[ tkri! I NEED MY MOTIVATION BACK. :( ] [ Play as Rui! ]

... ... ...

"Ah— Saki! Is this really how we're going to spend time together today..? As a skater—nay, a connoisseur of kinetic motion—ballet is.. well.. Eheh.."

Tsukasa muttered sheepishly, walking alongside Saki.

Saki nodded to Tsukasa's question.

"Of course it is, onii-chan! You've been busy with your clubs and perfecting your cool skater tricks all the time, so I've missed you a lot. And I'm sure you won't be bored once you actually see how amazing it is on stage!"

Saki stated, her enthusiasm clearly showing as she began guiding her brother to their seats.

"Aha! Well, who am I to doubt my best little sister's judgement? ☆" He laughed, ruffling her hair affectionately.

As Tsukasa took his seat beside his sister, he grew quiet and let out a soft sigh, crossing his arms.

'I do enjoy spending time with Saki, truly! Every second! But.. A ballet performance..?'

And then, the curtains opened.

The first few acts were.. fine. He clapped when he was supposed to, and tried not to yawn and let his mind slip away. He respected the skill—it was clear these people worked hard—but it wasn’t clicking with him. The leaps, the turns.. They just didn’t have the raw energy of skating. Where were the risks? The adrenaline? The dancers were talented, yes, but their movements, to him, lacked the thrill and chaos of skating tricks. Ballet felt too refined, too calculated, too.. delicate, for Tsukasa to appreciate to the fullest.

Until he stepped onto the stage.

Tsukasa’s eyes widened. He didn’t realize he’d sat up straighter in his seat until Saki nudged him, confused by his sudden attentiveness. But Tsukasa barely registered it. All his focus was on the boy now standing center stage.

The boy's presence commanded attention. Every step, every spin, each extension of his arms—everything made the audience, including Tsukasa, stop to stare in awe.

And. For the first time this evening, Tsukasa wasn’t thinking about skating. ♡