"Just stay calm, Bek, it's not that bad. Just avoid the bad comments," the Japanese man mentioned quietly, smiling softly at his pupil. The younger youth delicately wiped his cheeks after his sudden bout of desperate tears.
"You say it like it's actually easy..." Bek murmured in a low voice, still with small sobs and hiccups.
Despite everything, they finished breakfast and returned to the hotel. On social media, the stir over the photo of the Kazakh with the Canadian's portrait continued with full force; the drawing was unique and the captured expressions, perfect. Aibek looked far too cute in the photograph, and the portrait captured Jake's essence both in public and in his most intimate moments. Upon reaching the hotel to unwind, the younger youth took the opportunity to take a bath; although the weather outside remained freezing, he liked that feeling of neatness to feel good about himself.
Soon, both the Canadian and the Kazakh were ready to head to the convention center, where the pre-Grand Prix press conference would take place. As they stepped out into the parking lot, their paths crossed for a brief instant. Their gazes met, and a beautiful blush painted Bek's cheeks, immediately captivating the purple-eyed man, who seemed to float off into the clouds upon seeing him right there.
"Aibek, come on, it's time. Get in the car," Taishi requested, pulling the Kazakh out of his daydream. The boy had stood lost staring at Jake, who, true to his playful style, raised and lowered his eyebrows in an amused, flirtatious manner that made Bek let out a stifled chuckle.
Bek quickly averted his gaze upon hearing his coach and obeyed, dying of embarrassment. There would be time to talk later, though neither of them knew for sure what was crossing the other's mind after the tension had been broken in such a peculiar way. For a moment, Jake had forgotten the weight of his past mistakes and had shown him his funniest side; but as soon as he got into his car and processed what he had done, he realized his clumsiness. He covered his face with both hands and smacked his forehead twice, thoroughly embarrassed.
"He must think I'm heartless or a complete idiot!" Jake exclaimed, sinking into the backseat. He didn't imagine that Aibek was thinking the exact opposite; the spark between them was still alive, even if the past jealousy of a certain Russian had prevented things from being cleared up.
"Don't get discouraged, man. I'm sure deep down he doesn't think you're a fool. Besides... you should have seen the way he looked at you," mentioned a blonde-haired boy who was trying to cheer him up. It was Venka Ivanov, a twenty-five-year-old skater and Jake's great childhood friend, someone the Canadian always trusted with his secrets.
"Venka... thanks for reminding me that I'm an idiot," Jake murmured sarcastically, feeling that his friend didn't grasp the complexity of what was happening with Aibek.
Shortly after, both vehicles arrived at the venue. The first to descend was Taishi, who held Bek's backpack and helped him step down carefully. In a brief pause before entering, the younger youth observed the imposing place and sighed.
"Wow... I thought it would be smaller," he commented in a low voice. His nerves were evident, but he remained in silence as he waited for some instruction. All he received was a tender adjustment to the collar of his suit and a touch to his hair to leave it looking flawless.
"Don't be afraid... keep calm, don't get upset, and don't overshare," Taishi asked him gently, taking him by the shoulders before giving him a brief hug. For the coach, it was an honor to guide his pupil; he considered him the purest being he had ever known and was willing to support him through everything.
"Thank you, Taishi-san..." The Kazakh managed to relax, feeling safer as he clung to his mentor's support.
Once ready, they entered the main hall, greeted by a storm of camera flashes. Amidst the crowd, Taishi acted as a human shield. Upon reaching the main table, the coach positioned himself right behind Bek's chair, alongside the other technicians, as a symbol of protection.
The round of questions began. The atmosphere was competitive yet healthy. When it was Venka's turn, the blonde responded with his usual flirtatious tone, while Jake joked around with him, demonstrating the deep complicity they shared.
"Your professional relationship and friendship goes back years. How does it feel to share the rink again at an event of this level?" one of the reporters asked.
Venka smiled. "Sharing the rink with Jake is the most fun thing in the world. We're excited to see what surprises the other will bring. Plus, we hope to repeat the podium from the previous competition... including Aibek, of course," he said, gesturing toward the Kazakh at the end.
Bek tensed sutilly. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Jake and then at Venka, who was smiling at him with genuine joy.
"The three of you put on the best show; it will undoubtedly be an exciting tournament," another interviewer mentioned, and the three skaters nodded in unison.
However, the tone shifted when another journalist took the microphone and locked her gaze onto the black-haired youth. "Aibek! What is the motive behind your drawing of Jake Jayden that went viral this morning?"
The question caught the younger youth completely off guard. He let out a breath to steady his voice and tried to sound detached.
"He... is a great friend. I have also drawn Venka before... so... I don't see anything odd about it," he replied, believing that mentioning his other companions would calm the waters.
What Aibek didn't calculate was the effect of his words. A few seats away, Jake dug a murderous glare directly into his Russian friend. His purple eyes radiated fierce jealousy upon learning that "his" Bek's hands had also sketched the blonde's features.
Venka, feeling the sheer intensity radiating from Jake, went rigid. To break the unbearable tension, the Russian let out a nervous little laugh that echoed through the microphones. Bek watched the scene, completely bewildered: on one side, he had the Russian suffering under the Canadian's lethal gaze, and on the other, a Jake who looked like he wanted to wipe Venka off the face of the earth. Although the Kazakh didn't understand the root of the drama, Jake's obvious annoyance made it clear that the drawing had struck an incredibly sensitive nerve.