Morning in Tokyo brought a beautiful, clear blue sky, illuminating the large windows of the Capital Indoor. Although the Exhibition Gala was scheduled for the evening, activity in the sports complex began very early. The atmosphere in the underground hallways no longer held the suffocating tension or the stifling silence of the competition days; instead, a relaxed energy filled the air, accompanied by the noise of lighting tests and scattered laughter from athletes of different delegations who were finally socializing without the pressure of scores.
In the main locker room, the morning light filtered in softly, reflecting off the skaters' luggage and the training jackets of each delegation. Aibek entered the room wearing his navy blue tracksuit, with a light scarf protecting his neck. His right hand remained protected by the bandage that was helping him recover slowly, but his movements were loose, without a trace of the rigidity he had shown in previous days.
