oh lighten up! No sense of humor as well, I see," she teased mercilessly.
"Hey, that is not fair!"
"What? Worried? Don't be, uncle loves intense, serious types!"
"Despicable woman-"
"But I'll have to take a picture of you in those shorts for him-"
"NEVER!"
Janina just giggled and patted his shoulder. And despite all the teasing, there was something warm and endearing about her, just like her uncle. She smiled sweetly to him and he couldn't help but smile a little back.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't go that far."
"Good."
"Well, see you around then."
He nodded to her. She started off down the stairs to the kitchen before calling back.
"Oh, and Wufei?"
"Nani?"
"Don't loose hope." And with that, she was gone.
Wufei smiled a little to himself. This workshop was full of surprises...
“Hey, Trowa-kun! I bet you and Quatre want to sit on the back-seat, right?” Duo said teasingly. “I could drive back home, then...”
“Duo.”
“Hm?”
“You don’t have a license.”
“Kisama!”