Karina was lying on her bed scrolling through her FaceNote feed. There was the usual stuff on there, HeroTV updates, pictures of food her friends took, Memes about cats — the usual. She kept scrolling with her thumb, head resting on her arm behind her head. She saw a video and kept scrolling before the caption for the video finally registered and she scrolled back up.
WILD TIGER AND DAUGHTER CAUGHT SKATING AT STERNBUILD ARENA.
Tiger and Kaede were filmed skating together? She had never seen him on skates before, probably a video of him falling and embarrassing poor Kaede. She would watch it only to see how silly he looked, she was not watching it because she hoped he would look good, or that she wanted to see his face or anything. She pressed play on the video.
It was of Kaede ramping up speed and suddenly she was in the air, a leap right out of an Olympic event. Tiger's broad hands caught her with ease and suddenly the two of them were one, a shifting mass of beauty and grace; the look of pure joy on both of their faces as they moved carefully around the centre of the ice, blissfully unaware of the onlookers in the background. And just as quickly as it began it was over, Kaede slid down her father's back and feet planted firmly on the ice. The video cut off after Kaede was pulled into Tiger's arms and he started speaking to the crowd.
She played it three more times, rewatching the perfection of the jump. Why was he so graceful with this but not the dance routine they worked on for weeks? He had perfect symmetry with Barnaby, and Kaede, it was only with her that he couldn't keep a rhythm it seemed. She watched it for the reaction Kaede had to her father. The normally prideful girl was all blushes, as well as embarrassment, but mostly she was just happy as she tucked her face into her dad's chest. And she watched it for the looks on their faces; she had seen him smile at her like that. He was all a glow with pride and love when he looked at Kaede. It was a father's smile — he had given her that same look many times over the years.
Karina felt sick to her stomach as she watched it once more. She realised it was hopeless between her and Tiger. Kaede was a girl, becoming a young woman, barely younger than herself. Seeing her interact with her father was like a punch to the gut. Tiger was a father, and a good one at that. He was amazing and wonderful - and completely out of her reach. She hated herself for the feelings she felt towards this man, but she couldn't help it. Kotetsu was perfect, even if no one else ever cared to notice.