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..........M.E.R.I.D.I.A.N......L.I.G.H.T.S..........
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Mom was talking to some employees inside the Nagoya Sports Complex. I looked around and saw several figure skaters practicing on the ice. Their ages ranged from little kids around four years old to adults nearing 20's to 30's, I wasn't exactly sure. Nevertheless, I immediately loved it here as I saw the coaches diligently focusing on their respective skaters.
"Elana," Mom called out to me. I noticed a middle-aged Japanese woman standing beside her, looking at me.
I immediately came over.
"This is my daughter, Elana," Mom introduced me, smiling at the other woman.
"Hello." I smiled, shaking hands with the woman.
"Hi," a heavily accented tone replied. "I'm Omura Arisu. I will be Coach. Coach Omura."
"Oh! Nice to meet you, Coach." I smiled again before giving a slight bow.
"Nice to meet you too." Coach Omura smiled and bowed as well. Her accent was heavy and the words were slightly stiff, but I understood what she was saying.
From what I gathered following our conversation, Mom was able to contact the skating club beforehand. She asked around and requested a coach who could understand and speak in English, at least, enough English to be able to communicate.
Mom discussed some things with Coach Omura for a bit before finally leaving me in her hands.
"Well, I'll be going. Ela, don't leave this place until your Dad or I come to pick you up later, alright?"
"Ok, Mom."
"Ok, I'll see you later. Love you." Mom kissed my cheek.
"Love you too." I smiled, waving at her.
As soon as my Mom left, I turned to my coach.
"Ferrer-san, correct?" Coach Omura asked me as she held my file in her hands.
"Yes, Coach." I nodded.
"Ok, can you tell me, when you start skate? What's your level? I ask first so that I can gauge you. After this, you skate, so I can see your skills."
"Oh, um, I started skating a year ago. I can do the basic spins and steps. I can do a single Axel, and also doubles for the Lutz, Salchow, toe, loop, and flip. But I need to work on them since it's pretty unstable."
My coach nodded before guiding me to the rink.
"Wear your skates. After that, you skate, I'll check to see what needs to be worked on."
"Yes, Coach." I nodded before sitting down on a nearby bench as I put on my skates.
Coach Omura made me circle around the rink whilst making me do all the step sequences and spins that I had in my repertoire. She also made me do all the Jumps, which I thankfully landed but as I stated earlier, my doubles were a little bit shaky.
Coach then made me start on my steps first. She wanted to strengthen my basics until I could do it fluidly at high speed. She carefully corrected and guided me as I continued on. I was very much enjoying myself as I glided around the rink doing my steps. Even though there were several skaters around, they weren't a hindrance at all since we all know how to give way or to not obstruct other skaters.
An hour through my practice, I was already out of breath.
This never happened to me before. At least, not so fast. It usually took two to three hours before I became exhausted on the ice and needed to take a break.
That was probably because back in the Philippines, I kept getting interrupted even if there were only several guest skaters around. But here, in an actual skating club full of figure skaters, I could glide past them without any worry that they'd obstruct my path. Of course, safety was always a priority so, as much as possible, I didn't get too close to them at the rink.
My coach called me from the side of the rink.
"Rest for a while." She gestured towards the benches.
"Yes, Coach." I nodded before sitting down and gulping from my tumbler.
"Ferrer-san, do you exercise regularly?"
I wiped my face with a towel as I turned to my coach.
"Uh, I jog. Every other day I jog at night. That's about it."
I already knew where this was going. I knew that competitive figure skaters had a set of programmed exercises.
However, I didn't really have an official coach who would guide me through that. Coach Edmund wasn't my official coach. Even though I would like to make him focus on me, and I get the inkling that he did too, he was under contract with the mall group. He could only take students that applied in the mall rink.
Besides, I'm only a novice - a champion novice - but still a novice. I couldn't exactly take him away from his job at the mall rink. That was one of the main reasons why I wanted to practice abroad. I wanted to belong to a skating club where the coach could focus on their skaters.
I didn't know the exact programmed exercises, hence, I was severely lacking in stamina and endurance compared to the others.
When Coach Omura learned about my situation, she decided to take me off the ice for now. She guided me through a set of exercises designed for figure skaters to train my agility, endurance, and power.
By the end of the second hour of doing nothing but those set exercises, I felt like I was going to die in severe exhaustion.
It was that intense.
"You need to do these exercises daily from now on," Coach Omura informed me as we sat around for another break. "We need to strengthen your body. Even if you master the spins and the jumps, if the body is weak, you will not be able to do them continuously throughout your program."
"I understand."
"Starting tomorrow," Coach continued, jotting down on paper, "from morning to noon, we focus on exercises. Then after that, we focus on your skills on the ice."
"Yes, Coach," I agreed. I need to build up my body for this.
"Ok, you rest." Coach Omura patted me on the shoulder. "We get back on the ice in one hour."
"Ok, Coach. Thank you." I smiled at her and she smiled back before leaving me to rest.
I stretched out my legs as I sat on the bleachers, gazing at the other skaters zooming around the ice.
I would be here for a long time. At least, that's what I hoped. My mom only promised December, but I would have to find a way to let her take me here again after that. Maybe, if my parents saw that I was so dedicated, then they could let me go back at the weekends during school. I still had to convince them to let me stay here during summer vacation.
Since I was going to be a regular at the skating club, I know that I should eventually make friends here. However, I was too shy since I didn't speak Japanese. Sure, I knew some words, but not full sentences.
I pulled out a Japanese-English mini dictionary from my duffel bag. It was a good book. It's not the typical dictionary that just listed down words; instead, it also listed down phrases that could be used in common daily situations. Like, asking for directions, and other such things.
Halfway through the second chapter, I felt someone sit at the end of the long bench I was lounging at.
I looked over and saw that it was a boy around five to six years old.
Gah.
This.
This chibi is just too cute!
Be calm my palpitating heart.
Yes, I love kids. I really love playing with them, just ask my cousins.
I always get into that Ate mode whenever I was around kids. It couldn't be helped.
Forgive the word chibi. If anyone still didn't get it, the knowing only simple Japanese words and not full sentences... well, I knew them from watching anime. I wasn't a huge fan like my brother, but I certainly loved a couple of them. My favorite being One Piece, especially Tony Tony Chopper because he's so damn adorable.
But this boy, a perfect combination of chibi and adorable. I really couldn't help myself.
"Hi." I smiled at the boy.
The boy looked up at me, then tilted his head before smiling uncertainly.
I didn't know what exploded first, my heart or my brain.
"Hi, I'm Ela. What's your name." I grinned down at him.
He looked at me in that lost puppy manner. I internally smacked myself for forgetting.
"Sorry. Wait a 'sec." I flipped the dictionary in my hands and cleared my throat. "Hi, my name is Ela. What is your name?" I said slowly in stilted Japanese, hoping that he could understand what I said despite my horrible pronunciation.
His eyes widened at me before he answered shyly. "My name is Shoma," he mumbled.
So cute!
I resisted the urge to pinch those chubby cheeks as I'm absolutely sure I would scare away this smol bean if I did.
No, I better wait until he lets his guard dow- cough -...I meant until I'm friends with him.
"Are you..." I flipped through my book rapidly, searching for the word. "Skate. Skate. too?" I repeated the word skate while miming it. I didn't know if there was a Japanese word for it.
He tilted his head again before he nodded, issuing a yes sound.
...
I cannot.
This kid was just too adorable. I was seriously this close to pinching his cheeks.
Thankfully for him, a Japanese woman came around and walked over towards us.
"Shoma-chan." The lady ruffled his hair a bit causing him to laugh. She then looked at me curiously. "Hi," she greeted me in English.
"Oh, hello." I immediately stood up and bowed slightly. I'm guessing that this must be the boy's mom.
Good thing she came by before I did anything. I wouldn't want an angry mom in my case.
I also felt awkward because I didn't really know what the customs were in Japan. I only knew a handful based on what I learned on TV. So, I didn't know if I did something offensive by talking to her son.
"You speak Japanese?" the lady asked, her accent is heavy and rough but still understandable.
"Um, not exactly. I'm still learning." I smiled sheepishly, holding up my dictionary.
The lady let out a sound of understanding before exclaiming. "Oh sorry, I am Shoma-chan's mother." She smiled, placing a hand around Shoma hugging him affectionately. "I am Uno Aiko."
"I'm Elana Ferrer or Ferrer Elana. My first name is Elana, but Ela is fine." I fumbled, flustered. I could talk to kids, no problem there. But I get slightly intimidated when an adult was talking to me. "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." Aiko laughed.
"Oh, Uno-san," Coach Omura greeted, bowing slightly.
"Omura-sensei." Aiko bowed back.
They talked for a bit in Japanese, laughing here and there. I didn't understand what they were saying at all.
Just then a beautiful long-haired Japanese woman came to the scene. The three women exchanged pleasantries again.
From what I deciphered from the way they're acting, it seemed that the new woman was the coach of Shoma. They talked for a moment before my coach decided to take me away for practice.
"Bye Uno-san, Shoma-chan." I waved at them, bowing slightly.
Uno-san smiled and bowed back. Shoma just bowed slightly with wide, curious eyes.
I smiled and nodded my head at Shoma's coach, which she returned. I couldn't really talk to her properly as we hadn't been introduced yet.
I then followed my coach back to the rink.
*****
It's been a week since I started training at the Nagoya Sports Complex.
My dad and brothers returned to the Philippines so it's just my Mom and me who were left behind in the apartment we rented for the whole of December. Dad said that he'll be back to visit next week once business calms down.
Coach Omura strictly implemented the regimen she planned for me. The programmed activities were strenuous but I did it all anyway since it's what I really needed. I wasn't alone in doing the regimen, there were some young teens around my age who did so as well as we either simultaneously did the exercises off the ice or took turns in gliding on the ice in a fixed step sequence.
The other teens were nice but there was always that invisible gap between us because of the language barrier. At most, we would only exchange greetings and smile at each other. They weren't proficient in English and I only knew a handful of Japanese.
I was in that awkward place where I would smile at them but could only watch them from afar as they joked around with each other. This made me quite lonely.
Currently, it was break time. From the benches, I took out my packed lunch of Tortang Talong, a fried eggplant mixed with ground beef and egg, as I watched the other skaters either got off the ice to have lunch or just play some more on the rink.
Slightly dejected, I dug to my meal, resolving to learn Japanese as soon as possible to not feel out of place.
"Ah, Ferrer-san," a voice sounded out.
I looked up and saw Shoma's mom coming over to sit beside me.
"Uno-san," I greeted back, surprised.
During the past week, I often saw Shoma around the rink training with his coach, Mihoko Higuchi, the long-haired beautiful Japanese woman that I saw earlier. Shoma wasn't her only student like I wasn't the only student of Coach Omura. I really enjoyed watching Shoma skate. The kid has talent. And he's cute, that's a bonus.
"Do you mind?" Aiko asked as she sat down on the bench while laying down a big box of packed lunch.
"No, it's fine," I quickly replied, making space.
Aiko always accompanied Shoma when he's here. She often sat down on the benches near the other side of the rink and they also have lunch there. That's why I'm pretty surprised that she's here now.
"How is your stay in Japan?"
"It's pretty great so far. Japan is very cold though."
"Yes, it's winter time," she stated, as she arranged their lunch at the bench. "It gets colder at around January to February."
"I heard about that. I love the cold, but not to the point where you can't feel your toes anymore."
She laughed, and I smiled in return.
Just then Shoma trotted over, still in his skates. He looked at me hesitatingly. I tried to appear harmless. I know, I was treating him like some skittery hamster, forgive the anecdote.
"Shoma-chan." Aiko patted the space beside her. "Come on, let's eat."
Shoma sat beside her, looked at me again, before turning to the food to eat.
"Sorry," Aiko said to me, patting Shoma's head gently. "He's a shy boy."
"I understand." I nodded reassuringly. I hesitated before I continued to ask. "When did he start skating? I always see him at the rink. He's pretty dedicated."
"Hm, he was five years old." Aiko tilted her head, mentally calculating. "Back in 2003, so nearing two years now."
"Nice!" I was surprised. When I was five, I only knew how to play with dolls, but this kid right here was amazing doing jumps and spins already.
"Do you know, Mao Asada? Figure skater," Aiko said slowly, finding the right English words. I was grateful to her for conversing with me in English. It's obviously hard for her, but she still took the initiative to speak with me. It made my determination to study Japanese stronger.
"Um," I stressed, before shaking my head, "sorry, no."
"She's popular here in Japan," Aiko informed me. "She just won Junior Worlds earlier this year."
"Oh, wow." Junior Worlds... I wonder when I'll be able to join the competition. Junior Worlds' age eligibility runs from thirteen years old to nineteen years old. "How old is she now?"
"Hm, I think, I think about your age?" Aiko said uncertainly. "Fourteen? Fifteen? I don't know. Sorry." She laughed.
"It's ok." I waved my hands.
"Mao-chan also skates here."
"Wow! Really?" I was shocked. A celebrity was actually here in my club.
"Yes. But, she's training now, out, out of country?" Aiko struggled, tilting her head. "Overseas. For Grand Prix Finals."
"Wow, she must be really, really good." I couldn't help but compare my situation with that Mao Asada. She's around my age, but she's already competing and winning medals internationally.
I know it's useless to have these kinds of thoughts since that Mao surely started skating several years before me. However, my competitive side was ignited. I wanted to see how I'll be able to improve in the coming years. I wanted to go compete against professional figure skaters worldwide.
"Mao-chan's the one who got Shoma-chan to skate seriously," Aiko told me, before turning to Shoma. "Right, Shoma-chan?" Shoma blinked curiously at her before Aiko spoke to him in Japanese reiterating her words.
Shoma just shyly nodded his head before turning to his lunch.
The entire time I was talking to Aiko, Shoma just awkwardly minded his own business. I knew that it's not because he didn't like my company, it's just that he was really shy as Aiko said. I understood that because I was the same as him when I was a kid.
It made me want to go*ate mode on him all the more.
"Who's your favorite skater?" I directed the question at Shoma. I wanted to get close to him.
Shoma looked at me like a baby deer caught in the headlights before Aiko repeated my question in Japanese.
"Daisuke," Shoma muttered shyly.
"It's Takahashi Daisuke," Aiko explained, hugging Shoma affectionately. "He's also popular figure skater in Japan. He won, many competitions."
"Do you want to be like him too, Shoma-chan?" I teased the shy child.
Again, Aiko repeated my question to Shoma. He blushed and then nodded. I couldn't help but smile widely at him.
"You're studying Japanese?" Aiko asked me.
"Yes, I actually bought a book. I need to learn the language but I'm having a pretty difficult time with it," I stated, sheepishly rubbing my head.
Aiko got a contemplating look on her face.
"I was actually thinking of teaching Shoma-chan English," Aiko said, looking at me. "I want to teach him but, my English, it's not fluent. Maybe, it's ok, if you speak to him in English? Then me and Shoma will speak to you in Japanese?"
I was surprised at the offer. It's like hitting two birds with one stone.
One, I could practice my Japanese. Two, I could spend time with the adorable boy.
"That's actually pretty nice. I would love to."
"Thank you." Aiko smiled in relief, bowing.
"No, I should be the one to say thank you." I bowed back at her. "It would be a great help for me."
Aiko then turned to Shoma and told him what we agreed on. Shoma just had this wide-eyed look before turning to me.
"Well, I guess it's between the two of us," I told Shoma. "Let's work hard, Ok?" I smiled good-naturedly, holding up my hand to high-five him.
I'm pretty sure he didn't understand me but he high-fived me anyway.
High Fives were universal, man.
"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." I bowed as I belted out one of the few Japanese words I knew.
"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Aiko took the lead and Shoma followed after, bowing back.
I saw that Shoma was still shy towards me but I want to remedy that soon.
"By the way, Uno-san," I began when I remembered something, taking out my phone from my duffel bag, "you know plenty of figure skaters, right?"
"Well, yes." Aiko nodded, curious. "When Shoma-chan started to be serious at skating, I also became interested in watching competitions."
"Then, perhaps, do you recognize this boy?" I set up my phone and played the video. "I recorded this when I visited Japan a year ago. I just want to ask if you know his name?"
Aiko took the phone and watched it.
"Hm... no, sorry." Aiko shook her head, before handing me the phone. "But from what the announcer was saying, the boy's name is Hanyu Yuzuru. You see that sign, at side of rink? That's in Jingu, Tokyo. I guess it's novice competition."
Hanyu Yuzuru.
The MMH boy finally had a name.
*****
The next few weeks in Japan came along smoothly.
Shoma actually began to warm up to me. And even though we didn't understand each other most of the time, we got along pretty well.
Surprising, wasn't it?
A fourteen-year-old foreign girl and a six-year-old local boy getting along made a pretty weird sight. But we made it work anyway.
I soon found out that Shoma was a really shy boy. I thought he was just shy when it came to me, a stranger he never met before, but as I observed him in between breaks, he wasn't the one who would initiate any conversation or play along with other boys his age. He was really awkward with the other kids.
That just made my Ate instincts flare up in a new time high.
Aiko and Shoma also began to accompany me to lunch daily. I was thankful to Aiko for that, since I really felt out of place before she talked to me.
Coach Omura began to finally guide me through my jumps. My Axel became fluid enough that I think I'll be to start working on a double Axel soon. My other doubles had stabilized in their landings, and now, Coach was guiding me through a triple Salchow.
I glided down the rink, turning gradually as I skated backward readying my position before doing the triple Salchow. I tried my best but I underrotated and fell.
Coach corrected my positioning and further guided me on the jump. I did nothing but focus on my triple Salchow the whole afternoon. Yet, I still didn't land the jump. I kept under rotating and losing my axis.
Panting heavily, I glided backward and sat against the wall of the rink, placing my arms on top of my propped knees. Sweat slid down my face, scratch that, I was sweaty all over.
I watched the other skaters as they practiced. Shoma was on the other end of the rink. He seemed to be also practicing his Jumps.
And like me, also failing them.
Shoma got up from another failed attempt, before circling in a small area then jumping in the air for a double Toe. I held my breath and exhaled as he finally landed it successfully.
He panted as he glided tiredly, hands on his knees, and face wrinkling as he started to cry.
Aww.
I hurried over towards him.
"Shoma-chan, don't cry." I wiped away his cheeks, before hugging him comfortingly as he hiccuped.
I had to kneel down to hug him because this smol bean's height reached just below my chest. I'm not a tall person, only standing at 5'1'' at the moment. I'm hoping to at least gain a few more inches before I reach adulthood.
Swish.
Skates appeared in my line of vision as Coach Higuchi came near us. She spoke to Shoma in Japanese as she ruffled his hair while smiling at him. Shoma nodded at her. I had no idea what she told him exactly, but I managed to decipher some words. I think she was encouraging him and telling him that it's ok to fail.
Hard work and Practice were the keys.
Coach Higuchi was a kind and capable coach. She's also nice to me. However, we haven't really talked at all. I guess it's the thing called language barrier working.
I bowed to her, and she bowed back to me smiling, placing a hand on Shoma's shoulder.
"Thank you. For caring, Shoma-kun," Coach Higuchi spoke with a heavy accent.
"It's nothing." I grinned at her. "Shoma-chan's my friend. Right, Shoma-chan?"
Shoma looked up at me.
"Shoma-chan, tomodachi." I lifted my hand in a high five.
Shoma smiled shyly before nodding, then high fiving me.
I laughed at his cute response then I patted his head gently. Coach Higuchi just smiled at our interaction.
"Well, I won't interrupt your practice anymore." I waved.
Coach Higuchi nodded and led Shoma away to guide him.
Shoma was a slow learner. By normal standards, he's quite the talent. But when it came to development, especially in jumps, it takes a long time for him to learn them. Once he did successfully land the jump, however, he would be able to do it eight out of ten every time. Right now, he worked on his doubles while further stabilizing his singles.
I shook my head in amazement as a six-year-old Shoma already breached on the double jumps. I wondered what would a ten year old Shoma accomplish?
Especially, if he continued working hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a top world contender in the years to come.
My determination was renewed as I watched this cute smol bean pushing himself in practice. The goal that I set myself with was to be the best in my discipline. But to achieve that, I had a lot to catch up on.
I took one last look at them before turning around and skating off.
*****
It was the end of December, and also my last day in Nagoya.
I was just saying my goodbyes to my coach and the other staff in the skating club before a certain smol bean blocked my way. He didn't say anything, just continued on looking down at his feet.
"Shoma-chan." I was surprised. I nearly tripped over him, he suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The kid still didn't say anything as he continued to frown down the ground. I looked up not knowing what I did wrong and saw Aiko looking at the scene helplessly while smiling sadly.
Then I got it. I smiled softly at the boy as I kneeled before him.
"Hey."
He still refused to look at me.
"I won't be gone forever," I said, still smiling at this adorable boy as I patted his head. "I promise. I'll be back before you know it."
His frown eased and looked at me with those watery big eyes.
"I'll miss you." I grinned at him, nudging playfully before tickling him.
Finally, Shoma let out a laugh as he dodged me. I laughed at him as I saw his face light up.
"Come on. Gimme a hug." I opened my arms. He smiled shyly before rushing in my arms. I gave him a tight comforting squeeze before dropping a kiss at the top of his head.
"I come back. Promise," I told him in broken Japanese. My pronunciation was way off too. I felt kind of sorry for myself as I butchered the beautiful language.
"Really?" Shoma's voice was muffled against my chest.
"Really."
"Ok. That's a promise. We don't break promises." Shoma looked up at me seriously.
I couldn't help but smile at how cute he was.
"Hai."
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..........M.E.R.I.D.I.A.N......L.I.G.H.T.S..........
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TERMS:
Ate: Older Sister
Hai: Yes
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu: Please take care of me (Japanese wordings)
Tomodachi: Friend
Tortang Talong: Fried Eggplant with ground pork and egg
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(The misspelled or stilted dialogue was done on purpose in this chapter when Aiko was talking to Elana. That's because Aiko isn't fluent in English, and vice-versa, Elana isn't fluent in Japanese.)
(I love Shoma. He's so cute! I'm currently binge watching Chibi!Shoma on Youtube and Dailymotion.)
(Anyways, watch out for the next chapter. A long-awaited scene will come up. ☆ ～('▽^人))
(Hint: Who's this emoticon like when smiling ~ ^_^ )