Chapter 001

Chapter 001

It was yet another day for Xiao, exaggerated but it was nothing near to be an extraordinary one. She’s feeling disheartened by this time and isn’t happy for the fact that she’s here again, standing in front of the world. People were around; everyone’s eyes were pointed at her. And yet, she’s feeling empty. She didn’t want to be here although people were really cheering for her.

“Xiao Lee! Xiao Lee!”

She gazed, looked up for someone; and her heart’s pounding like crazy. She wasn’t supposed to be that nervous. This day was supposed to be an another yet simple day. It wasn’t supposed to make her feel excited.

But when her eyes met her father’s everything didn’t seem worthless anymore. Something was glazed upon the damaged cupcake—bloody and dangerous, but tasty and delicious—an image that bypassed her current scenario, making her feel nostalgic about the memory she didn’t want to remember.

“Xiao can’t join this competition,” Yamato, her father, said.

“But Yamato, you know how important this is. Don’t favour and spoil your child,” said by the woman Xiao abhorred the most. The woman she didn’t want to see for the rest of her life. The woman that she wished for death itself. True enough, she didn’t want to feel remorse with anyone—especially with her own family—but this woman was an exception.

“I’ not favouring Xiao nor you, Scarlet. But it’s what I see as the right thing to do. Xiao has been competing various competitions nonstop for the past months. I want my daughter to rest. If I’m favouring someone, then it’s myself because it’s for my own daughter.”

“I understand where you're coming from, Yamato, but this competition doesn’t rely just for some sort of entitlement. It’s a legacy within our ancestors. You, yourself must be the one to fully understand this. And I don’t know why you’re breaking down our legacy. Is it because of your mistress? And her daughter?”

Xiao saw how her father’s face shone gloomily, making herself grit her teeth as she looked up to the old elegant woman. Yes, Xiao admits she’s truly elegant and was considered to be a very sophisticated woman. But with how she acts, Xiao didn’t think of her as a woman with class. Saying something so preposterous was just so out of her league.

“I think you’re already crossing the line, Scarlet. The fact that Xiao is here with us, I don’t like the things that are coming out from your mouth.”

“Why? Am I making stories here? I’m saying complete facts.”

“I have no mistress and Xiao’s my only daughter. Cut it off with your nonsense,” he said grimly and Xiao could feel the tension between the two.

“There were evidences, Yamato. You can’t just twist them. But it’s alright, since oyaji is okay with what you did, so you were completely off the hook.”

Now it was Xiao’s face to turn grim as she heard the mention of her grandfather. It was completely annoying, too, that her aunt was calling her grandfather in an informal way.

“The hell are you saying? Oto-san and I talked and he knew everything. You’re completely messing things up!”

“I am not here to argue, Yamato. I am here to completely remind you that oyaji is in need of your help to maintain your good profile. If you’re really a good son, you should not disappoint him,” and with that, she just slammed the door, completely leaving Xiao and her father both flabbergasted. Well, it wasn’t the initial stagger that someone would feel for the first time but the shocking reaction of the fact how she never changed that left within them.

How ridiculous! Xiao thought with exhausted mind after witnessing and hearing the tensioned conversation. She may be still young, but she isn’t young enough to not understand what they were talking about. And with that thought, a streak of lightning passed through her eyes the moment she heard the people’s honks and screams, snapping her back to reality from a horrendous memory she didn’t want to remember.

“Xiao Lee! I love you!” she heard from somewhere which made her feel foreign. She didn’t understand why she wasn’t jovial although she has everyone’s attention. The fact that numerous banners were plastered at a very distance saying We love you, Xiao Lee! You’re the best! made her feel questionably unhappy. The bountiful attention she gained at a very young age made her ask the heavens if those were truly meant for her.

She excels at anything, mostly, and a lot of people adore her with that. Even at school, she receives numerous gifts from complete strangers. At first it was really good for her when the feeling was still new, but time passed by and it seems like it wasn’t something good anymore. The attention, the money, the beauty, everything seemed like a burden and a responsibility she needs to carry out; and by that fact, she didn’t want any of it. She only wished for a simple living, not a extravagant one; a life wherein she and her family are all joyous.

“And for this year, pocketing the gold with 54.870 points in total and sailing into finals of the two apparatuses, our gold medalist is... Xiao Lee Tatsunumi!”

As expected, loud shouts and screams enveloped the stadium as soon as Xiao advanced to the front of the stage with bright smile. She then turned to face her father from the VIP seats who was also giving a huge smile and numerous claps.

This is all for you, Dad.

It was not all easy for Xiao, the youngest of the gymnast squad, to reach the top of the podium against other qualifiers. Knowing Chinese and Korean athletes, they can be great competitors. For Xiao, it was really hard for her to surpass beat them. At the age of fifteen, she already gained her first ever gold medal and by that time, her upcoming competitions became successful.

“Things happened, they say. But I still think this isn’t for me,” Xiao said back then with her first interview as the youngest athlete.

Wearing a big smile on the top of the podium though, Xiao was surprisingly quiet and uptight outside of arena, obviously feeling uncomfortable with camera flash lights and microphones.

“According to the artistic gymnastics competition rules, qualifications for apparatus finals, and individual all around finals have been merged into one single competition,” said by a reporter, “so will we be expecting to see you there?”

“I’m not aiming for anything and I just do the best that I could ever do. I’m just enjoying what I love, it’s what my coach has been always telling me. And yes, I am competing this year’s World Championship because it’s part of our legacy,” Xiao said naturally, “it would be a shame if I wouldn’t participate.”

I’m enduring all of these, just for you.

“I am here to gain more experiences from international competitions, and hopefully gain gold streak for my upcoming years. The performances of the other competitors are very impressive and China hasn’t sent their best weapon yet. So, I should have a clear mind if I’m really aiming for victory,” Xiao explained.

“If I wanna survive and thrive in the World Championship this year, I have to improve my skills on vault and must prepare for a more difficult routine for more aerial stunts and balanced techniques,” she added, “especially that China might send their best weapon by that time.”

I love you with all my heart.