courage dear heart | Yuki Ishikawa

35

During the week I spent at Yuki's family home, between Christmas and New Year's, I felt a sense of happiness that I hadn't experienced in a long time.

Being surrounded by his family's warmth and affection was something new for me, and it made me feel a little out of place at first, but over time, I began to relax and enjoy myself.

Yuki's parents were always making sure I felt comfortable, and Mayu kept the atmosphere light and fun with her playful teasing. We shared meals together, went for walks in the cold winter air, and spent our evenings by the fireplace, talking and We even played some volleyball, and I enjoyed it so much that I actually wondered if I had chosen the wrong sport.

For once, I wasn't thinking about my training or stressing about my next competition. It was a rare moment of peace.

And then there was Yuki. We shared quiet moments alone when his family wasn't around, and our connection only seemed to grow deeper.

There were plenty of playful, passionate moments between us—stolen kisses in the hallways, lingering touches when no one was looking, and nights where the intensity between us was undeniable.

I could feel how much Yuki cared about me, and it made me feel safe and loved.

But the holidays ended quickly, and the three of us had to say goodbye to Yuki's parents and return to our routines.

His parents were incredibly sweet, telling me to come back soon for another visit and that their home would always be open to me.

Back at the dorm, everyone was much more cheerful and relaxed. I found my motivation to train again, but without the anxiety of competition.

We resumed training immediately, even on the weekends. With less than two weeks until departure, both our team and Yuki's were very busy.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The morning light shimmered off the snowy slopes as my team gathered for another training session.

I focused on perfecting my moves.
Kaito, as usual, was with me to help with my trick.

"So, how was your break?" Kaito asked, casually leaning on his snowboard as he watched me adjust my bindings.

"It was nice," I replied . "I stayed with Yuki and his family."

Kaito nodded, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Sounds fun. I bet you missed the training though."

I glanced at him. "It was nice to take a break, but yeah I missed being out here."

He seemed to take a moment to absorb that, then said, "Well, I missed training with you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did you?"

Kaito shifted slightly with a sly smirk. "Yeah, I did. Things were just different without you around. Anyway," he added, trying to lighten the mood, "Ready to show me your improvement?"

I nodded and he smiled, giving my shoulder squeeze before moving on.

The days passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to leave.

I didn't sleep at all on the plane; my heart was racing. Ayumu even got worried seeing me awake the entire flight.

Our team left a few days before Yuki's because the competition was scheduled a few days earlier.

Yuki: "Have you landed yet? I already miss you... I'm sorry I can't be there for your competition, but I'll watch the live stream, I promise!"

Nabi: "Yes, we're already heading to the hotel. Cheer for me! I miss you too."

Yuki: "Of course! Have you asked if you can come to our volleyball match? I need my good luck charm."

I laughed reading the message.

Nabi: "Do you need your good luck charm or the victory prize?"

Yuki: "Both."

I felt someone touch my cheek with a finger. "We've lost Chō, you look so in love, huh?" Ayumu teased me.

I shot him a look and then added, "So, can we make it to see their volleyball game?"

He laughed. "Yeah, don't worry, we'll make it to your Ishikawa's game."

Hearing him call Yuki that way made me want to scream inside.

We arrived in Aspen for the X Games, and the excitement was through the roof.

The crisp mountain air and the buzz of the event made my heart race with anticipation. During the first day of training, the atmosphere was electric, with a massive crowd of fans and journalists crowding the slopes.

The whole area was alive with cameras flashing, and the scene was broadcast live.

I can't believe I'm actually here.

It was surreal to see legendary snowboarders in action and to experience such a high-profile event.

It was hard to focus on my own training with all the media attention around.

"Chō," I turned towards the voice calling me and stood there with my mouth agape as I saw Kaito walking over with Zeb Powell.

OH MY GOD!!

Kaito looked at me with amusement. "Zeb, this is Chō, our rookie."

I didn't know whether to cry, shake his hand, or bow to him. In the end, I just waved at him.

I'm an idiot!

Zeb greeted me with a genuine smile and said, "Hey, you've got some mad skills. Wanna show me a few tricks?"

My adrenaline soared "Sure"

With the crowd watching and the cameras rolling, every jump and trick I pulled off felt more exhilarating than the last. I was so caught up in the excitement that I didn't notice how much I was sweating.

When I finally took off my jacket, I was left in my thermal shirt and T-shirt. The mountain chill felt refreshing.

I heard Ayumu laugh and then tease me. "Hey, Chō, nice shirt! Are you flexing your man?"

Eh?

I looked at my shirt and saw it was Yuki's black one with his number and name clearly visible.

No way...

I couldn't take it off, and I refused to sweat in my jacket, so I just kept it on.

"Yeah, I am," I said, giving him a playful nudge.

Zeb introduced us to other snowboarders, and it was an incredible experience. They were all so talented, and many gave me great advice.

"Chō, why do you always keep your mask and neck warmer on? I'd love to see the face of Japan's rookie," one of them said.

"Hey Mark, she likes to keep it mysterious," Kaito said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Is it that you're actually shy about being filmed? You'll get used to it, and won't even notice the cameras after a while," Mark continued, while I tried to shake off Kaito's arm.

"Well, yeah, I'm shy," I lied.

"Don't worry, you'll see her tomorrow when she has to take a photo for the competition."

I turned to Kaito, and he looked at me with a smirk. "Yeah, sweetheart, you'll have to show off that pretty face of yours to everyone."

Holy shit...