An Unanswered Lonely Call

It was no secret to anyone that Polar Star Dormitory was nursed by a man who full-on and wholeheartedly supported the dorm’s members tendency to throw parties every second night. One might even say he straight-up embraced it.

Which is why there was not even the slightest hint of surprise when Satoshi agreed to Hideyoshi’s idea to throw a summer night party outside and even immediately suggested to carry the jukeboxes outside.

Most of the residents were quick to join into the preparations for the spontaneous idea and in what felt like no time, they had decorated the gardens and prepared food to share.

A great majority of the drinks were of course provided by Yasu Ibusaki. Everyone was in agreement that a party without his infamous, self-made “rice juice” would be quite frankly incomplete. It’s what got them all so bubbly and excited. It’s what made Daisuke and Hideyoshi stop arguing for a bit. It possessed the power to even let Chieko Marui snap out of her usual grouchiness and enjoy the party for once.

One would think that, at last, Chieko had nothing to complain about considering that Hideyoshi’s newest party plan hadn’t her room as location in mind. But proving everyone who assumed such wrong, the bespectacled girl had grumbled about having to study and therefore no time for party, while simultaneously being annoyed about the upcoming noise they would make. All fell on deaf ears however, as she was dragged out of her room by her insistent classmates regardless.

Now she was bouncing around like a grasshopper and filled the air with that certain shrill laughter that always spilled out of her when she was drunk. Near her were Hideyoshi and Daisuke who participated in their third speed-eating-competition of the evening. This time they had grabbed the Ramen that Hiroshi had prepared with Satoshi’s help. Said Hiroshi was currently blushing vigorously, as he listened to the excited, jolly praise of Kimiko who had just finished her bowl of Ramen. Satoshi stood right next to him, laughing innocently but oh-so knowingly.

And then there was Mika. Mika Aldini.

The moment Yasu let his eyes trail to her, he felt it was impossible to look anywhere else anymore.

Most of the dancing juniors surrounding her had put at least two meters of respecting distance between them and her, just like people would look at great masterpieces of art or valuable jewellery in a museum from a certain distance.

Her naked feet carried her over the green grass with such ease that it almost gave off the illusion that she was floating. The white, frilly skirt she had put on elegantly flowed whenever she took her turns. Her golden hair shone even at night and on her full lips there was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Emitting from the forest one could see the fireflies, giving him the illusion of small fairies circling their queen.

Loudly and happy she sung along the lyrics that the jukebox was playing.

“Oooh, I wanna dance with somebody!”

Yasu was sure he had heard the song a billion of times but somehow he couldn’t shake off the feeling that this was the first time he ever heard it. Here, outside the Polar Star Dormitory, in a summer night, surrounded by drunk classmates and happy juniors, with fireflies dancing alongside it and the animals in the nearby forest cautiously watching. That was the first time, he ever truly heard Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”.

“I wanna feel the heat with somebody!”

Like they’ve never done before, the lyrics truly sunk into Yasu. Digging through to his very heart.

Suddenly, everything felt so easy.

Like he knew exactly what to do.

There was an urge to just stand up. Stand up and move his feet. Stand up and move closer to her. Stand up and give her a smile. Stand up and take a turn. Stand up and fulfil her request.

Slowly but surely, he felt himself rising off the block of wood he had been sitting on. Brief memories of him and Chi-chan practising how to dance in their childhood going through his head, feeling it was all for this day, like this particular night was a part of his destiny.

Then reality sunk back in.

It was just a song. A song that a great number of girls all across the globe had drunkly sung along to already. Not everyone who sung alongside Madonna’s “Material Girl” was a gold-digger, not everyone who sung along Eminem’s “Loose Yourself” had vomit on his sweater already that was mom’s spaghetti.

And even if Mika meant what she sung along to, Yasu knew that he was not the man to take a chance on a love that burns hot enough to last that Mika wanted. Her lonely heart called for a specific name and it was that of a year-older redhead with eyes that had the colour of amethysts and a sense of taste they described as being gifted from the Heavens.

Yasu was not what she had in mind. And he shouldn’t act like he was. And while his heart sunk, he did as well, back onto the block of wood.

He knew one day she’d dance with the somebody who loved her, looking as beautiful, graceful, talented and enchanting as always. And he’d still be watching her, as memories of a summer night where only the fireflies had been her company would hold his broken heart in their clutches.