As the school day begins, students swim to class, chatting amongst themselves. Soon, the room falls silent as the professional instructor enters.

“Class, some of you may already know him—one of the ocean’s best tail dancers, Mr. Valdrin Leonard,” announces their teacher, Miss Nora.

A wave of excitement ripples through the students, especially Alessia, whose eyes light up with admiration. Aurora, on the other hand, remains indifferent.

“That’s the best male dancer in the entire North Seas,” Alessia whispers. “I hope he doesn’t test our skills—at least for your sake.” She gives Aurora’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I’ll be fine. That could never happen... right?” Aurora mutters, pulling her hand away.

But as if hearing her worst fears, Mr. Valdrin clears his throat. “Listen up. Today, I’ll be evaluating each of you, one by one. I want to see your skill level for myself.”

Aurora feels her heart drop. There’s no way out of this. Normally, she’d rely on Alessia to take her place, but what if Mr. Valdrin notices, just like Calloway did?

One by one, the students take their turns, performing spins, swirls, and tailwork to showcase their abilities. Alessia steps up, executing a flawless tail-circle spin. Then, it’s Cerise’s turn—meaning Aurora is next.

Her tail trembles as she shifts uneasily. Maybe she can swap places with the student behind her? But when she asks, the student shakes her head. No escape.

Her mind races. What if I mess up? Will they force extra training on me? What if they isolate me in a remedial class, twisting my tail until it bends perfectly? The thought sends a shiver down her spine.

Then, she remembers Calloway’s advice: Relax. Go with the flow.

Memories of childhood flash through her mind—dancing freely with Alessia, no pressure, just the rhythm of the ocean. Back then, she wasn’t afraid.

Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes and lets her body move naturally. She lifts the tip of her tail and executes a perfect tail spin, her movements fluid and graceful, like a shark gliding through the water.

The room erupts into applause. Students whisper excitedly, amazed that Aurora—the girl who barely cared for dancing—just pulled off such a flawless move.

Alessia stands frozen, speechless.

Cerise chuckles, patting Alessia’s back. “Looks like she won’t need you to fill in for her as much anymore.”

That afternoon, Aurora’s name is on everyone’s lips. Students she barely knows stop her in the hall, praising her technique. Normally, only Adriana and a few elite dancers could perform that move.

Alessia watches quietly from the sidelines, feeling a mix of emotions—pride, admiration... and something else. She had been training relentlessly, yet she had never achieved something like that.

Later that night, lying in bed, she stares at the ceiling before turning toward Aurora’s sleeping form.

“How did she do that?” Alessia whispers to herself. “She doesn’t even like dancing.”

She convinces herself it was just a one-time stroke of luck.

But the next day, as students present their project performances, Alessia realizes she might be wrong.

Aurora moves effortlessly alongside Calloway, her performance seamless. Even though Cerise and Alessia execute their own routine well, there’s something about Aurora that stands out.

“Wow, you’re doing great, Aurora!” Miss Nora beams. “At this rate, sooner or later, you’ll be performing with Adriana on stage.”

Aurora turns sharply. “Me?”

Miss Nora nods. “In fact, why don’t you perform with Adriana at the Heart Festival at the end of the season?”

Aurora stares in shock.

(To be continued)