Chapter 69: Seeds of Dreams

【Yuzu: Will you really come later? 】

As soon as Le parked the car, he received a LINE message from Yuzuru Hanyu. He quickly tapped his finger on the screen to reply. After locking the car, he saw Aunt Yumi standing not far away. He waved and jogged over to greet her.

Yuzuru Hanyu was sitting on the edge of the stage on the ice rink, swinging his feet and looking around when he received Le's reply.

[Raku: Of course, I still have to help Kazuki keep a close eye on you. Don't let any strange people abduct you.]

Yuzuru Hanyu curled his lips helplessly. Ever since that day when he had an argument with Le and mentioned Kevin so rudely, she had been retaliating by pairing herself with Tohara and Jiu...

My girlfriend insists on pairing me with her childhood sweetheart for no apparent reason. Waiting online, this is urgent.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard a familiar background music. It was the music from Le's mermaid vlog, which he had edited. He could tell it instantly. He looked around for the source of the sound, but the music in the empty venue had stopped and switched to the music of his ice dance partner.

"Huh? What happened just now?" He took small steps to the sound console, stood on tiptoe and looked up to ask the teacher in charge of playing music.

"Today's music was connected to Ms. Gabriella's phone. The audio just played was the previous song on her playlist," the music instructor patiently explained to Hanyu Yuzuru. Seeing his surprised expression, she couldn't help but be curious. "Do you like this music, Hanyu? I'll ask you what song it is later."

"No thanks~~" Yuzuru Hanyu replied with a smile, then sat down at the edge of the ice rink and watched the ice dance group's rehearsal.

Yuzu: Are you in?

【Raku: Yeah, I saw you. 】

Yuzuru Hanyu looked at the message on his phone, raised his eyebrows, immediately looked up and looked around, and the phone in his hand immediately vibrated again.

【Raku: Stop looking around, look at how many cameras are pointed at you. 】

【Yuzu: Oh】

Yuzu: Oh right! I guess Gabriella is following your vlog! She's the ice dancer on the ice right now—she has the same name as your friend. What a coincidence! I just heard your background music is on her playlist.

Yuzu: I'll check and let you know later~

What was there to confirm? Le smiled helplessly, but his curiosity was piqued, and he was eager to find out the answer.

The ice dance rehearsal on the ice, even in rehearsal, felt like a formal performance, full of emotion. It quickly caught Le's attention. The music in the empty venue seemed ethereal, and the two people on the ice gracefully supported each other, and the lyrics made the intimate interaction even more touching.

【Raku: Please help me ask about this song! I love it! 】

Yuzu: I can tell you right now that this is Haruki's Weak.

He answered immediately, and did not forget to confirm his identity as a fan. After the ice dance group left the stage, he immediately went over.

"Gabriella-san also follows the K group's account?"

Gabriella blinked in surprise at Hanyu Yuzuru's sudden question and exchanged glances with her partner.

“Yeah, I’m paying attention.”

"I just heard the music from the previous piece of your set. It sounds familiar."

"Ah~ you mean this! That piece of music is sung by a ballerina I really like. Oh no, she's a choreographer now. I followed her YouTube channel." After hearing this, Gabriella finally understood who he was talking about and enthusiastically began to recommend her favorite dancer. "I've been following Raku-chan for many years. She was so cute when she was a child, and she's still very beautiful now. I heard that she later became a choreographer, and I always felt sorry for her. This time I opened her YouTube channel and saw her dancing again. I haven't seen her in all these years, and she has improved!"

As she spoke, she suddenly realized that she had been chattering on and on, and turned the topic to Yuzuru Hanyu.

"Is Yuzuru also a fan of Raku-chan?" She was a little surprised. After all, Raku, who became famous as a teenager and then disappeared for many years, really has very few fans.

"I guess so." Yuzuru Hanyu answered with a giggle.

"What a coincidence! Have you seen her previous performances? Oh... maybe not," she said with some regret. "I haven't been to see them live either. I've only seen her documentaries and competition videos."

"Gabriella-san, do you still want to see her perform? Even though she has transformed into a choreographer and director now."

"She's a good choreographer, she just transitioned early. But it's a loss for us, the audience, because we won't be able to see her wonderful performances. Some ballet dancers can dance into their 40s if they keep practicing, which is much longer than our figure skater careers," she said, a hint of envy in her eyes. "So I think it's a pity that she gave up a little too early. If she performs in another ballet, I will definitely go to the theater to support her."

"The opening rehearsal will start in 5 minutes. All actors, please gather on the ice as soon as possible," the notification sound from backstage interrupted their conversation. Gabriella patted Yuzuru Hanyu, who was a little dazed, and the two of them went to the ice rink together.

Numerous media outlets and cameras were already waiting around the rink. Various TV stations had secured broadcast and filming rights for the FaOI event, and a live broadcast from the theater had also been arranged. Le and Yumi Hanyu, who usually avoided the media, sat in the stands several rows behind the photographers. As Hanyu skated around the rink, he looked up and finally spotted them.

He waved to them, and soon the sound of shutter clicks rang out all around him. Then he cleverly waved and bowed to all four directions, and everyone just thought he was simulating the greeting session after the audience took their seats.

Only Gabriella looked in the same direction as he waved and saw two people in the stands.

She glanced around and found that one of them looked particularly familiar.

After finishing the rehearsal, Yuzuru Hanyu drove directly home with Le.

"Le, do you know you have fans?" Yuzuru Hanyu, who was sitting in the passenger seat, looked at the scenery receding outside the window, remembered the LINE chat with Le today, turned around and asked.

"Huh? I know. He has a social media account, so he has a few fans." Le drove seriously, looking ahead, but tilted his head slightly in the direction of Hanyu to show that he was listening to his follow-up.

"No, I mean, I've been following you since you competed as a kid."

"Maybe. Didn't someone on YouTube compile videos of my games from childhood to adulthood? I feel so emotional every time I see them. I'm grateful for their attention to me."

"Well, I confirmed it today. Gabriella-san is also your fan. She told me it's a pity that she hasn't seen the live performance yet."

The traffic light in front turned red after a few seconds. Le stepped on the brakes and looked back in surprise.

"What a coincidence, isn't it? I thought it was a coincidence too when I heard about it today." He reached out and patted Le's head. "Gabriella-san said that she's been looking forward to seeing you on stage again. Although she supports your transition to choreographer and director, she feels it's a pity that you made the transition so early and she didn't get to see you on stage."

"Really?" Le smiled and turned back, releasing the brake just in time when the light turned green. "I'm so happy to hear that."

"Hmm... So, Le, have you ever considered going on stage again? You're still capable now, right? There should be opportunities in the group."

Le shook his head.

"But aren't there a lot of people looking forward to it?"

"Yes, I'm very grateful to them. But right now, my energy is focused on designing my own stage. I feel that this is more exciting and joyful than performing other people's works on stage. It's what I really want to do. After going through so much, I've thought about it seriously. I am myself, and I am not anyone else's Suginohara Raku. So I thank everyone for their attention and support, but I will forge my own path."

The traffic light ahead began counting down. Le pressed the brakes and slowly slowed down, stopping just before the end of the countdown. Le turned his head, looked at Yuzuru Hanyu, and spoke seriously, word for word.

"Hanyu Yuzuru, the same goes for you. You are not anyone's Yuzuru Hanyu."

The green light came on, and Le continued driving without saying anything else, leaving Yuzuru Hanyu to ponder her words.

Le knew Hanyu's hesitations and concerns. She had also heard Aunt Yumi and Uncle Hidetoshi's advice to Hanyu, telling him to repay everyone's support with gold medals and success. There was nothing wrong with that advice, but she wished he would be a little more selfish.

Fortunately, she is not the only one who thinks this way.

Coach Bai Xiong, who was now watching the performance from the second floor, following the staff's instructions, had the same thought. He watched Yuzuru Hanyu, the most dedicated of all on the ice, and for a moment he felt lost, as if he were back at the cricket club, where he could instantly spot Yuzuru Hanyu among his fellow students.

Even when he was circling the field to thank the fans, he was the most serious one. He carefully thanked the audience on the first floor during the first lap, and when he looked towards the second floor during the second lap, the moment his eyes met with Coach Bai Xiong's, he couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes.

"Fukutani! You didn't even tell me!" After the interview ended, Yuzuru Hanyu rushed to Naoki Fukutani, grabbed his neck, and made him stagger.

"What? About Mr. Shirokuma? Mrs. Hanyu told me, I thought you knew!" He could only explain to Yuzuru Hanyu from behind. Because Yuzuru Hanyu had already scurried back to the lounge to change clothes, and soon he was running away with his bags, waving his hands.

It was their last meeting in 26 months, and Yuzuru Hanyu couldn't help but feel a little excited sitting in the car. He was so excited that he forgot to tell Le about the change in the itinerary.

She was almost at the last intersection when she received the call, and his cheerful voice made it hard to complain. Le could only smile and shake his head, turning around at the intersection and driving to the hotel Yuzuru Hanyu mentioned.

When he arrived following the room number signs in the hotel, Yuzuru Hanyu was still at his coach's room door, and the master and disciple were hugging each other warmly.

"Your belly is full~" Yuzuru Hanyu smiled and gestured with his hands, with tears of joy still hanging in the corners of his moist eyes.

Coach Shirokuma also deliberately puffed out his belly, generously showing off his weight loss achievements. As the two talked, he also caught a glimpse of Le, who was quietly watching with Yumi Hanyu.

"Mrs. Hanyu, long time no see!" Coach Shirokuma took the initiative to step forward and shook hands with Hanyu Yumi, then turned to Le, "Raku, right? I think I'm not mistaken."

"Coach White Bear, long time no see~" Le nodded and shook his hand.

"You are really getting more and more beautiful~" In order to show that he was not being polite, he pretended to look at her carefully, and when he looked, he also noticed the necklace on her neck.

The golden feathers sparkled.

Coach Bai Xiong widened his eyes, sighed for a moment, turned his head, pointed at Yuzuru Hanyu and smiled ambiguously.

"Good boy~ This is what you wish for!"

Yuzuru Hanyu was stunned by this sudden remark. He blinked blankly for a few seconds before realizing that his coach had seen through his thoughts long ago, but hadn't pointed them out.

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, chuckling. His honesty couldn't save him from being the subject of gossip jokes. After entering the house, the group chatted about all sorts of things for quite a while before leaving.

"Yuzu, now that you have a girlfriend, why not take this opportunity to start the next chapter in your life?" During their final goodbye embrace, Coach Shirokuma gave Hanyu Yuzuru a sly wink. Before Hanyu could even blush or get nervous, Coach Shirokuma pointed a finger at his chest and, word for word, spoke his true thoughts. The short, round, powerful finger pierced his heart, and the words seemed to have piercing power.

"To find that dream that has nothing to do with anyone else, but belongs only to Yuzuru Hanyu."