Chapter Text
โWhere have you been?โ Came the stern voice of her manager as soon as Amber attempted to sneak into the backroom where all the competitors were supposed to meet 5- no, 10 minutes ago. Amberโs face flushed with shame as she met the cool blue eyes of her manager, Jean, who stared her down whilst holding Amberโs skate gear. โIโm really sorry Jean, I had a small situation in the bathroom but a really pretty- I mean, somebody helped me out.โ The older woman sighed, shaking her head as she turned to the other skaters in the room. โNow that Amberโs here we should be ready to have the photoshoot, yes?โ Soft murmurs of confirmation sounded from the skaters and their managers, some giving the flushed girl a small smile while the rest paid her no attention as if she wasnโt there.
The competition staff ushered the skaters into another, larger white room full of photography equipment. โOur photographers will be taking photos during the competition, but weโd like to get photos of our competitors, along with a group photo, before youโre all hot and sweaty.โ The group nodded in unison, Amber fiddling with the hem of her shorts self-consciously even though her previous ordeal had already been settled.
As they had their photos taken one by one, the ginger-haired boy who looked a little older than her went first with the rest following in suit as they posed in front of the cameras. An uncomfortable feeling began to settle in Amberโs stomach as she stood in front of the cameras, not being able to pose naturally as the photographers gave her pointers, telling her to โrelaxโ and that sheโs โtoo stiff.โ Finally, it was time for the group shoot and although Amberโs signature smile was upon her face, she couldnโt ignore the way the other skaters seemed to look at her, as if they were judging her. This was going to be a long day.
In the meantime, our favorite blonde disaster was currently fighting her way through the crowds of people, trying to locate which gate led the way to her seat. Spotting a wide hallway near the walkway, she made her escape, dashing out of the crowd of people and taking a deep breath once she settled against the cool wall. Pulling out her ticket, her other hand naturally sits itself at the silver locket lying on her chest. โSeat C-32..โ She repeats to herself, putting her ticket away and pulling out her phone to bring up a map of the arena. โSection C.. Ah-ha! So if I go down this hallway and to the right..โ She continues muttering to herself as she walks down the hallway, looking at her phone.
Not paying attention, she makes a sharp right turn and the top of her head harshly meets someoneโs chin while she trips over their foot so they both land in a tangled mess of limbs. Groaning, she rubs her head, โI am so sorry, I shouldโve been paying attention to where I was going-โ her voice trails off as she looks at the person she ran into. โAether..?โ Her heart pounds loudly in her chest as the pale blond boy she ran into massages his sore chin, her face growing pale as if sheโs seen a ghost. โAether? What are you.. Are you okay?โ He says, crimson eyes burn into hers as she continues to stare at him dumbly.
โYouโre not Aether,โ She tells herself while the boy stands up, brushing dirt off his pants. โIโm sorry? Uh, do you need some help?โ He says, worry lacing his tone as Lumine wills herself to snap out of it, hands shaking as she takes the hand he held out to her. โIโm very sorry about that. You just look like someone I used to know and-โ ''Hey itโs fine,โ he laughs, eyes smiling, โI just thought you might have had a concussion because my chin is kinda hard.โ Lumine lets out a sharp breath she didnโt know sheโd been holding and gives the boy a stiff smile. โYeah Iโm fine. Iโm really sorry about running into you though. Is your chin okay? My head IS pretty hard.โ The suffocating atmosphere around her slowly dissipates as the two both giggle.
The boy then pats her on the shoulder, giving her a soft smile. โIโm fine, really. But if I do mess up at this competition, I think Iโll know who to blame,โ he says, winking. The smile falls off of Lumineโs face as she stares at the boy in shock, opening her mouth to apologize but he quickly interrupts her. โHaha that was a bad joke, before you say anything I really am fine and if I mess up itโs because of my own drawbacks.โ The blonde scowls at him, still feeling regret for possibly injuring the boy right before an event. Her phone vibrates in her pocket so she pulls it out, the notification reading โTOURNAMENT (AMBER!!) in 10 Minutesโ the buzz of excitement from earlier returning, allowing her to forget the ache coming from her head.
โOh, is that the time?โ The boy asks, scratching his head. โOh yeah! The tournament is starting in 10 minutes, weโd better go then.โ He nods and turns to walk away before turning back and pulling out his phone. โRight, I should've introduced myself. Iโm Kazuha. Can I get your number? Yโknow just in case I mess up.โ Kazuha says, amusement in his voice. โYeah yeah, Iโm Lumine. My number isโฆโ The two quickly exchange numbers and continue on in opposite directions. Unbeknown to Lumine, Kazuha had walked away with his head down and a soft smile gracing his lips.