I'm excited to end the first part of this fiction because I can't wait to finish my other fics. I honestly made a mistake in putting up so many stories. But I will end those, I swear. I just need more time and inspiration. Anyway, I just moved in to a new apartment so I'm a little busy placing things where they should be. I'll be staying in Manila until the end of the year and hopefully get back to Tokyo just in time for spring. I realized I'm more inspired when I'm in a cold cold place. Haha. Btw, I've complete the chapters for the Part 1 and will be posting them in the coming weeks. :)

LeeRaRa: Haha! You're predictions are soooo close to the ending chappie! :) But I'm not saying more... my lips are sealed.

ThePinkMartini: I'm still thinking of how to continue Prince Next Door since I seemed to have hit a dead end. But don't worry, I'll figure it out soon! :)

Jade: Oh my, Yui's my all-time favorite character. :) AND I'm also a Yui-Nakago fan! I've written quite a number of stories for those two. Let's see, I've written 3 one-shots and 2 ongoing stories, the most number I've done for one pairing. You might also want to check out my Yui-Nuriko and Yui-Hotohori stories! :)

Obsessed Dreamer: Well, I can't tell who that girl is... still too early! ;p But don't worry, everything will be even out soon.

Season's Call: Well, it is surprising to find Rukawa with a girl. Haha! But she will play a special role here. I might add some chapters after Chp12 but I don't know yet. Still have too many stories to finish for the year! :(

Disclaimer: FY and SD are not mine.

Competition

By Slavedriver2008

The most unbelievable things were happening today, Yui thought. Hisashi called her thrice, asking if she saw any strange things a few nights ago, on the exact night he fetched her from practice and the night she saw Rukawa with a date. Rukawa, she decided to call him Rukawa again. She wanted to establish formality between them, something that should have existed even before.

There was nothing strange about that night, only realizations.

Earlier, she got the test paper in one of her subjects and she almost cried when she saw the glaring C in red markings. It's a C, for Seiryuu's sake—she never received a C in an exam, regardless of whether she studied or not. And to further prove that this was not her day, she fell on her triple flip in the short program, effectively putting her in third place after the SP. If she wanted that gold in her first major competition, she had to be first in the free skate, which was an ordeal since she kept on falling in the practices.

The flip was one of her strongest jumps but why oh why can't she perfect it today? It will endanger her triple-triple combination and she doesn't want to play with risks. But it seemed that she had to risk it if she wanted to win. She hated the feeling of losing, hated the way people pity her after falling down, hated the sound the crowd made after every unsuccessful jump. Sometimes, she hated skating because it can crush her defenses. But most of time, she loved it. After every competition, she learned how strong she was and how capable she was in fighting alone.

It's a battle of wills and it's what she needed to overcome now—the will to lose.

She's tough, she knew that for a fact. She won 2 junior championships and only ceased competing when she had a hip accident. That was a year ago, and she's fully recovered now. She's here to make a successful comeback and to leave a mark in the professionals. She's here to win. But why were things not going her way? Well, there's always the long program to look forward to. She prayed Seiryuu would give her the strength and wished Hisashi would stop calling, it was starting to distract her.

"A round of applause for Hongou Yui of Bunkyo, Tokyo!" The announcer called as she greeted the watchers and prepared for the final routine. She will be dancing to Romeo and Juliet, a foreign song. The one she wanted was Sheherazade but her coach said many skaters use that music and it will put her in bad light if someone performed it today. He was right, one of the skaters chose the song. It was good that she listened to him. The idea was to change the performance once she can compete internationally. Let's show them how flexible you are, her coach said. Let's surprise them.

Romeo and Juliet was a song of love, of hope, of youth, of innocence. And she has to be that woman. It would have been easy if there were no emotions involved. But she was young and innocent, and in love—if that was a proper term for what she felt. The only problem, though, was that she was not hopeful and that one missing aspect made all the difference.

"Romeo and Juliet is a story of hope, even at the very end, the lovers were hoping for a better future together," her coach told her countless times. "You need to imbue that feeling in all your moves."

It was easy for him, hard for her. What hope should be taken from a love that didn't blossom? She realized, as she did her spins, that the men she loved never fully bloomed for her. Tamahome was forced into loving her, Nakago made her believe he loved her, Suboshi was too eager to get her attention, and Tetsuya grew impatient. After Tetsuya, she had come to realize that maybe love was not as easy to get as the ones Miaka and Taka shared. Maybe it was not her time yet. And so, she gave her attention on school and skating and everything that would make her forget about love and its complexities.

Things changed when he came along. She had been alone for too long she had forgotten what it's like to be with someone she can hold and value. Hope. Maybe she was hoping all these years for love to come find her. Wasn't it her secret desire? To find love despite her busy schedule? To meet a man who interests her, who can keep her stay awake all night?

All thoughts filled her as the music played. Taka waited forever to be with Miaka. Why can't Kaede wait for her? She simply needed time, space to figure out her feelings. In the days they were together, she never evaluated the type of relationship they had because she assumed it was nothing special. He made her feel warm and giggly but it was a simple crush. She never expected it to reach a certain level—not until he kissed her. It changed everything, or rather, it made things confusing.

If Kaede didn't pull her close, she wouldn't be puzzled. If he never became sick, he'll never be talking nonsense. If he didn't talk, there won't be a moment of awkwardness between them. But then, there was no relationship to begin with. Maybe he doesn't really want her as his girlfriend. Maybe he just wanted to clarify what's between them, to put limitations to the intimacy. Maybe. Maybe. Her thoughts were filled with possibilities and she can lie and think and still not reach a conclusion.

But why does she have to think of what he wanted from her? What does she want from him?

The music reached her favorite part, where she did a triple Salchow, step, and then a triple flip. She did a stag jump afterwards and she ended with a series of beautiful and breathtaking spirals. She loved spirals, but she can't do a presentation with only spirals. But she did become known for her spirals. The last part of her program was a series of spins that ended with a I-spin before the music stopped and she ended her gesture with the pose she started with, showing a girl who was in love and hopeful.

She can sigh with relief when the music ended and she realized that she did not commit a mistake in the program. A laugh left her and she her hands tightened before she said a selfish "Yes!" Now it was up to the judges to make her win or not. She shook her head. They should at least give her a medal given the technical difficulty of her program, right? Her hip throbbed but she did not mind. It was probably caused by the fall in the short program.

"YUI!" Miaka called and she turned before walking to the podium where she had to wait for her scores. She smiled but her eyes widened when she saw Rukawa occupying the seat behind the brunette. He was still wearing his jersey and she flushed when he smiled thinly at her direction.

"STOP SPACING OUT!" Hisashi screamed and she made a sound when he threw a teddy bear toward her, too strongly it was too late to move out of the way. The bear hit her squarely on the face and she immediately fell backward, hitting the ice. Her hip throbbed harder and her whole face grew warm when the crowd erupted into a round of laughter.

"AHHHH! YUI!" Miaka called with concern. She stood up and covered her face in humiliation, refusing to look at their direction. Damn, she thought, Rukawa saw her in such a mortifying situation. She covered her face with the teddy bear once seated beside her coach who was trying to hide his laughter at the incident.

"Stop teasing…" she said, looking down and still hiding half of her face behind the teddy bear. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her tight.

"Except for that last fall, it was a perfect performance. Good job," he said and she smiled. Her coach seldom praises her performance and it always warmed her when he does.

She braced her breath for the scores. She needed to get a gold medal to make a successful comeback. With all the skaters done with their long programs, the score to beat was 190.3 points. It was an ordeal since she only had an average of 83.5 for the short program. The fall really cost her point deductions and minus in the technical marks. To get the gold, she needed more than a hundred points.

In her figure skating career, she never received another medal aside from the gold. She was exceptional in skating, everyone who watched her knew that. Though she slowed down when doing her jumps, it's always well-rotated and the landings were always precise and clean with a good edge. She sighed and bit her lip, waiting for the marks. This is her first professional competition and if she gets a good score, she might become eligible for international competitions. She might even be considered for the Japan Open. She had been dreaming of competing with the best skaters in the world, and to be in the same level is already glory in itself.

Her heart was pumping loud when the announcer started to read her scores. She wanted to do a rough addition in her head but her hip was hurting too much. It was not a good sign, it might mean she had to stop skating again. She bit her lip as she watched the scoreboard. The total came out: 105.3 for the long program. She cursed in her head, although it was the highest in the FS. It was still a point short of the score to beat. Her average was only 188.8 and she only ranked second. But then, it was better than nothing.

"It's okay," her coach said. "We'll get the gold next time." She smiled sadly and stood up for the awarding ceremony.

Yui replayed in her head what went wrong, why it went wrong, and what can she do to avoid committing the same mistake. Kaede, she meant Rukawa, was here and he was watching her. She avoided gazing at their side of the bleachers when she was awarded her medal. She was thinking of him all throughout the performances. She fell down because she remembered seeing him with a girl, hanging on his arm. And the worst was that he let her hang there. She was getting depressed again, and it was not a good sign.

In the lockers, she did some stretches to erase the pain on her hip. But it was still there and it somehow bugged her. What if she can't skate again? What if this will be her last competition? People will remember her as the skater who fell because of a teddy bear. Her doctors were strict, they allowed her to skate but only for a limited time. She changed into her pink dress and tied her hair in a tight bun. She was supposed to look like a ballerina for the exhibition and looking at herself in the mirror, she somehow looked the part.

When it was her time to skate, the spotlights followed her and she can barely see the faces of the audience. She chose to take off her contacts because she doesn't want to see him. Because when she sees his face, she could not help but think of the pretty older girl. And she might fall again. It's not always pleasant to fall on ice.

She buckled her legs to forget the pain in her hip but it remained as she went on to her opening pose. In the exhibition she was supposed to do a nutcracker but in the perspective of the ballerina who was left behind. If Romeo and Juliet was a hopeful piece, this one was more on waiting and it was introspection on a love that got away. It was a little hopeful, but it was more depressing and lonely. Because the love who left, might not be able to return. And she was not sure if he indeed loved her back.

I know your eyes in the morning sun… I feel you touch me in the pouring rain…

They have chosen a more modern song instead of those from the actual musicale. They were looking for a Japanese version but found none. In the end they settled for Birds and the Bees. The tone captured that nostalgia and she could imagine herself waiting for her tin soldier in the dead of night, as the rain slowly falls. She was the toy box ballerina and he was the soldier who went out to explore the world.

She could not help but think of him and his eyelashes and the light touches of his fingers on her skin. A small smile crept from her lips. She felt, again and again, what invaded her chest when he pulled her close. She liked that very much.

And the moment that you wander far from me… I want to feel you in my arms again…

In the short span of time that she knew him, Yui realized that his arms were always supporting her. When she fell from blocking him in the one-on-one, when he teased her in the convenience store, when she fainted out of hunger, when he embraced her in her first heartbreak during the concert, when he visited her at the hospital and gave her their first kiss…

She wanted to touch him again. Actually, she wanted him to touch her again. His hands were always comfortable and they do not have that malicious feel like the men who tried to take advantage of her in Kutou. Kaede's hands… she realized… made her feel loved.

And you come to me on a summer breeze… Keep me warm in your love and then softly leave…

The crowd was silent as she did an Ina Bauer before her opening jump, a triple Lutz, which she executed beautifully. Applause came when she landed and she can faintly make out Miaka's voice at the side benches. Still, she refused to look at her bestfriend's direction. He was there, she doesn't want to get distracted. He was still in her thoughts as she did her spins.

And it's me you need to show… How deep is your love…

Does Kaede love her? Did he ever feel that way? He was always unpredictable, always saying less, always quiet in the sidelines. He always lets her talk, always lets her assume things. He never corrected her, never clarified what he meant. He comes unannounced and leaves without saying a word. He was like a fox, always too sly and hushed. And he bombards her with sudden phrases that make her heart do all those somersaults.

How deep is your love… I really need to learn…'Cause we're living in a world of fools… Breaking us down…

Was he even serious about everything that he told her? Sure, he doesn't speak much but he doesn't show much emotion either. Hisashi and the people who knew him said so themselves, he was not a very vocal person. But still, she finds it hard to accept everything as it is. She silently wished he would speak more and say what he felt and not what's obvious.

They should all just let us be… We belong to you and me…

She liked him.

No, it was deeper than that. And she's affected because she doesn't want them to end with mild flirtings. She wanted commitment, yes. She wanted to keep him. But hadn't he told her so? He asked her to be his girlfriend, and before that, he asked her to date. Looking at it now, it was actually very sweet of him. Then it occurred to her… was she sending him the wrong signals?

I believe in you… You know the door to my very soul…

It was a very short exhibition and she was glad it ended because if the music played longer, she would have admitted things she was not ready to confess. All that she knew, when the music ended, was that if she were given another chance to be with him, she won't turn back and walk away. If she can talk to him, she'll tell him what she feels, all of it. She wouldn't hold back. She wouldn't think of the past and think of him and only him.

"Hoy Yui!" Hisashi called and she nodded softly, acknowledging him. He was also wearing his jersey and clutching his duffel bag. He slapped her in the shoulder and she lost balance. She pulled her duffel bag closer and balanced the bear in one hand. "You matured! Your moves are more controlled now. Ha!"

"You humiliated me by throwing that teddy bear," she pointed out and he flapped his hand across his face. Sakuragi laughed mirthlessly behind him while Sendoh smiled wide. If her hip were not hurting she would have laughed because the Keio regulars were here.

You're the light in my deepest darkest night… You're my savior when I fall…

"It was Rukawa's teddy bear!" Hisashi pointed at the ace player and the other regulars parted way for him. He cleared his throat and she smiled thinly, looking down. She doesn't know what to say. What was there to say to begin with? She clutched the teddy bear again. It was weird that she was holding tight into something that came from him.

"YEAH, RUKAWA HUMILIATED YOU! HOW MANY DUMPING DO YOU HAVE TO DO BEFORE THIS GUY GETS IT?" Sakuragi screamed and Hisashi hit the redhead. Yui covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. She shook her head as Hisashi pulled the troublemaker in the corner.

When she looked up, Rukawa had walked closer and was standing in front of her. She pulled the plushie to cover the lower part of her face. "Thanks for this, Rukawa-san."

He raised an eyebrow. She saw his jaw clenched. The surroundings seemed to have hushed and she can hear the last remains of the short program in her head. She wanted to berate herself because it was not what she agreed to tell him before she left the ice.

"I—" they both said at the same time and she flushed. She looked down and stared at the teddy bear. She embraced it tight as silence filled them again. It was an awkward situation and everyone was watching them. She sighed and finally looked up to meet his gaze. She smiled and he responded with a light grin.

And you may not think that I care for you… Well you know down inside that I really do…

"Ka-chan! There you are!" a familiar voice called and they both turned. Yui's jaw clenched when the beautiful girl walked toward them and clutched Kaede's arm. The closeness brought her back to her senses. She had forgotten about her. "I was looking for you—Oh, hi," the girl said, turning to her. "You're Yui Hongou right? You were amazing out there! I must admit I've become your fan! I'm Rise," she said in a happy voice. She extended her hand and she simply looked at it.

"Thanks," she breathed out as heaviness filled her heart. Kaede didn't even move away from her. She bowed quickly. All sorts of emotion filled her and if she stay, it will all come out of her. "Excuse me." She turned away without looking at him. She bit her lip to hide the jealousy that filled her.

"What happened?" Hisashi called.

"Keisuke! Can I ride with you guys today?" she blurted out and Miaka's older brother gave her worried looks. Miaka bowed at the players before they walked out of the stadium. "Let's grab something to eat first—I'm starved!"

She laughed but deep inside, she was crying. Miaka held her hand and Keisuke wrapped an arm around her shoulder. They knew. Tears fell from her eyes and she wiped them carelessly. "It's okay," Keisuke whispered and she nodded. "It's okay to cry when you're disappointed and hurting."

And it's me you need to show… How deep is your love… How deep is your love… How deep is your love…

A/N: Skating fans will notice that I'm deviating from Sasha Cohen's moves here. I just love the way she moves so gracefully on ice and still be technically good. Although I like Michelle Kwan a hell lot better, I think Sasha paved the way for a more technical form of skating, the ones Yuna Kim and Mao Asada do nowadays. Anyway, there's not much in this chapter but Yui trying to figure out her feelings. More action, actually the main action, will happen in the next two chapters. Please do drop reviews!