Men Dancing In Tights

"Anyway, it's time to begin the lesson. However, before that I will announce our main vocalists and dance members."

The next day, she went out and brought back some snacks as she snuck in just as Vil was talking. Looking up, she noticed Jamil seeing her walk in and nodded her head quietly in greeting as the others didn't notice her.

"I chose these people based primarily on their performance during the audition." Vil continued, "Depending on your improvement during this training camp I might shift people around. So those of you who weren't selected as the main vocalists have the opportunity to take the position for yourself. To start, the main vocals will be Jamil, Epel, and myself."

"Wow! Nice job, Jamil!" Kalim was the first to cry out in shock when he heard the result.

"Me?! A main vocal?!" Jamil exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's correct. Is something the matter?" Vil raised a brow in confusion.

"Nothing's the matter, but wouldn't Kalim be a better…" Jamil paused quietly before shaking his head after some thoughts, "...No, nevermind. Thank you. I'll do my best to meet your expectations."

"Umm," Epel was the next to speak up, "I'm...not sure I'm good enough. Wouldn't someone else...be better?"

"You have no room to refuse. Have you forgotten the promise we made after you entered this school?" Vil reminded him firmly, "This won't work unless you become my poison apple to take him down."

Epel wanted to refute, but he quickly changed his mind in disappointment, "...Yessir. I understand."

"Epel?" Deuce raised a brow in confusion.

Poison apple?

Yuu raised a brow in confusion, "Take who down?"

"Uhh-ugh." Ace grumbled, "No main vocal for me."

"To be fair, I don't hear to sing often either, Ace." Lotus pointed out as matter of fact.

"Yeah, yeah. Quit rubbing salt over the wounds!" Ace grumbled in dismay.

"But we might be able to get the part if we work our butts off!" Kalim pointed out before realizing what he had said with an excited grin, "Whoooaaa! Now I'm getting pumped up! We can't let the chorus-dance team lose to the main vocal team!"

"A wonderful attitude, Roi d'or!" Rook praised him with a wide smile over some beauty that she wasn't clear on, "Your positivity is the sun that brightens this whole team."

"When it comes to singing and dancing, watching has to be just as fun as doing!" Kalim pointed out with a wide smile.

"The main vocalist may have 'main' attached to their position, that doesn't make them the leads and the chorus team the supporting actors." Vil explained, "You all must take your role as seriously as if you're the lead. Now that we have the positions all worked out, let's get to the lesson. Watch me carefully and try to match my movements as much as you can."

…..

"Go from posing into rock the boat then down. One, two…"

It was the first time that Lotus had seen men in tights dance like the way she did back home. It was more shocking to find these guys doing so, especially for Kalim and Jamil. If she remembered correctly, there are still those who are high up from either status or wealth that have looked down upon these hobbies. However, seeing that Jamil and Kalim aren't doing as bad as the others can only mean that they've been practicing that street break dancing she had seen and even once attempted it. She remembered it rather clearly that day. She had wanted to learn how to twirl on the head without getting so dizzy as it had been necessary for a competition amongst the children. That day, someone was willing to help her after seeing her many attempts and observation. That had also been her first time using a phone to record images too. All because someone showed her how. However, even though she won, the dance was a little too intense for her and she nearly fainted after. What happened after that…

"Stop! Stop! You're totally off, Fresh Potato Two!"

Vil's voice penetrated her thoughts as she looked up to find Deuce pointing to himself in confusion, "Huh? Fresh Potato Two? Me?"

"Who else could I be talking about?" Vil huffed with a frown.

Ace shook his head and sighed in exasperation, "And I'm fresh potato one."

"You are focusing too much on your hands and your legs aren't moving at all." Vil pointed out firmly before he sighed in exasperation, "More than anything, your movements are stiff. Has your spine been tied to a laundry pole?"

"I-I'm so sorry!" Deuce responded in shock.

"On the subject of stiffness, Epel, this applies to you too. The most important thing in jazz hip hop is to be loose."

"But these wiggly, girly moves…" Epel complained hesitantly, "I...don't want to...do them."

"Huh? Wiggly, girly moves?" Vil narrowed his eyes and scowled, "You must be sleep talking. Though I'm not going to just let that slide like sleep talk."

Without hesitation, Vil yanked on Epel's ears with a scowl.

"O-Oww! Please don't tug on my ear!" Epel cried out in pain.

"Even though it's still early evening, my cute little apple must be so sleepy so I'm just helping you hear what I have to say." Vil turned to them and spoke up, "Listen up. Those 'wiggly' movements look so good because they help build your inner muscles. There's no such thing as "for men" or "for women" when it comes to clothing and dance. Because you're a boy you're embarrassed doing something feminine? That attitude is so last era. Are you actually time traveling here from 100 years ago? I don't think so."

"N-No, I'm not…" Epel muttered quietly but was too hesitant to speak out his words.

"Hey now, Vil. Do you really need to get that angry?" Kalim raised a brow in confusion before turning to Epel with a wide smile, "Epel, it might be kind of embarrassing at first, but the more you get into it, the more you just go for it, dancing gets that much more enjoyable!"

Hearing this, Lotus sighed quietly in dismay, "He messed up."

"What do you mean, Lotus?" Yuu whispered quietly in confusion.

Vil responded with a frown, "Kalim is correct. That weak-kneed fidgeting you call dancing is completely devoid of beauty."

"Huh?" Kalim looked to Vil in confusion, "That's not really what I was trying to-- Mmmghh!"

Jamil quickly covered his mouth with a palm and pulled Kalim back out of the conversation seeing that he had messed up, "Kalim, shut it."

"I've decided. Starting tomorrow, Epel, you'll have a separate training regime from the rest of us." Vil announced.

"Huh?" Epel looked up in horror seemingly different from his usual air around him.

"You will be taking solo ballet lessons until I decide you're done." Vil responded firmly.

"Umm, did you maybe mean the sport played with six people?" Epel muttered hesitantly.

"Read the context, there's no way I misspoke." Vil responded bluntly, "Just because you have a cute face is no reason for you to be "cute" on the inside. You're going to be doing ballet like a ballerina."

"Whaaat?!" Epel cried out in protest, "Y-You want me to be a ballerina?!"

"I'm not asking you dance pointe, but I want you to at least be able to do a full turn gracefully." Vil huffed before he sneered, "Most importantly you need to do away with the fossilized mind of yours that is stuck on 'manly' and "girly'".

"H-How can I… Just because you tell me to…" Epel muttered in defeat.

"Eek. He's such a demon coach that he even puts the flying class teacher, Vargus to shame." Grim cried quietly hiding behind Yuu's leg.

Ace nodded in exasperation, "His radar is definitely one I wanna fly under. We better behave."

"Umm, excuse me, Vil." Deuce raised his hand and spoke up.

"What, Fresh Potato Two." Vil turned to him curiously.

"Would I be able to take those ballet lessons as well?"

"What?!" Ace and Epel looked to him in disbelief.

"Are you serious? Why would you do that on purpose?" Ace cried out in horror.

Vil raised a brow and stared at Deuce in confusion, "The reason is?"

"I also often think about whether or not I'm manly." Deuce pointed out his thoughts unabashedly, "You chose me to be a part of this, so I want to take it seriously and aim for the top."

"Deuce…" Epel muttered in admiration.

"It should be fine. After a certain number of bar lessons, even a scarecrow can learn to move like a person." Vil stated confidently, "Then, let's call it a day here."

As soon as Vil walked out, Rook said with a satisfied smile on his face, "Oui. Everyone, let's make our way back to Ramshackle Dorm to enjoy supper."

"Ugghhh. I'm beat." Ace groaned as he stretched out his shoulder, "I can't believe Vil is the kind of demon that would make us crawl on all fours with a rag to clean the ballroom floor after an entire day of practice."