Hi, thanks for your feedback so far; it had been incredibly positive and I'm sorry for the delay in providing you with the first 'proper' chapter in this.

...

Ever been so excited you bought a diary?

I am not interesting, I know. But this is a chapter of my life that requires documenting, thankfully in a language those around me cannot read for an extra veil of privacy; after all, what I plan to write is extra secret. Who knows where I could end up if anyone knew. Alone? Dead? And the book is so nice, I could not resist buying it, even though money is a little tight now. I actually need to save up everything I have; it was my stupid idea, after all.

Where do I start? An introduction, I suppose. My name is Katsuki Yuuri, I am twenty four years old and a professional figure skater hailing from Hatsetsu, Japan. I lived in Paris, plan to one day compete in the Olympics and, as of last month, it seems I will be living in America from now on.

I cannot be quite sure how this happened.

But lately I have been unsure if I have been living a reality or have been stuck in some beautiful dream.

I have time to tell it now, right? My ship has been delayed and I have nothing to do before boarding. Well, I have been reunited with my childhood friends but we have caught up and they are busy keeping control of their three daughters before one ends up flying overboard. They grew up so fast! But I suppose you leave babies for five years they will grow into loud, funny little girls. I have truly missed them.

The Nishigoris have been planning their immigration for years, taking the long route in order to visit me after years of nothing but letters. Little did they know I would be coming with them.

Right, the beginning.

I have trained and competed from Paris for the past five years. Who else is now based in Paris? My absolute idol Viktor Nikiforov.

Words cannot do that man justice. He is a God in human form. The way he moves across the ice, I did not know a mortal could move that way. He is part of a troupe, a trio of skaters that travel the world, all are talented but Viktor shines beyond his companions in my eyes. I have imitated him for so long, and the reason I left Japan to begin with was in the hopes of one day meeting him. He had travelled to my home country before, and my mother saved up to buy me tickets, but I felt I had a better chance of meeting him here. Besides, I wanted to see the world.

He has spent a number of years travelling throughout Europe, mostly France, and felt it was time for a change of scenery. I did not want to pry.

We happened to train in the same rink, though I was too intimidated to ever skate around him, and not only him but his companions: Georgi Popovich and Christophe Giacometti. They are all so talented and I am mediocre at the best of times. To skate in their presence would only mean errors, slip ups. They would laugh at me, I was certain.

It was by accident that Viktor found me training. It seemed he wanted to fit in a late night practice too and… I do not know why, but he seemed to like what I had. That being said, had I known he was watching I would have become completely stiff and failed every jump and spin. He insisted we train together after that, privately if I was worried about my confidence. He wanted to train me? Teach me what he knew?

It was a dream come true, not only was I able to spend time with Viktor, but I got to know the real him. The hidden strengths, the flaws, how incredibly lonely he was. He had Christophe and Georgi, and almost-family in Russia, but no one he truly knew, he told me. I felt like I got to truly know him those months we were together.

He was certainly very open with his affections, more so than I would have dared been. It was dangerous, and he must have known there was a risk I would hate him, tell someone. There was nothing the law could do, but it- someone could kill him. And if not, he could never skate again. He would risk all that for me? I simply could never understand. How could anyone love me enough to jeapordise their career and life?

Of course, there would be no way I would turn him down. The situation scared me, of course, but I would put everything on the line to be with the man I loved. I had loved him since I was a boy. It had scared me, how wrong it was, and how no one could know, but I loved him regardless.

We trained together when we could, met in secret, for nearly a year. I could come and go from his home as I pleased, a mere colleague and acquaintance. No one could suspect a thing. Had he known of his plans to leave all this time? In a sense, I feel betrayed, but then again I cannot be that important a part in his life. Surely?

I do not remember much of the night he announced he would be leaving for America. I think I might have been angry. I quickly became drunken, in my grief, that he was leaving. Viktor had breathed new life into everything I did, became my second home, and now he was going away forever?

That was all I can remember until the next morning. I awoke in his empty bed to a note, Viktor telling me-

No, I still have it. I can glue the letter on the next page.

...

My dearest, most beloved Yuuri,

It fills my heart with so much joy that you have agreed to accompany me. Had I known you would declare such an act to keep us together, I would have informed you of my departure sooner. As it were, I feared never seeing you again.

This had been something myself and my dear friends had been planning for a long time, and I could not let them down just to be with you; it would have been selfish of me, no matter how I needed to keep you in my life. But now we can start a new life together. I hope you will take the opportunity to use this as a chance to further your career, and I look forward to your Olympic debut. I know this is selfish to ask, in light of how you have decided to uproot your entire life here for me, but you will accompany us in our travels across the country? I would love to perform with you.

Tonight, as wonderful as it was, was the last night I will be able to meet with you properly, as I am afraid we are so busy, and I fear you will now have little in the way of spare time. Emigrating is tricky business, especially when you give yourself a month to plan. My ship is called the RMS Titanic, and she leaves on the tenth day of April; I would recommend booking your ticket as soon as possible. Maybe we will get adjoining cabins?

I am very much looking forward to spending time with you, even on the crossing. I hear it is the height of luxury, and the menu certainly looks sublime. Whatever happens, I shall insist that you visit my cabin every night; the postcards and photographs tell me we will have a wonderful amount of privacy, even amongst so many people.

Here is to an incredible future together, my one true love.

Vitya

...

Silly Viktor. I do not make nearly the money you do from skating, and the little I have has to be saved for this new life I apparently planned. Steerage tickets were all I could get. And steerage will do for a week, dare I say the conditions will be an improvement on what I already had.

Even if I wanted to tell Viktor he could not hold me to words I did not even remember saying, there was never an opportunity to. And how could I cancel? This could very well be the best thing to happen to me. Who knows? I want this. I want to travel with Viktor and skate with him until he is bored with me. He will get bored eventually, right?

Phichit thinks I am an idiot, and yet he is accompanying me. I could never tell him why I truly wanted to go, but it is not so hard to believe I wanted more opportunities; after all, that was partially why he was coming. It was why he too decided to uproot in the space of a month and join me on this adventure: opportunity. He wants to entertain and skate and show the world how much he loves skating, and what he can do on the ice. I think he will have a lot of fun in America.

Phichit also travelled a long way to follow his dreams, all the way from Siam, in fact. He also claims he wants to look after me there, that I might need a friendly face in a strange, new country. After all, we were both terrified when we arrived here all alone. I cannot say I'm not relieved.

It also means our coach will not have to choose between us.

He was less thrilled at my- our- plan to move, having left America only a few years previously with plans to see Europe again. But Celestino eventually warmed up to the idea and will be joining us at a later date, my ballet instructor Minako with him. They will actually be planning their journey properly. Minako says the spontaneity is surprising, but a change might be what I need.

Phichit gave me an earful on the train from Paris, after we were seen off by Celestino and Minako, just so he was certain I knew this was a rash decision. Yes, Phichit, I am aware. If only I could tell you the truth...

It was on the train that I was reunited with Yuuko and Takeshi, and their children. It was fantastic to see them again and hear of my family. They are doing well without me, it seems, though they all miss me. I will return, one day. I miss them so much and I wish I could provide them with everything they need. Maybe one day they could live in a big house with me; they could even bring their business with them.

I have so many worries in regards to the future. Not only at the thought of being cramped into a boat, but of not knowing what waits for me on the other side, when I will see Viktor again, and what we will face in the future, but with my friends here, I think I will manage.

We are now aboard the SS Traffic, about to board the ship herself. Here I am, hiding amongst mine and Phichit's worldly possessions on what should be the happiest day of my life, but I am tired and determined to finish this entry. I know there will be so much processing and a long search for our cabin before I will have another chance to rest, and it is likely I will fall straight asleep. I can see the Titanic, just barely, through the legs of other passengers, her lights twinkling in the gloom.

Phichit is calling me. I must go now.

...

Minami's notes:

Yuuri Katsuki boarded the Titanic at approximately 08:10pm on Wednesday 10 April, accompanied by longtime friend Phichit Chulanont and the Nishigori family from the SS Traffic. Viktor Nikiforov, on the other hand, boarded from the SS Nomadic, accompanied by Christophe Giacometti and Georgi Popovich. Unknown to Katsuki, it was possible he was travelling next to the closest people Viktor had ever had to family.

...

There are some creative liberties that I took in regards to the demographics of the passengers. There were no Russians in first class and only one Japanese passenger on the ship, in second class. I also could find no accounts of Korean, Kazakh or Thai passengers, but the rest are as accurate as possible in terms of demographics, so I ask please don't google them because you will be met with spoilers.

This story synopsis just seems to be getting sadder and sadder the more I research and plan, so sorry in advance.

SS Nomadic is the only white star line ship to survive to the present day. I actually saw it on a trip to Belfast last year, though wasn't allowed on board because some selfish prick was having their Goddamn wedding on it. Though to be fair, I was actually pretty chuffed to hear you could have your wedding there. I'd love to get married on the SS Nomadic.