Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 199: Arc 4, Act I, - 44: Two Left Feet

The gaze stayed on the bed opposing her; an hour had passed and the next minutes were ticking. Her hands raised to her mouth. ’What are you doing?’

Jotou broke the thought to catch herself bringing her nails to her teeth. She shook her head and sat up, her fingers squirming. ’You’re overthinking, you’re overthinking. She’s just busy...

GAH! This is why I don’t wanna do it! I can’t think of anything else and I just feel worse!’ Her hands caught onto the blonde strands she brought forward, beginning to fidget with them instead.

Ten minutes had officially passed on the clock she was counting on. ’Screw it, screw what Daiyu said, screw the countess, I don’t need this. But you want this. But I get way too insecure about this!’

A blonde strand of her hair was plucked into her fingers and she held it aloft; the strand of golden blonde turned black from the end to the root in between her fingers in an instant.

’Maybe, do something productive. What does this mean? How did I get to this world? I still need to figure that out to be fair. Maybe I should focus on this.’ "Where the hell do I even start!?" ’Finding the rest of your friends idiot.’

"Thank you me, insightful as ever."

The door swung open, "Sorry I’m late."

"No worries, I knew you were just busy. But, it has been ten minutes so, I think you’ve committed a crime," Jotou threw the strand and stood.

"Well," Hotaru smirked, "I didn’t do so without good reason; I come bearing gifts," within her hands were a radio, bulky with a handle, a cassette tape and a book.

She set it on her vanity; made of trimmings of gold, two dials, a few buttons to press down and a large speaker grille. She leaned her face close and pushed the bulky cassette into the thing, ready to hit a button.

"There, have I been pardoned from my crimes?" the redhead turned with hands to her hips.

"An exception can be made. How long do you have?"

"Until noon, so about three hours."

"How did you get away from Daiyu?"

"I just said I had some stuff to do. She had to greet guests and whatever with Feyan."

’Alright, Daiyu doesn’t know. Hell only knows the amount of torment I’ll get from her if she found out.’ "Great, uh, what dance are we doing? I don’t know anything traditional."

"Me neither." Hotaru pushed her braid behind her, "I got this from the library. Feyan said this would be the most important one," the bookmarked page flipped open.

"The rest we can wing it?"

"Only if you want to dance that long..."

"We can have fun right? It may be political, but the idea is to get friendly."

"With foreign guests of importance, not with me alone~"

"I’m well aware Aru, I’m not gonna spend the entire time with you."

Hotaru’s ears flickered and her brows furrowed by the smallest fraction. Her fingertips grazed the base of her palms, "Yeah... Yes, I’ll, probably be mingling too... Anyway, shall we?"

"Let’s go." ’Did I... say something wrong there?’

Half an hour passed, flipping through the pages, making sure they got the steps of the dance filled with glides and slides—the Cravoltan Slow Waltz.

The two stood, in between their beds with the late morning light glistening over their skins, leaving only one question.

"Who’s leading?"

"Who’s leading?"

The two synced, now standing close... A loose chuckle escaped their breaths. "You know, I should. The dance steps aren’t too different from how I fight."

"You fight using the power of dance?"

"Not what I meant genius, it’s just, I just, step in such a way..."

"Keep going, I’m listening," her crimson ears twitched.

"That, coincides with this particular dance of about eight steps."

"I’ve seen you twirl like a ballerina with a sword too, yes."

A growl responded.

"There isn’t any twirling in this dance, but I believe you enough. You practice leading first, me next."

"It’s not that big a deal," Jotou put her left arm out to which Hotaru grabbed with her right. Jotou placed her right hand under Hotaru’s left arm and Hotaru aligned her left arm over Jotou’s right arm.

Reddish-pink blushing went across the blonde’s face. The other’s tail wagged a tad faster. Jotou knitted her brows, the redhead’s eyeline in match with hers; only the wolf-like ears ever made her seem taller.

"It’s not that big a deal," Hotaru smirked and took the first few steps, only for her shoes to drag on the carpet and cause her to stumble!

Jotou held tight. The blonde stood on the tips of her toes on one foot, dangling the wolf-girl away from the floor before pulling her back without breaking form. "Maybe somewhere with smooth flooring?" Jotou’s eyes glazed over.

"..." Hotaru walked off, redder now than the other.

_

The radio played a smooth classical tune—bits of bells and a gentle piano with violins backing. With the enchanting slow tune and back to their previous position, Hotaru slid back once again.

Jotou followed, sliding her toes forward, then her heels to meet Hotaru, to which she slid right and the blonde followed. As the blonde slid back, Hotaru stumbled, moving her feet frontward a little too early.

"Yeesh, I have two left feet."

"It’s okay, I’m not good at this either."

Hotaru repositioned, they tried again, this time the redhead failing again when moving back left, "Ugh, sorry."

"Don’t apologize, here; left foot, toes back, right foot, heels back. Toes all the way till you’re coming forward then heel once on the right foot. Then toes all the way and repeat," the blonde led.

They completed one circle, then the next, then the next, all under the morning light, showing no signs of rain. "I feel bad for you needing to teach me."

"Hey, you taught me once. Now it’s my turn. Besides, we’re learning together. I’m just better is all~"

"Hm, I hope you can do the quickstep version and the revolving version, since you’re so confident."

"I’ll figure it out."

The birds tweeted and shivered in the little fountains below their balcony, Royal Guard went around patrolling in their clanking chainmail, staff roamed for the busy day filled with guests to arrive and who have arrived already.

All of them could hear the melody from above, as two pairs of shoes scraped the tiles. "My turn Ms Howllett."

"Fine, I doubt we’re letting you lead in the actual thing."

With a huff Hotaru switched. Only for Jotou to tense and flinch as the redhead grabbed under her arm. The blonde’s heartbeat quickened, her focused eyes suddenly eased down. "Are you, okay?" Hotaru checked.

"I’m, fine."

"You’re holding my hand a little tight."

"Sorry."

Hotaru’s ears fell, gazing at the woman in front of her. Jotou started, making the steps Hotaru did before; her gaze was to their feet.

’I, wasn’t ready for her hand there... It’s not like when she’s healing me either, her hand is holding so securely. I feel, off.’ Jotou looked up.

Though Hotaru did not say it, Hotaru’s face said it all—the worry.

’I’m with her... I’ll be fine; I’ll be fine.’ Jotou’s knitted brows disappeared in an exhale. Her head kept steady and she could see Hotaru’s ears stand up again and the worry disappear.

Yellow and red danced, not bothered by the heat or the sounds below. Silent in their stare and in their steps. As red turned and rotated, yellow followed without an issue...

Time flew, Hotaru leading for much longer than the blonde did, till the cassette had run its course. The first words uttered, "You’ve picked it up quickly."

Only then did Hotaru—who had been entranced—break out of it. The dance she had been doing for hours—the more difficult steps and the beads of sweat going down her temples—she now realized it all.

She came to a halt, "Thanks. You’re good at it too."

"I think you’ve become better..."

"Must be hard to admit that~"

"It’s nearly noon, the heat’s getting to me, that’s all," Jotou squinted up.

"Sure it is."

"I think I should get going, I don’t wanna be late to the appointment."

"Okay," Hotaru pressed a button, ejecting the cassette tape needing a rewind. "I’ll, wait for you outside the ballroom—seven."

"Got it," Jotou walked into the room and out the door.

And both of them, one on the balcony and one outside their room, let out a huge sigh. "Thank hell she didn’t grab my waist... What would’ve that felt like? This is embarrassing..." the blonde held the bridge of her nose.

"I hope I didn’t do anything wrong," Hotaru muttered to herself. "Maybe I grabbed too tightly? Oh no... First she says she’s not gonna spend that much time with me, then I somehow forgot we were on a carpet?

How could I be so careless!? Then I stepped on her feet, held her, but it was nice to hold her- It’s fine, she’s agreed to be my date. Just make sure the night goes well. I can only control what I do," she took a breath and strode into the room.

_

A pattern of knocks hit the door, "Hello?"

"Oh it’s you, come in, come in," six or seven women had tea by a table with cushioned seats, talking to one another. With the entrance of the blonde, their ’work mode’ turned on.

Jotou stepped in, her hair in a ponytail, blade by her side in her usual adventuring gear. Mirrors were set up, a chair with tarps below, vanities with hundreds of utensils... ’Oh sweet hell...’

"You look nervous dear, is everything alright?"

"I’m not uhm, used to this level of professional makeup stuff..."

"Professional, you flatter us dear."

"Well is that so?" a woman in a black cardigan stood, her nails painted red and face caked in makeup. "Then this will be your first time? Ugh, to behold the full beauty of the Thundering Blade first-hand."

"We shall make you into a work of art," another spoke from the sofa.

"That’s what I’m afraid of..." she murmured.

"Come, come dear," the hairdresser who offered before ushered Jotou along, herself with curly brown hair and tan skin. "I shall cut your hair first, then you can use the bathing chambers right over there.

Then you can change into the handmade dress, they’ll do your makeup and then style your hair. Then final touch-ups and you’ll be perfect!"

Jotou sat in the seat with a gulp, hearing scissors being clicked. "How short shall I go dear?"

"Uhm, please keep it somewhat long, maybe, as long as it doesn’t become a hassle to style or whatever."

"It can be done, it can be done," she gently removed the tie holding the ponytail together.

’Happy place, happy place. Just ignore everything. Wait a minute.’ "You guys wouldn’t know where to procure some sea dandelions would you?"

"Oh, do you want some for you hair dear?"

"No, not really... I’d prefer thundering blitzes for that."

"Oh my," she put a hand to her mouth, the others widening their glances. "That’s a flower for funerals dear."

"Oh, right..."

"We can get some other flowers for your hair, if you’d like?"

"I don’t have much other flower preferences. I was asking for sea dandelions for my date."

"Aww, of course we could get some," the hairdresser turned, her hands sieving through the blonde’s wavy hair, pinning up various strands.

"What if I, make a fashion statement by wearing thundering blitzes? My hair turns black from blonde after you cut it, kinda like them. It has a, poetic sense to it, no?"

"...Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" one woman marvelled.

"Such a sense of style."

"She was dressed so disastrously, is it some kind of Krian fad now?" one of them whispered.

The rest gushed and suddenly gossiped amongst themselves. One of them stood, walking out of the room to procure what the Thundering Blade had requested.

All the breath left her lungs, staring into the mirror she sat ahead of. The blonde strands moving and shifting, the scissors seconds away from her head.

’I, just like those flowers... Six hours... This will be the end of me. Goodbye Jotou Howllett, may you rest in pieces; at least you’ll be wearing funeral flowers...’