The ISU official opened the wooden barrier of the rink to make way for the skaters.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium speakers in both Japanese and English, "we begin the official six-minute warm-up for the final group of the Men's Free Skate at the Grand Prix Final."
Aibek took off his headphones, handing them to Taishi along with the Beijing bear. He slid onto the frozen surface of Shibuya on his skates, feeling the perfect bite of the hard, fast ice. He took two deep strides, opened his arms toward the crowd chanting his name, and took flight across the rink, determined to drown any trace of doubt and nervousness in the vastness of his skating.
