Chapter 4: The Plan

Sunlight peered through her grey eyes as she slowly opened them. "Where am I?" She asked herself.

She sat up and saw her right foot wrapped with bandages. She checked other parts of her body to see if there are any more bandages. When she touched her head, she felt blood.

Kira woke up when she heard Flay's scream. "Flay! What happened?" He said as he tried to calm her down.

"Kira, please tell me I will still skate with you! Please tell me!" She said as she held unto him.

"You will, Flay. You will," he said with a soothing voice. He then noticed blood trailing down to Flay's neck.

"Flay, you're bleeding! I'll get a doctor immediately," he told her.

"Kira, don't leave me!" She said, tightening her grip around his hand.

"What happened here?" Coach Ramius asked as she burst through the door.

"Coach, you got to get a doctor immediately! The bandages are not enough!" He told her.

"I will. Stay here, Kira, and try to comfort her." Without any hesitation, she rushed to find a doctor.

After a while…

"Ms. Allster needs to stay here for a month, so we would be able to check on her and some rest. She is still lucky, however, despite her head injury. The reason behind the overflowing blood was the cut in her head, which probably resulted on how she fell on the ice," the doctor explained.

"How about the bandage on her right foot?" Coach Ramius asked.

The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry to say that Ms. Allster won't be able to skate in a few months."

"How few is few?" She asked again.

"I don't know, Ms. Ramius. You see, she has a broken ankle. It could take up for many months until it completely heals. One thing I am sure about is that she can't skate in the coming Winter Festival," he replied.

"I understand. Thank you."

This isn't good news. She's sure Flay won't like it nor even Kira.

She opened the door to see a sleeping Flay on the bed with new bandages and a mask through which she breathes. Kira was sitting on a chair beside the bed, holding Flay's hand. She grabbed a chair and sat beside Kira.

"What did the doctor say?" He asked with his eyes still looking at his love.

"Flay will be alright. She just has to stay here for a month," he heard his coach say.

"Will she still skate?"

She sighed deeply. She placed her hand on Kira's shoulder. "Kira, stay brave. Flay will always be there for you. You just have to…"

"Will she still skate?" He cut in. His voice was already firm.

Again, she sighed deeply. "She will skate," she paused, "but we don't know when."

Tears ran down Kira's face. "Does this mean she can't skate with me in the Winter Festival?"

"Yes."

He couldn't contain the sadness that's enveloping his heart right now. He cried, not because of skating alone, but he can't bear to see this happening to the one he loved dearly.

A few minutes later, Asst. Coach Mu La Flaga arrived at the hospital.

"How is she?" He asked Coach Murrue who was closing the door behind her.

"She won't be able to skate in the festival," she replied with her eyes staring at the floor.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said as he tried to comfort her.

Silence…

"Mu, what should we do?" Coach Murrue asked suddenly.

He looked up at her.

"I can't just cancel Kira and Flay's participation. There's no turning back anymore."

He just looked at her.

"There must be something we can do."

Still, he didn't say anything.

"Are you even listening?"

"Yes, I am. I was just thinking if you would agree to what I had in mind," he finally replied.

"What do you have in mind then?" She asked, changing the tone of her voice.

"We'll 'replace' Flay, momentarily, and just for the sake of the show."

Coach Ramius thought about it for a moment. "Since Kira and Flay are registered for a duet, the organizers might approve for a replacement. But how can we find a replacement?" She asked.

"We will conduct an ice-skating contest. Whoever wins, she will be the replacement. In that way, the show can go on and we won't destroy our reputation especially with Kira's."

"Speaking of him," she paused, "will it be alright for him?"

Mr. La Flaga sighed. Coach Ramius has a point. The plan was perfect, but the said young man may not agree.

Kira's Condo Unit… (Hahaha..so much for high-class! XD)

Kira flunked to his bed, exhausted and tired. He hadn't slept a wink since Flay's accident. Good thing, Coach La Flaga volunteered to look after her for the night.

"Flay…," he breathed to the empty space between the walls. He missed her terribly -- her laughs, her smiles, and everything about her. He felt nothing without her.

Out of the blue, he heard the sound of skates clashing to the ice.

"The winter festival," he thought suddenly.

Flashback…

"Kira," Flay called out to the boy beside her. They were outside, lying down the grass under the beautiful array of colors of the trees. Rehearsals are over, and now is the perfect time to relax.

"What is it, Flay?" he asked. He shifted himself to look at her.

"Are you a good promise keeper?" she asked.

"Why do you ask that?"

The red-haired girl sat up and tucked her knees close to her slender body. "I just want you to promise me something."

"Flay," he said in calm, sincere tone, "I may not be a good promise keeper, but I'll try to be one." He smiled. "Now, tell me about the promise."

Flay smiled back. She always dreamed of having a boyfriend just like Kira. She held up her hand with her pinky finger out. "Promise me that we'll skate from now until eternity."

He held his hand in the same way Flay did and interlocked it with hers. "Pinky swear."

End of Flashback…

"If only you were here, Flay, you'll tell me what to do." Without changing his clothes or taking a shower, he succumbed into a deep sleep.

A/n:

Sorry if took me a lot of time before an update. School has already started and I'm busy living the life.

I hope you understand…