Chapter Five - Olympic Trials
"Alright Misaki-Kun, for this short program I want you to perform exactly what we did in practice yesterday,' Yuna was currently zipping up Misaki in his skaters outfit, while the teen was combing his hair back the best he could before letting the bobby pins do their part, 'After this is done you have to meet with Nihon Adidas and with the press for a quick interview."
"Eh?' Misaki stopped pinning his bangs up at the word 'press', 'B-But why does the press want to meet with me?"
Misaki loved his sport, what he didn't love was the amount of attention he got from news outlets.
"You're the best Japanese male figure skater in a long time! It's a very big deal!' She emphasized by fastening the last button on the back of the boy's neck.
She walked in front of the boy, poking his forehead playfully, 'Rumor is you might break a record at these games, which means even if you don't place at all, you will make history! The Russians and the Ukrainians have made figure skating their sport, if a small Japanese boy were to beat them at their own game that will really stir the pot! Haha!"
Misaki sweat dropped at his coaches excitement, he knew it was true, but he tried not think too much about what was at stake.
Yuna patted his behind, signaling that he was ready to go.
The short woman hugged him tightly. Misaki could have sworn he saw his coach holding back tears.
"Knock them dead!" She yelled. Misaki nodded, giving a small smile.
"Last up on the ice for the short program is: Takahashi Misaki, ' a loud announcement filled the room, 'from the Tokyo prefecture, coached by Sakamoto Yuna."
Misaki took off his skating guards, handing them to his coach before stepping onto the ice.
The boy heard the loud sound cheering, and aisles of seats filled with friends, family and fans of all the skaters that were competing for a spot today, he knew immediately he couldn't mess up now.
- Usagi, Akikawa and Takahiro -
"Misaki is up next!" Akikawa cheered, her eyes were filled with stars.
Usagi rolled his eyes at his editor, "Tell me again why you're here?"
The woman glared at him, resisting the urge to assault him, "Because I've never seen someone so cute and amazing perform on ice before!"
Takahiro sweat dropped at the woman's excitement, then again he was used to how popular his little brother was, even to this day he got fan mail from Misaki's numerous fangirls.
"Haha, calm down both of you,' he waved at them, 'So far even other skater has either fallen or only have done a double or triple jump, even at the world championships Misaki fell several times and got silver."
Usagi couldn't help but find it admirable and annoying how dotting Takahiro was towards his brother.
"Next up on the ice for the short program is: Takahashi Misaki-"
"Kya! Misaki!" A group of girls yelled a few rows behind the three adults screamed.
"Sensei ...' Akikawa said silently, 'I don't know which is worse, your fans or Misaki's."
"I would say it's an even-"
The man paused as he saw the boy enter the ice skating rink, he felt his eyes widen at the sight. Misaki looked completely different. His hair was neat, his face was completely clear of any hair strands and his skating costume hugged the boy's figure perfectly.
The costume was a pair of black pants and a long sleeve top, that even covered the boy's hands, which was layered with black and see through dark green fabric, added with some accents on his shoulders.
In other words the boy looked nothing like his usual self, he looked so poised, so mature, so ...
"Takahiro ... Misaki looks-"
"Completely different? I know!' Takahiro gushed, 'He looks a winner doesn't he!?"
Usagi nodded silently, not taking his eyes off the boy, 'Not what I was going to say, but sure I'll go with that."
The arena was silent as Misaki stood at the corner of the rink with his facing away from the majority of the crowd.
Soon music (Sand By Nathan Lanier FT Karen Whipple) played though out the building, and the skater launched into his routine. Misaki picked up speed for his first combo.
Takahiro gripped his friends hand tightly, almost to where Usagi couldn't feel his blood flow, "First combo is a quad salchow followed by a quad lutz," Takahiro whispered to himself, at the same time loud enough for only Usagi to hear.
Usagi watched in amazement at the amount of height the small boy got, had he blinked he would of missed Misaki's rotation in the air.
The boy landed in textbook perfection onto the ice.
"Ah! Amazing!" Akikawa screamed. She took out her camera video tapping the boy carefully.
"Note to self: get that tape from her later in exchange for a finished manuscript," Usagi thought silently to himself.
The routine seemed to end quicker then when it started, but for Misaki he felt weird.
"Why do I feel so exhausted? No! Only one more spin combo and that's it!" Misaki launched into his sit slink as the music intensified, the crowd was silent as he slowly rises into a split stand up spin, before stopping completely in time for the music.
The building was filled with cheers and cries of excitement, Misaki waved at the crowd as he exited the ice.
"Misaki! You did fantastic! That was a near perfect routine!" Yuna cheered on from the outside as Misaki made his way back in. But something was off ...
'Misaki? Are you alright?' Misaki nodded, grabbing his blue Gatorade bottle from the bench. Yuna looked at him strangely.
'You ate this morning, right?" Misaki froze not looking at his coach. That was all Yuna needed.
"Ow!" Misaki yelped as a force of pain meet his backside.
He turned around to face the dark aura that was coach, "Don't do that again!'
She grabbed his chin when he tried to look down, 'Understand me? You're almost under 100 pounds! Even the female skaters aren't as small as you!"
He only nodded, bowing deeply to him coach.
- Back in the Crowds Stand -
"Ehh what's going on with Misaki and his coach?" Takahiro asked, noticing how angry his brothers coach looked. Yuna motioned for Misaki to stand up, she rubbed his back, before the both sat down as the judges decided Misaki's fate.
"I don't know, maybe he forgot an element?" Usagi guessed, he watched Misaki put on his World Championship team jacket.
"That can't be it, he had everything! I'll ask him later today," Takahiro signed.
Usagi had a feeling he knew what it was, but his heart beat faster at knowing possibly what it could be.
"His 'forgetting to eat' habit is catching up to him." He thought silently, he glared at the boy slightly.
"In twenty minutes all male skaters, please report to the ice for Olympic team selections," a female announcer stated into the mic, interrupting Usagi's stream of thoughts. The man watched Misaki's coach use her finger to rub lip balm onto the boy's lips, while Misaki just sat still. He couldn't help but feel slightly jealous at the display.
"Tonight, I want to show him how much I care for him."
"God, twenty minutes!?' Akikawa signed, 'That will be forever! Can't we just give Misaki his spot already and leave?! All these other skaters are only ok!"
Takahiro laughed slightly at the editor, not knowing how else to react to the fiery redhead, "I'm sure it will be fine, want to see Misaki at his first competition at age eight-"
Before he could finish the woman's eyes turned into hearts, nodding her head so vigorously Takahiro thought her head night snap off her neck. He took out his phone looking at the YouTube videos for his brothers earlier competitions.
"Ehh ... I don't see- Oh! Here is one from age eleven!" He pressed on the video, ignoring the woman that practically on top of him trying to look at his phone.
The video showed a small skinny boy in an all black costume, expect for his small white type, entering the ice. It was clearly at a competition.
The little boy moved quickly, thought not as quickly as he could move now. The boy launched into a jump only to fall onto his side.
"Ow! That looks like it hurt!" Akikawa yelped.
Takahiro laughed slightly, "Haha yeah ... he had some bad bruising after that, but he still got third place even with that fall."
"Really?" Takahiro nodded at the woman, as they both watched the boy continue his routine.
"Huh, this brat has been working harder than most adults do his entire childhood. If he doesn't make it on the team he will think he let Takahiro down. Please make it Misaki ..." Usagi thought as he watched the child to wave in excitement at the end of the video. The little kid skated over to his brother who picked him up with ease. A younger Takahiro spoke to the young boy, clearly proud of Misaki, despite falling in the middle of the program.
"They both sacrificed so much …"
- Thirty Minutes Later -
"Ladies and gentlemen, the results for the 2014 Winter Olympic Figure Skating Men's Singles are now in. All skaters please report to the ice."
Misaki only breathed in deeply, zipping up his coat as he skated on the ice in line with fourteen other male skaters. Once all the skaters were lined up perfectly, four officials made their way onto the ice. One woman had four of the official team jackets in her hands, and landyards that each skater would take with them to Russia.
The second official had the list of the skaters in her hands that would go to Russia, while the third was only there to be JSL interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing.
"Our selection for the four skaters are the following, our forth member and traveling alternate of the Olympic squad is: Giichi Takayama from the Sendai prefecture,' the woman announced, Usagi saw Misaki and the rest of the skaters clap for the skater as he was given a jacket by the woman. He bowed, happily accepting the jacket.
Once the clapping died down the announcer started again,'The third member of the Olympic teams is: Hiroshi Azuma from Hiroshima Prefecture.'
Hiroshi was probably the tallest of the all the skaters, he had long black hair that reached past his shoulders with sidecut and bore a serious face, even when he accepted the jacket.
"Huh, he and Hiroki share the same serious and composed act." Usagi was amused at the similarities between the skater and his childhood friend.
'Our second member is: Jun Shoji!' A boy only a couple inches taller than Misaki stepped forward. He had dark brown hair that had long choppy bangs in the front, but it was cut short at the back. The boy looked like he was trying hard not to cry as put on his jacket and took the land-yard form the woman.
"So that is Misaki's rival ... but his routine is simple compared to Misaki's."
'Our first member, as well as the chosen team captain for the 2014 games is: Misaki Takahashi! From the Tokyo prefecture!" Takahiro filmed Misaki's reaction, cheering louder than any person in the room. Misaki stepped forward bowing to the lady. He couldn't hold back tears as he put on the Olympic team jacket, he also received a land-yard, as well as another jacket that was for the team captain.
"Go Misaki-Kun!" Akikawa screamed, along with the rest of Misaki's fans.
The four skaters stepped up joining hands, bowing to the committee members.
"Thank you for selecting us, please continue to look after us!" They then turned to the crowd bowing to them.
"This concludes today's selection! Thank you everyone who came for today, the Olympic Games will start in one month! Thank you!" The committee members bowed to the crowd.
"Go Go Japan! Go Go Japan!" The four team members yelled, jumping up and down. Soon they all separated going to their coaches.
"Misaki you did it! You're going to Russia! And you're the team captain!' Yuna gushed, hugging the boy tightly. Misaki only laughed in response, he was still trying to digest the reality that he was on the Olympic team.
Though he felt distracted by the other ten skaters that didn't make it, some of them had a brave face, others though couldn't hid their disappointment. Seeing them sad made Misaki feel …
"Misaki?' Yuna frowned when she saw him tearing up slightly, 'Ehh ... Misaki? Why are you upset? You should be over the moon!"
"But all those other skaters-"
Yuna signed placing her hand on his shoulder, "Misaki ... you know this will happen ... some skaters never make it to the Olympics, or any big competitions for that matter. It's the cruel nature of sports I'm afraid …"
Misaki only nodded in response, Yuna stood on her toes hugging her sensitive skater, "You're so empathetic it's almost unreal!"
The boy didn't say anything, he only allowed his coach to hug him tighter, unaware of his brother, an editor and certain writer staring at him in shock.
"Why is Misaki-Kun upset? He just got on the biggest team imaginable!" Aikawa exclaimed.
Takahiro frowned, before smiling slightly, "He probably feels sorry for the other ten skaters that didn't make it, even as a kid whenever his teammates didn't make it or qualify for the final round, he would get more upset at them having their chances crushed, then him actually winning anything, sometimes he cared more then they did."
"Misaki ..." Usagi thought silently to himself, watching Misaki's coach trying to calm him down, 'You will be the death of me."
"But not everyone will make it anyways! Even in publishing that happens all the time!" The editor yelled, Takahiro only chuckled back in response.
"I don't think Misaki cares, he knows that the sporting world is incredibly harsh, I don't think that it is a reality he will ever really come to accept," Takahiro signed. All of them were silent while Misaki and his coach were talking, by now the boy had clearly calmed down, at least for now.
- Figure Skating Press Conference -
"Ok Misaki! The press will have a ten minute interview with you, I'll be by your side in case those reporters try surround you!" Misaki only nodded, the boy drank from his water bottle as he walked towards the press table with the three other skaters and their coaches. Misaki and Yuna sat down in the middle where their name tags were, they were seated between Jun Shoji, and Hiroshi Azuma, along with his coach, whom looked as serious as Hiroshi.
Flashes of camera came on as the interview began with numerous reports yelling questions.
"Takahashi-San!' A woman with long brown hair yelled out above the other reporters, 'It is rumored that you may break a record at the winter games doing quad jump combos at these games, how do you feel about competing against the Russians?"
Misaki cleared his throat, "Uhh haha, I try not to think too much about it, I'd rather focus on what I'm doing it, rather than what my fellow competitors are doing."
All the reporters talked at the same time, before a man yelled above the others, "For everyone on the team, will this be the first time any one of you have been to Russia?"
All the team looked at each other for a moment, nodding slightly, "Yes," everyone spoke at the same time, which earned a laugh from the reporters and photographers.
"Takayama-San! You're the fourth member of the team, which means you're an alternate in case any of the team is injured, do you feel left out of the Olympic experience?"
Giichi Takayama paused for a moment, clearing his throat, "Not at all, being able to support my fellow teammates and country men is always an honor,' He turned to look at his teammates, 'So hey if any of you feel like breaking a leg, literally, just call me!'
Misaki and Jun laughed along with the rest of the room, expect for Hiroshi, who only rolled his eyes at the comments.
'Plus hey, a free trip to Russia," Giichi finished, again earning another laugh from the press.
"Sakamoto-San!' A reporter from the back yelled, Misaki looked at his coach, 'You have been coaching Takahashi-San since he was thirteen years old, is it bittersweet to see him competing and not your own son?"
Some of the other reporters gasped at the question, Misaki looked horrified at hearing the question, he knew the topic of her son was touchy subject for his coach. Yuna kept a straight face, before smiling slightly,"First of all, my son has a name, Choi Sakamoto, and no it isn't bittersweet. As his coach I treat him as an individual. My son may be gone, but Misaki is his own talent. In my own personal opinion comparing athletes to each other is the worst thing any coach or supporter can do, thank you."
Misaki grabbed his coaches hand under the table, giving a slight squeeze. Yuna squeezed back. Misaki smiled sadly at the response.
"Yuna-Sensei ... you're the best coach ever, I hope everyone can see that after today!" The boy thought silently to himself.
Misaki heard the reporters ask the other skaters questions, mostly about being first time olympians, their feelings on leaving japan for the first time, and what they hoped to achieve at the games.
"Takahashi-San!' Yuna poked her skaters arm to get his attention, Misaki paid attention to the female reporter yelling his name, 'Takahashi-San, you have been listed as one of the most popular male winter athletes in Japan since you entered the senior division, and you're also rated as one of the most desirable male athletes, with that being said, do you have a girlfriend that is cheering you on behind the scenes?"
Misaki felt his cheeks turn bright red, he could hear his teammates snicker slightly, Jun leaned over to him squeezing his shoulder, Misaki patted his hand slightly, "Uhh haha ... I only am recently finishing my high school studies, and starting my entrance exam studies. I put aside that just to train full time for the games the last few months, I don't really have time to date, plus I'm pretty sure a girl wouldn't appreciate only having one date a month, haha."
Misaki scratched the back of his awkwardly, cameras flashed at him until another skater tapped his mic.
"Of course we don't have time!' Hiroshi stated calmly with slight annoyance in his tone, 'We are professional athletes, we'll have time to date once we retire!"
"Uh dude ... it's not that extreme ..." Giichi said with a sweat drop on forehead matching the rest of the people in the room.
A committee member stepped up with a mic, "I am sorry, but we will have to end this press conference for today. All our skaters will be available next week for a addition press conference with Adidas-"
"Eh?' Misaki sounded confused.
Hiroshi got up holding his mic, "But I thought we had to meet with Adidas tonight!"
The committee member turned to Hiroshi, "The director of Nihon Adidas wanted to meet all of you individually in person, and all of you will have team and individual photographs consider it a great honor."
All the skaters and coaches stood up bowing to the committee member, "Thank you Yamaguchi-Sama!"
The director spoke again, "All reporters will have to leave, any photographers in here may take a picture of the team with and without their coaches if they wish, afterwards skaters and coaches may leave for the night."
Misaki and the three other skaters got up walking in front of the table, Misaki and Jun stood at the front, while the taller skaters Hiroshi and Giichi stood behind them. Without warning a flash of cameras ambushed the athletes, all of them struggled to keep their eyes open for the pictures.
"Ok can all of you please stand in a line so we can get Takayama-San and Azuma-San?" A woman with short red hair asked motioning for Hiroshi and Giichi to stand by Jun and Misaki.
A few moments later the flashes stopped again, all four of the skaters felt burning in their eyes by the time the photographers were done.
"Come on Misaki, you can relax for now," Yuna motioned for her skater to leave the room.
Misaki got up with Yuna, leaving the press room and ignoring the endless parade of questions other reporters tried to ask the skaters as they tried to leave. Misaki saw his brother, Usagi-San and Usagi's editor Aikawa.
Without a. Chance to speak Misaki felt himself being lifted into the air by his brother, "Gah! Nii-Chan!"
Aikawa was taking pictures of the moment, gushing over the brothers interaction, "Kya! These pictures will be great for the book Sensei!"
Usagi only nodded, watching the two Takahashi's celebrate with each other.
Takahiro spun his brother around while having a firm grip on his waist, before putting him down, "Misaki you did it! Not only did you make the team, you're the captain! Mom and dad would be thrilled at the news! ... and you feel lighter too …"
Misaki nodded slowly, his eyes began to mist at the words 'mom and dad', "Un yeah, I still can't believe I'm going to Sochi next month!" The skater conveniently ignored the last comment.
"Did you want dinner tonight? I know a really good sushi bar not too far from the rink!" Takahiro said happily, not noticing the slight panic on Misaki's face. But Usagi was not so oblivious.
"Haha thank you Ni-Chan! But I'm really tired after today ..." Misaki half lied. He was tired, but not as tired as he acted. The boy could see the irritated look on the authors face from where he was.
"He knows I'm lying doesn't he? ..." The boy thought silently to himself, he silently prayed he was wrong.
"Oh you're right, it's late now. Get some sleep ok?" Takahiro asked, patting the boy's shoulders gently. Misaki nodded, hugging his brother around his neck, Takahiro returned the hug, wrapping his arms around his little brothers waist.
"Hey!' Aikawa yelled, both Takahashi's looked at the woman (who also took pictures of them while they were having 'a moment') who held out her cellphone, 'Let's let take a selfie, we can even use this picture for Sensei's book!"
"Haha sure, why not?" Takahiro laughed, Misaki followed him closely. Takahiro, Misaki, Yuna, Usagi And Aikawa all crammed together, while the editor adjusted her self stick. Misaki adjusted his jacket while he stood in the middle, Takahiro and Usagi stood behind Misaki, Aikawa and Yuna (Since the two men were taller then the two women and the skater).
"Ok everyone, it's ready! Ok, everyone say 'Sochi!"
"Sochi!"Everyone shouted while the camera flashed a couple times, taking multiple pictures, little did any of them know, a hidden tension between a skater and an author was in the air.