Ups and Downs

“So, Yuria, why don't you... come to the ball with me instead? If you come with me, you can dance as wildly as you like without worrying about stepping on anyone else's feet.”

Though the suggestion was completely sincere, he kept his manner as light as possible and added a joking tone so she wouldn't take it too seriously.

Despite how carefully he'd planned his words, Derek regretted inviting her the instant the words left his mouth.

First, as had happened several times before, he was suddenly afraid that the closer he got to her, the more she'd push him away.

Second, her expression had grown noticeably darker when she heard him.

“I mean, it's not like there's any particular meaning behind it, and, uh... Invitations! I get invited to quite a few events on my own, you know. I just thought it'd be better if we went together, to make it clear to everyone else that we're—no, not that, uh...”

Derek regretted the incoherent rambling that had slipped out of his mouth before he knew it.

He'd been making such good progress, so why had he lost his self-control just because they'd danced once?

Yuria kept her head lowered, her gaze averted.

Had she realized how he felt...