September 8th, Late at Night
"Congrats, Hanako-chan!" Futaba cheered into her phone as soon as Hanako appeared on the screen.
"Thank you, Futaba-chan! I really did my best today, and it feels good!"
Hanako's excitement skyrocketed as she saw Futaba, who wore a loose tank top.
"You kicked serious butt out there! I mean, 3rd in the All-Around from the Qualifiers, 2nd place in hoop, 3rd in clubs, 4th in ribbon and ball… You're getting a lot better with the ribbon!"
"Yes!" Hanako nodded, flourishing her long nightgown and medals, "I'm getting closer and closer to getting a medal!"
"I'm surprised you didn't get one for the ball, though…" Futaba perked an eyebrow and tilted her head, "I guess the competition was too good! I mean, Aleksandra Soldatova was there, and she's insane! Like, a high level raid boss!"
"She's amazing, Futaba-chan!" Hanako nodded along, "I hope I can be like her and the Averina twins, Linoy Ashram-san too!"
"There's also Minagawa-san, huh... " Futaba adjusted her glasses, "Well the World Championship is right around the corner, so you gotta show 'em what you're made of!"
"Right!" Hanako posed herself heroically, "I want to show them the best Hanako Natsuki ever!"
"I know you will, Hanako-chan!" Futaba made a huzzah gesture, "I'm gonna cheer you on till I drop!"
"Ah! Please don't do that, Futaba-chan! I wouldn't want you to pass out!"
"It was a joke!"
"Oh!"
"You think there's any pressing reason why you might not be performing as well, Hanako-chan?" Futaba relaxed herself and intently looked at Hanako through her phone, unable to control her blushing.
"Any reason… There's not much I can think of, no…" she shook her head with a smile.
"I guess your competitors were just that good, then!"
"I think so too! I'm going to practice extra hard when I get back!"
"Poggers!"
"What?" Hanako gave Futaba an extremely confused look.
"Oh it's uh…" Futaba found herself blushing, "It's an internet expression. It's like saying 'That's awesome' or something… ahahah…"
"I see!" Hanako pressed her finger against her lower lip, "Futaba-chan, you're poggers!"
"Ack-!" Futaba felt herself wince in pain as she heard Hanako speak, "Hanako… That's not how… Ugh… Cringe…"
"Futaba-chan, are you okay?" Hanako panicked.
"I- Critical hit… Too much cringe…" Futaba planted her face on her desk.
"Oh no, Futaba-chan! Um… What do I do… I'll call Sakiya!"
"Huh? Wait, Hanako-chan I was joking around again!" Futaba jumped up, waving her arms. As she did, the left strap of her tank top slid down her shoulder.
"Futaba-chan." Hanako giggled as she pointed at Futaba.
"W-What's up?"
"Your shoulder."
"My shou-" Futaba looked down and also turned completely red. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She spun around in her chair and huddled herself in a fetal position.
"I just ruined everything! Hanako saw my body! What's wrong with me! I just felt lazy today and wore this but now Hanako just saw me! She's gonna hate me!"
"Futaba-chan!" Hanako called out in a worried tone.
"I'm so sorry about that, Hanako-chan! This is what I get for staying up so late! I was just so focused on watching you that I didn't even think about something as simple as being properly dressed! I'm so dumb!" Futaba yelled between her legs, daring not to look up.
"It's okay, Futaba-chan! I didn't see anything! I'm really glad that you spent so much time looking out for me, but you don't need to lose sleep over me, either!"
"What is this girl saying…?" Futaba shook her head as her thoughts took over, "Why does she care so much about me? She's even concerned about my well-being! Best friend, huh?"
"Futaba-chan?"
"You're so kind, Hanako-chan… It's ridiculous…" Futaba shook her head in disbelief.
As Futaba spun around, Hanako saw that Futaba's hair had become even more messy, and tears were slowly creeping down her cheeks.
"Futaba-chan, do you want a hug?"
"...Yeah…" She sniffled.
"I'm going to be sure to give you a hug when I get back then, okay?" Hanako's warm smile broke down the barriers of Futaba's self-pity.
"I'm such a dummy…"
"That's not it, Futaba-chan." Hanako shook her head, "I don't want you to lose sleep over me anymore. I'm happy, no, really happy that you stay up to watch me and talk to me after my competitions. It fills me with joy, but I don't want you becoming tired and exhausting yourself."
"B-But I want to watch you…"
"Everything is pre-recorded! So, the next time I go to a performance, I want you to get plenty of sleep and watch in the morning!"
"I won't be able to talk to you, though…" Futaba sighed.
"Yes you will! You'll just have to wait till I get back!" Hanako giggled.
"I hate waiting!"
"Futaba-chan… If you don't… I'll start sleeping over with you every day to make sure you get plenty of sleep!"
"Huh…?" Futaba's jaw dropped.
"She can't be serious, right?" She asked herself, "Hanako is NOT that forward. Just… What…?"
"Yup! I'll even cuddle you until you fall asleep, if that's what it takes!"
"HUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?" Futaba practically passed out on the spot.
"I want to care about you like you care about me, Futaba-chan! I want the opportunity to do that with you, I want to help you!"
"That's too much, Hanako-chan… I'll sleep more, okay?" Futaba held up her hands, "I… Thanks for thinking about me."
"Of course, you're welcome, Futaba-chan!"
'I-I'll see ya when you get back, right?"
"Mhm!"
"Good… Um… I'm going to go to sleep now. Goodnight, Hanako-chan."
"Goodnight, Futaba-chan!"
Hanako waved at her as she ended the call. Futaba immediately planted her face against her pillow and started kicking rapidly.
"Supid, stupid! How could I be so dumb? I don't even get why Hanako-chan hands out with me as much as she does. We're best friends. That's what she says, but what does she see in me? I became friends with her by chance, and it's not like I do anything for her… She's so nice to me, too! I can't help but want to like her, but I really don't want to! I don't want to repeat what happened with Kana-chan… Oh right, I told her about that too. She probably thinks I'm dumb, confessing to my friend just like that. I just wanna help Hanako-chan, that's all…"
"That's… all…" Futaba felt her eyelids become heavy, and she drifted off.
"I'm so happy that I can be so forward with Futaba-chan…!" Hanako held her hands against her cheeks, which were red and incredibly warm, "BUT! I know I need to focus on gymnastics, but the fact that Futaba-chan cares so much about me…! I really need to make her sleep more. That's how I'll help her next! Please don't be mad, Murakami-san! I romantically love Futaba-chan, and I love gymnastics! Trying to focus on one or the other is hard!"
Hanako took a deep breath and held her hands against her chest.
"I wonder if I should tell Futaba-chan how I feel about my body… Maybe she can help me? I always was so scared to talk about it, but I think she won't mind!"
Another minute passed; Hanako's heart rate didn't slow down.
"I can't stop thinking about her! This is what romantic love is like, I guess? Focus on gymnastics, Hanako, focus…"
Several more minutes passed before Hanako managed to fall asleep, with her trying to count Futaba dressed in each Featherman costume and using her gymnastics training, taking deep breaths to calm down.
September 10th
The late summer breeze blew through Hanako's hair as she stepped out of Murakami's rental car.
"I'll see you at practice tomorrow, Hanako-chan."
"Mhm! Thank you, Murakami-san!"
A deep breath as she took in the Tokyo air. It was good to be home, with Futaba. Hanako was coming to terms with her emotions, and she realized that she loved being near Futaba. Her smile, her mischievous demeanor and passion for the things she loved. Everything about her made Hanako smile. She got to see Sakiya and Ryuji, too. First things first, though.
"Futaba-chan!" Hanako jogged up the stairs outside the apartment and knocked on the apartment door.
"Hanako-chan!?"
Hanako heard a crash and a thud, and the door opened a second later.
"I'm back!"
"Y-Yeah!"
"Hug?" Hanako outstretched her arms.
"H-Hug!" Futaba hesitated for a second before jumping into her arms. She felt herself lost in Hanako's warm, welcoming embrace.
"Oh my god she's soft! Holy!" Internal screaming ensued as Futaba felt Hanako tightly hug her.
"This feels good, right?" Hanako giggled.
"H-Hah… Yeah… Um…"
"Hug me as long as you want, okay?"
"Uh…. Okay!"
"Hey Hanak- Ohhhhh…" Ryuji stood in shock as he approached the two after stepping out of his apartment. "Uh… Sorry for interruptin'."
"You're not interrupting anything!" Hanako giggled as she held Futaba close.
"Can't breath… Ryuji…!" Futaba pretended to gasp for air.
"I was actually about to go runnin' a bit… Sakiya and Sumire are off doin' their own thing, and I don't wanna be left behind! I slept in though…" He sighed.
"You can do it, Ryuji-kun!" Hanako smiled at him, not letting Futaba go.
"Hanako-chan, please… You can let go now…"
"Oh, sure!" Hanako let Futaba go, who took a deep breath as she stepped back.
"Thanks, Hanako!" Ryuji snickered and kicked his leg up, "The Athletic World Championship is at the end of September, so I need to double down on my running!"
"I completely understand! I need to practice everyday! My World Championship is in less than a week!"
"Yep! Now uh, I'll leave you two to what you were doin'..." Ryuji awkwardly turned around.
"Goodbye, Ryuji-kun!" Hanako waved while Futaba stood there, red-faced and motionless.
"Buh-bye!"
Silence.
Hanako looked at Futaba and smiled.
"I'm surprised Ryuji-kun would practice so late!"
"Huh? Oh, uh he's got a weird schedule. You must be tired, Hanako-chan, in any case. I'll let you go now…" Futaba slowly backed up and started closing her door.
"Hold on, Futaba-chan! Did you forget?"
Hanako easily stopped the door with her strength.
"Forget what?"
"If you have trouble sleeping, I'll sleep with you!"
"WHAT IS UP WITH THIS GIRL?" Futaba's internal system went haywire, "JUST WHAT HAS SHE BEEN WATCHING?"
"I-I'm fine, Hanako, really. I actually started going to bed at a reasonable time… and stuff…"
"Oh." Hanako's eyes widened. "That's good! That makes me happy!"
"Yeppers."
"Mhm!"
"See you soon, Hanako."
"Yes! I'm going to catch up on the shows I missed!"
"Uh… Wanna catch up with me?" Futaba scratched her cheek.
"WHAT AM I SAYING?" She internally screamed.
"Oh, you're not caught up either?" Hanako gave her an excited glance.
"Nope."
"I'd be happy to, then!"
With a nervous gulp, Futaba invited Hanako into her apartment, and the two caught up on the anime that Hanako had missed in the past few days, with Hanako sitting extremely close to Futaba, which only made Futaba sweat bullets.
"I'm really happy that Hanako is so friendly, but what did I do to deserve it? Is this best friend thing one-sided? Why can't I just act like a better friend! What do I do?"
Panicked thoughts without an answer overtook Futaba as she tried to keep her attention on the TV. That night, they watched a new airing seasonal anime about seven evil exes.
The morning after Hanako returned to Tokyo, she started practicing again. On the fourteenth, Hanako left for Baku, Azerbaijan for the 2019 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship with Murakami, Kaho Minagawa and her coach, as well as Chisaki Oiwa with hers. The first day, the 16th, consisted of the hoop qualifiers for one group, and ball qualifiers for the other group. Hanako was in the Group B, and so she performed with the hoop. She scored a 23.600, landing in second place. The 17th included the second round of qualifiers as well as the hoop and ball finals. Hanako placed fourth in the ball qualifiers, scoring 21.450. Afterward, she performed in the hoop finals, scoring slightly lower than her qualifying performance, 23.450. She placed second, just behind Ekaterina Selezneva, who scored 23.500. What shocked Futaba, Sakiya and Sumire more was the fact that Hanako's final's score for the hoop surpassed both Linoy Ashram and Dina Averina, two of the best gymnasts in the competition. Shortly after the hoop finals were the ball finals, where Hanako scored third place with 23.000, beating out Linoy Ashram but placing below Dina and Arina Averina, who scored 23.500, first, and 23.050, second, respectively.
When she returned to her hotel for the night after the second day, Hanako eagerly looked at the clock and found that she had a few hours before midnight in Japan, with Baku being four hours behind.
"I want Futaba to sleep, but I also really want to call her…!"
She excitedly rolled around on her bed like a child waiting for Christmas.
"Maybe I'll text her first…"
Hanako: Hello, Futaba-chan. Are you awake? I don't want to bother you if you aren't.
Futaba: I was just getting ready to sleep :D
Hanako: Thank goodness…
Futaba: ?
Hanako: Did you see the scores from the hoop and ball finals today?
Futaba: Yeet. You must've performed like Might Man out there to score that high! Your hoop score is bonkers!
Hanako: I really did feel like a superhero out there. Of course, the trickier apparatus qualifiers are in the next few days.
Futaba: It'll be totes easy mode for you! You got this!
Hanako: Thank you, Futaba-chan!
Futaba: I really am gonna go to sleep now, though! Promise!
Hanako: Mhm! I'll text you again soon! Goodnight!
With a smile on her face and butterflies in her stomach, Hanako fell asleep looking at the text message, encouraged for the coming days.
September 18th consisted of the club and ribbon qualifiers for different groups, with Hanako performing with the clubs. She scored 21.950, placing seventh in the qualifiers. On September 19th she performed in the ribbon qualifiers, scoring 20.000 exactly. After the club and ribbon qualifiers were over, the finals began. First up, the qualified gymnasts performed in the club finals. Hanako placed 3rd, scoring 23.000, behind Linoy Ashram, who scored 23.300 and Dina Averina, who scored 23.800. Not long after, they performed in the ribbon finals. Hanako took a deep breath as she prepared herself.
She was ready. She could do this.
As soon as the music started, Hanako began her ribbon performance, using the months of practice with Sakiya and Sumire to bring out the best in herself. Once she was finished, she walked up to Murakami on the stage and waited for her score.
20.700.
"That's really good!" Hanako felt her heart welling up with excitement as her score was announced. She stood up and was escorted to the back after the score announcement, the finals proceeded normally. Once they ended, the final placements were announced. Hanako placed third, with Dina Averina placing first with 21.800, and Linoy Ashram placing second with 20.750. Overall, Hanako barely placed above Ekaterina, who scored 20.650. With the final calculated and tallied, the final qualifier placements were counted. Hanako placed fourth in the All-Around final qualifiers, scoring 67.000 total.
Futaba: Great job, Hanako-chan! I'm going to bed, but I hope you see this when you get to your hotel! I saw the results and that's goooooooooooood stuff!
Hanako plopped down onto her hotel bed and smiled as she read the text, placing her phone on her chest.
So happy!
All her hard work was paying off. She was focusing on gymnastics and her love for it, and at the same time, she was slowly balancing out her romantic love for Futaba. All that was left were the all-around finals.
The final day of individual competitions flew by for Hanako, with her performing first with the ribbon. The order of performances followed the traditional format, with Hanako performing first with the ribbon due to her placement, then the hoop, then ball, and finally, the clubs. When it came to her hoop performance, the love she felt for gymnastics and the practice she put in propelled her forward. Hanako gave it her all, and it paid off. She scored 90.000 total. Her hoop score was 23.650, the highest individual score for the apparatus. She scored 23.000 in the ball, 23.300 in the clubs, and 20.050 in the ribbon, which really hurt her score. Dina Averina placed first in the all-around finals, her score totaling to 91.400. Her sister, Arina placed second, scoring 91.100 total. Linoy Ashram placed fourth, scoring 89.700. This year, Hanako Natsuki won the Longines Prize for Elegance.
The Individual All-Around Victory Ceremony began with the top eight gymnasts stepping out and having their names announced, as well as their placements. When they got to the top three placements, Hanako stepped up onto the podium as her name was announced.
One year ago, she stood in the same place, but everything was different to her. Hanako Natsuki had learned how to love more than just gymnastics. She loved Futaba Sakura. Not only that, but she made more friends than she thought possible. Before the World Championship in 2018, she had no-one. Now she had Futaba, Sakiya, Sumire, Ryuji, and even Yusuke, Haru, Makoto and Ann to an extent. She wasn't alone.
Arina Averina stepped up next, and Dina Averina stepped up last on the center podium. Stepping out and holding three finely-made glass cases were three men in black suits, who stepped up in front of them. Officials from FIG and other organizations stepped up and presented the three medals, placing the gold medal around Dina's neck, the silver around Arina's, and the bronze around Hanako's. Shortly after, the officials handed out diplomas and a bouquet of flowers, with the Russian national anthem playing. Arina and Hanako stepped up next to Dina on the center podium, biting their medals and waving with their free hand as the ceremony concluded. The announcers had one more thing to say before the three stepped off, though. They stated that the top 16 rhythmic gymnasts from the all-around finals had earned their NOCs and a spot in the 2020 Olympics. Hanako learned that Kaho Minagawa placed 14th, which meant that two Japanese rhythmic gymnasts were going.
Ecstatic and beaming, Hanako waved one final time to the crowd as she stepped off the podium. It hit her later that night that she was the only one at the tournament that won a medal for every single apparatus final and the All-Around finals.
Earlier, September 20th.
"We got the snacks? Jagariko?" Ryuji held up two bags as he stepped into Futaba's apartment.
"Of course we have snacks!" Futaba pointed at a small table in the center of the room, "Heck we got even more than that! Sumire brought a whole buffet!"
"It's not a buffet…" Sumire pouted, looking down at what was essentially a buffet. Ren was holding a curry pot, and Sumire had just set down a hot pot.
"We made a lot of food…" Ren chuckled.
"Good!" Sakiya popped up behind Ryuji, smacking his back.
"The all-around finals start in a few minutes, so get in position, people!" Futaba spun a finger rapidly, "Go go go!"
"Yes, Cap'n!" Ren tapped into his multi-tasking skills from his time at the beef bowl shop in Shibuya and quickly set up everything, preparing several bowls for everyone.
"That, everyone, is why Ren is first mate!" Futaba made an OK gesture and spun around in her chair, pulling the livestream of the World Championship All-Around Finals across all of her monitors.
"I hope Hanako-chan ends up qualifying for the Olympics!"
Sumire sat down next to Ren on Futaba's bed, a wide smile on her face.
"She will. I just know it." Sakiya kicked her legs up, sitting next to Ryuji in one of the chairs.
The performances began, with the four of them intently watching for Hanako's performance.
"Looks like Hanako is performing with the ribbon first!" Futaba bounced in her chair!
"Yeah that's what it looks like for her schedule, Futaba."
"Shush, Sakiya!"
The group quieted down while Hanako performed. Sumire and Sakiya kept a close eye on her, noting how much she improved compared to her previous performances. They acted like coaches in the moment, ensuring that Hanako pulled off every move she needed to while not letting the ribbon touch the floor. She was successful, and this both irked Sakiya but made her proud. She couldn't quite tell in the moment.
"20.050… I've never scored that high!" Sakiya shook her fist angrily, "How did she do that?"
"Hanako-chan is really pushing herself beyond what we even knew…" Sumire stared in amazing.
"When did she surpass me in the ribbon?" Sakiya thought to herself, frustrated, "She's scored 20.000 or above three times now, and I haven't once!? Merde!"
Sakiya continued to internally chastise herself until Hanako's second performance began, which was with the hoop. Her routine consisted of a series of ambitious tosses, including one that she managed to jump through before catching it. Futaba occasionally pointed out a pose she recognized, and the rest watched excitedly. Once she finished and held herself in a pose, Futaba screamed and practically fell backwards in her chair as she saw Hanako holding her hand on the hoop, making a certain gesture that only they shared.
"Damn… Hanako's got skills!" Ryuji hooted as Hanako stood up and walked to the stage where Murakami waited.
"That'll be you soon enough, Sumire." Ren nudged his nose against Sumire's head.
"Yes." She nodded, " I'm just getting started."
"Quit flirting over there and watch!" Futaba jumped back up, pointing a finger at them.
"Hehe."
"23.650?!" Futaba fell back in her chair again.
"That's incredible!" Sumire gasped.
Sakiya cursed under her breath.
"Hm? What's up, Sakiya?" Ryuji turned his head toward her with a confused look.
"It's nothing." She shook her head, "Just trying to calculate the score in my head."
"Oof. That's way beyond me…"
"Let's just keep watching."
The finals continued with the Averina twins, Linoy Ashram, Kaho Minagawa, and other high profile gymnasts performing. Slowly but surely, each one worked their way through all four apparati. Sakiya watched as Hanako received her second Bronze for the All-Around finals on an international platform.
For the second time, Sakiya felt a massive rift between Hanako and her. As everyone engrossed themselves in the victory ceremony, Sakiya felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. She grasped the sides of her head as her thoughts ran rampant.
"It doesn't matter… Only the Olympics matter… Right? Merde! Merde! Have I learned nothing in the past year? I knew this was going to happen! I did! So why am I… What do I do…?"
Pathetic.
Not daring enough.
Special? Not at all.
Sakiya silently slipped out of her chair and ran to the bathroom.
"H-Huh? Sakiya?" Ryuji spun around, "What got into her…?"
"What's up Ryuji?" Ren whispered to him while Sumire and Futaba were focused on the ceremony.
"I dunno, man! Sakiya ran off for some reason!"
"We'll check up on her after the ceremony is over, alright? Maybe she just had to use the bathroom."
"Maybe… She did eat a lot." Ryuji scratched the back of his head, a frustrated look on his face. "It just feels odd, man... "
"We'll figure it out." Ren gave him a nod.
"I hope so…"
"HANAKO WON THE LONGINES PRIZE TOO! WOOOOOOOOOO!" Futaba held her arms up, spinning in her chair.
"Third place… And she qualifies to go to the Olympics. Isn't this great, Sakiya-chan?" Sumire turned and saw her nowhere in sight. "Sakiya-chan?"
"Sakiya uh, went to the bathroom…" Ryuji gave her a puzzled look and shrugged.
"Oh… Okay."
"Hanako's going to the Olympics! Holy moly! This is more based than the new expansion for my MMO!"
"Based on what, Futaba?" Sumire looked at her, befuddled.
"Why do none of you understand this vocabulary?!"
"What vocabulary?"
"Memes!"
"Um…"
"Basically, this is great news!" Futaba sighed.
"Ohhhhh… I see!"
"Alright!" Futaba stood on her chair, trying to balance herself, "Everyone out! I gotta call Hanako when she gets back to her hotel!"
"Alone time with Hanako, huh?" Ryuji snickered.
"Wh-What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ahhh nothin'..."
"No wonder Mona calls you a dumb blonde ape! Get outta here!" Futaba shooed him off.
"Fine, Fine…" He lazily waved a hand and stood up, "I gotta see what's up with Sakiya anyway…"
"Sumire and I will clean up. That fine with you?" Ren grabbed the curry pot as he stood up.
"Yes yes! Move quickly, though!" Futaba waved her hands forward.
"Yes ma'am!" Sumire jumped up and grabbed the hot pot.
Over the course of the next few minutes, the group managed to clean up, with Sakiya not coming out of the bathroom. Ren and Sumire made multiple trips, taking everything to their car.
"Sakiya!" Ryuji knocked on the door, "Are you okay?"
"...Fine…"
"What?"
"Fine! Just give me a minute!"
"Shit… She's pissed…" Ryuji backed up as she angrily growled through the door.
"Maybe it's that time of the month?" Futaba's ahoge poked up.
"Nah… Not that."
"Of course you'd know, Ryuji!" She snickered.
"Shuddup!"
Another minute passed, and Sakiya stepped out. The group immediately noticed that her hair was a mess, and her eyes were stuffy.
"Sakiya…"
"I'm going to my apartment. Adieu." She stormed out.
"Sure…" Ryuji sheepishly replied, unsure of what to say.
"I hope Saki-chan is alright… I wonder what happened… I think I know… But…" Sumire nervously tapped her fingers together.
"Sumire, could you go wait in the car?" Ren tapped her side gently/
"Sure…"
"I-I'm gonna go talk to her!" Ryuji went to step out before feeling the grip of Ren's hand on his shoulder. "Hey, whatdya doin', man?" He looked at Ren with frustration in his eyes.
"I don't know if that's a good idea right now, Ryuji."
"W-What? I'm her boyfriend! I gotta find out what's wrong!"
Ryuji tried to shrug Ren off, only to find his grip as solid as ever,
"That's exactly why! I think she needs some time alone."
"A-Are you sure? I mean… you've been datin' Sumire a lot longer than I've been datin' Sakiya… But it just doesn't feel right."
"Saki-chan just needs some time to think, Ryuji-senpai." Sumire gave him a resolved look.
"Uhhh… Damnit…" He sighed. "Relationships are tough…"
"It'll work out." Ren released his grip and smiled.
"I trust you two, so I'll listen to ya. Doesn't mean I ain't aggravated about this, though."
"That's fine."
"I know it's difficult, but Sakiya has always been someone to take on everything herself."
"I know, Sumire… I just wish she'd share it with me… The burdens, I mean." Ryuji relaxed his shoulders and sighed.
"You'll be able to someday, Ryuji-senpai!"
"You think so?" Ryuji slightly smiled, a bit more hopeful.
"I know so!" Sumire gave him a warm smile, fully confident in her declaration.
"Hah... You two are really made for each other!" Ryuji looked between Ren and Sumire and laughed.
"You know it." Sumire winked.
"Alright kiddies! It's time to go!" Futaba tried to push them out, only to find them all to be immovable. "My strength is too low!"
"Goodnight, Futaba." Ren chuckled and walked out, "Bye, Futaba!" Sumire followed him, and Ryuji made his way out last, making his way back to his apartment. As the couple sat down in their car, Ren felt his phone buzz.
Sakiya: Mind meeting with me tomorrow when you're free? Maybe in Shibuya?
Ren: Sure. Protein Lovers around 4 PM?
Sakiya: I don't know why you'd propose Protein Lovers, but okay.
"All set to go?" Sumire giggled as Ren put his phone away.
"Yeah. Just have some business tomorrow. The hotpot was great, by the way." He looked up and smiled.
"Thank you! I think your curry was better, though!"
"Nonsense."
"That's what I should be saying!"
"I guess we'll have to use Morgana as the tie-breaker, huh?"
"That sounds fun!"
The couple giggled as they drove off, making their way back home.
September 21st
Ren stretched his back and adjusted the bag on his shoulder where Morgana sat, standing in the alleyway outside Protein Lovers as he waited for Sakiya. He arrived early, unexpectedly having a few clients cancel their appointments.
"Why not catch up with some old friends?" Morgana perched himself on Ren's shoulder.
"Old friends… The only people around here would be Iwai and maybe Yoshida…"
"Never hurts to try, right?"
"I suppose…"
Ren took a step forward into the familiar streets he used to navigate every day. Few things had changed, but then again he only walked straight from one alley into another. In the small alleyway were bags of trash, bikes, and potential delinquents standing about. He stepped forward and looked in the corner where two buildings nearly intersected. Once, he saw a blue, shimmering jail cell door, but now there was nothing. Next to that door used to be a child-sized nuclear force of destruction who kicked him inside, but she was gone too.
Where was Lavenza?
He didn't let the question bother him for long as he made his way to the shady looking door, with neon green lights reading UNTOUCHABLE above it.
"Huh?" He immediately heard a gruff-sounding, annoyed voice as he opened the door. Iwai put down the newspaper he had been lazily reading and looked directly at Ren.
"Well no shit… Hey kid."
"What's up, Iwai?"
"I should be the one askin' that!" Iwai stood up and walked around the counter, extending his hand, which Ren took. "You look like a real man now, and you still have that cat. Little thing hasn't aged a bit. Got a girl yet?"
"Oh do I!" Ren burst out in laughter, "I'm dating a beautiful redhead whose well on her way to being an international rhythmic gymnast!"
"Well damn, it looks like you do have some clout." Iwai chuckled, adjusting his hat, "Rhythmic gymnast, huh?" He leaned in, "How is she in… You know…"
"That's a personal secret, Iwai."
"Hah!" Iwai laughed, "As smart as ever! So what brings you to this shack? Not like you need my play toys anymore."
""I was just in the area and looking to see if you were still in business."
"Are you saying you had no faith in my business?"
"What, noooooo!"
"Ahhh I missed you, kid. That smartass attitude of yours was a breath of fresh air."
"How's Kairo?"
"Kairo's well. I haven't had any insane incidents with the Yakuza or Tsuda since back then, and he's well on his way in school, thinkin' about entrance exams and all that. Can you believe he's in his third year? Even scored himself a girl."
"I taught him well…" Ren patted his own back.
"Sure you did. Now, are you here to browse, or here to piss me off?"
"When don't I do either of those, Iwai?" Ren shrugged.
"Fair point."
Ren walked around the store, perusing the variety of airsoft guns that he once bought and used for his Metaverse escapades. It made him extremely nostalgic. Eventually, he spotted a pristine Moadel 1997 replica, engraved with an intricate pattern.
"Ohhh… How much is this?"
"300,000 yen."
"Damn… I don't make cash like I used to…"
"How DID you make cash?"
"Personal secret."
"Cheeky. Then again, I never asked questions before, so there's no point in askin' them now."
"Tell you what, Iwai. If you hold this thing in the back for me for a while, I'll come back and pay double."
"Interesting… Normally, I'd tell you to get the hell out for making such a shitty bargain, but I'll give you special treatment for gettin' Kairo a girl. How long do you think you'll be?"
"Honestly, a couple years…?"
"Hah! Well, whatever. I'll just sell replicas of it."
"Thanks, Iwai."
"Don't sweat it, kid. Anything else?"
Ren pulled out his phone and checked the time.
"Nope. Gotta go."
"Well alright then. Remember, kid, you always have a place here." Iwai waved as Ren made his way out the door.
"You will, don't worry!"
Ren made his way back to Protein Lovers, setting Morgana free to wander Shibuya while he spoke to Sakiya.. He found her waiting outside, wearing a green sports bra, yoga pants and a black jacket.
"Just on time!" She snapped her finger.
"I've been here for a while." Ren retorted, scoffing back.
"Oh. More punctual than I thought. Well, let's head in."
Sakiya gave Ren a nod and walked inside. He followed. As they stepped inside the musty smelling gym, Sakiya immediately stepped up to the boxing dummy and began punching it.
"So what's up?" Ren walked up next to her.
"I'm pissed off."
"That much is obvious. Why are you pissed off, though?" Ren twirled two fingers through his fluffy hair.
"I'm so far behind… The gap between Hanako and me is so much larger than I want it to be!" She roundhouse kicked the dummy.
"Do you feel left out, perhaps?"
"Probably." She started punching again, "I couldn't go to the World Championship because of my damn nationality… I feel completely capable, but these dumb arbitrary rules hold me back."
"Sometimes you can't help where you come from, or where life drags you without your consent. We've discussed this before."
"Doesn't make me any less mad!" A sweeping, downward kick to the dummy. "I'm being left behind because of forces I can't control. I knew this was going to happen, and I'm still pissed off! Hanako is my friend, my ally, and I'm pissed because she's better than me! How petty can I get?"
"It's alright to be jealous, Sakiya. That just means you want to improve."
"Haha.. I don't know right now. I thought I had it all figured out, Ren. I've got a boyfriend who supports me, a rival who helps me push myself past my limits, and a friend who can teach me things I never knew about rhythmic gymnastics. Despite all that, I'm falling behind and tripping over myself."
"Perhaps you're looking at things the wrong way?" Ren leaned against another training dummy. "Sumire told me you remove yourself from performances, and that you flowed like water. Right now, you look like a dam, stuck in place."
"A dam, huh?"
"Yeah. I think you have some sort of mental block going on. Even the way you're attacking this dummy isn't right. Watch me."
Ren swiftly removed his jacket and shirt, which caused Sakiya to raise an eyebrow.
"Fist of the dragon…" Ren took a deep breath and inhaled before unleashing a flurry of precise blows against the dummy, knocking it over and sending it flying backward.
"What the heck?" Sakiya's eyes widened while Ren put his shirt back on.
"Do you see how all of my movements were calculated and precise. That's how rhythmic gymnasts perform, right?"
"I mean… Yeah… But what was the point of that?"
"I think you're not practicing what you're preaching, basically. I think you've got a mental block going on right now, and you don't know how to address it."
"A mental block… A mental block... " Sakiya cupped her hand under her chin.
"Sumire also told me how you thought her perceptions of Kasumi impeded her progress. Perhaps your perception of Hanako is impeding yours."
"Merde… You might be right!" She slammed her fist against her palm.
"There are some things you just can't help, but you can make the best of the worst situations. As long as you hold onto even a small sliver of hope, there's a chance." Ren popped his shoulders and cracked his back.
"Yes… How could I get so lost in self-pity! I need to think about this some more! Thank you, Ren!" Sakiya bowed. As she did, Ren felt the word Hope echo within the sea of his soul.
"That's the sixth time…?" He thought to himself while replying to Sakiya.
"No problem."
"I think I should talk to Ryuji about these sorts of things… That's what boyfriends and girlfriends do, right?"
"Basically, yes." Ren nodded.
"Right… I'm still pissed off, but I definitely feel a bit better."
"That's good, then."
"Some progress is no better than none. At least I realized there was a problem, thanks to you."
"I try my best." Ren nonchalantly shrugged.
"I see why Sumire likes you so much." Sakiya grinned, "You're incredibly easy to talk to. On top of that, I bet she loves those chiseled abs. You have quite the frame, really. It almost compares with Ryuji's."
"Excuse me? Ren's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"You heard me. Don't act like Sumire and you aren't getting any action."
"T-That has nothing to do with anything!" Ren blushed and swung a hand out.
"So you can get flustered? That's funny." Sakai kicked the dummy one last time. "Well, I think I'm satisfied. Thank you again, Ren."
"I... " he sighed, "No problem."
"Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'm going to pay Ryuji a visit! Adieu!" Sakiya quickly made her way out of the gym, leaving Ren flabbergasted.
After a solid minute of him rebuilding his composure, he reunited with Morgana.
"So, what happened?" Morgana jumped into Ren's bag.
"Sakiya was mad that she can't really keep up with Hanako. I told her it might be a mental block, and she sort of figured it out herself. Then she teased me about getting action with Sumire… Actually made me blush!"
"What does she mean by you and Sumire getting action?" Morgana popped out of Ren's bag.
"I… Don't worry about it. She's one hell of a woman…"
"Not as great as Sumire, right?" Morgana laughed.
"Of course not!"
"Just making sure you're the same Ren I've always known."
"Haha… Thanks buddy."
"Of course!"
September 23rd
"Hanako-chan is back!" Futaba jumped up and down, leaning on the railing of the second-floor of the apartment complex.
"She is, huh?" Sakiya stood next to her.
"Just in time for the semester to start…" Ryuji sighed, standing to the left of Sakiya.
"At least she made it back before it started!" Futaba exclaimed, "It would have been a nightmare if she had to catch up from the get-go!"
"I bet…"
"Hello, everyone!" Hanako smiled and waved at the trio, an assortment of medals hanging around her neck.
"Aren't those heavy, Hanako-chan?" Futaba called out.
"Not at all!" She started making her way up the stairs.
"Congrats!" Ryuji and Futaba cheered, while Sakiya crossed her arms.
"You did well, Hanako-chan. Off to the Olympics, right?"
"Yes! I'm so excited! I can't believe I'm gonna be an Olympic rhythmic gymnast!"
"Hell yeah you are!" Futaba bounced in place, "This is so crazy!"
"Mhm!"
"I'm next!" Ryuji gave her a thumbs up, "Bet on it! Next week! Doha!"
"I'm not allowed to bet, Ryuji-kun!" Hanako giggled.
"Oh. Well uh, cheer me on!"
"I can do that!"
"Huzzah! Huzzah!" Futaba raised her hands.
"I don't plan to be behind for long, Hanako-chan," Sakiya cracked her knuckles.
"Good! I can't wait for you to step up onto the podium, Sakiya-chan!"
"Yeah… If I want to, then I should be practicing!"
"If you want to!"
"I need to!" Sakiya turned to Ryuji, "Let's go train!"
"Hell yeah!" He pumped his fist, and the two made their way back into their apartments to get ready.
"Want to help me mount these, Futaba-chan?" Hanako held up her medals with a hand.
"Sure thing!"
"Okay!"
Hanako led Futaba into her apartment, and the two began the process for mounting the various medals Hanako received. She displayed them in a set order, separating the all-around final medals from the individual medals, with the individual ones separated by apparatus.
"Not bad… not bad…" Futaba closed her left eye and pressed her thumb against a medal.
"This has been quite the adventure, hasn't it, Futaba-chan?" Hanako sat down on her bed, motioning for Futaba to sit next to her.
"An adventure, huh?" Futaba sat down next to her, "I guess you could call it that. Feels like a video game… It's been just over a year since we met, Hanako-chan. One year and three days to be exact!"
"Yes it has! I can remember that like yesterday!"
"So can I. We both have similar kinds of memory huh? How many gigabytes of ram do you have in there?"
"How much… what?" Hanako gave her a clueless look.
"Never mind." Futaba laughed and then sighed. "Back when I was a kid… People used to make fun of me for having such a good memory. I could remember the names of all the books in the library, and stuff like that…"
"I think that's amazing, Futaba-chan!" Hanako beamed a smile at her. "The only things I can memorize and think about really well is gymnastics, anime and um… you!"
"Me?"
"Yes! I remember all the time I've spent with you!"
"O-Oh… Um… Thanks."
"I'm so grateful we became friends, Futaba-chan… before I met you, I was always alone."
"Really? How?"
"People thought I was weird because all I wanted to talk about was gymnastics! Some girls spoke to me about it, but eventually they thought I liked it too much! I think that's silly!"
"That is pretty silly, yeah. There are a lot of things I love a lot, and they're all I wanna talk about!" Futaba rubbed her nose.
"Right, right?" Hanako eagerly nodded.
"Ah…. You're going to the Olympics… This is reality, right?" Futaba took a deep breath.
"It is!"
"Man… If you can do something so incredible, then I hope I can, too."
"I know you can do anything you set your mind to, Futaba-chan!"
"Ah… Thanks again…"
"Do you think we should study a bit before the semester starts tomorrow?" Hanako lightly kicked her feet on the edge of the bed.
"That's a good idea, Hanako-chan. I'm gonna help you out again!"
"I really appreciate it, Futaba-chan!"
"It's time for a study session!"
With a strange, invigorated energy Hanako and Futaba began an intense study session, preparing themselves for the next semester.
September 28th
Hanako stepped inside of Tokyo Mental Health, the bright, early morning sun shining through the glass doors. She was escorted to a familiar room, and sat down across from Ren, whose grey orbs glistened beneath his glasses.
"Hello, Natsuki-san. What would you like to talk about today? I imagine there are quite a few things…"
"There are a lot of things I'd like to talk about!" Hanako excitedly shook in her chair, "I'm going to the Olympics!"
"That's quite the accomplishment," Ren leaned back and smiled, "Congratulations."
"I'm very happy! I'd like to tell you about the finer details, if that's alright!"
"Go ahead."
"There is one other thing, though!" Hanako clapped her hands, "I thought about romantic love some more?"
"Did you find the answers you were looking for?" Ren gave her a hopeful look.
"I did!"
"Are you satisfied with them?"
"I am! I've never told anyone this before, but… I think, um, when it comes to liking people… I might only like girls?"
"That's quite an important thing to figure out. Your sexuality is an important part of who you are."
"Mhm! Thinking about the people you like takes up a lot of your thoughts! I thought a lot about what romantic love was compared to normal love, and I realized that I think I'm romantically in love with someone, and that someone is a girl! This is the first time I've ever felt this way about someone, but that's what my feelings tell me!"
"I'm happy to hear that, Natsuki-san. Was there anything that might have helped you think about your sexuality beforehand?"
"Whenever I watched anime, I always loved the design of the female characters! I always thought about how cute and pretty they were! It wasn't exactly the same as the way I feel now, but when I do think about it, I would have wanted to be with those girls more than I wanted to be with the boys…"
"I see. So how do you feel about being more confident in your answer?"
"It feels amazing. I realized I can love someone romantically, and I can love gymnastics, and my parents, all at the same time!"
"That's incredible to hear!" Ren jotted down notes, smiling the whole time.
"Now that I understand how I feel, I'm going to dedicate myself to my love for gymnastics until I've participated in the Olympics!"
"What led you to make that decision?" Ren perked an eyebrow.
"My coach told me that I needed to focus and choose between my romantic love or love for gymnastics. I tend to get really attached to the things I love, and she doesn't want me losing focus! It was impeding my routine, after all!"
"I see. That is indeed dire. When you say you get attached to things, what do you mean?"
"Oh! Hmmm…" Hanako kneaded her fingers together, "Basically… I can't stop thinking about it, and it's always on my mind! Sometimes, it gets to the point where it distracts me from other things. That's part of the reason I started coming here!"
"I remember." Ren nodded. "We have something important to tell you regarding that, actually."
"Hm?" Hanako tilted her head.
"Hello, Natsuki-san." Maruki spoke to her for the first time in their history of appointments, "My name is Dr. Takuto Maruki, and I'm overseeing Amamiya-san. I'm basically his teacher. That being said, we'd like to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist."
"A psychiatrist?"
"Yes. It's very similar to what Amamiya-san does, but also different. What day works for you?"
"Hmmm… Any weekend should be fine!"
"Any weekend… Got it. Thank you, Natsuki-san." Maruki turned his head to Ren, "You can continue."
"Okay, Natsuki-san. You mentioned to me that you wanted to speak some more about the events surrounding the competition you participated in?"
"Oh, right! Well.. first off…"
Ren and Hanako spent the rest of the remaining appointment time discussing gymnastics, Hanako's love for it, and her excitement upon winning the bronze in the all-around finals. While they did, Ren felt the word Charity echo within the sea of his soul.
"Six times…" He told himself.
Shortly after Ren finished his work at Tokyo Mental Health, was greeted by Sumire, eager to let him rest on his lap, as well as a text message from Ryuji.
Ryuji: Dude. Man… Can I get some help with talking to Sakiya? I'm going to the Athletic World Championship in a few days too… I need help.
