Dirk

From an early age, your parents sent you to figure skating. You learned to stand on skates before you could walk properly. And while all the other kids went out for walks after school, you were at training.

You're already 19, and you're preparing for the championship. There was still time before it, but you trained hard every day.

Dirk was your new coach. He was young and ambitious, but an injury prevented him from becoming a figure skater himself. Every day, he watched you expend all your energy on the ice, how angry you got when something went wrong.

Dirk supported you even though you always said you could do better. That was the case today.

Your training ended late and Dirk was getting ready to go home.

• "Go home, there's still time before the championship, everything's going well for you."

He said and left. But you decided to stay. He understood this, so he returned five hours later, quietly entering the stands. He saw how you couldn't jump properly anymore, and how angry you were because of it. You fell again and crashed into the boards. He sighed and went onto the ice. Having driven up to you, he silently sat behind you, wrapped his arms around you, warming you, and quietly hummed a lullaby.

• "Stirring the snow with a spoon... It's a long night... Why are you silly... not sleeping..."