Chapter 17: First Dance

"The song is pleasant. We should dance," Hugo suggested, making me tilt my head.

Did I hear him correctly? He was asking me to dance? In here? I looked around. Although, unlike the front that had more people gathered, there were people in here who were casually passing by. How could he ask me for a dance in the middle of the plaza? Just because he found the song pleasant?

"Shall I invite you like what a gentleman does?" Hugo cocked his head to the side, planting his palm on his hip.

"You're joking, right?" I inquired awkwardly, but he furrowed his brows before one brow went up. "How can we dance in here?"

"Because... why not?" Hugo snapped his fingers and pointed at the singer. "If she is singing, we should dance to appreciate it."

"But it's..." I ground my teeth, clutching my skirt while looking around. I took about a step and explained in a lower voice.

"It's embarrassing! People might think we're a pair of lunatics."

"Well, Bambi, I don't know if you are slow, but it baffles me how you still think I care about anyone's opinion." Hugo rubbed his chin while studying me. The corner of his lips curled up into a charming smirk and winked at me.

"Also, I don't mind being paired up with you."

My nose scrunched up at his response. Did he fail to hear the one I stressed after the word 'pair?'

"Are you accepting my invitation or what? Shall we dance?" he asked once again, but with a bit of urgency in his tone. My mouth open and closed, realizing he wasn't really joking.

"I..." I should refuse, I knew that. But when I gazed down at his large palm and then lifted my head again, I pressed my lips together.

"I don't know how to dance. I've never danced before." I confessed and hung my head low, letting out a deep sigh. I hadn't even made my social debut yet, and mother and father were still in the talks about that. But they're... dead now.

"Ahh... right. That's not an issue then! I'm also bad at it." His smirk stretched into a grin, laying his palm in front of me again. "Come, Bambi. Let's dance."

Hugo winked while he reeked of confidence. Did he really want to dance so badly? He said he was bad at it, but his aura told me otherwise.

"Never mind. I'm shameless!" I slammed my palm on his large hand, looking up at him bravely. "I am shamelessly confident and free! This is the first time someone asked me for a dance, so the place doesn't bother me."

"Wow... that's the spirit, Bambi!" Hugo cheered, while his fingers wrapped around my hand. "We are free!"

Hugo raised his voice with his last remarks, gathering the attention within our vicinity. I wanted to pretend that the presence of strangers wouldn't bother me, but I was wrong. With this attention he had gathered, I just wanted to melt into the ground right now!

"Hugo! Can you keep it down? Are you that hungry for attention?" I asked in disbelief, but Hugo suddenly pulled my hand and settled his other hand on my back. My breath instantly hitched as he bent over, smirking triumphantly at me.

"Yes, I am. I want the entire world, especially the mood goddess to see us together." He teased before suddenly spinning me around like a doll.

Everything happened so fast, making me lose my footing, but he caught my waist with his arm safely while holding my other hand up. I hiccuped at this position and how he looked right now. He was like the devil who would whisper bad things to people.

"I thought you were bluffing, Bambi. Turns out you aren't," he teased while I frowned, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. "But it's fine. We can always learn."

With the woman still singing in the background, Hugo and I danced in our little space. At first, the unwanted stares bothered me. But I gradually forgot about them because I was too distracted stepping on his foot.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized for the umpteenth time, giggling awkwardly. "I told you, it's my first time."

"Is it really?" Hugo raised a brow while studying me with narrowed eyes. Just as he asked, I stepped on him again. This wasn't dancing now; this was better off considered as punishment.

"I guess it is." He nodded while I huffed. To save his poor feet, I gazed down with eyes wide. I heard him ask, 'what are you doing?', but I ignored him and focused so I wouldn't step on him once again.

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"Bambi," he called, but it sounded distant.

"Don't distract me. I'm trying to avoid stepping on your..." I trailed off as my feet left the ground. I instinctively clutched his shoulder, lifting my head with shock written all over my face.

"Is that the custom in your kingdom? Surely it is an odd one. You don't dance while looking down."

"But, I kept -- "

"Then what's the point of stealing your first dance? And giving you mine?" I blinked cluelessly, tilting my head at his question. Hugo smacked his lips and squinted his eyes.

"Bambi, this is also very important to me, as I hadn't danced before. If stepping on my foot bothers you more than the victim does, it's resolved now." His brow raised as he shrugged his shoulder. "I'd rather prefer this to be a little fun. It is now, for me."

Hugo continued to sway while he lowered me, making me step on his foot. He still carried most of my weight in his arm, but this was dance felt more... smooth.

"You never danced before?" I inquired curiously. He didn't seem the type to miss out on balls. With his looks and personality, I wouldn't be surprised if he would be the center of interest. So, it was quite a surprise if this was his first dance. It would make more sense if he were lying.

"It is! I'm too precious to dance with just anyone." He shrugged, making me cringe.

With this explanation, how could I question the legitimacy of his claims? He made it clear he believed he was the most handsome man and the God-gifted child. In other words, he was too arrogant to associate himself with "just" anyone.

"If you're so precious, why did you ask me for a dance?" came out my follow-up question, although I was already prepared to hear more nonsense.

"Sloooow," Hugo dawdled before clicking his tongue. "Isn't it obvious? Because it's you."

I knew it. It was nonsense again. I pressed my lips, dodging that answer perfectly. But it still got into me somehow.

"You," I called while he snapped his eyes at me. "Am I worthy? Will you not regret giving me your precious first dance?"

Hugo didn't answer, and the song finally ended. As soon as it did, we also stopped while staring at each other. He was too tall for me, so I had to look up at him.

'Did he regret his impulse decision? Did he finally realize he gave his precious first dance to an inferior human being like me?' Myriads of questions hovered over my head and I felt quite guilty for him.

Just when I was about to apologize as I felt like I stole his first dance instead of the opposite, Hugo spoke.

"Back home, we have this custom that first dance is important. They believed that the moon goddess will bless those young couples, and it's highly possible they will become each other's mates," he explained solemnly.

I gasped in horror, holding my breath. So it turned out it was more important?! No wonder he was shocked into silence.

"I — I'm so sor -- "

"Bambi, if you can reverse time, will you still go to that oak tree or will you go to the village I told you about?" he asked with his warm baritone sounding deeper. "Had it ever occurred to you that this, with me, is worth it?"

I had thought long and hard about this during the past three days when I was cooped up inside the room.

Although my situation left me with no other choice but to tag along with him, I didn't regret coming with him. My reasons weren't as shallow as to keep a promise or as deep as trust. I simply thought that if I was going to live a miserable life, it was better to die in the hands of the man who saved me.

But now, I don't think he would kill me. Even if he planned to, it didn't seem that bad. At the very least, I get to experience that I was part of this world for once and... I had my first dance.

A smile appeared on my face as my lips parted. "I'll be forever grateful that I met you back there.. Coming with you is one of the worst yet the best decision I made, Hugo."

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