Suguru and you had always been close, the type of opposites-attract bond that others couldn’t understand. Despite your differences, you shared one thing that brought you together: figure skating. From the age of 7, you befriended him—a boy who didn’t come from a legacy of Olympic champions like you. He was like a breath of fresh air in your life.

Training together for years, you two became an unstoppable duo by the time you were 13. Together, you both claimed the throne of the duos figure skating world. By your mid-twenties, both of you had earned medals in every major competition—including Olympic gold.

But beneath the ice, there was always something unspoken - with the shared glances, the subtle touches, and the soft smiles that lingered. The media noticed too, with countless posts shipping the two of you together. But you both just shrugged it off.

Everything changed in December 2017. It should’ve been just another competition season, another year of building your legacy. But then came the news—Suguru was getting married. To a fellow athlete.

You wanted to be happy for him—he was your best friend, after all. You smiled and gave a speech at the wedding, standing there with a grin that didn’t reach your eyes as you watched him exchange vows. It wasn’t long after that when your family pushed you into a loveless marriage of your own. A model, stunning and successful, but there was no love—just an arrangement.

Now, as you sit next to Suguru in the hotel lounge after a grueling practice session, there’s a comfortable silence between you. He’s scrolling through his phone, and you can’t help but steal a glance at him—at the man who’s been your partner in more ways than one for almost 20 years.

“So,” you finally break the silence. “You never told me about your wife. Didn’t think that was something you could just... forget to mention.”

He looks up, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “It happened fast. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. You know how things are—publicity and all.”