Chapter 003

Chapter 003

“Miss Xiao,” a lady in maid outfit came inside her room after a few knows on the door, “it’s time.”

Pursing her lips into thin lines, she turned to face her lamp shade that was placed above the side cabinet. Her eyes landed upon the small glint of gold—the knob of the cabinet.

She pulled the knob and slowly, it showed the most precious thing she would never wanted to lose.

The birthday gift from her mother. An antique music box. It was given to her when she was still eight. The day when her mother got kicked out of the household. The starting day wherein she no longer anticipated her upcoming birthdays.

That time she had no idea what was happening. All she witnessed was a quarrel between her mother and her aunt. A scenario she never would have understood if she hadn’t grew up.

“Are you ready, Miss Xiao?”

“Well, I am,” Xiao turned to face the maid as soon as she finally reached out the music box, “but would it be a sin if I wouldn’t attend?”

“Miss Xiao, your presence is as important as your father’s. This is for your reign anyway.”

“I understand, but I never wanted to celebrate someone’s happiness that was the root cause of my despair.”

If I could, I would tell everyone in this world on how my step-aunt ruined my family. Celebrating her engagement had never crossed in my mind.

“I see where you’re coming from. But this isn’t about yourself or just any other selves, it’s for your whole clan.”

“Legacy is legacy. Yeah, yeah, I know. I hate this,” Xiao mumbled to herself.

“Just think of it as a trial. You’ll surpass it. Sooner or later, everything will change.”

“Yeah I hope so,” Xiao sighed while caressing the antique designs of the wooden yet shiny music box.

In the end, she had no choice but to attend the “prestigious” event as what they say. She gleams with everyone except for one person. Even her father noticed how she acted, and she even got reprimanded because of it. The event lasted for almost a day, it was nothing big deal nor crucial for Xiao; in fact, it was a good thing for her to rest during the times she needed committal for her daily yet extreme advancement practices.

Her following days remained the same as soon as she started to learn more about gymnastics skills. She honed her aerial and produnova balance, alongside with the guidance of a professional. Cartwheeling was part of her practices also. It was never as intense as before when she started as a novice. But now that she’s a title a holder and needs to maintain a responsibility, the pressure was really pressed against her.

Days and weeks passed and there were never an instance that she didn’t experience failing at first. Several wounds and attempts have been made with the apparatuses she used before she reached the idea of perfection.

“Ms. Tatsunumi, do you think you can perform yurchenko vault today?” her coach asked, “You know it’s important as an entrance play so you should really practice it.”

“Okay, coach, I’ll gist you up with something.”

“Then, good. We’ll see.”

Xiao nodded then proceeded to perform some stretching before she’ll pull off the yurchenko vault. After few stretches, she let out a sigh before she jumped onto an apparatus. Round-off entry onto the board, flic-flac onto the vaulting table and salto off of the vaulting table, Xiao ended her way off with a twist. She landed on the floor with her arms way up, almost feeling nothing when she used to feel anxious every time she’d a pull a stunt in front of her coach.

A numerous claps enveloped Xiao’s ears as soon as she swayed her arms down to her thighs.

“That was good,” her coach said while still clapping, “but you have to improve your virtuosity. In that way, your chance of getting good amplitude will be higher.”

“Thank you, coach.”

“Keep it up, Ms. Tatsunumi. You don’t need to worry. Just focus on your goal. And that is to get a clean score.”

“Yes, coach. I’ll remember everything you said.”

“I know you’re tense. It’s really hard, but this thing is what you love. Being on the top isn’t always the case. Especially Mr. Xuan will be China’s representative for this year,” Xiao’s eyes widened at the mention of Hei’s last name, “it will really be a tight competition amongst other qualifiers too. But always remember, you’re doing what makes you happy and that’s what’s important...”

Xiao couldn’t catch up with her coach’s words anymore as soon as Hei enveloped her mind. She didn’t actually thought that Hei will be the representative for China. It could have been a partial statement yet, no one knows, since China’s been on lose streak for the past years when Hei decided not to compete anymore for the rest of his life. But knowing it came from her coach’s mouth, it could be really finalized now. Maybe Hei could have set his foot back to sports line once again. And thinking about seeing him once again made her feel the nostalgia of something she wasn’t still sure of. The feeling of something that makes her happy, at the same time not, because he was her greatest foe.

“Dad, I can’t perform today! I just can’t!”

“What, baby? No, you need to perform. Even you lose, it’s okay as long as you’d perform.”

“Mom was kicked out of the house! Do you think I can think clearly when performing? No! I need to back out! I can’t believe grandpa did such horrendous decision! Aunt Scarlet is the worst!”

“Baby, hush. Don’t say ill thing towards your aunt. She was just—”

“And what? You’re defending her?” she asked incredulously, “I’m out of here!” and slammed the door as soon as she got out.

Today’s her first ever competition. It’s just a small competition inside their school, not a grandiose one. She was aiming to be gold medallist because today’s a special day. Her first competition, as well as her 8th birthday. But every little dreams she had, shattered down when her Mom left her on first ever competition.

This was supposed to be the best day. Didn’t see it coming as the worst one. Xiao cried as she ran while covering her eyes with falling tears dripping down to her cheek and little mouth.

She couldn’t fully see what’s coming towards her because her tears blurred her eyesight, but a figure comes rushing, and she broke down even more when an arm handed a piece of cloth in front of her.

“Stop crying.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Then at least accept the handkerchief and wipe away your tears.”

Xiao was aggravated by the fact on how the person sounded, as if he has the full authority to do so, “you’re so annoying,” she blurted out.

“What?”

“My Mom left me. You expect for me to stop crying? I can’t perform now if she’s gone.”

“My Mom and Dad aren’t here also, but I’m going to perform still. But you, you have your Dad.”

“So what are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that you’re still blessed, unlike me,” he said and looked away. “If you don’t want this handkerchief, then fine. But you have to accept this teddy bear,” Xiao’s lips twitched at the sight of a black teddy bear, “her name’s Amber. My birthday present for you. Happy birthday, you cry-baby.”

Xiao was left in awe. She never thought that Hei has this kind of soft heart deep within him. All she thought was, he was rude and cold person. Ever since she joined gymnastics, they never even had a long talk. It was just normal hi’s and hello’s back then. This was actually the first time they had real interaction—while she’s ultimately looking like a red tomato.

And how the hell he knew my birthday by the way?

“Perform. I’ll let you win the gold medal.”

“That’s too much. I want real competition. I want to prove to everyone that I can beat you. This is my first competition while you already had tons.”

“I’m gonna perform too, but I’ll let you win. Just think of this as my first and last gift. Amber was just a bonus.”

“What are you saying?”

Xiao wasn’t surprised on how their conversation went into “matured” one. Knowing the fact that Hei was 5 years older, or he may be just really a matured person despite the age, she didn’t really know. But she liked how their first ever conversation went. But eventually got dismayed after hearing what he said next.

“I’m quitting sports.”

Xiao knew for sure that Hei had his reasons by that time. She ever wanted to ask why, but she didn’t understand why she chose not to do so. The competition went on and yes, it was obvious that Hei purposely slacked off his performance. Even though Xiao was disheartened by the fact that her mother left, she was able to perform still. But it wasn’t her best. It was actually the worst. It was just part of Hei’s plan to make his performance worst than Xiao’s worst.

“Ms. Tatsunumi?” her coach called out, “Earth to Tatsunumi?” Xiao laughed at the remark and with that, she was snapped back to reality.

“You may be wondering about Mr. Xuan, am I right? Well, he is, indeed, back to the sports track. Now that he’s back, everyone’s wondering what was his real reason back then.”

For the reason of Xuan’s leaving sports, apparently, no one knows the exact thing behind it since he left to New Zealand right after his announcement of leaving sports—specifically, gymnastics. And from then on, no one heard about him anymore. Neither he came out of television, or any other news platform. He just literally vanished like a soda bubble being popped.

“His sports career was at its peak that time. He would have conquered the gymnastics by this time if he never left,” his head was rocking left to right, “such a waste,” Xiao’s coach added.

She remembered her last statement in the interview when she won the gold medal wherein she said that China hasn’t sent their best weapon yet, and by that statement of hers—apparently—she was meaning about Hei Xuan himself. But it was just for a talk. Only to say something. She didn’t actually mean Hei Xuan that time (but at the back of her mind, she was) because it’s a self-understanding that she could’ve been talking about anyone that’s active in sports. And so, she was just trying to say something to the media; that she will strive and thrive for more; and, that China was gaining lose streak, so, they might send their best weapon for this year’s World Championship.

And I never imagined that it actually happened.