courage dear heart | Yuki Ishikawa

54

The day began like any other, the early morning air crisp and quiet as I pulled myself out of bed at 5 a.m., the same as always.

My routine had become second nature at this point, and today was no exception—though I knew that today would be slightly different.

There would be people filming me for my sponsors. I tried not to think about it too much as I got dressed in my training clothes and made my way to the gym.

The moment I stepped into the weight room, I could feel the camera crew's presence behind me, their lenses following my every move.

It was a bit odd, to say the least, knowing that every rep, every breath was being recorded. But I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, blocking out the cameras as best I could.

The weights felt heavier than usual, maybe because of the attention. Still, I powered through, finishing my session with a sense of accomplishment.

After the gym, I headed to the dining hall for breakfast, hoping to shake off the strange feeling of being watched.

But as I sat down with my tray of food, the crew followed, and before I knew it, they were sitting across from me, eager to ask questions.

One of the crew members smiled politely and asked, "So, how did your passion for snowboarding begin?"

I took a sip of water and answered, "My mom, Anna Nielsen, taught me how to snowboard when I was only three years old." Saying her name aloud brought back a flood of memories, but I kept my expression neutral.

"She must be so proud of you right now," the interviewer said, leaning in. "Especially since she came so close to competing in the Olympics herself. Do you feel any pressure, knowing you're competing for her?"

The question made my heart tighten. It was a painful reminder, but I refused to let it show. I nodded thoughtfully and replied, "More than pressure, I feel proud of myself for making it here on my own strength. Every victory I earn, I dedicate to my entire family."

The interviewer nodded before moving on. "Your father is one of the main sponsors of this major project you're part of. You must be thrilled with the support he's been giving you on this journey, right?"

I smiled faintly. "I'm really lucky to have my dad and my brother supporting me through all of this. I work hard for them as much as I do for myself."

"We've seen that you and another athlete living here, Ishikawa Yuki, have grown quite close. Could you tell us a bit about your relationship?"

I could feel my cheeks heat up as I scratched the back of my neck, slightly uncomfortable. "Yes, Yuki and I have gotten closer. He's been by my side during some tough times, and I've learned a lot from him—not just in terms of sport, but life in general."

"Does that mean you're officially dating now?" The question hung in the air, and I could feel the discomfort grow.

"Nothing's really been made official," I said, shifting slightly in my seat. "We're both really focused on our careers right now, and we don't want to get caught up in labels or what other people think. We're just taking things one step at a time."

The next question caught me off guard. "So is that why you're also very close with your teammate, Kunitake Kaito?"

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Kaito? We're teammates, and like anyone else on the team, we're friends."

I pushed my plate away slightly, sensing it was time to cut the interview short. "Sorry, but I need to get ready for my training on the mountain."

With that, I stood up, leaving the crew behind as I made my way out of the dining hall, eager to shake off the odd questions and get back to the one thing I could control—my training.