Foreign Ground (Yuzuru Hanyu)

3. Bracelet Of Connection

"Wait! You mean the Hanyu guy is not first?" Lilis asked in shock.

"No, right now, he's third." Clara explained patiently.

"Third!!! Not even second?"

"He popped his first quad." Clara shrugged.

"Why does something so stupid matter, that shit made me cry. It was that good. The others couldn't even touch him."

"I told you, it's technical."

"Ugh, I didn't think this would make me so angry."

"There is still the free in two days."

"Can Hanyu win?"

"He can... If he skates clean."

"Really?"

"And if Nathan doesn't skate well."

"What about the guy that's second?"

"Jason? Huh, he has no quads... He doesn't have a chance."

"But he's second right now, with no quads?"

"Because he skated clean, what can you do."

"I wanna tell Hanyu he did a great job, those marks mean nothing to him." Lilis passionately argued and pushed her way through the crowd to the exit.

"Good luck with that. There's about a million girls who want to do just that... And more." Clara chuckled, following her friend.

"He's that famous, huh?"

"Plus, of course the marks matter, he wants to win."

"He has already won in my eyes."

"Omg, how did you become such a hard core fan in just a day?" Clara said, adding as they left the rink: "Finally, air!"

The girls took a minute to appreciate the fresh air filling their nostrils and relaxing their brains.

"It really was too hot in there. How did the ice not melt?" Lilis sighed.

"It probably did."

"Maybe that's why Hanyu didn't do that one jump."

"I don't think it's that..." Clara skeptically added.

"Then what is it?"

Clara tried to hold back for a second, debating if she should speak or not. "He got scared, timid... He didn't want to fall, didn't want to hurt himself. He simply got old."

Lilis couldn't come up with a reply to that. It probably was true, Hanyu didn't want to risk it, which, as it seems, is a bad thing in this sport.

To her silence, Clara responded: "Figure skating is all about throwing yourself in the air and hoping for the best, it doesn't necessarily mean being reckless, but a certain amount of craziness is needed. At this level, Hanyu simply cannot be scared of falling, and he knows this. Then again, I understand him, he has hurt himself way too many times already. But if he is no longer prepared to sacrifice everything, than maybe he shouldn't be here."

Lilis let those words sink in. They all made sense. Really, who wouldn't be afraid of falling, but there was something missing in that story. That explanation just didn't fit with the expression scarring the skaters face at the end of that program. He regretted not giving it his all, he was ready to go again, Lilis was sure of it. That guy was willing to die on that ice.

'But something was missing'

................... ............. ..........

The next day, the day of the men's practice for the free program, something happened, something that would change the course of the competition and the course of Lilis' life as she has known it.

............ .......... .........

"Come on Lilis, you were the one willing to go to the men's bathroom a few days ago, don't be such a party pooper!" Clara whined, pulling her friend by the wrist.

"Yeah, going to the men's bathroom is nowhere near going to the men's changing room." Lilis argued, standing her ground.

"You mean, it's unethical?"

"And creepy."

"Oh come on, It's not like we're actually gonna get in there. Just, let's pretend to be a part of the staff and just sneak around, we might see someone... Like Nathan..." The eager one opened her eyes wide, going for the puppy eye look.

"Nope... Not a chance, I'll wait for you to get kicked out." The reasonable one closed her hazel look to protect herself from the pleading friend and the temptation of giving in.

With a loud grout and and even louder: "Fine!" the taller girl disappeared behind a corridor, and the shorter stayed right at the corner for as long as she had to.

Standing there, all alone, in an empty corridor after the practice, hearing noises and voices but seeing no one, gave Lilis chills down her back and across her limbs. It reminded her of that feeling you have playing hide and seek, the feeling of anticipation for someone to come around the corner.

"Where did you get that?" Said a voice right next to her.

Lilis physically jumped up at the sound of the voice that close to her. As she looked to her left the first thing she grasped was a lanky finger pointing to her left wrist. Her gaze followed the arm all the way up to the face. The white jacket was familiar enough, but there was something in the way that the voice spoke that gave away the speakers identity immediately. The words were rushed, yet carefully pronounced, they were mumbled yet clear. But the accent itself, gave him away. Lilis knew him.

"I found it."

"Where?"

"In the bathroom."

The girl could feel the loud thud of her heart in her throat. Yuzuru's face was expressionless.

"Is it yours?" She asked carefully, slowly taking the object in question off her wrist.

"I think." He said, raising his hand and showing a similar bracelet on his right wrist. "My mom makes it."

"I'm sorry, you can have it back."

She offered it on her palm, and bowed a bit, something that she had learned in her childhood.

Hesitantly, the guy accepted the bracelet on her open palm, and with a loud sigh placed it carefully back where it belonged - on his wrist. 

Lilis watched, still in disbelief, as Hanyu's sweaty hair stuck to his forehead the moment he looked back up at her. And she tried not to giggle as he smiled at her and bowed. In that moment she couldn't think of the consequences and with no filter she spoke what was on her mind. 

"I know nothing about figure skating. I've never watched it." She observed his expressionless face for any signs of annoyance or discomfort. But finding none, she continued: "But you broke my heart yesterday with what you did. I want to tell you, you did a good job. You did the job, for me at least. I hope that means something to you."

The expressionless face became more lively, eyebrows raised, and lips slightly parted. Before speaking. he wiped his face with a towel and looked through her eyes straight into her soul.

"Means evelything. Thank you."

Of course, as he bowed for the second time, Lilis deeply blushed and stepped back, becoming aware of the situation she was in. And as he gave her a small smile she remembered the way his blades cut the ice and the way he sternly eyed everyone and everything in sight. She remembered how just a day ago she watched from the audience and couldn't help the tears sliding down her face. The music and him within it, shook her to the bone, and here he was, smiling down at her, very gently.  

"Thank you." She mumbled incoherently and regretted saying it as soon as his eyebrows collected in a frown.

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head along.

"I don't know. For skating I guess, and the bracelet, it's very beautiful."

"Ah... I'd give to you, but then.... Me doesn't skate good. Skates bad."

"Superstitious much?" The girl teased.

"Too much." The guy laughed.