Facing Phantoms, Pursuing Flowers

The Rendezvous

Day 2 of training camp wasn't any better. If anything, it was worst.
Brian wasn't very easy going when it comes to training after all.

At 5:30am, February the 1st, Javi and Yuzuru were in charge of making breakfast.

They were both amazing at cooking and produced a filling start-of-the-day-meal.

But when it came to lunch, Nam, Sota and Melody were not the best at culinary.

'Uh, I don't think you guys wanna eat this,' Nam said, as he placed the plate of dish on the dining table set up in the gym.

'I don't think we do,' Javi agreed, staring at the lump of what was supposed to be stir fried cabbage.

And that was only the beginning.
The steamed fish was a little burned and uncook at some parts. The rice was solid as rock. And the soup was tasteless.

So this inedible food resulted in them making sushi and onigiri instead. It was the easiest thing to make and it was fast as no one wanted to wait any longer, plus, Brian had given them only an hour to cook and eat.

....

After noon training focused more on targeting individual weaknesses.

So naturally, Yuzuru worked on building his step sequence to a level 4.

Javi worked on entry and exits of jumps.

Nam worked on improving his speed and skating skills.

Sota worked on his expressiveness and transitions.

Melody worked on balance and stability.

And....she just fell from her balance beam.

Nam asked, 'you okay, Dy?'

'Yeah'

'Why are you working on a balance beam?'

'Ask Brian! He says that it'll improve my balance and center of gravity so I wouldn't stumble in my step sequences. So he wants me to do my step sequence on this thing. But I told him nobody does thier step sequence in a straight line, much less a four inches wide beam. I'm not a gymnast. But he said I just need to do the turns and steps not in the whole sequence, and it's proving to be harder than it looks.'

Brian called out, 'it'll also help improve your lines and carriage'

'But I already have good lines and carriage,' Melody complained.

'Not as good as Yulia Lipnitskaia's'

'As a coach, you should not be comparing me to my competitor!'

'Well then you better be the best, so I don't have to compare you to others'

'Brian can so mean sometimes,' Nam noted.

Yuzuru butted in, 'but it's true, my Yulia has the best lines ever'

'Pssh, just cause you have a thing for her,' Javi mocked.

'Your Yulia, eh?' Sota joined in the teasing of Yuzuru.

...

Once night practice was over, Brian said they could go out to the city for while and have some freedom, maybe even go home, but must be back by sunrise of tomorrow for Day 3 of the training camp.
So maybe he wasn't that mean after all.

Deciding to go home, Melody and Sota took the subway as usual. Whilst Javi, Yuzuru and Nam went around town.

On the subway ride back, Melody asked with drowsy eyes, 'can I sleep on your shoulder?'