YUZURU HANYU: PHANTOM OF THE ICE

PHANTOM OF THE ICE

September 19, Year 2005, TOKYO

"Yuzuru-san?"

Shoma asked him, still standing on the door, seeing that his eyes were blurry in distraction.

Yuzuru was shaken out of his thoughts and took grasp of the necklace Shoma held and smiled gently, trying to cover up how distracted he became.

"Thank you so much, Shoma. Will you be staying for lunch?" He asked politely, for Shoma to shake his head.

"Oh no, I can't. I have to go back home. Say hi from me to Mira, and pardon my intrusion once more." He excused himself and slowly started going back to the elevator, to leave the block of flats.

Yuzuru shut the door behind him, as he turned around inside the house, looking at the necklace intently.

Just then, Mira exited their shared bedroom, wearing casual clothes and looking at him questioningly.

"Well? Who was it?" She asked, since she had heard the door open and close.

Yuzuru didn't respond, just continued observing the golden locket in his hands.

"You never told me you found it." He simply stated, and his cold eyes scared Mira.

She cautiously approached him and looked over his shoulder to see  in horror the locket...

The locket she stole from him 10 years ago...

September 1, Year 1995, SENDAI

I woke up to the sound of my annoying alarm, groaning in sleepiness. I had training this morning and later this afternoon, so you could guess how reluctant I was to wake up.

But finally, I dragged my feet from the bed and on the floor, trusting them to bring me to the kitchen.

As I entered it, I saw Kuua standing there with a smile on her face, a mocking one, that made me look at her questioningly.

"You look like you got hit by a truck." She said in all honesty, that I responded to by raising both my middle fingers.

"Thank you. You look like a whale." I returned, making her erupt in a laugh.

"So, what's your plan today?" She asked, taking a sip of matcha tea. I shrugged, not really wanting to remember the times I had practice.

"Training in an hour, then lunch there, then practice again. And then I want to do some practice on my own." I said in a low tone, drinking some milk.

Kuua scrunched her nose and urged me to go get ready.

But I couldn't help thinking about the previous days. I hadn't stayed in the rink more than I should, because I was scared.

My mind kept thinking about the mysterious, powerful entity that I had encountered.

And today I planned on coming across him again...

Time Skip

"So, girls, the season will start sooner than you think, and you have to do your best at the regionals."

"You'll skate a program that suits you best, and then the top one will go to the Nationals. Consider this a challenge and do your best, all of you."

Everyone was silent after coach Miyamoto's words, along with myself. I really didn't know if I was even good enough to be here, let alone nationals.

Through the past days, I had realised who my competitors were; a very arrogant girl, Isuko and another girl, the one that had asked about my dad, Mao.

I didn't feel confident in any way. I didn't know if I was one of the bad skaters, or one of the good skaters, or one of the best.