Thursday, July 2nd, Night

Sumire glanced around the apartment as she sat on the couch next to Ren, waiting, and hoping Hanako would take the call.

"Hello Sumire-chan!"
'Hello, Hanako-chan! I'm so glad you picked up! I know you're busy, but I wanted to ask you if you'd like to join Saki-chan and me to practice together and then have a 'girls night out'! She wants to gauge our performances against one another! I know that you've been practicing every day and that we have finals in a few weeks, so I don't want to force you to!"

"That sounds really fun! Could I invite Futaba-chan, too?"

"From what Saki-chan told me, she just wanted it to be just her and I. She wanted to gauge how much I've improved, and she wanted to leave you to your schedule, but she mentioned that if I wanted you to come, I could try asking!"

"I see… that's okay! Where would we be going after practice? I'll let Coach Murakami know. If it's only one day, I should be fine!"

"We'd actually be going to the Ariake Gymnastics Centre! Saki-chan really wants to check it out!"

"That sounds like fun! When would we be getting together?"

"Saturday night!"

"Okay! I'll talk to my Coach tomorrow! Thanks for inviting me, Sumire-chan!"

"You're welcome! That's all I wanted to call you about! Good luck at practice!"

As the two ended the call, Sumire let out a long sigh of relief.

"That's just like Sakiya…" Ren sighed, throwing his legs up onto the couch and laying his head down on Sumire's lap. "She appears selfish and driven, but she really does care about others."

"Saki-chan wants to bring out the best in everyone, that's all." Sumire shook her head.

Ren closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again, tapping his fingers against his chest, his arms folded over one another.

"I suppose that's true, but she can't read the mood sometimes. She sees everything going down one, linear path when she thinks that's the right way. Take Ryuji, for example. She convinced herself that dating him would be a distraction. I understand that she might not be ready to commit herself, but I feel like that was part of the reason, especially since she told me she can't stop thinking about him!"

"Love is a commitment, Ren." Sumire smiled. "But it pays off, no matter how frustrating your partner can be."

"You wound me, Sumire!" Ren clutched his heart dramatically. "What have I ever done?"

"You've embarrassed me that one time, and then the other…. There's also that OTHER time…"

"You know you love it, just as much as I do." He smirked, leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, and watched her face explode into a fiery red blush.

"I-I do not!"

"Are you sureeeeee?" He winked at her.

"Ren!"

"I love you so much."

Sumire sighed in defeat. She knew that no matter what she said, he was right. Ren rolled his head against her legs, doing a little victory dance as he laid on the couch. She pinched his nose and stopped him.

"Ow!"

"Anyway… I feel like Saki-chan really does love Ryuji, and that she's trying to figure out how to balance her dedication to gymnastics, and the idea of taking care of someone else. When I first met her, she was the strongest, most headstrong girl I'd ever seen."

"Even more than Makoto?"

"Yes. It seemed like there was nothing between her and her goal. Ryuji must mean a lot to her if she thinks about him so much."
"The Grand Prix in Thiais… That was over two years ago…" Ren closed his eyes. "I know we mentioned it at the wedding, but saying it still feels weird."

"It has been a while. I don't regret anything, though."

Sumire gave Ren a loving smile, and the two sat quietly for a minute, taking in one another's presence.

"Thanks to her help and yours, I truly feel like I'm finding my footing. I know that she helps me to help herself, but I'm extremely grateful to her, regardless. Her daring attitude and tenacity inspires me. When I'm able to combine the feelings that you make me feel when you watch me dance with the determination she gives me, I feel like I'll be able to truly stand on my own two feet and take on the world."

"It'll be our world before long." Ren reached his right hand up and tugged at her ribbon, which was tied into a side-ponytail that sat on her shoulder. She lifted her left hand and touched it against his right.

"Yes… Not just gymnastics…. But the world." Sumire gave him a resolved nod.

"I love that about you, Sumire. I really do."

"Love what?"

"You're not just satisfied with taking the gold and going home. You want to show the entire world what you're made of, what we're made of. That was a promise Kasumi and you made when you were just kids, and it started over ice cream, right? Now look at you. I couldn't be more proud to call you my girlfriend. You have your good days and your bad days, but you allow me of all people to pick you back up and keep you moving forward."

Ren grasped his left hand around her free hand, holding it tight. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"You're so strong and beautiful and graceful, Sumire. I'll keep telling you that until you've accepted it as fact. We're so much closer to turning that pain completely into strength. I can feel it when we touch one another, and I can see it in your performances."

He took a deep breath.

"I can't wait to take the world."

"You're such a dork, Ren." Sumire sniffled as tears gently ran down her cheeks. "You of all people? Don't give me that. You taught me how to love myself, and then I realized I wanted to share my love with you. Nothing matters more to me than our promise, our love. Back when I confessed, I prepared myself for you to say no. I told myself that I'd continue to love you, and that I still wanted you to watch over me. I still think that would be the case, but we've been together for so long now… I don't want you to leave my side. You tell me to love myself more, but you need to as well. It's our dream."

"...Right…" Ren felt a tear drop onto his face, slowly running down his cheek. "I'm sorry. No Yoshizawa without Amamaiya, right?"

"Right."

"You wanted to stop crying, right?" Ren leaned up and hugged her. "I'm sorry for getting all sentimental."

"It's okay." Sumire clenched her hands around his back. "This just tells us that I'm still missing something. We're so close, though."

"We're close. I can feel it." He nodded. "There will be nothing left to hold you back and stop you from taking the crown of the gymnastics world."

"Right!"

"For Kasumi."

"For Kasumi."

Ren and Sumire slowly calmed down and relaxed after sharing an emotional moment, more determined than ever to finally put Sumire's inner demons to rest. Sleep took them as the night came to a close, and Sumire fell asleep thinking about the other rhythmic gymnasts that would be at the Olympics, as well as what their reasons for performing could be.


Saturday, July 4th, 12 PM

"The roads are so busy today!" Sakiya groaned as she stepped outside her apartment door to meet Hanako. Both of them were holding their gymnastics bags. "I hope Sumire can get here with time to spare. We have to wait for her… Then we have to take the train to get to practice… Damnit!"

"The Olympics sure have everyone excited!" Hanako giggled.

"It's still two weeks away! We still have classes and finals!"

"People are excited, Sakiya-chan! This only happens once every four years!"

"What about the Winter Olympics?"

"I actually haven't done much research into the Winter Olympics, since rhythmic gymnastics isn't an event then!"

"Oh… Well then." Sakiya looked off in the distance, thinking of something else to talk about. It was either gymnastics or Futaba, and she didn't mind either.

"Where's Futaba?" She looked over Hanako's shoulder, an easy feat for her considering her height, and didn't find the orange-haired girl anywhere.

"She's been, as she put it, "going ham" on her class work!"

"Huh… She is the type of person that'd do everything in advance."

"Mhm! I love that about her! Futaba-chan works so hard, and she's doing it because she doesn't want to be distracted at all during the last week and finals week, so she can help me!"

"That's really sweet of her." Sakiya nodded approvingly. "I still help Ryuji out with his work, but it's still.. weird. He can run like mad but damn he can't keep anything else in his skull."

"We all like to focus on different things, Sakiya-chan!"

"True enough…"

"Saki-chan! Hanako-chan!"

The two gymnasts looked toward the source of the voice and saw Sumire below them in the apartment parking lot, waving and carrying a large bag over her shoulder.

"You made it!" Sakiya yelled.

"Sorry for taking so long! The roads are really busy today!"

"We've seen! Let's get to practice before our coaches drill us into the ground."

"You mean the heavens, right?" Hanako giggled, pushing her glasses against her face.

"Drill… the heavens? I think Futaba's gotten into your head, Hanako." Sakiya sighed and started making her way downstairs.

"I like it that way!" Hanako followed her, smiling brightly. Within a few seconds, the three gymnasts had assembled.

"Hanako and I figure all the traffic is due to the Olympics coming up. It's going to be like this for the next few weeks, though I'd like to say the traffic will mainly be bad on the weekends."

"I might need a good luck charm for this!" Sumire's eyes widened. "I hope we don't stay this busy!"

"This is so exciting! I wonder when the rest of the rhythmic gymnasts will show up!" Hanako exclaimed.

"Well… You're going to be going to the Olympic village, right?" Sakiya tilted her head.

"Yes!"

"When?"

"July 23rd!"

"A day after exams… That's rough, Hanako."

"Futaba-chan is supporting me! I'll be fine!"

"Let's not waste any more time!" Sumire clapped. "To practice!"

With ferocity in their steps, the three gymnasts made their way to the train station, headed for the UTokyo Gym.


Once the three arrived, they changed into their leotards and met with Coach Hiraguchi and Murakami. Sumire performed her routine first, showcasing her newfound expertise with the clubs, her continued expertise with the ribbon, and her minor improvements with the ball and hoop. Over the past several months, Sumire had become more acclimated to handling both clubs at once, focusing on dual tosses, catches, and generally keeping track of where both clubs were at once. Once she got the hang of it, she began to incorporate her graceful techniques to her performance, leaning into her bold side as well. Her routine wasn't nearly as daring as Sakiya's but everyone agreed that the fierce look on Sumire's face was not one to be taken lightly. She clearly took inspiration from Sakiya, all the while making it work with her form. When she finished her performance, twisting both clubs under her arms in a sitting pose, both coaches agreed that she would need to take time to specifically focus on the different apparati like she had done with the clubs.

Sakiya performed her routine second, showing off new, bombastic moves that still shocked Sumire. Each of her tosses always fit within the threshold of how far they could go, yet the way in which she threw any of the apparati indicated to everyone watching that she was taking risks. Sakiya loved to perform on the edge, skirling the line between daring risks followed by reward, or foolish sacrifices marked with failure. Each toss meant a potential loss of the apparatus, which meant an immediate penalty and potential time lost in the total performance. However, each catch meant that she had raised her total difficulty score. It was high-risk, high-reward, and it's something Sumire admired about her deeply. Coach Hiraguchi and Murakami advised her to perfect what she likes doing, but not to stray too far from the more graceful aspects of a performance.

Hanako performed her routine last, displaying her perfected dances. Sumire and Sakiya put on a show, but they only felt like the opening act as they watched Hanako display a keen understanding of herself through her performances. The two of them had to take a step back and catch their breath each time she finished a performance. Not a second of each performance was wasted. She always kept both her apparatus and herself in motion, perfectly synchronizing with her music of choice. Her hoop performance easily blew everything else out of the water, though. The way in which she held herself, which could only be explained as sheer obsession and love, captivated her spectators. It was as if she was one with her apparatus. Neither Sakiya nor Sumire could compare in the slightest. She is an Olympic athlete.

That was exactly what she wanted people to see. Hanako wanted everyone to see her love for gymnastics, shown through her performances.

Except for Futaba. She wanted Futaba to see something else.

"It won't be long now…" Hanako perfectly caught her hoop and finished her routine as the thought crossed her mind. All she needed to do was continue performing the way she always had. Gold, silver, bronze, an honorable mention, it didn't matter to her what she got once the competition was over. All that mattered is that she showed the world how much she loved gymnastics, and that she showed Futaba how much she loved her.

"Excellent work today." Murakami clapped as Hanako stood up. "We're so close, Hanako-chan."

"We are, Coach!"

"Hmmm…" Murakmai looked at Sumire and Sakiya. "You two aren't that far behind Hanako-chan. I imagine your perceptions of her are different from mine, but trust me when I say that you two have the potential to keep Japan in the spotlight of the rhythmic gymnastics world. Hanako-chan has drawn attention to us, just as Minagawa-san did back in Rio. When you two finally take on the World Championship together, though, I feel like you're going to do much more than that."

"T-Thank you, Coach Murakami!" Sumire bowed.

"Thank you." Sakiya followed her lead.

"That's high praise from the coach of the most famous Japanese rhythmic gymnasts out there." Hiraguchi chuckled. "Don't let her down, you two."

"We won't, Coach!" Sumire turned to her and bowed again.

"I would never." Sakiya did the same.

"It's a nice feeling!" Hanako looked at her hand and repeatedly closed and opened her fingers. "I'm so excited I don't feel like I'll need to sleep until after the Olympics! Of course, I will!" She giggled. "I'm happy that I get to represent Japan, but I'm really only doing this because I love gymnastics! No matter what nation I represent, my feelings won't change."

"I can understand where you're coming from, Hanako." Sakiya stood back up and looked her directly in the eye. "For some, though, the nation they represent is a matter of pride and integrity. It's also a matter of motivation. I knew that in my heart of hearts that I wanted to represent Japan once I was out of high school. Now I'm here, doing just that. I've never felt more comfortable as a gymnast."

"We all have different reasons for wanting to perform, huh?" Sumire looked between the two eagerly. "Let's talk about that later!"

"Sumire is right. Leave the chatting for after you've changed. You invited Hanako here to practice, right?" Hiraguchi crossed her arms, a smile on her face. "Still, I'm surprised you managed to gather us all again." She turned to Sakiya. "Murakami sounded excited to watch you and Sumire, though. Good work today."

"Thank you for everything, Coach!" Sakiya nodded.

"I'll see you both tomorrow." Hiraguchi waved and made her way out.

"See you all tomorrow." Murakami nodded and followed her.

With practice completed, the three changed and began their long, slow trek to the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.


Late Afternoon

"It's so hot… So crowded…" Sakiya dropped her head and sighed as the three slowly waded their way through the bustling Tokyo streets in Kyoto City. Even after taking the train, they still found themselves walking a good distance to the centre. The ten-minute walk turned into a two-hour walk as they came across a plethora of tourists and Japanese citizens alike. Olympic advertisers and vendors lined the streets, yelling about different athletes and offering Olympic merchandise.

"Why do you think tourists would come so early, Saki-chan?" Sumire looked back and up at her.

"Tokyo is an extremely popular location in Japan… It's summer… And we're hosting the Olympics. It all makes perfect sense as to why, but it doesn't mean I have to like it!"

"I guess everyone really is as excited as I am!" Hanako looked around in wonderment.

"I thought you weren't good in large crowds, Hanako?" Sakiya looked back at her.

"As long as no one I'm not comfortable with is talking to me, I'm fine!"

"Oh… So it's an all eyes on you scenario. Got it."

When the three looked out at the streets, all they saw were cars, backed up as far as the eye could see. People quickly shuffled past the trio as they continued forward, one step at a time. None of them could count the number of cars or people they saw, but they figured it was at least twice the normal traffic, which was absurd for a place as busy as Tokyo.

"It's only going to get busier!" Sakiya yelled to the two as they continued walking. "Soon enough, we'll have traffic controllers out and about, designated parking, and even designated walking paths! Millions of people are coming to watch the games, and remember, it's not just gymnastics!"

"I think it'd be amazing if it was!" Hanako yelled back.

As time continued to slowly pass, they eventually found the Ariake Gymnastics Centre within their sight. Built next to a bay, the large building was made primarily of wood, sporting a long, corrugated roof. Massive white pillars built at 30-degree angles served to hold the outside of the building up, with the structure built to almost represent a wide bowl. Once the three made their way to the structure, Sakiya slowly led them around it. Behind the centre, facing the water, was a large, paved, open area that was divided into roads and flat surfaces. Under most circumstances, the area would be abandoned, but today, it was bustling with an excited crowd of people.

"The building looks like a UFO!" Hanako looked in wonderment as they took a step back and got a complete view after wading through another large crowd.

"It really does!" Sumire laughed. "It looks like a wooden version of one of Futaba's toy models!"

"It's not a toy, Sumire-chan! It's a collectible!"

Their laughter was interrupted by a loud rumbling, which in turn was followed by another loud rumble.

"Ah-" Both Sakiya and Sumire looked at each other.

"Good thing I brought some sandwiches!" Sumire patted her bag. "I wasn't sure if we planned to eat anywhere, so let's check and see if we can go inside!"

"That's a good idea, Sumire!" Sakiya pointed toward the building. "We move!"

"I can't believe I'm going to be performing here in a few weeks…" Hanako continued to look around in amazement, her eyes wide and as bright as stars. "I've never seen a stadium like this…"

"This is heavily inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, Hanako!" Sakiya's eyes sparkled just as brightly. "Especially the ingenious use of wood! It's really impressive!"

"I've seen quite a few stadiums…" Sumire added. "Not as many as you two, but this one makes me feel comfortable, I think! It feels like home."

"You'll be traveling all over soon, Sumire-chan!"

"Thank you, Hanako-chan!"

Sakiya looked at every nook and cranny that held one of the many doors together that lined the outside of the structure.

"It looks like we aren't going to be able to check out the interior. Let's head to the bay and eat."

"Sure!"

"Lead the way, Sakiya-chan!"

"Aye!" Sakiya spun around and scouted the venue, looking for any benches placed along the bay. As the three walked around, the sun slowly set, turning the sky a vibrant orange and red. The water along the bay stirred as they all sat down after finding an empty bench, with the crowds of people dispersing.

"Here you go, Saki-chan." Sumire pulled out several sandwiches, ranging from plain egg sandwiches to fruit sandwiches.

"Mm!" Hanako smiled in delight as she took a bite. "You're such a good cook, Sumire-chan!"

"I always try to cook my meals at home, so I know the exact nutritional value and calorie count!"

"I bet you also want to impress Ren." Sakiya smirked after taking a bite of an egg sandwich.

"Ren and I alternate who cooks, depending on who gets home first!" Sumire replied, not flustered in the slightest. "He only knows how to make curry, but he always tries different things… He always succeeds, though. Everything he cooks is delicious!"

"Oh… Huh."

"You've gotten a little bit better at cooking too, Saki-chan!" Sumire waved her hand, laughing. "When I first met you, everything you cooked tasted, um…"

"Don't say it!" Sakiya winced and covered an ear with her free hand. "I know already! I get too distracted by my books or practice to actually learn how to cook!"

"You two are almost like sisters!" Hanako giggled uncontrollably. "I cook all of my own food, too! I even started cooking for Futaba-chan, especially after I learned that she only likes to eat instant noodles!"

"That sounds like Futaba!" Sumire laughed and sighed a moment later. "I know I shouldn't be worried about her, especially since you've come into her life, Hanako-chan."

"Hmmmm…" Sakiya leaned back, taking in the view of the sunset along the bay. The lights of Tokyo were like beacons of hope as buildings and bridges gradually began to glow. She looked off to her left and saw the rainbow bridge in the distance. Silence overtook the three as they took in the sight. Time slowed as they all thought about how chaotic and packed the area would be in a few weeks. Everything was still, with only the occasional honk of a car interrupting the silence.

Sakiya took a deep breath and leaned forward.

"I've been meaning to ask, Hanako, but… Are you in love with Futaba?"

"I am." Hanako nodded, completely at peace with herself.

"That's wonderful, Hanako-chan!" Sumire's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, does that mean you two are dating?"

"Not yet. Coach Murakami didn't want me to get distracted." Hanako shook her head. "And, there's something I want to do, first. I need to be ready for a change in our relationship, and I'm almost ready to confess. I just need a little more courage."

"Do you think you'll have built up enough courage by the Olympics?" Sakiya furrowed her eyebrows, an acute look on her face. "Or, do you think you'll find your answer while performing?"

"Yes, to both questions."

"I thought so…" Sakiya took a deep breath. "That reminds me." She turned her head. "Sumire."

"Yes, Saki-chan?"

"Why do you perform? I wanted to ask this a while ago, and I've let it sit for way too long." Sakiya lightly kicked her feet up and down. "You already know, but I'm in love with Ryuji, and I thought I'd have to choose between him or gymnastics. It turns out that I can't focus on one or the other, though. I've talked to Ren about it, and he told me to ask you that, and to ask who you dance for."

"I see...It's simple." Sumire smiled and stood up in front of Sakiya. She took a deep breath and looked at her with complete determination, completely focused and knowing. For Sumire, this was everything to her.

"I perform because I made a promise with Kasumi to take the crown of the gymnastics world. I now share that promise with Ren, and together, we're going to take the world stage. I dance because Ren makes me want to dance. I want him to watch me, no matter where I perform, or when. I want him to see me, and I want to be seen. Whenever I step up onto the mat, I think about him, and that thought alone makes me feel like I can do my best. That hasn't changed at all, and it never will."

"To see and be seen…" Sakiya brushed a hand through her hair. "It really is that simple… huh? I've never wanted to perform for someone else before. I've always wanted to show the world what I was made of, not just one person. I wanted to tell the world 'I am right here!' and rhythmic gymnastics happened to be my outlet."

"That's how I feel about Futaba." Hanako let out a deep breath and smiled. "I want to be as strong as you and Amamiya-san, Sumire-chan. Now that you've spelled it out, I feel even more prepared to tell Futaba how I feel. I've even talked to Sakura-san at the wedding, and he approved of us dating, and I'm so grateful for that. I was afraid that he wasn't going to accept us. Soon, when I perform, I want to show Futaba how strong I am, how strong my feelings are."

"You talked to Boss?" Sakiya's eyes widened in shock. "You're bolder than I thought, Hanako."

"I'm confident that Futaba loves me back. I just have to tell her after I perform."

"You're already strong, Hanako-chan." Sumire gave her a warm smile. "I'm sure Boss-san knows how Futaba feels, too."

Sakiya leaned back and took a deep breath.

"I… I want Ryuji to watch me perform. Is that what I've been thinking this entire time? Actually, I think it's more than that. I want to watch him, too. I miss exercising with him… It felt so much more fulfilling knowing that someone had my back, and that I could share anything with him, and he'd still accept me for who I am. Is that what it's like for you, Sumire?" Sakiya looked up at Sumire with realization written all over her face.

"It is. I understand exactly how you feel, Sakiya." Sumire smiled more brightly than any of the surrounding bridges or buildings. "There are so many things you can't share with a rival that you can share with the one you love. To me, Ren is more than just the man I love. He's a part of me. His happiness is my happiness, and his sadness is my sadness. We share the promise I made with Kasumi."

"Man… Am I an idiot or what?" Sakiya chuckled defeatedly. "I was so convinced that I would be a burden on Ryuji if I said yes… I thought him having to worry about me would slow him down. Even more than that, I thought it would slow me down! I was so blinded that I didn't even realize that he was trying to tell me that's exactly what he wanted to do. This whole time, I've been telling myself I can't afford to get distracted. I want to be the first Japanese woman to take the gold medal at the Olympics. I thought that love would distract me from my goal which is why I turned him down in the first place, but I think… I think that I want to share that dream with him."

"Is that something you want to do, Sakiya?" Sumire bent down in front of her. "Loving someone isn't easy, remember? You have to emotionally give yourself to them, and be prepared to support them through the best and worst of times."

"I...I think it is, but I don't want to tell him now. I'll wait until the Olympics are over. I know he'd probably welcome me with open arms, but I seriously don't want to distract him. And besides, I don't think I'm ready yet anyway."

Sakiya let out a deep sigh. "I'm like a music track on repeat! I don't know how else to explain it."

"It's okay, Sakiya-chan!" Hanako placed a hand on her shoulder. "I understand how you feel, too! Once I perform at the Olympics, I'll tell Futaba-chan how I really feel!"

"Take your time, Sakiya." Sumire placed her hand on Sakiya's other shoulder. "Ryuji will wait for you."

"Take my time… Right."

"That's the same thing Amamiya-san tells me…" Hanako thought to herself. "I wonder if things can stay the same…"

"Is there anything else you wanted to ask me, Sakiya?" Sumire gave her a warm, gentle smile.

"There is, actually… Could you tell Hanako and I more about Kasumi? I already know quite a bit, but I still don't quite understand everything."

"I'm curious about her too, Sumire-chan." Hanako tilted her head, still smiling.

"Sure." Sumire nodded and sat back down, taking her hand off Sakiya's shoulder. "I know I've told you a little bit about her, Saki-chan, but I don't think I've told you much at all, Hanako-chan. To tell the truth, I don't talk about her much at all with anyone outside of my immediate family or Ren. I think about her all the time, though. To make it easy, I'll start from the beginning."

Sumire held her head high, gripping her hands together. She refused to cry this time.

"Like I mentioned, I made a promise with Kasumi. She was my elder sister by a few minutes, or hours. We were twins, and we looked almost alike, except her hair was brown, and she had a beauty mark on her left cheek. When we were very young, she got into rhythmic gymnastics, and I followed her because we did everything together. She was naturally gifted in the sport, and I was always behind her. As we grew up, I only ever felt the gap between us widen, but she never seemed to notice. When we began competing in junior-level competitions and meets, she always placed higher than me, and she placed first a couple of times, and I always received consolation prizes. It was then that I started to think it'd be that way for the rest of my life. When I started thinking that, everything went downhill. I became depressed and self-absorbed, too angry at everyone for not seeing something only I could see. Kasumi… died in a car accident because I ran out into the street out of desperation."

"Sumire…" Sakiya and Hanako both looked at her with sorrow.

"Sumire-chan…"

"I had become so self-absorbed in my own little world, thinking that nobody wanted me. It wasn't until I met Ren that I realized I was completely wrong. He fell in love with me, and slowly helped me accept myself."

Sumire followed her gymnastics breathing techniques and kept herself calm.

"I don't like to talk about this, but after I lost Kasumi, I started to act like her. I got so self-absorbed in that act that I forgot who I was. I was so lost in grief that I pretended that I was Kasumi, and that Sumire had died. It was like I was under a spell, and Ren broke it. As soon as he did, I went right back to being the selfish, depressed Sumire from before. Instead of letting me wallow in self-pity, though, he told me that he'd do everything he could to help me, and he said he'd never stop until I accepted myself. He taught me to laugh, and surely enough, how to love. It was after I fell in love with him that I realized how Kasumi really felt about me."

"How did she feel about you?" Sakiya gently placed her hand on Sumire's, and so did Hanako. Sumire kept herself resolved and strong, and continued.

"Kasumi saw me as her rival. She always wanted to stay ahead of me because she didn't want to lose to me. Coach Hiraguchi told me that. It was then that I realized Kasumi wanted me to watch her dance. That's how she found her strength. I never even saw it that way, until I realized that's how I felt about Ren. She's beyond any apologies now. It's been over four years. I haven't given up on our promise, though. Ren told me that I could turn the pain and grief into strength, and I feel like I'm nearly at that point. Every month, I visit her grave and tell her how I've been doing. I tell her about my failures, but more importantly, I tell her how much I've improved since confessing to Ren. I want to put the weak, insecure Sumire Yoshizawa to rest once and for all, and you both have helped me so much in moving forward. So, thank you."

The three of them closed their eyes briefly, taking a moment for themselves.

"Sumire-chan... " Hanako let her mind wander. "I hope I can have a relationship like that one day. I'm going to personally help you once the Olympics are over, so that you can show Amamiya-san exactly who you want to be."

"Sumire…" Sakiya thought to herself. "I'm going to be a better rival to you than Kasumi ever was. I'll make sure you become the best gymnast you can be, for Ren's sake, Kasumi's, and mine. I'm not going to lose to you, but if I can't compete against you at your best, who am I to call myself Japan's best rhythmic gymnast? I'm going to tell Ryuji how I feel, and then we'll see which couple loves one another more!"

In unison, the three gymnasts opened their eyes.

"You're an incredibly strong person, Sumire-chan." Hanako gave her a reassuring nod. "I've never lost someone dear to me, and I can't imagine how that must have felt. The fact that you're telling Sakiya-chan and I so openly is proof of how far you've come, though. I'm so, so happy to call you a friend."

"Hanako-chan…"

"She's right." Sakiya sniffled and nodded. "I knew you went through something rough in the past, Sumire. I could tell from the way you talked about Kasumi. I never knew it was like that, though. You're so strong!" She wrapped her arms around Sumire and gripped her in a tight hug. "Thank you, Sumire. Thank you."

"Sakiya…" Sumire hugged her back. "Why are you thanking me?"

"I understand why I was so inspired by your performances now. You're not performing for just yourself. When you dance, you dance for Kasumi and Ren. It takes an incredible amount of strength to do that. I thought performing for the world was big, but it turns out I've been looking at it the wrong way this whole time. The way you held yourself inspired me to jump into competitive gymnastics, remember? Now I know why."

"You aren't going to purposefully let me win when we compete going forward, are you, Sakiya?" Sumire leaned back and held Sakiya by the shoulders.

"Of course not! You're my rival." Sakiya shook her head and did the same. "I feel even more inspired to beat you, now that I know how fiercely you're going to compete! I'll be an even better rival to you"

"Good!" Sumire smiled and laughed.

"I never thought about performing for someone either, Sakiya-chan…" Hanako looked out toward the rainbow bridge, talking to the both of them. "I started rhythmic gymnastics because the girls looked so pretty in their leotards, waving their ribbon or tossing their hoop. I fell in love with everything about it, and I've always performed because I wanted to. I think it's wonderful that you're so motivated to honor your sister, Sumire-chan! Kasumi-chan sounded like an incredible person."

"She was, Hanako-chan. She was."

"I want to change, too…" Hanako took a deep breath. "I fell in love with Futaba for so many reasons that I can't think of them all. I think I'll be able to show her how I feel at the Olympics, and I'll finally be able to tell her, too."

"I know you can do it, Hanako." Sakiya smirked and gave her a nod. "I think I'll be able to do the same once I watch Ryuji."

"I'm going to cheer you on, Hanako-chan!" Sumire turned to her, smiling. "Maybe I'll find out something by watching you, too!"

"Maybe we should all make a promise?" Hanako clapped her hands excitedly.

"A promise?" Sakiya scratched her head.

"Mhm! Futaba-chan and I always make promises when we want to make sure something gets done!"

"We're not kids…" Sakiya sighed.

"No, but look how far Sumire-chan's promise has gotten her!"

"Fair point." She shrugged in response.

Sumire stood up and walked a few feet forward before turning around and holding out her hand.

"Let's do it."

"I'm going to call it a deal, not a promise!" Sakiya shook her head and stood up.

"Okay!" Hanako stood up, and the three placed their hands atop one another, one arm outstretched. "Let's promise to all come to terms with our feelings by the time the Olympics are over!"

"I promise." Sumire nodded.

"I accept this deal." Sakiya smirked.

"I promise too!" The three shot their hands up and jumped back.

As their excitement slowly faded, they all looked toward the rainbow bridge and saw that the sun had completely set. Tokyo was completely lit up, with every building in the distance beaming. They turned back toward the Ariake Gymnastics Centre and saw lights bouncing off the massive, wooden structure.

"Oh… It's really late." Sumire pulled out her phone. "We should head home."

"Thank you, Hanako-chan, Sumi-chan." Sakiya stepped back and bowed. "I'm glad we were all about to talk. I feel like I learned a lot today, and it's thanks to the two of you."

"Of course, Sakiya-chan!" Hanako clapped her hands cheerfully. "I have to make sure Futaba-chan ate what I made her!"

"She definitely did." Sumire giggled. "Ren eats anything I make him."

"Some nights, I catch her trying to sneak in a bowl of cup noodles…"

"If you really want to start dating her, Hanako-chan, you'll need to put your foot down!"

"Hmmmm… Maybe I'll stop cuddling her… Wait… But I want to cuddle her…"

"That's your form of punishment?" Sakiya looked at her puzzlingly. "I mean, I guess it could work."

"I'll have to think about it!" Hanako smiled. "She's just so cute, though!"

"Ren usually tells me he'll do something I like less if I do something I'm not supposed to, so maybe you could try that with Futaba?" Sumire pressed her finger against her lower lip.

"That's a good idea!"

"Uhh… Sure." Sakiya sighed. "Let's get going."

"Okay!"

Sakiya, Sumire and Hanako made their way back into the still bustling Tokyo streets, eventually finding their way home after wading through the busy crowds. That night, the three of them fell asleep, more eager than ever to see what followed in the coming future.


Sunday, July 5th

Hanako took a deep breath as she stepped into Tokyo Mental Health. It had been nearly two years since she first stepped into the building. The inviting atmosphere always managed to calm her down, though she had come across her fair share of people that were down on their luck as she was escorted to the appointment room. Today was not one of those days. With a clear-minded focus, she stepped into the small room where Ren and Maruki sat, patiently waiting.

"Hello, Amamiya-san."

"Hello, Natsuki-san. Take a seat." Ren motioned for her to sit down. "What would you like to talk about today? The Olympics are right around the corner."

"They are." Hanako nodded as she sat. "I'd like to talk to you today a little bit more about my romantic love."

"This is it." Ren thought to himself. "I doubt she's going to say Futaba's name, but…"

"Actually, I'd like to thank you for everything, Amamiya-san."

"Hm?"

"I know that I've never appeared sad before, which might be strange. I've almost always had a smile on my face, so I was concerned when I first visited you that you wouldn't listen to me."

"You don't have to be depressed to see a therapist, Natsuki-san."

"I know that now. Thanks to you, I feel more comfortable with myself than ever before. I know that I have Asperger's, but I don't feel any different. I finally know what romantic love is, and I don't feel like I have to change myself. You helped me discover who I really am, and even after you found out, you continued to support me. Meeting you has made me more of who I really am, and I'm grateful."

"I see." Ren crossed his hands on the table. "I merely helped you realize these things, Natsuki-san. Your happiness is your own. I didn't give you the answers."

"Even so, I'm thankful. I just wanted to tell you."

"That's fine."

"With that said, I feel like I'm ready to confess to the girl I'm romantically interested in. Once I perform at the Olympics, I'm going to tell her how I feel."

"That's great news." Ren nodded. "Being sure of your feelings and crossing the gap to let someone else know is a big leap."

"Mhm. The reason I'm not going to now is that I want to make absolutely sure that I can tell her with no regrets. A friend told me yesterday that the reason she dances is that she has someone watching her. I'm going to confirm that this girl is that person to me by performing for her."

"I'm sure you'll be able to confirm those feelings, Natsuki-san."

"There are a few other things I want to do, Amamiya-san. I want to learn to speak better in social situations. I want to be more independent with my studies, and I want to keep performing with rhythmic gymnastics, even after the Olympics."

"I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I want to do all of those things with the girl I love."

"There's nothing stopping you, right?" Ren knew exactly what she was trying to say, but neither of them could say it.

Hanako hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Well… There's still my parents. They'd never approve of my relationship." Her lips quivered nervously. "I love my parents, and I want them to meet the girl I love… But…"

"You're afraid they won't approve?"

"Yes. I've already defied them by focusing so much on gymnastics. I still haven't told them about my major. When they learned about my condition… They pretended it wasn't a problem. They didn't even acknowledge it. I'm everything they don't want me to be."

"Are you okay with that? How do you want to live your life?"

"Yes." Hanako nodded. "I want to live life my way. I'm going to tell Futaba how I feel, and I'm going to become a gymnastics coach. I need to talk to my parents more, and be honest with them. I want to improve my relationship with them before I do anything drastic. They are my parents."

"I'm happy to hear that you're resolved." Ren leaned back and adjusted his glasses. Their eyes met, onyx on brown, and they silently confirmed to one another that things couldn't remain the same after this appointment. As he felt Hanako's resolve within his heart, the word Charity echoed within the sea of his soul, and he understood there was no going back. Ren felt her acknowledge how much she's grown and realized about herself, all while accepting herself. Hanako felt and saw in Ren's smile that he was… proud of her.

They spent the rest of their allotted time together talking about Hanako's progress in university, which often involved her romantic love interest, and how she felt satisfied knowing that she would get to participate as an Olympic rhythmic gymnast, even if she didn't win any medals. Their appointment concluded smoothly, and after Hanako made her exit, Ren took a deep breath. He spun to face the brown-haired man he had become incredibly familiar with over the past two years.

"Dr. Maruki, we need to talk."


July 23rd

As Hanako, Futaba, Ren, Sumire, Sakiya and Ryuji finished their finals, they immediately turned their attention toward the Olympics. Summer vacation was here. Hanako and Ryuji took a train to Tokyo's waterfront plaza and made their way to the Olympic Village Plaza in Harumi Futo. Once they reached the village, they found themselves in select parts of the village, designated for rhythmic gymnasts and sprinting. In her section of the village, Hanako met many of the rhythmic gymnasts she familiarized herself with and competed against in past World Championships. Dina and Arina Averina, Linoy Ashram, and Kaho Minagawa were among many of the faces she recognized. Visitors weren't allowed, but everyone made sure to text and call Hanako and Ryuji.

In the meantime, Sumire and Sakiya continued practicing intensely, and Ren continued to take clients. Futaba rearranged her entire room specifically to watch Hanako and to be on call at all times.

The 2020 Olympics were finally upon them.