Love on the Ice

Preview: Chapter 2

In his darkest hours, his only solace, a haven from the sterile hospital walls, unfolded within the pages of books. Fictional tales became his refuge, a means to escape the harsh reality of his hospital bed.

Through stories, he transcended his suffering. He stepped into the shoes of valiant heroes on perilous quests. He also became a brilliant detective in the mysteries that unfolded before him. Romantic narratives allowed him to feel the intoxicating rush of love and passion. He could only experience these feelings vicariously.

Non-fiction, on the other hand, offered a different sanctuary. He doubted its practical use. Still, he absorbed facts and theories eagerly. A part of him clung to the hope that one day, against all odds, he might apply the wisdom he had amassed.

Books became companions, escape routes, and lifelines. They offered solace when pain threatened to overwhelm him and provided glimpses of the world beyond his hospital room. With each turned page, he found a fleeting reprieve from his suffering, a momentary release from the relentless grip of his illness.

His parents supported his voracious reading habit. They bought any book he desired. They did so with the unwavering belief that "he will get better one day, he will need to know this stuff." The books weren't just a source of knowledge but also a lifeline to a future where Kai would be free from the chains of his illness.

Kai's literary appetite knew no bounds. From culinary arts to architecture, he delved into various subjects. In pursuit of the clandestine and gaining access to hidden realms of information, fate led him down the path of hacking.

Though not an expert, Kai, with his quick learning and sharp mind, ventured into the world of hacking with surprising agility. He lacked the skills of a seasoned hacker. However, he had a knack for infiltrating security systems and breaching barriers that seemed impervious.

Among his digital escapades, one stood out. Kai found a way to hack into live feeds of skating arenas, granting him a secret window into the world he longed to be a part of.

As he watched the figure skaters, their grace and precision were on display. He imagined himself gliding on the ice, feeling the wind, and performing intricate routines. In those stolen moments, he wasn't confined to a hospital bed; he was living his dream on the ice.

Despite the unrelenting pain that wracked his body and the countless trials he endured, Kai's passion for figure skating stood resolute.

Lately, weakened and unable to hack into the feeds, he found solace in an unexpected discovery—a web novel he stumbled upon while searching for a new book.

An ad on the website he frequented for webnovels caught his eye, prompting him to explore the available options. What piqued his interest was a novel titled 'Ice Heart.' It was still a work in progress, but with over a hundred chapters already published, he decided to give it a shot especially since it featured a rather unusual protagonist – an evil one.

From the very first chapter, he was captivated. The story unfolded in a world mirroring his own, with one vital difference: artistry reigned supreme. Traditional sports like basketball and soccer were absent, replaced by disciplines such as ice skating, gymnastics, and synchronized swimming. Among them, ice skating held the highest honor.

The novel's main character had a compelling backstory. A second-rate figure skater from the future, burdened by lackluster skills, his life took a dramatic turn when he died in a car accident and transmigrated fifty years into the past, inheriting the body of a young man named Toma Mizushima.

Toma was the only son of an impoverished family, and upon realizing his extraordinary opportunity, the main character became ecstatic. He knew that in the past, his future lackluster skills would shine brilliantly. Determined to seize this second chance, he schemed his way into enrolling at a prestigious school that specialized in training ice skaters. Once inside, he vowed to eliminate anyone who dared stand in his path to becoming the best.

Things initially progressed perfectly for Toma. He became the most celebrated skater in the world, winning the Olympics at the tender age of seventeen, and was poised to achieve even more. But just as he seemed unstoppable, another skater emerged on the scene: Kai Ito.

Kai possessed extraordinary skills, but his personality was meek in contrast to Toma's ruthless ambition. Toma recognized Kai as his only equal in the world of skating and felt compelled to eliminate him as a competitor. To further complicate matters, Kai was in a romantic relationship with Christopher Matthews, the CEO of a company specializing in products for ice skaters.

Driven by desire and jealousy, Toma employed a slew of nefarious tactics to make Kai appear to be a terrible person in Christopher's eyes. He resorted to blackmail, attempted to frame Kai for various misdeeds, and devised even more cruel schemes to tarnish his rival's reputation. Eventually, Kai's endurance reached its limit, leading to a failed attempt on Toma's life.

In the next chapter of 'Ice Heart' it seemed that Toma and Christopher would be confronting Kai, who had ended up in jail due to the intricate web of deceit Toma had woven.

Kai couldn't quite pinpoint why he loved the book so much. On the one hand, he felt sympathy for his namesake, but on the other, he found Toma's wickedness strangely entertaining.

'I wish I could be just as ruthless to those I dislike,' he thought, gritting his teeth as yet another needle pricked his frail body.

Three Weeks Later

As Kai lay in his hospital bed, thoughts of his life swirled through his weary mind. Learning and reading had been his refuge, a means to escape the relentless pain that had become his constant companion. But lately, even the allure of knowledge had lost its power to distract him.

The pain had grown unbearable, an unending torment that gnawed at his frail body and his spirit. He longed for release, a respite from the suffering that had defined his existence for so long. Most days, all he wished for was to curl up and surrender to the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.

Today, however, was different. It was his nineteenth birthday, a milestone he hadn't expected to reach. His expectations for the day had been low, given his condition, but to his surprise, his parents had arranged a birthday celebration in his private hospital room. They had their ways of bending the rules, and the doctors had likely allowed this special occasion.

Surrounded by his family—his mother, father, and grandparents—Kai couldn't help but notice the sadness that lingered in their smiles, never reaching their eyes. He understood the depth of their despair, even if they didn't speak it aloud. The doctor's whispered prognosis, meant for their ears alone, had painted a bleak picture—Kai might not make it through the week.

Summoning a sad smile, Kai gazed at the tapioca pudding before him. The blue sprinkles formed the words "Happy birthday Kai," and a single candle, adorned with the number 19, flickered gently.

"Go on, make a wish, and blow out the candle," his father's voice quivered with unshed tears, his words a mix of encouragement and longing.

Kai nodded, his throat tight with emotion as he clasped his hands together, his fingers trembling. He closed his eyes, a silent prayer forming in his heart—for his family's happiness, for a world without pain. His chest tightened as he felt the warmth of tears pooling in his closed eyes.

With a shuddering breath, he leaned forward, and the candle's flame wavered before succumbing to his breath. Darkness began to envelop him, the world fading away as he succumbed to unconsciousness.

In that fleeting moment, he made peace with the idea of leaving his family behind, yet there was one regret that lingered—he wished he had read the final chapter of 'Ice Heart'. The weight of that unfulfilled desire tugged at his heart even as he slipped into the waiting arms of death.

Amid the encroaching void, he could hear the cries of his family, their anguish echoing in the sterile room. His mother's voice, laden with agony, called his name with heartbreaking urgency. His father's deep sobs reverberated through the chamber, and the once-steady hum of the machines monitoring his failing body spiraled into chaotic disarray.

The cacophony of their grief and the clinical alarms clashed in his fading consciousness as he drifted into the coming abyss, uncertain of what awaited him on the other side.