2020-03-12 - Tokyo Rhythm, Summertime Beat
| Title: Tokyo Rhythm, Summertime Beat | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Just because school is out for the summertime break doesn't mean practicing the art of dance should stop! With a little luck, these sessions turn into one on one practice sessions lead by the Dance Captain of Ohtori herself. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Shitamachi Low City Zone - Song Family Apartment | |
| OOC - IC Date: 3/12/2020 - 8/13/2015 | |
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
L-let's begin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vU7R_TaWiE
Nestled in downtown Tokyo in the heart of Yamanote is a gleaming skyscraper, one of many that shines in the heat of a blistering summer afternoon. In this building, beyond a pair of glass doors manned at all hours by ever-vigilant doorman, past a lavish marble lobby, and up a golden elevator, are homes of some of Tokyo's most rich and powerful. While many of Tokyo's apartment complexes are cramped quarters and single rooms, this is a tower of palaces.
It is also the place which Niramo Umokeshi has been summoned.
Summer has been lazy for Ye-jin Song. With little Student Council work to do and instruction to maintain a holding pattern in Tokyo-which she has mostly paid attention to-she's found herself with an abundance of free time. Enough that when asked for summer dance lessons she had qualms about offering a few private lessons. Especially when she's had no one from dance club to properly practice with.
And so it's come to pass that she stands with Niramo in the spacious and extremely well air -conditioned gym that occupies the same building as her grandfather's apartment. At mid-afternoon the space is mostly empty, the treadmills abandoned and televisions shut off. Ye-jin is wearing a familiar workout ensemble, hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.
She's also laid claim to the wooden-floored square of the room likely intended for yoga, and is most likely breaking gym etiquette by blasting music from a set of speakers attached to the phone she's left on the floor nearby.
"Too stiff." She says of Niramo's latest efforts. It's been at least an hour of instruction by now, along with mandatory warm-up. "Like this, see?" Step, step, twist. "And then the other side." Step, step, twist. The music is decidedly funky, laced with jazz and hip-hop. Ye-jin, despite Ohtori's proud tradition, seems to have little desire to instruct in anything more classical.
Dancing, as she has said, is supposed to be fun.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
When Niramo has asked Ye-jin on the possibility of a few summer dance lessons, the outcome didn't look clear to her. After all, the dance captain surely has plently of friends to spend idle summer days with and responsibilities that the young Juubanite could only guess at. It was a chance to see if maybe she could spend time with the kind Ohtorian and do something besides hide within cooled interiors with the latest game in hand.
A pleasant surprise for sure when Ye-jin actually accepted, though. Maybe things wouldn't be so dull this summer after all!
The first trip to a friend's house is always a little nervewracking. You could accidently get lost when you read the directions wrong or the transit system can make you late when you did your best to leave early.
The ultra fancy lobby for the apartment building is classy enough to make Niramo feel out of place in her casual workout clothes, but it has to be the right place for one of Ohtori's upper crust. "...that has to be faux gold paint or something. No way they would use real gold for just an elevator."
Regardless if it was precious metals or not that the elevator is made out of, it's a smooth trip up to the Song family apartments.
Before the workout started, Niramo took in the chance to sneak in quick glances at the large gym and wonder mentally just how wealth Ye-jin did have in her family. This is a private workout studio worthy of being used for an entire health club and it was just for one family?! At least the dance captain isn't in the habit of flaunting her wealth too often around her.
Questions about just how rich a student has to be to go to Ohtori are quickly driven out of her skull as the private session starts, and then a new appreciation is had for the wonders of modern air conditioning.
Sucking in a slow and deep breath as Ye-jin demonstrates the correct movements for the set currently being practiced for, Niramo wonders just how anyone can think that dancing is easy. It looks simple and doesn't take any effort when a professional does it, but the time spent practicing with the Ohtori dance captain shows that is all for show. "Right. I keep on wanting to overextend, but practice makes perfect after all."
Sweeping her ponytail clear of her arms, Niramo moves back into the set with the 'funky fresh' beat. Step. Step. Twist. "And thank you again for agreeing to help, Ye-jin-san. I tried practicing on my own, but...I don't know, it's like I can't loosen up at all." Dancing differs a lot from P.E., and in a good way.
Niramo may be a little winded and tired, but she's still sporting a large smile on her face.
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
It can't be said that Ye-jin hasn't been doing her fair share of work. There's a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead, and she repeats the same motions Niramo does. She's not smiling quite as much, but she can't be having that bad of a time-even though she does do a lot of scowling during her corrections. Given that Niramo has lived through Ye-jin in a bad mood, it's a fairly easy to tell that she's not genuinely aggravated.
Ye-jin is also a fair taskmistress, in that after a few more slides and steps she announces afterward: "O-K, break time." A few careful steps are taken to the nearby corner, where she leans down to snatch up the bottle of water she'd taken from the small stack near the entrance. A hearty swig is taken before the girl sinks down to sit cross-legged on the floor.
"You're doing better than before," She notes, "You'll get the hang of it eventually." This seems to be something close to a genuine complement. Which can't go without the addition of: "You're lucky you have me to teach you." The red haired girl gives her student a toothy smile.
A single finger stretches out to tap her phone, stopping the music temporarily. That same digit turns to Niramo afterward, pointing accusingly. "Don't be slacking off because it's summer vacation." The girl takes another drink from her bottle before she inquires: "What have you been doing on break, anyway?"
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
After being around and knowing Ye-jin for these last several months, Niramo thinks she has a good idea on when the dance captain is on the warpath. There's no extra stomp in her graceful steps, and if there was real anger, there would be jerkiness that Ye-jin's natural grace couldn't hide. Sure, there's a scowl or two, especially during a rather bad misstep Niramo didn't realize, but it's more the attitude a mentor would have instead of a military drill sergeant who lost their weekend to train recruits some more.
Takk likes watching weird documentaries online.
The announcement of a break a few months back would have Niramo collapsing right then and there to the ground, but the steady on and off practice has helped her endurance. It's enough that she's able to walk over to take a second water bottle normally and not like someone feeling like they're wearing lead weights.
Taking a seat against the wall and stretching out her legs, Niramo's smile looks a bit more confident at the near praise. "I'm sure I will. It's not something that comes to someone overnight, after all." A mental reminder has Niramo take a shallow pull of water instead of trying to chug it down. "I really am, Ye-jin-san. How many people can say they have the best dancer at Ohtori helping them out?"
It's not an attempt to butter someone up if she feels like it's the truth, after all.
That accusing finger has Niramo feeling like she's suddendly on the stand of a major trial, eyebrows raising in shock. "I'm not, i'm not! I can't depend on you if I don't put any effort myself, right?"
The question following up on the statement from the prosecution is more like something friends would ask each other and Niramo gives a casual nod. "Working on a few backlogs and catching up with a friend outside of the Sister Schools. Yuhira-san didn't get a scholorship she was hoping for to go to Infinity, but she's not letting it get in the way of her trying to become a fashion designer. And...playing with the thought of leaving the anime club at Juuban to have more time to practice dancing, honestly."
A frown sneaks its' way onto Niramo's lips for a moment as she admits a conundrum she's been dealing with during the whole of the summer break before she pushes it aside. "What have you been up to, besides helping a girl with two left feet get a rhythm?"
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Not many." Ye-jin trills in response to Niramo's question, clearly pleased to be recognized for her great efforts. It always helps when people agree with her. She can't help but puff up a little bit with pride.
"Ok, good." The explanation given seems sufficient enough. She can tell that the smaller girl is making improvement, with how much more sure her steps are. Niramo's shown she's dedicated enough, so Ye-jin doesn't hassle her any further. For now, at least.
The dance captain extends an arm into the air, arching to the side in an easy stretch. She repeats on the other side as she listens to Niramo chronicle her vacation thus far. It might appear for a moment that she's more focused on stretching than listening, but her reply indicates that she's paid enough attention to get the gist: "They must have a fashion a fashion club at Juuban, don't they?"
She rolls her neck next, a pleased smile touching the girl's lips as she adds: "Really?" This to Niramo's consideration of joining dance club. Her hands clap together twice to indicate approval. "You should," She continues, "You'll have more fun than sitting around on the couch, right?"
When asked about her own activity Ye-jin's lips thin into a pensive line. "I wanted to go to Tatadohama with everyone else," She complains, a bitter edge tainting the words. Niramo will likely be familiar with the name at least, a well-known beach in the Shizuoka prefecture, several hours to the south. "But I'm stuck in Tokyo, and it's hot and boring." Which is likely the reason that she was so eager to agree to dancing lessons.
The rest of Ye-jin's small bottle is finished in a final gulp. The plastic crinkles in protest as her fingers clench into a fist around it. Clearly this-and perhaps other things-are not to her liking. "I've just been staying around Harajuku. I've gone to a few shows, too. Summer Sonic is coming up, I'll go to that too."
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
A soft sigh of relief can be heard when her reasons are cross-examined and found without fault. She wasn't lying about putting in the effort and practicing on her own, but the mere thought of slacking off had given Ye-jin a commanding tone to her voice. Surely there wasn't any slackers in the Ohtori dance club...
"It's kinda small and combined with the crafting club, and I have no doubt Yuhira-san would make all sorts of amazing outfits if she did go to Juuban. She lives too far for her mom to feel comfortable, so she has to go to one of the smaller schools. I have worn some of the dresses she makes at the Ohtori balls I been too, though! I'm...kinda hopeless when it comes to fashion." The memory of a rather large ballgown dress came vividly to mind. It had taken a week of constant texting before 'bigger isn't better' was accepted as acceptable criticism.
Of course it makes sense that the dance captain would approve of the idea of joining the dance club. "Well, I did originally join the anime club just to practice drawing, but it hasn't really gone anywhere. With how much I been improving with your help, I think I won't be a total embarrasment if I try out now."
That explains why it only took Niramo asking to get some private lessons! Having to stay behind in Tokyo because of...likely family reasons would make want to do something to pass the time. "I know Tokyo Bay can be pretty crowded, but there's quiet sections that doesn't see a lot of visitors. Steven-san lives out there and has a really great spot that would be perfect for friends to meet up at." That's one of the worst problems with Tatadohama. Everyone goes there for the beach and you'll be lucky to hear yourself think during your vacation.
The last of the chilled water is finished off with a content sigh, but Niramo's bottle is set aside and spared the grisly fate of its' brethen. "That's the biggest music festival during the summer, right? I've thought about checking it out before, but none of the friends I know are really into music." Well...there's Steven's dad, but he was a retired one man band. He seems like the kind of person who would complain that modern music was just noise.
Stretching both of her arms out in front of her, Niramo makes sure none of her muscles have tightened up too much to need to do warm-ups again. "Well, i'm ready to get back to it if you are, Ye-jin-san!"
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"I know." Ye-jin says to Niramo's admission of fashion difficulties. "Weren't we going to fix your hair?" They'd had the discussion previously about dying, after all. Apparently Ye-jin didn't entirely forget.
The face the dance captain makes gives a good impression of what she thinks of Tokyo Bay, but Niramo's mention of a less crowded spot does earn a speculative slant of her eyes. "Universe-san..." She muses, her fingers ticking against her smooshed bottle. "Hmph. If you insist, Niramo-san, I'll go with you." It doesn't sound like there's a lot of choice involved. "It better be a good spot, though."
"Ye-jin rises to her feet once again after, head bobbing once. "I've never been to Summer Sonic, but I hear it's a big deal here." She notes. "But it's about time."
Again, the music starts. Step the rhythm. Move to the rhythm. Slide to the rhythm...
