July 23rd

Futaba sat next to Sakiya, Sumire and Ren as the opening ceremony unfurled in all its bombastic, celebratory glory. The fireworks were dazzling, the music awe-inspiring, the view incredible.

But Futaba didn't really care about any of that.

She wanted to see Hanako walk across the stadium with the rest of the Rhythmic Gymnasts, smiling and waving her flag.

That time came to pass as the different sports teams did their march. Like an eagle, Futaba's hyperactive mind focused directly on Hanako as she stepped out. She wore a dark red suit, and her hair was tied into a small ponytail. She did exactly what Futaba knew she'd do, smiling and waving and…

Wait, did she blow a kiss?

"No, Futaba, you're seeing things."

"But damn does she look good in a suit. It really shows her curves!"

"Shut up, inner demons!" Futaba tapped the side of her head as her thoughts ran wild.

"You know she's not like that, so stop ogling her! Just be happy she calls you a friend!"

"I can't believe she's at the Olympics… Feels like yesterday since we met in Akihabara."

"She had to baby you because you screwed up and couldn't handle a rejection!"

"No! She helped me because she wanted to!"

"Why do you think she's so kind to you, Futaba?"

"Because we're best friends…"

"Is that all it is?"

"Yes… That's all…"

Futaba tried to focus on Hanako and the noises of the welcoming ceremony, drowning out the inner demon in her head.

"You're not worth loving, Futaba Sakura…"

That was the last thing she heard before she gripped the side of her head, covering her ears.

"Futaba?" Ren tapped her shoulder.

"Nonono…"

"Is the noise making you uncomfortable?"

"I just…"

"Futaba."

Her eyes shot open as she looked over at Ren and Sumire.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong, Futaba?" Sumire looked at her, worried.

"I uh… I guess I'm still not used to big crowds."

"Do you want to go get some air? I'll go with you."

"N-No." She held up her hands. "It's fine."

"We're here if you need anything, Futaba." Ren gave her a firm nod.

"R-Right…"

Futaba sighed and turned her head back to watch the rest of the ceremony. A group brought out a bunch of fancy mirrors, creating a symbol of the Olympics with cherry blossoms. She didn't care.

"What do I care about?" She asked herself. "I just want to see Hanako-chan, but as soon as I do, I freak out. Do I want to hang out with her or not? I know I do, but what if I mess up? All I can think about is if I mess up again. I just want to be with her… Crap. I dunno anymore… I'll talk to her tonight."

Futaba drowned out her thoughts by listening to all the boring speeches about how everyone was gathered to celebrate sports.

"Blah blah blah… Why does Hanako's performance gotta be one of the last?"

The ceremony wrapped up with Futaba trying not to fall asleep from boredom. She really didn't care about 99% of the event. All she wanted to do was support Hanako and Ryuji, two of her best friends.


That night, Futaba fell back onto her bed, exhausted. Being a person was hard. Interacting with others was hard. She just wanted to enjoy her anime, video games, time with Hanako, and furthering her mother's research.

Futaba pulled out her phone.

Futaba: Heyo, Hanako-chan. Have fun at the ceremony?

Hanako: Futaba-chan! Did you see me? It was really fun dressing up!

Futaba: Yuppers. I saw you and Ryuji. Gotta say, you rock a suit.

Hanako's heart fluttered as she read Futaba's text. It made her so excited that she rolled around on her bed and nearly dropped her phone.

Hanako: Thank you! I never really wore anything like that before!

Futaba: Did your family come to watch?

Hanako: They're watching from home. They still have work.

The mention of family caused Hanako to wince. They were the last thing she wanted to think about. She knew that she'd have to confront them soon enough about her future.

Futaba: I see. Remember, I'm going to support you all the way! Whether that be gymnastics or uni… I'll help you!

Hanako: I know, Futaba-chan! Thank you so much! I have to wake up tomorrow and start practicing as soon as possible. I'll text you tomorrow night, though!

Futaba: Kick some serious butt out there, Hanako-chan! I'll cheer you on, even if I can't turn into a 50-meter tall giant and knock down the walls of that village!

Hanako: You don't need to do anything like that! This village is very secure for a reason. Thank you, though! Goodnight!

Futaba: Goodnight!

Futaba sighed as she set down her phone and took off her glasses.

"Can things really stay this way?"

The thought remained unanswered as she fell asleep, unsure of what to do with herself for the next two and a half weeks.


Hanako woke up with a smile on her face every day as she got closer and closer to performing. She woke up at 7:30 AM every day, and started practicing at 9 AM with Coach Murakami. Practice lasted until 2:30, where she took a break until 4. After that, she practiced until 8 and had the rest of the night to herself.

It was intense and grating, but she enjoyed every second of it. Not only did she get to think about performing for Futaba, but she was practicing alongside literal legends. She didn't need to speak Russian to understand the passion and love Dina and Arina Averina had for one another in their performances. Now that she understood the feeling, she could see it plain as day. It wasn't just those two, though. There were plenty of rhythmic gymnasts Hanako recognized from her trips. Kaho Minagawa and Linoy Ashram were the two that stood out to her the most, aside from the twins.

The days flew by for Hanako as she practiced. The most eventful part of the day was when she texted Futaba at night. It warmed her heart to know the girl she loved was so committed to helping her.

It wouldn't be much longer before she told Futaba how she felt, through both her performance and verbally.


August 7th

Hanako woke up with a clear mind and a dead-set goal. Today, she was going to do her best in the qualifiers with Futaba watching her. For the first time since Futaba started watching her perform, she could finally watch her live. Before, Futaba always watched Hanako perform through a recorded stream.

This was the real deal. If she could do her best and do well in the qualifiers, she could really show Futaba how she felt in her final performance. There were over twenty rhythmic gymnasts participating in the qualifiers, and only eight would perform in the finals. The gold was just a medal to her, a symbol of how much she loved gymnastics. Any medal served the same purpose, so she didn't care if she placed first, second, or third.

In fact, all Hanako wanted to do was make it to the finals and show Futaba how much she loved her by dancing for her. The medal was just a bonus. Just thinking about it gave her butterflies in her stomach. In fact, she was so determined to show Futaba her feelings that she heavily differentiated her two routines; one to perform during the qualifiers, and one to perform during the finals, all dedicated to Futaba. Each routine differed in the difficulties she'd perform and the movements. It was a bold move, but Sakiya helped her learn to be bold. She needed to make sure her performance was graceful too, and Sumire helped her learn how to do that, most notably with the ribbon.

Hanako's hoop performance was the one she focused the most on perfecting. It blended the grace of Sumire, boldness of Sakiya, and incorporated her own, shonen-based moves from all the anime she watched through the years. The only thing left for her was to perform.

So she did.

The qualifiers came and went with each gymnast cycling through the four apparati. Hanako started with the ball and ended with the hoop, preparing herself in the Warm-Up Hall in the meantime. Once the performances were over, the placements were announced.

Arina Averina placed first in the qualifiers, scoring 90.700 total. Dina Averina placed second, scoring 90.300 total.

Hanako placed third, scoring 89.750 total, 23.700 with the hoop, 20.050 with the ribbon, and 23.000 with both the ball and clubs. Linoy placed fourth, scoring 88.900 total. Once the placements were announced, the gymnasts were led to the back, making their way to the Olympic Village. While walking around, giddy and excited, Hanako ran into Ryuji and spoke with him about his upcoming competitions. She assured him once again that he'd do fine, instilling him with more confidence. They parted ways, with Ryuji needing to leave and prepare for the next competition. In the meantime, Hanako made a phone call.

"Hello, Sumire-chan."

"Hello, Hanako-chan! Congratulations on placing third in the qualifiers! You were amazing out there!"

"Thank you so much!" Hanako exclaimed, with Sumire able to hear and feel her excitement as she spoke.

"I was practically under a trance, watching Dina and Arina Averina-san and you!" Sumire giggled.

"Right? I can't believe Arina Averina-san won over her sister! I never expected it!"

"How long have you followed them, Hanako-chan?"

"Since they first started competing in 2017!"

"I didn't start thoroughly researching rhythmic gymnasts until recently…" Sumire sighed. "I wish I had started sooner. I recently learned about the relationship they shared and why they performed for one another."

"When you told me about Kasumi-chan, I thought it sounded similar to the twins' story!" Hanako exclaimed. "I didn't say anything at the time because it was a serious moment."

"I appreciate that, Hanako-chan. Honestly, I'm glad I learned about them on my own. They both made a promise to win the Olympics together, and they support each other. Just like Kasumi and me."

"They really are incredible! I've watched them practice together, and they really are inseparable. Both of them are so similar and different… They perform their routines completely differently."

"I noticed. I hope Arina Averina-san can win the gold."

"I know they'll be happy with whoever wins the gold."

"Mhm. Dina Averina-san reminds me of Kasumi, and I just see a lot of myself in Arina Averina-san."

"I see! I'm going to show Futaba-chan how I feel in the finals. I don't really care where I place."

"I know you can do it, Hanako-chan! We're all going to be cheering you on!"

"Right! Thank you, Sumire-chan. Once this is over, I'd like to talk to you some more about my feelings."

"Of course! Good luck tomorrow! We're going to watch Ryuji-senpai now!"

"Have fun! Goodbye, Sumire-chan!"

"Goodbye!"

Hanako's smile grew wider as she walked to the rhythmic gymnastics practice hall. All that was left between Futaba and her was a night's rest and four performances.

And a confession.


August 8th

A calm wave washed over Hanako as she woke up, showered, ate, and went to practice before the finals.

"We're finally here, Hanako-chan. Are you ready?" Coach Murakami gave her a smile as she practiced her routine.

"Absolutely!" She smiled while doing a hip rotation with a ball.

"That's good. You're finally where you want to be. Don't focus on anything but your performances, alright? What comes next is something you can think about when it's over."

"Right!"

Murakami was unaware that Hanako had her future goals made and clear. She was right in that aspect, though. Focus.

Focus.

The 2020 rhythmic gymnastics All-Around finals began with Dina Averina performing with the hoop. After that, Hanako started with the ball. She was scheduled to perform with the hoop last, so she had plenty of time to build up the anticipation. Every time she stepped out to perform, whether it be with the ball, the clubs, or the ribbon, she remained perfectly calm and collected. It was all clear to her.

"I'm going to show Futaba that I love her."

So she did. Hanako's final performances were bombastic yet graceful, with a series of quick, flashy, anime-based poses mixed in. She let the ball roll up and around her shoulders and she posed, keeping it moving at all times. This performance was dedicated to the time she spent learning and studying with Futaba, a time that she was always thankful for. After her performance ended, she waited for her score, which totalled to 23.400. When she performed with the clubs, she drummed to the beat of her song, tossing and catching them with keen precision and foresight. This performance was dedicated to the time they spent watching anime and other shows together. She scored 22.000. Thanks to Sakiya and Sumire, she had learned how to carefully incorporate her poses into her ribbon performance, and it went off without a hiccup, with her scoring a 24.000. She dedicated this performance to the time they spent practicing together, as brief as it might have been.

Futaba felt her heart flutter every time Hanako performed. Something was different about these performances. As Hanako moved, Futaba swore she was looking at her.

That made no sense, though. How could she find her in the crowd while constantly moving, twirling and flipping? She couldn't figure out the answer, but within her heart, she felt like Hanako was dancing for her.
Like she was trying to tell her something.

Lastly, Hanako stepped out with the hoop and placed it on the mat, stretching her legs out so that her left foot was under the hoop, and her right foot was ready to kick it up, standing on her toes. This last performance was dedicated to all the love Hanako had for Futaba, all the memories they shared together and will share.

As the music began, Stay Alive by Rie Takahashi, she flaunted her arms in a post before stepping forward, doing a somersault and kicking the hoop high into the air with her left foot. While it flew, she did several full twirls, holding her arms close to her chest before kicking her left leg backward and high into the air, letting the hoop fall around it. Her hands touched the floor as she lifted her legs high in the air, pressing them together for a second with the hoop between them as she did a cartwheel before grabbing the edge of the hoop with her left hand, setting her foot down, allowing it to fall to her ankle. When it did, she pivoted it around in a circle, stepping forward twice before catching it with both ankles, lifting her left leg and spinning with the hoop around her waist.

One rotation. Two rotations. Three. Four rotations on one foot.

Seamlessly, she let the hoop drop and caught it with her right hand before picking herself up and spinning it in front of her. Posing like an action hero, she threw the hoop high once more and pivoted around on her left toes, kicking her right leg high and letting the hoop fall around her while she spun, her back arched backward as she caught it and stood up again. Leaning back up, she hopped around, spinning the hoop around her, matching the beat of the music with a smile on her face.

"I'm doing my best, and Futaba's right there, watching me!"

Once she stopped hopping, she held the hoop out and spun around three times before doing a long jump, doing a split in the air and holding the hoop high, bending her head back. She landed, spun the hoop around, jumped again, landed, and spun the hoop around her wrist twice before tossing the hoop into the air again. While it flew through the air, she leaped forward and bent her right leg back, allowing the hoop to bounce off her thigh mid-jump. It rotated in the air, and she posed again before catching it behind her back, spinning twice, holding the hoop outward and then pulling it in, stepping over it. Then, she bent her left leg up to the back of her head and spun the hoop up her body and held it at the top of her head. With her leg still lifted, she pivoted around on her toes three times before repeating another wrist spin and tossing the hoop again. She rolled forward as it flew, catching it behind her back as it fell.

After finishing her somersault, she stood up and did a cartwheel, kicking the hoop into the air while her legs were up. Hanako spun around twice as it fell, catching it with her left hand before lifting it up and spinning it around her, placing it on her neck. It spun and spun, perfectly balanced on her neck. Mid-spin, she lifted her right foot and pulled the hoop down to her ankle, holding her arms outward in a dramatic pose and kicking it around her ankle in two circles before lifting her left food up backward with the hoop and catching it with her right hand. With the hoop secured, she flipped it in front of her, spun around again, threw it high, lifted her right leg for a moment, lowered it, and did a spinning jump, kicking her legs backward and letting the hoop fall around them, hitting the back of her left knee. She flawlessly landed and let it spin around her waist before rotating it around her left arm and leg. Gracefully, it flowed from her left arm to her right, and she held it out again before tossing it into the air.

With the hoop in the air, Hanako did another somersault kicking her left foot straight up and leaving her right leg slightly bent. As the hoop landed around her, she pedaled it with her right foot, letting it spin around her inner left thigh. It slowed to a halt, and she spun out of her stance, grabbing the hoop with her left hand and tossing it into the air again. Hanako posed and flourished again, lifting her arms in a villainous pose this time. She kicked her left leg up, her knee bent in an L shape as she flipped forward, letting the hoop rotate around her as she did, pressing her left foot against the mat. With her knees bent on the mat, she stood up and pressed her feet under the hoop, kicking it into the air again while moving into a handstand.

Hanako lifted her arms into the air, caught the hoop, and spun it around her back and under her legs. She held her right leg out, pushed the hoop around it, and kicked her left leg high in the air, wrapped her left arm around it, and spun with the hoop around her right leg three times. Once she stopped spinning, she lowered her leg, stepped forward, pushed the hoop under her left foot, and kicked it into the air while doing another cartwheel.

Another series of quick poses while it flew, and she caught it, spinning around with it several more times. With her left hand, she caught it and rotated it around her shoulders, spinning it under her leg, and doing a flurry of rotations, with the hoop flying around her rapidly. She let it drop to her right ankle, held her arms up like an angel, and kicked it around her ankle, hopping over it with her left leg. After the last hop, she kicked it up, caught it with her right hand, spun it around, and tossed it into the air before catching it with her head, spinning it around her neck, grasping it with her right hand, tossing it, skipping forward, and catching it one last time.

For her final move, she slid forward, kicked her legs up in the air, spun the hoop around them, and did a split, her chest pressed against the floor. The music stopped, and Hanako smiled.

She did it.

Futaba's cheers echoed through the crowd, and she could hear them.

The cheering didn't stop as she walked up to Coach Murakami and sat down. She waited for her score to be announced, completely at peace with herself.

Hanako scored a 24.000 with the hoop, a new world record for the international stage. She gave it her all, and all of it was for Futaba. Now that her performance was over, the 2020 Rhythmic Gymnastics All-Around Final was over. The final scores were calculated and announced.

Arina Averina placed first, scoring a 92.000 total, winning the gold.

Dina Averina placed second, scoring a 91.500 total, winning the silver.

Hanako Natsuki placed third, scoring a 90.500, winning the bronze.

Linoy Ashram placed fourth, scoring 90.000. Kaho Minagawa finished in the top six, a huge step up from her placement in Rio.

And now, there was only one thing left to do.


Once the victory ceremony ended, Futaba excused herself and walked around the interior of the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, looking for the entrance of the Warmup Hall. She waited patiently for the gymnasts to leave, and saw Coach Murakami exit last.

"No sign of Hanako…"

The Centre drastically quieted down, and Futaba decided her best bet would be to sneak in. As she walked through the dark corridor to the Warmup Hall, her heart beat became more and more audible.

"You're just goin' to talk to Hanako… Try and console her…"

Peeking her head into the hall, she spotted Hanako alone, holding her bronze medal, admiring it.

"H-Hey Hanako-chan…" Futaba gulped as she stepped into the Warmup Hall. Out of bounds.

"Futaba-chan!" Hanako ran up to her, a wide smile across her face.

"So uh… You did really good! I know the bronze is just… uh… a bronze, but I honestly think your performance was the best of all! Your hoop performance especially! I loved it to bits!"

Futaba found herself sweating bullets as she couldn't think of what to say.

"The medal is just a medal, Futaba-chan." Hanako giggled. "I'm just happy that you got to watch me give my best performance ever, and to show you how I feel. That's all I ever wanted."

"Wh-Whatdya mean? How you feel?" Futaba's heartbeat accelerated.

"Futaba." Hanako closed her eyes for but a moment, taking a calm, slow breath.

"Hanako…?"

"I love you."

"L-L-Love me?" Futaba blankly stared at her. "L-Like, as a friend?"

"No." Hanako shook her head. "I love you."

has crashed. Please wait.

"SHE LOVES ME? SHE LOVES. ME? HANAKO LOVES ME? WHAT? BUT… WHAT?"

Hanako giggled while Futaba's face rapidly turned a deep shade of red.

"A-Are you joking, Hanako?" She blurted out.

"No, I'm not." Hanako stood unshaken and firm.

"Uhhhh… Uhhhhhhhhh… Hanako…" Futaba felt her legs turn into jelly as she started shaking. She didn't know what to do, what to say.

"Yes, Futaba?"

"I…" Futaba choked on her own voice, tears forming in her eyes.

"I want to dance for you, Futaba. I want to spend everyday with you, watching shows and cuddling…"

"I was so… so scared…" Futaba felt her heart pounding against her chest. "Scared that you'd hate me too."

"You don't need to be scared anymore, Futaba." Hanako opened her arms. "I love all of you. No matter what happens, that won't change."

"Hanako…C-Can you… Show me?"

"Of course."

Hanako wrapped her arms around Futaba tight. A nervous, bewildered expression crossed Futaba's face, and Hanako gave her a small nod. Futaba nodded back, and Hanako leaned in, kissing her. Futaba's eyes widened as Hanako held her in a kiss, and she gave in, fully embracing her in return. A full minute passed while Futaba ran her hands up and down Hanako's back, making sure she was real. Hanako didn't stop her, content with holding Futaba in her arms. Eventually, Hanako released the kiss and stepped back, holding Futaba's hands, smiling as bright as a thousand suns.

"Um…" Futaba couldn't stop blushing. "W-What now?"

"We should be more affectionate toward each other!" Hanako happily exclaimed.

"Uhhh…."

"You're so cute, Futaba."

"Hanakoooooooooooooo!" Futaba burst into tears of joy, and Hanako pulled her in for another hug.

Futaba cried for a few minutes, and Hanako cuddled her, running her hand through her hair and stroking it.

"S-Sorry… I just… I never thought…"

"It's okay, Futaba." Hanako wrapped her hand around her head and pressed it against her chest.

Several more minutes passed before Futaba calmed down. Once she did, Hanako went to change, and the two made their way out of the Ariake Gymnastics Centre together. As a couple, the two made their way to the Olympic Stadium to watch Ryuji's victory ceremony. Following closely behind was Sakiya, who held a satisfied smirk on her face.


Waiting outside the Olympic Stadium, Ren and Sumire spotted Hanako and Futaba walking together.

"Hanako-chan!" Sumire immediately ran up to her. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Sumire-chan!" Hanako giggled and held up her bronze medal. "It still doesn't feel real…"

"But it issssssssssss!" Futaba pointed at the bronze medal, smirking.

"Yes, it is."

"Bite it to make sure again!"

"Okay!" Hanako lifted the medal and bit the corner of it.

"It's real!"

"I can't wait for my opportunity to perform on the world stage for Ren!" Sumire smiled and nodded. "All of your performances helped me decide for certain! I'm going to perform and win at an Olympic level!"

"You can do it, Sumire-chan!"

Ren smirked as he watched the three girls talk. In the distance, he saw Sakiya waving, jogging up to the group.

"Sakiya-chan!" Hanako spotted her and waved. Sumire and Futaba joined her.

"Hello!"

"No bonjour?" Ren perked an eyebrow, thinking. "Odd, but alright."

"Congratulations, Hanako!" Sakiya raised her hand, and Hanako shook it. "I'm going to be next, though! On top of that, I'm going to win a gold!"

"I'm going to win the gold, Saki-chan!" Sumire gave her a playful look.

"Hmph. I guess we'll just have to see!"

"I'll be cheering both of you on!" Hanako clapped her hands. "Let's go watch Ryuji, first!"

"Let's go." Ren held out his hand, and Sumire took it. The group turned toward the entrance and made their way in. The ceremony was scheduled to happen in the middle of a series of final competitions, so they had to wait a bit. In time, though, they watched Ryuji walk out with the rest of the Japanese team, accepting their bronze. They let Ryuji hold it high on the podium, and he joyfully smiled. Jamaica and Canada won the gold and silver, respectfully, and once the ceremony was over, everyone returned home for the evening. For Hanako, Futaba, Ren, Sumire, Sakiya and Ryuji, the Olympics were over, but they still wanted to watch the closing ceremony.


August 8th, 8 PM

Lights swirled around the stadium as the massive symbol of Japan digitally appeared on the floor of the stadium. As dancers spread out across the floor, the symbol dispersed and became a plain white floor. The dancers wore traditional Japanese outfits and held sakura fans. Shadows of the dancers sprawled from the floor, creating an illusion as the music began. Their dance went on for several minutes, and the light transitioned as the head members of the Olympic committee came out and walked across the stadium, with different athletes from the nations represented walking behind them, holding their national flag. They all wore different dresses and suits, with the victorious athletes holding up their medals. Participation in the closing ceremony was optional, though. Hanako and Ryuji watched with their girlfriends, sitting next to Sakiya, Futaba, Sumire and Ren.

"Just like that, the Olympics games are over!" Futaba held her hands in front of her face and spread them, making woosh noises.

"We're just getting started though, Futaba!" Hanako smiled.

"Hehehe…"

Ren sat at the opposite end from Hanako, but he knew that their relationship was client and therapist was effectively over. They just needed to confirm it.

"You both did great." He leaned forward.

"Right? Who needs gold, anyway!" Ryuji laughed, and Sakiya kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm happy Sakiya-chan and you are together again!"

"I'm glad too, Hanako. I really am." Sakiya took a deep breath.

"We've all come so far…" Sumire placed her right hand on Ren's left hand. "But some of us are just getting started, right?"

"You're damn right, Sumire!"

"You and I have so much to do, Sakiya."

"Yup! Just you wait! We'll continue what Hanako started, and put Japan at the top of the rhythmic gymnastics world!"

"Yes… I wonder what Dina and Arina Averina-san are going to do now…"

"I bet they'll go to college!" Hanako excitedly declared. "Or, they'll continue showing off new routines they've come up with!"

"I'd love to learn from them personally…" Sumire looked out toward the crowd of athletes, trying to spot the twins.

"You have me, Sumire-chan!" Hanako gave her a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Hanako-chan!"

The group turned back toward the ongoing ceremony, watching several more dances. Once they were over, the floor screen played several highlight clips from the Olympics, including the performances of Dina, Arina and Hanako. After that, the head Olympic committee members had speeches, and lastly, a French representative spoke.

"The next Olympics will be held in Paris, France, in 2024!"

Once he announced this, the crowd erupted in applause, the digital floor screen played a long video showcasing France's key cultural icons, sports, and history.

As the video played, Ren leaned back, a smile on his face. He looked at Ryuji, Sakiya, Sumire, Hanako and Futaba, proud of how far they've all come, how their journey together led them to this moment. Sumire and Sakiya nodded to one another, acknowledging to each other that one way or another…

They were going to Paris in 2024.