Hope and Legacy (Yuzuru Hanyu Fanfiction)

Prologue: A Mysterious Request

"So this is the end of tonight's lesson. Goodbye and thank you class."

I took a swift glance at the clock. 10 pm. Finally done with the last English class of the day. Tomorrow I should be teaching students Chinese privately, meaning that I would spend most of my time on buses and the railway.

But well, questions are yet to come after lesson from these curious students.

Just like now.

"Excuse me, sensei."
"What's the matter, Shoma-san?"

Teaching as a language teacher in such a language school for adults is kinda weird, especially when you teach English. Most of my students are way older than me, probably over 40 sometimes, with only a few of them around the same age as I do, like Shoma.

"You know I do figure skating, right?"

Oh definitely yes. I was quite surprised when I saw Shoma in my class on my first day here actually, considering how crazily obsessed I'm in Yuzuru Hanyu, and noticed Shoma from Yuzuru's interactions with him.
But well, Shoma amazed me by being one of my best students and quick-learners in the class. Like how on earth does he get so many stamina to be focusing in 2 hours of class after a whole day's practice? Japanese skaters are just so amazing. Imagine Yuzuru topping a world competition by the time of his high school graduation.

But oh well, stop the fangirling for a while-

"Of course I do. What's the problem?"
"One of my friends from the skating team needs someone proficient in English to be his translator for an interview with an overseas magazine. Would sensei be able to help?"
"But... I haven't studied translation actually, so I can't be treated as a professional translator."

I had considered taking translation for my four years of uni back in Hong Kong, but ended up getting into a double degree of English and Education with better marks in DSE that what I had originally expected.

"Oh, it's okay. My friend can understand simple English. He just needs some assistance when it comes to lengthy or complicated questions."
"When is that interview then?"
"24th March."

Oh, my birthday, and also a Sunday, meaning that I'm free from work.

"Okay, I'm available that day. Would you please give him or her my number for further contact?" I pulled a piece of scrap paper out from my drawer and scribbles my phone number on it.
"Thank you so much, Shimizu-sensei!" Shoma smiled and skipped out of the classroom, humming to the music for his free skate program this season.

Tidying up the pieces of handouts scattered on the desk, I was wondering which teammate of Shoma's is that. Probably some boys from the junior section, or...

Oh my, don't tell me it's Yuzuru.

Stop, stop, stop. It's impossible.

Yuzuru would definitely have professional translators assigned to him by skating unions in these cases. And my face still went damn red hot from blushing, even when I'm just imagining something impossible like this.

I'm so drowned in fangirling Yuzuru, oh Lord.

Alright, just wait for the texting from my...Um...client?
*****
Unlike other people coming for working holidays who lives in apartments their agencies arranged, I live with my friend who studied university in Japan.

"Welcome home, Sabrina--or should I still regard you as Shiori?" Catherine smirked.
"Just call me Sabrina when no one's around." I pulled a smile despite being near fatigue after all the teaching.

Sabrina is my true name back in Hong Kong but ever since I've moved to Japan I adopted a Japanese name which I made up for myself---Shiori, meaning" weaving poetry" if translating the Kanji directly to Chinese--though the meaning might not actually differ much.

"Fine then, I just made some udon for you on the table, and I'm heading back to my essay 'cause I got a concert to see tomorrow, you know."

"Okay." I sat down and finished the bowl of udon in just seconds. Then took a quick shower and I'm back in my room.

Laptop OK. Earphones plugged to my digital piano keyboard. Finally the moments in which I can enjoy myself.

I spreaded my hands across the keys and quickly played my piano arrangement of Hope and Legacy once.

Flawless. Perfect. I had finally done my favourite piece from Yuzuru's free skate programs. Now should I start with Origin or go for Requiem of Heaven and Earth, my favourite piece in galas?

... I guess I'd prefer Requiem. It touched the bottom of my heart when I first saw the performance on YouTube, just like Hope and Legacy.

Just when I was about to start, a notification popped out on my phone.
It's a message from an unknown number.

"Excuse me, is this Shimizu-san? I'm Shoma's friend who has been looking for a translator."