This is the story of Ayame, a young artistic gymnast who, due to a stroke of fate, can no longer practise her sport. In search of a new purpose in life, she comes to Sendai from her home town of Sapporo by chance to work in the house of a famous fig...
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The days in the house were like paradise. Nothing and nobody disturbed them. They found peace and quiet, walked hand in hand by the lake and in the forest, had long and intense conversations and enjoyed the good food.
And they dedicated themselves completely to their lust for each other. They made love as often as they wanted and could. They held each other tightly, he was inside her, she was on top of him. They explored every corner of their bodies and souls.
They felt that their connection, which they had felt from the beginning, grew stronger with every hour, every minute, every second. The constant physical union broke down all boundaries of thought. They were one. Lost in each other.
At the same time, they knew that they couldn't go on like this forever. That there was a reality out there that they had to face. Nevertheless, this place, this house, this lake, had given them the opportunity to open up to each other completely, free from everything.
On the fifth day, it was Sunday afternoon, after a delicious meal from Honda-san's wife, they sat together on their cushions on the veranda, close together and their hands intertwined, in thought, their eyes fixed on the lake.
"I know where the journey is going now..." said Yuzuru suddenly.
Ayame looked at him questioningly. "Really? Can you put into words what you mean?"
"Mhm, yes..." he took another moment.
"The new show will tell the story of a man. We will accompany him on his journey through life, but in a completely different way to 'GIFT'. He goes through all the emotional stages that lead him from loneliness to togetherness. So it's not about him alone, but about him always in the context of another person, their relationship with each other. With ups and downs, pain, anger, suffering, happiness, joy, love and sex. In the end, he is still back at the beginning, because no one knows what will happen once he has found his other half. The rest of the journey remains hidden... the difference is that he no longer has to travel alone."
Ayame had been watching Yuzuru intently the whole time as he continued to gaze out over the lake. When he finished speaking, she thought about it for a moment as she turned her gaze back to the sparkling water.
She had only heard him talk about abstract concepts like this a few times before, and it fascinated her how clearly he put everything into words.
"You're describing your own path... to where we both are right now."
"Yes."
"And you really want to put it all on the ice, show it to all the people who will watch you? All of this from you?"
"Yes, because I don't want to hide anything anymore! No one has the right to determine my life! Except myself..." he seemed very firm.
"But I will present it in such a way that everyone could be meant, everyone can find themselves in it, recognize themselves. I will tell the emotions straight. The meaning will be recognizable for everyone... I will need new choreographies... but I will also be able to incorporate a few of the existing ones. 'Believe' for example. And of course I will work with videos again, maybe with a band too."
Yuzuru seemed very clear in his images, which he already seemed to have in his mind's eye. "As soon as we're back in Sendai, I'll inform my team that I'm entering the planning phase. And I'll call Mikiko-sensei, she has to stage it with me again!"
Ayame was astonished. The past few days must have triggered and clarified so much in Yuzuru, even though they had repeatedly immersed themselves in spheres that did not allow for clear thinking.
They had indeed often been in a state of limbo, immersed in each other. They had completely ignored all reality and given themselves over to their love and feelings for each other without compromise.
It had been almost too intense, and they had both felt like they needed to recover from it that very morning. As incredibly beautiful as it was!
And now, after just a few hours, Yuzuru was able to put his entire show concept into such clearly defined images! He only amazed her more and more.
He looked at her and guessed her thoughts.
"I know this may sound a little crazy... but our intense time here has made everything clear to me, Aya! There's no way I could tell about anything else on the ice now, everything would seem meaningless. Because everything I've been able to experience with you and through you so far is so special, so unique and wonderful that I still don't fully understand it.
All these emotions that have always been inside me and have now found their way to the surface... This show will help me pour them all into images that I can watch over and over again when I can't believe it all really happened!"
Ayame realized. He had found a way to overcome his rigidity through love. She had paved the way for him, even shown him the way. And now Ayame herself had become part of this path, his path.
An infinite feeling of happiness flowed through her. She didn't say anything at first, just took him in her arms and they stayed like that without saying a word.
After a while, she let go of him. "I understood everything exactly, Yuzuru. And you're exactly on the path you're supposed to be on. I'm convinced of that now! It's going to be great!" She hesitated briefly.
"Thank you, my flower. But... something is bothering you?" He could see it in her eyes.
"I... I still have to find my own way, Yuzu. I came to you to deal with what to do with myself. And it all turned out differently..."
"Mhm, right... you were busy with me, with us, the whole time instead," Yuzuru thought for a while. "I'm in a situation now that you don't know yet... when I'm in work mode, I become a different person. The focus will be intense and I'm afraid it won't always be easy with me..." he grinned a little.
"I can guess that!" Ayame had an inkling of what was to come.
"But I'm sure your path will suddenly become clear to you too." He took her hands. "And until then, I'll accompany you, support you wherever and however I can. Until you have your own goal in mind. I promise you that! No matter how busy I may be, no matter how many hours I have to train. I'll still always be there for you when you need me. I'll find ways!"
Ayame breathed a sigh of relief. "I thank you! I know it won't be easy when you fully enter your work process. But we'll manage it together. And I'll be looking hard at my own future as soon as we get back to Sendai!"
"That sounds like a very good plan! I wish for you to find your new purpose in life, your ikigai, whatever it may be!"
Yuzuru smiled. "You know what, let's go swimming!"
He suddenly stood up and started to take off his clothes.
Ayame laughed because he so impulsively just did what he felt like doing now. He stood naked in front of her, laughing, his arms at his sides. Then he suddenly ran off, jubilant, liberated, screaming with joy like a little boy who was finally allowed to go on vacation.
She looked after him, laughing.
He ran straight down to the lake, up onto the wooden jetty and jumped headfirst into the water at the end. When he resurfaced, he simply shouted a loud "Yay!" and waved to her.
