Of Angels and Phantoms

Chapter 7-Warming Up

"Ugh."

Nam turned around and looked at me. "You okay?"

I nodded sleepily and groaned again as I bent down to pick up a box of skating guards. "Just tired."

"Didn't sleep well last night?" Nam asked concernedly, helping me with the other box.

"Yeah. Had a bad dream. The same one, specifically..." I sighed, smiling at him gratefully as he followed me into the storage room. "Thanks for your help, Nam. You should go practice before Tracy snaps at your heels!"

Nam chuckled and placed the box on the shelf, also taking the one in my arms. "Coach Tracy's also pretty fiery, eh?" He tucked the boxes in and grinned at me, pushing me out along with him. "Train together with me today! It's boring without partners..."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Not today, kiddo. I have work to do," I pointed at the pile of skating boots on the ground, still unsorted.

"Man...those attendants really make you slog." He sighed and skated resignedly towards Coach Tracy and the others, shooting me a disappointed smile. I shrugged back at him and sighed at the pile of boots, kneeling down to sort them out.

"I wonder how they're doing..." I mumbled to myself, smiling slightly. I'm sure they'll be fine.

--- ---

....ngh...

......

Why is it so dark...?

Where am I?

Where's everyone...where's Javi?

"I'm so sorry, Coach..."

Eh? I opened my eyes and saw Coach standing in front, with his back facing me.

"Don't tell that to me." I heard Coach's cold, steely voice. I couldn't see his face.

"A-ah..." I croaked weakly, trying to get up.

"YUZU!" Javi turned around quickly, grabbing my hand. "Thank God..."

"Yuzuru! How are you feeling? Are you better now?" Coach slid to the other side of the bed, placing his hand on my arm.

I nodded groggily, lying on the bedrest. "I...had asthma..." I could hardly see their faces in the dimly-lit room.

"Yeah. Asthma attack, right?" Coach glared at Javi.

"I'm so sorry, Yuzu...I really didn't know." Javi's voice was filled with remorse. "I'm really, really sorry."

I shook my head and smiled at Javi, squeezing his hand. "It...It's okay. Better...now. See?" I raised my arms and got up from the bed, moving about.

"Well...it's good to see you better. You should rest more, though." Coach patted the bed, looking at me concernedly.

"Yeah..." Javi nodded, patting the bed too.

"And you, Javier..." Coach glared at Javi sternly. "I'm very disappointed in you, Javier. What did I say just before I left?"

Javi looked down in shame, biting his lip. "Sorry Coach...I promise you I won't do it again. Ever." He gulped, looking at Coach like a puppy getting reprimanded.

"You're lucky that Yuzuru is safe. If not, I don't know what kind of trouble you'll get into with the JSF." Coach scolded sternly, lecturing Javi on and on.

"I-It's okay, Coach...I am okay..." I tried to intervene, pleading with Coach.

"AND YOU." Coach glared at me. I gulped, bracing myself.

"You know your condition best. You need to take care of your body, Yuzuru. You're an athlete, you know? You-..." Coach continued to lecture us till the end of the night till our ears dropped off.

--- ---

"Good morning, Yuzu..." Javi yawned as he scooped a bowl of cornflakes and milk from the breakfast spread. "You feeling okay?"

I smiled and nodded to him. "Good morning..." I yawned as I followed Javi to the table with some milk and sandwiches.

"You two didn't sleep last night or what?" Johnny slid down beside us with his food. "You guys look"

"Bad night yesterday, man...don't ask." Javi sighed and ate a spoonful of his cornflakes.

Johnny turned to me and smiled without speaking much. I nodded back and smiled. He's probably sparing me from speaking more English... I took a bite of the egg sandwich, washing it down with some milk.

"Practice is at 2pm, right?" Johnny asked, breaking the silence.

"Yup." Javier nodded, eating his cereal. "After the ladies."

"Okay, I'll go back first. See you guys later. And catch some sleep," Johnny flashed a smile before he turned around and left the dining hall, picking up a bottle of juice on the way.

"Do you need more rest? You were in really bad shape yesterday..."

I shook my head, swallowing the last bite of my sandwich. "I'm going to practice later."

"Huh? Practice is at 2pm. It's only 9am!"

"The rink is open..." I replied, pointing at some of the other skaters heading to the rink. "I practice first..."

Javi looked at me and shrugged, shaking his head resignedly. "Man...you're a hardworking one."

I finished my milk and glanced at Javi. "You...want to go?" I made a walking sign with my fingers.

"Hm? Yeah, sure. I'll go put the bowl back first." Javi got up and went to the back while I sat, waiting for him.

Just then, the door pushed open and a few Team America members strolled in. Alex and Maia smiled and waved to me while chatting with their teammates. I noticed the guy with blonde curls walking behind them, chatting happily with another female teammate. Adam Rippon... he was at the Cricket that day.

Javi tapped my shoulder. "Let's go back, I'm done here."

I followed him to the exit, looking back a few times. He seemed pretty close to June... Are they dating or something?

"I'll see you later, then!" Javi gave me a quick smile before closing his room door. I went back to my room, changing into my training suit and placed my skating boots in the bag as I went out again, taking the lift down to the training rink.

There was nobody else at the rink except Yulia, who was practicing at the side of the rink. I quietly changed into my skates, entering from the other side. Another hard worker here...

I should take it slow... I breathed slowly, taking deep breaths each time as I did my step sequence, attempting a few jumps in between.

"Yuzuru."

I noticed Yulia skating towards me, giving me a smile.

"Yulia!" I smiled back, greeting her. "Good morning..."

"You are...early too," Yulia slowly spoke, slowing down beside me. "Men's practice is in the afternoon, right.?"

I nodded. "I should practice more."

She nodded back, sliding her hands into her pockets. "I'm going back first. See you," she turned back, stepping out of the rink.

Yulia's nice... I smiled and carried on with my practice, with the entire rink to myself. My short program was choreographed by Buttle this season, and... man. I stopped after running through the program twice and got out of the rink, catching my breath. Asthma is such a burden sometimes...

As I sat down on the side benches to rest, a soft sound rang from the lift lobby and I could hear the sound of skating guards tapping on the marble floor, onto the cement flooring around the rink. I turned my head and looked up.

It was Adam.

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