Gold, love and mint tea (Yuzuru Hanyu )

Prologue I: The night we met

I splash some water on my face trying to hide the fact that my eyes are puffy and red. I look at myself in the mirror and see that the water didn't really help me look like less of a mess. I slowly make my way out of the bathroom and look for a vending machine. When I finally find one I take out my coins and press B2 waiting for my bottle of water to drop. I slowly bend down and reach for my bottle, I stand back up (very slowly I might add) and lean against the wall next to the machine. I look around me, making sure that no one's in the hallway, and start looking for my black pillbox. Once I take out the pills I shove them down my throat before taking a few sips of water. I let out a deep sigh and start to put the box back in my pocket but I drop the box and the plastic bag containing my pills drops right next to the box.

"Ugh, of course, this would happen to me" I mutter while I bend down again.

"You know drugs is bad for you"

I look up and see a pair of skates in front of me. "Are" I reply

"What?"

I sigh again for what feels like the hundredth time today and put the pillbox back in my pocket and reply to the skater in front of me "Drugs ARE bad for you not is".

"Oh... Well they are bad for you" he replies with a thick Asian accent, Japanese is my guess but I can't be sure.

"Well not that my pills are any of your business but I have a prescription for them" I say as I get back up wincing in pain. As I stumble a bit the stranger holds my arm to steady me "Thanks" I mumble as I pull away.

"So why you hide the pills?"

"What?" I look up at him skeptically since he's much taller than me with his skates on. His jet black hair is messy, probably from training since I could see a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

"The pills is not in a box from pharmacy" his eyes are fixated on mine, waiting for an answer.

"No they're not, it's not exactly something I want people to notice"

"I understand... so did you just come from training?" he asks, still sporting his focused poker face.

"Oh... um no I'm not skating"

"If you don't skate why are you here?"

I raise an eyebrow at his question which came off rude but I reply anyway "You mean how did I get back here? I'm a member of a skater's coaching team" I say holding up my badge. I turn to leave but he follows me walking next to me as I slowly make my way to the rink.

"How are you a coach this young?" He inquires, frowning in confusion.

"How are you this curious?" He still looks at me expectantly so I answer "I'm not actually a coach, I'm on my brother's team but I mostly just watch" he stares at me like he's expecting me to go on, so I do "I don't like to just sit and watch on the bleachers, I get cold and my back hurts so I wander around and talk to the other skaters" I say as we reach the practice rink.

"Is that why you take drugs, for your back?"

"Yeah, it is" I reply flashing him a sad smile "Good luck with your practice" I say as I turn to leave again and this time he doesn't reply anything.