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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December 7, 2026... the day of the premiere...
When Ayame woke up in the hotel room that morning, Yuzuru was once again lying on the edge of the bed, his back turned towards her. She saw his sleeping form, and an incredible feeling of love and secureness welled up inside her.
Yesterday's day in the onsen had been like a dream. They had relaxed and had time to themselves, and Yuzuru had fallen asleep in her arms late in the evening, tired but in the best condition. He would certainly put on a great show today!
Ayame herself had slept wonderfully. The baths and massage had also done her body a lot of good and she felt pleasantly invigorated. And the closeness to Yuzuru, which she had enjoyed so intensely throughout the day, had really recharged her. She was now more than ready to get through today by his side.
Ayame knew she had to wake him up now, so she carefully moved towards him, cuddled up to his back, pressed her face against his neck, and gently put her arm around him. She inhaled his scent and kissed the crook of his neck tenderly.
Yuzuru woke up and hummed softly. "Aya... my flower..." he murmured.
"I wish you a wonderful, happy and healthy 32nd birthday, my heart," she whispered in his ear.
He giggled. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot..." he turned to her carefully and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Thank you, my Aya. Thanks to you, it'll be the best birthday I've had in a long time..." he rubbed his nose against her shoulder and kissed her there.
"Ah... I absolutely don't want to leave here...", he suddenly grumbled.
"Yuzu! You have a show to run today! Come on, let's get up." She tickled him a little and he fought her off, laughing.
"Yes, yes! I know... well, it doesn't help! I can't change it now!"
"Ha, you sound like you need to go to the scaffold!" joked Ayame.
He looked at her, his gaze suddenly widening and going into infinity.
"You know how much I love it..."
"Yes... I know that..." she breathed.
They stood up and got ready for the eventful birthday premiere day, which Ayame was sure would mark another milestone in Yuzuru's career.
***
When Yuzuru appeared backstage at the Arena with Ayame, everyone sang him a birthday song, which he gladly accepted. But there was no cake or other gifts, because he had specifically asked not to. Instead, he had asked everyone to do their best today, and the response was unanimous!
A little later, Yuzuru switched completely back to his work mode, his focus was entirely on his preparations, and all the staff went back to their tasks.
40 minutes before the start of the show, there was a quiet humming and buzzing in the air at the backstage area. The stage managers did their rounds once again and checked that everything was set up correctly. Everything seemed ready, but the excitement and tension was clearly palpable.
The musicians were already tuning their instruments, the dressers were checking all the costumes once again, the lighting and sound technicians were all at their posts and eagerly awaiting the start.
Yuzuru had stopped receiving well-wishes more than an hour ago. Since then, he had been warming up in the gym, doing his concentration exercises. He needed his tunnel now. He only allowed Ayame in, and she stayed with him the whole time.
30 minutes until the start...
He still had his music in his ears, his gaze as focused as ever as he did the last exercises that Ayame was now so familiar with. She simply sat quietly in her usual place on one of the gymnastics benches, watching him, observing him, being there for him when he needed her. But he looked perfect and strong, focused and balanced, just as he should be.
Ayame took a moment to look at him not as an athlete and artist, but simply as the man who had given her his heart.
She knew what he had gone through to get to this point. It had been close... She had seen him almost break from it all. And now he stood there, preparing his body for the challenge ahead.
For a moment, Ayame would have liked to take him by the hand and guide him away from here, so that he wouldn't push himself beyond his limits again, but could simply live his life in peace.
On the other hand, she knew that he had regained his strength, both physically and mentally. And he loved what he was doing so much. He wanted nothing else! That, exactly that was his life, that was what he worked hard for, that was what he did everything he had to do for. That's what he lived for!
He wanted to give something to the people out there, to show them something that only he could do. At the same time, he knew that he could only do it because of the people who had come to see him. They formed a unity, a synergy, as if one part could not be without the other.
Ayame knew he would make it again, he would once again be the Yuzuru Hanyū on the ice that everyone loved and adored so much. And she was aware that she had been able to help him achieve this great goal again over the past few months.
Yuzuru just finished his last exercise and looked at Ayame. He noticed that she was pondering something. His features softened. He walked towards her.
"Aya, my flower! Is everything alright with you?" he asked her as he knelt down in front of Ayame and placed his hands on her knees.
"Yes... yes, Yuzu, everything is fine, of course! I was just... thinking about... not so happy times. And how glad I am that you, that we've gotten past them!"
He smiled at her.
"Please don't be sad, Aya-chan! We're both heading towards a new time, and we're leaving a lot behind us, I promised you that. We will find ways... you know what I mean by that?" He took her hands and she just nodded.
The tone of his voice suddenly changed.
"I'm going to go out there in a few minutes and sweep them all out of their seats! And after that, I don't want anyone to come and put any obstacles in my way when I want to show everyone the woman I love!"
Ayame was surprised. He suddenly sounded so... different, commanding and strict!
Yuzuru saw the astonishment in her eyes, his voice became soft and gentle again.
"Don't worry, my Aya... I know exactly what I'm doing, you don't have to be afraid about anything. I will protect you and me and our love with everything I am capable of! I have my ways, you know that and you trust me, don't you?"
"Yes, of course I trust you, Yuzu!" Ayame nodded.
He stood up, pulled her up to him and hugged her, firmly and tenderly at the same time, stroking her back. Ayame snuggled up to him. She felt infinitely protected in his arms.
He whispered in her ear.
"I love you so much, and you are with me and inside me every waking moment. When I go out on the ice now, I'm skating for you above all else. I want you to see how I'm going to show the whole auditorium everything of me. You know every step in every choreography and you know how it's meant to be. And everyone else, I'm presenting exactly the story they want to see in it, they can project whatever they want onto it. That's how it's meant to be, and that's how I do it now..."
"I'm so proud of you, my heart, and I love you more and more every day..." whispered Ayame against his chest.
He looked at her, their eyes connected, they leaned their foreheads against each other and felt the energy that filled them. Then they released their connection, only to renew it immediately in a kiss.
