Golden week training camp was supposed to be a time of dedication, improvement, and some fun. It was a time to bring in the new and build again. It was a time for youth to blossom and discover and hone new skills. A time for teams to bond and create a cohesive flow when they play.

And then there was the all too famous dares and antics that the boys would get up to after the training was done for the day. This training camp was no exception. Boys gathered in a circle in a room full of futons and blankets as they began to brainstorm ideas to torment each other. A skittish boy with messy black hair looked on as his team began to think of ways to scare the crap out of each other. The black-haired boy grimaced at the team he was now the captain of, they were a handful.

A large boy with sandy brown hair and brown sideburns began to smile widely at one of the younger volleyball players. He had the perfect scheme to finally put one of his troublesome juniors in his place.

"Futakuchi! I dare you to go get an old dance thing from that haunted studio!" He prodded his brown-haired underclassman. Futakuchi gave the boy a sassy smile. The team's skittish captain raised his hands slightly to try and deescalate the situation.

"Guys, please, we have to rest!"

"And what if I don't, Kamasaki?" Futakuchi ignored his upperclassman and blatantly disrespected his challenger. Kamasaki's eye twitched slightly, but he quickly came back with an answer.

"Oh I get it, you're just a chicken. Scared of an old building" Kamasaki smiled at Futakuchi's upset face.

"I'm not scared!" Futakuchi bit back.

"Guys- Aone help me out here!" Moniwa called to the other middle blocker but found that he was already asleep.

"Prove it!" another first-year called.

Of course, he had to prove he wasn't scared. He wasn't going to let his teammates have that over him, not in a million years.

Futakuchi arrives at the old studio, and the subtle sound of music could be heard from within. His heart began to race as he inspected the studio's exterior. It looks to be one of the older buildings on campus, and it's age unfortunately showed. The steps to the front of it were chipped and worn, and probably used to be a popular studio space.

Futakuchi had until the end of the training camp to find something unique to bring back to his team. He was determined to find the most dazzling treasure in the old building to outdo his senior's test of courage. Kamasaki had stayed a whole hour in a bathroom stall in the middle of the night with all the lights turned off. He remembered seeing how red and swollen the middle blocker's eyes were from crying. He refused to shed a single tear during his test of courage.

The sound of music begins to seep through the cracks of the building again. Futakuchi flinches as he listens to the eerie tune. Why did it have to start playing now?! He took a deep breath and gently pushed the door open.

Once inside, he looked around for anything that would be a proper prize to bring back to his team. The space was dusty and had boxes strewn about. The front desk had papers messily stacked next to an old outdated computer, and the lights were dim. He made his way further into the space as he kept a vigilant lookout for his prize. He was hoping for dancing shoes or something of the like. As he made his way further inside, the music became louder and clearer. It sounded like ballroom music that he would hear in movies. It was rhythmic and soothing, almost. Then he heard it, shuffling against the floor like something was being dragged. Futakuchi jumped slightly as he turned to see if the noise was coming from behind him.

Nothing.

After forcing his heart back down into his chest, he hesitantly continued forward and subconsciously followed the music. He rounded a corner in the building to see a light. It was the studio lights turned on all the way, and the music was also coming from the same room. Futakuchi swallowed his fear and quickly turned the corner to see what was there.

Nothing.

Futakuchi blinked. Was there really nothing here? That's impossible. How would music be playing? How would the lights be on? Why would there be the sound of dragging? Futakuchi began to shiver at the thought of the rumors being true. What if this old studio was haunted? He was right in the middle of it.

"Excuse me." A small voice called to him, and he nearly jumped 3 feet out of his skin as he let out a high pitched shriek. He whips around to see her. (H/C) hair with (E/C) eyes, flawless complexion. Her feet were bare, spare some bandages she had wrapped on them. "Can I help you?"

"Y-you're not a ghost, are you?" Futakuchi asks the girl nervously. She furrowed her brow and tilted her head.

"No? Were you looking for one?"

"Uhh..." He looks down quickly while the girl walked closer to him. The closer she got, the more he could see. Her high waisted shorts came up just enough to cover the skin that her loose crop top would not.

"What are you doing here?" the mysterious girl suddenly asks again. "This is a dance studio. Did you get lost?" her face contorted to question the boy before her.

"Dance..." He took a while to process what she said, her eyes were large and intense. Futakuchi then looked around before realizing what she meant.

"Did you come here to dance?" She questioned him again, and he immediately raised his hands in denial.

"What? Oh! No! I-"

"Well, whatever. I'm practicing right now. You can do whatever you want okay? Just try not to get in my way." Futakuchi nods as he backs up slightly. He realized he didn't even know this girl's name. He watches her as she kicks a cd player, allowing a certain melody pour from its speakers. Futakuchi didn't know what to do. The more he looked at her, the more attracted he was.

When she started to dance, however, he was gone. He became enthralled by her. Obsessed. Her dancing was elegant and passionate. "Hey," She catches his attention, "Why are you here? Usually, no one wants to be here." the girl moves her body in a hypnotizing fashion "did someone dare you?"

"You caught me. Someone did dare me." Futakuchi admits to her. A sassy smile soon lines his face. She grunts and bends backward.

"Ah, are you here for a certain amount of time or do you need proof that you were in here?"

"I need proof." Futakuchi crossed his arms as he continued to watch the girl. He didn't expect her to be this chatty. "I have a few days to find something nice and flashy," His tone was becoming more confident.

"Okay, I'll make you a deal," She lifts herself up and walks over to him. "I'll give you the perfect thing to bring back, IF"

"If?" Futakuchi tilts his head and narrows her eyes. She places a hand on his shoulder and draws him in closer, causing his expression to change drastically to one of shock.

"Be my dancing partner for a few days, I'll teach you the basics. I just need someone to be my partner." she smiles gently at him as his face becomes slightly red. "I can dance by myself, but having a partner, no matter how inexperienced, is better than nothing." Futakuchi smiles slightly

"Can I get the name of my partner first?" She blushes slightly. He's accepting?

"It's (L/name) (Name)." she replies as she guides his hands. "And you?"

"Futakuchi Kenji. Nice to meet you (L/Name)." He smiles.

"You ready? Put your hand here and here..." She adjusted his hands so that one was on her waist and the other was enveloping her hand. She placed her spare hand on his arm. "Okay, so since you're a beginner, just try not to step on my feet for now." She gave him a sassy smile, which he gladly returned, even if he was nervous.

At first he was god awful. He was nothing compared to her. She could dance for both of them, but he did his best not to step on her feet.

"Don't worry about being bad by the way. I know you're awful." She tells him. He grimaces at her.

He then accidentally stepped on her foot. She took it like a champ however and waited patiently for him to get his bearings again. Whatever dancing he was attempting to do was harder than it looked. "So... what kind of dancing is this?"

"Ballroom dancing. I hope to enter a competition soon, but partners to practice with are hard to come by" She then smirks at him. "Why, you interested?"

"No, just curious."

"Mm, too bad, you'd make a beautiful partner." Was she flirting with him? He blushed slightly, but he tried to conceal it to appear cooler. He utterly failed when he stepped on her foot again.

Her intimate proximity was slightly intoxicating, but she seemed unfazed by his closeness. He was clumsy while she was graceful, even if she did her best to teach him.

By the end of the night, he had somewhat stopped stepping on her feet. Futakuchi began to feel a longing as soon as her body left their shared space.

"You didn't do too terribly. You didn't fall over at least." (L/Name) smiled.

"Glad to know that's your baseline for good dancing" He joked "So what are you going to give me as proof of being here?" Futakuchi asked. (L/Name) laughed.

"That wasn't our agreement if you remember!" (L/name) cocked her head and smiled "Our agreement was that I would give you something to bring back after you danced with me for a few days. Come back tomorrow, we'll pick up from there." (L/name) then began to walk out of the studio. Futakuchi sighs as he watches her leave. This wasn't the plan at all...

The next day Futakuchi arrives at the old studio. Kamasaki had given him crap about not having anything the day before, but he was finally able to convince the sandy-haired middle blocker that he would have something in a few days. He spotted (L/Name) doing some warm-ups, and her fluid motions ensnared him and his heartbeat. He watched for a little while before she moves her gaze to him.

"Enjoying yourself?" (L/Name) teases. Futakuchi gives the girl a smile

"Are you? I'm just following your lead you know." (L/Name) reaches her hands out to him and beckons him to come closer. As he approaches, she kicks a cd player for it to release tunes. Futakuchi takes a deep breath as he envelops her hand and rests his other hand on her waist. "Like this right?"

"Yup! You're doing pretty okay for a beginner," She smirks "Your grip on my waist is hesitant thought. You could grip a little tighter, I don't want you to drop me."

"Drop you?" Futakuchi questions as he examines (L/name)'s mischievous face.

"I'm easing you into the move sets. I'm going to lean myself back at parts. Can you handle it?"

"I think? I'll try not to drop you."

"You owe me if you drop me." (L/Name) then leans back into his hand, and grips his shoulder. He immediately knew if he dropped her, he'd be going down with her. As she got into position, a look of bliss crossed her face as she closed her eyes. Futakuchi couldn't help but stare.

He stepped on her feet less this time. They had some idle chat while they moved.

"So you hope to enter a competition?" Futakuchi begins as he steps to the side with her. She hums in affirmation.

"My partner lives far away, but we meet in the middle for competitions." She leans herself back while Futakuchi supports her.

"Does your partner practice with someone else too?" Futakuchi questioned as he helped (L/Name) back up into her upright position. She nodded once she was face to face with him again.

"How else are we supposed to win competitions if they don't practice as well?" She gave him a smile. He owlishly stared for a little, but then shot back the same level of confidence in his smile. "Although, their partner is loads more skilled than you are, so we'll see how dancing with you affects our sync." Futakuchi grimaces while (L/Name) laughs, but she stops laughing when he steps on her foot again by accident.

Futakuchi found himself rushing to the old dance studio the next day. His heart was racing slightly. As soon as he spotted (L/name) in her athletic wear, he couldn't deny that he had a crush. Some of the crush was only skin deep, she was gorgeous after all, but her sassy attitude mixed with her honesty and grace was also the cause of the crush. She was also surprisingly perceptive.

"Ah! There you are Futakuchi, I'm gonna make a request of you today." She then turns with a smile on her face "How well can you balance on your toes?" He gives her a confused look as he slowly tilts his head at her.

"I can balance alright, why?"

"I want you to do what you've been doing, just keep on your toes. Not like on the tip of them, but like the balls of your feet." she approaches him "You'll get the hang of it,"

"Why didn't you have me try that from the start?" he questions as he takes her hand in his and steadies her waist.

"Because stepping on my feet when you're on your toes hurts more than a flat foot." She retorts and kicks the CD player. Futakuchi smiles and sighs. He lifts himself up slightly on his toes, gently attempting to balance himself, they begin to sway.

He did his best to keep on his toes, but Futakuchi found himself flat-footed at times. (L/name) was also dipping more. He attempted to keep them both balanced, but eventually, Futakuchi let (L/Name) dip too far, causing him to lose that balance he worked hard to maintain. He inhaled sharply as he quickly moved (L/Name) so that it was his back that hit the floor before she landed on him. With a loud thud, Futakuchi had hit the ground, but at least (L/Name) seemed fine as she lay on top of him.

"Ugh..." He groaned. (L/name) stared at him with a confused look. She didn't move from her position on top of him as he lay on the ground. She was confused. "You okay?" He looks up towards her and sees her expression. "What?"

"You took the fall for me? Most people would just drop me and save their balance." (L/name) responds as she lifts herself up and straddled him. He shrugs but then smiles.

"I didn't want to drop you." This elicits a blush from (L/Name) "So, you just gonna sit and stare? I could stay like this for a while." he says in a casual tone. Was he flirting with her?! She jumps off of him as she looks away with a red face.

"Let's continue." (L/Name) blushed as she held out her hand. She refused to look at him. Futakuchi lets out a small sigh as he grabs her hand and waist. (L/Name) did her best to soothe her emotions. She usually never had problems with dancing with boys and staying in close proximity to them for extended periods of time, but Futakuchi was starting to be different. Maybe because he isn't a dancer initially? Or maybe something else. (L/Name) takes a deep breath before facing him. He happily looked her in the eyes again.

She finally decided that today was the day that Futakuchi earned his prize. He had been doing well with all that she had taught her, but she had a competition coming up soon, so she wouldn't be able to practice with him anymore. She hadn't told him yet of the soon-to-be drastic change, but he would know soon enough.

"And done," (Name) separated herself from Futakuchi, who quickly flopped down onto a seat that (Name) had set up in the old studio. She crossed her arms as she observed the volleyball player. "You know, for someone as athletic as you are, I would figure that dancing wouldn't be too harsh on your body," Futakuchi gave a slight, playful glare.

"Being on your toes at all times is a bit more difficult than running after a ball that's been launched into the air." He retorted and watched as (Name) made her way to an old shelf. He watched her carefully bring down an ornate box. "What's that?" He asked as she slid a ridge of the box upward, revealing a key. She then slid the bottom of the box back and revealed a keyhole. After unlocking the box, she opened it up and revealed a velvety interior. In the middle of the puzzle box was a smaller box. This one was made of metal and had a turn-key. (Name) removed the small box and carefully began to wind it as she approached Futakuchi. His body ran cold as she got closer.

"This music box was a possession of my grandmother. She met my grandfather in this very studio. It's why I dance here so much, even though it's gotten so old and dilapidated." She released the key as the box opened and played a familiar tune. The two figures in the center of the now open box began to slowly spin and sway. "This music box was a gift from my grandfather to my grandmother, and then was eventually passed down to my mother. It was given to me as a gift after my first ballroom dancing competition." she smiles as Futakuchi shoots up and looks her over. He was clearly confused as to why he was hearing all this, but at the same time he knew why. This was his last day of dancing with her.

"Wait, (Name), this sounds really important. Are you giving this to me?" (Name) gave a smirk before slowly closing the music box.

"You needed something, right? Will this work?" she takes one of the hands that had held hers many times before and carefully places the red and gold box. "I think it's pretty good proof that you were here." She gently closed his fingers around the small ornament and smiled "You earned it."

"I..." He carefully examined the box before looking up at (Name). She was gathering her things and placing it into a duffel bag.

"You should get going. It's late. I have to travel tomorrow for a competition." Her tone was cold. She was emotionally distancing herself as far as she could. "Goodnight, Futakuchi." (Name) couldn't bear to say goodbye, so she settled for that and walked out into the night.

"Whoa! That thing looks like an antique!" Kamasaki remarks as he reaches out for it. Futakuchi immediately swiped it away from him and held it closer to him.

"Don't. Touch. It." He cradled it gently in his hands as he observed the ornate porcelain. His face was more sullen than usual and lacked the sassy spark. Moniwa gave Futakuchi a curious gaze but left it at that. The boy had ended his daily visits as the camp finished up, but he begged for time to stop even for just a little.

A gentle melody barely soothed the aching heart that he soon found himself with. The thoughts of the dancer filled his head as he stared at the ceiling in his bed. It had been a week since he last saw her. Every night since then he wound the box until it gave him a bit of resistance and let it play for him. The dancers in the center of the box would slowly turn until the music faded. If he was still awake he would wind the box once more and let it play. He would repeat this process until he fell asleep.

(Name) was now all he could think about when his head was empty. The music box became a piece of her instead of a trophy. The song that it played was a retelling of their nights, and the dancers a mirror image of them. He now understood why her grandfather would gift such an ornate vessel. It had a knack for mimicking the feeling of falling in love.

Love? Was that what this was?

That night he shot up in bed and snatched his phone off the charger next to him. He began desperately searching for dance competitions that she could possibly be a part of.

"Come on, come on, ballroom dancing..." His eyes lit up as he got a hit. He discovered that a big competition was being held in Tokyo. His heart began to race as he thought of the possibility of him visiting her. He soon began planning his trip and only got a few hours of sleep that night.

Tokyo was slightly bigger than Futakuchi had thought. He had difficulty navigating the labyrinth of railways at first, but he soon found the other end of the red string tied around his pinkie. The building was large, and many people in elaborate dress and makeup surrounded the building. He made his way inside, but carefully inspected each face of the competitors. He was desperately searching for her.

Finally, he caught a glimpse of her. Her laugh leads him to her, but as he was about to call out to her, his heart sank. Around the small of her back was another man's hand. She was laughing at something he had said. His eyes became distant as he watched them both walk into the auditorium where they were to compete. The sound of the little music box played in the back of his head as he headed towards the stands with his shattered heart.

He had come this far, he might as well watch. Even if it hurts.

She was gorgeous on the dance floor, and her partner matched every one of her moves. She was clearly in pure bliss as she danced. Futakuchi fell further in love as she moved, but the hot fires stung at the freshly broken heart.

Once the competition was over, Futakuchi stayed to watch the awards ceremony. (Name) ended up getting second with her partner, and he was proud of her. He was proud that her skills shone through to the judges, but he couldn't watch her celebrate with her partner. Not when they seemed so close.

As he was leaving, (Name) spots him in the crowd. At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but she then realized it was him.

"He came..." she whispers, only loud enough for her partner to hear. Her eyes never left him, but she noticed that Futakuchi was leaving. She began to panic, she didn't want to leave her partner so suddenly, but she needed to catch him.

She then felt a nudge from her left. She whipped her gaze up to her dancing partner, who gave her a wink.

"Go get 'em, tiger. That's the guy you were talking about, right? It's written ALL over your face." he encouraged, causing (Name) to fluster. "He's cute. If you don't shoot your shot, I will." (Name) then smiles and gives him a quick punch to his arm before dashing out, confusing the judges, but her faithful and flamboyant partner covered for her.

As Futakuchi was just outside the premises, he hears the noise of quick-paced heels behind him. He turned his head slightly but was surprised at the sight.

"Futakuchi! Wait!" (Name) cried out to him, and he couldn't help but obediently pause for her.

"(L/Name)? Shouldn't you be inside celebrating with your partner?" He asked in a somewhat dejected tone, but before she can answer the question properly, she throws her arms around him. His balance was compromised, but he quickly brought it back with a technique he used while practicing with (Name). His eyes were wide as (Name) gripped him tightly. He couldn't stop himself from returning the embrace. She was warm from movement, and her dress hugged her just right. He was infatuated and enthralled by her.

"You came," She says softly. "I didn't expect you to actually come," Futakuchi blushes and looks away.

"It wasn't easy you know, you never told me where your competition was." (Name) laughed slightly

"And yet like a stalker you found me." She peered up at him with her big (E/C) eyes. She felt her heart race, but Futakuchi's eyes were not as full of joy.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I can leave you with your partner now if you want. I bet he has some big date planned for you two." (Name) tilted her head as she gave him a dumbfounded look.

"What do you mean? Sure we'd celebrate but he'd never take me out on a date." (Name) bravely brought the tall man closer to her. Futakuchi was too busy trying to figure out how any man would be able to resist her.

"Wait, what? But you're gorgeous! You're sassy, funny, elegant-" He listed off absentmindedly, causing red to brush (Name)'s cheeks. she began to understand why he was acting so weirdly.

"Because my partner, Ryusei, would be rather bad at being gay if he took a woman on a date."

Futakuchi's mind went blank. It almost made too much sense for a man who is in ballroom dancing to not be straight, but it never crossed his mind when they both were that close. His face of realization made (Name) burst out into a hearty laugh. Futakuchi shook off his shock before refocusing. Here was this gorgeous woman in his arms, a woman he knew he had to take a chance on.

"So, no one's taking you out after this?" his cocky nature sparked back to life with the new revelation. His face made its way closer to hers.

"Nope, I'm free." she slowly tilted her head upwards, "Why, got something in mind?"

"I might, I got to know the city pretty well while trying to find my way here." (Name) let out a low chuckle, causing a hum to vibrate her painted lips. Futakuchi took the leap, pressing a kiss onto her lips. (Name) was quick to return the affection.

In the back of their minds, the tune from the music box played a gentle melody. It welcomed another set of lovers to the world, brought together from that little dance studio on the edge of town.