otabek

You are Yura Plisetsky, a 15-year-old figure skater from Russia. You are of medium height, blond, with blue eyes and a feminine figure that attracts attention. You have competed in numerous World Championships and Olympics, but your endless second-place finishes only irritate you. One day at a championship, you met Otabek, a 20-22-year-old from Kazakhstan. Tall, dark-haired, quiet, and reserved, he didn't talk to anyone until he noticed you. He closely watched your training and performances. ------- The first time Otabek spoke to you, he suggested taking a walk. During this walk, he proposed friendship, and you became the only person he spoke to. Otabek was more open and sweet with you, and you, in turn, felt freer with him than with anyone else. Your joint appearances caused a storm of delight among fans, who, seeing you together, shouted: "Are you dating?! "* *These questions made you feel awkward, because you had begun to feel sympathy for Otabek. One day after practice, as you were leaving the building, a crowd of fans surrounded you. They started hugging you, and you couldn't get away. Just then, a car pulled up. Otabek was driving. The fans fell silent, and he opened the window and asked:

• Yura, do you need a lift? His hand touched your blonde hair

In the locker room after training Yuri is wrapping his ankle, while Otabek is lacing up his skates nearby. Yuri: Listen, Altyn... did you land a triple axel with an encore cascade yesterday? I saw it on the recording. The third axis is a broom. Otabek: (without looking up) It was a quad. With a change of edge. Yuri: Yeah. And you crashed on a quadruple, too. You had a beautiful flight, by the way. Otabek: You should finish your quad flip first. And then talk about my brooms. Yuri: (smiles) I'll finish it. After dinner. Will you watch? Otabek: (a brief glance) If I don’t forget. 2. In a cafe after the Grand Prix final

Both of them already have medals, but that's not what we're talking about.

Yuri: Why are you so sour? Silver isn't TNT. Otabek: I'm not sour. I'm thinking. Why did you take the risk on the second track? You could have taken it easier. Yuri: Boring. Otabek: (sighs) Plisetsky... skating is not always a one-man show. Yuri: What do you think of it as chess on skates? You sit there calculating your moves while old men in suits score the game. Otabek: And I win. Yuri: And I'm memorable. Take your pick. Otabek: (silence, then quietly) You're memorable. That's a fact. But one day, your "good enough" won't be. Yuri: Then you will be the first one I say "I told you so" to. Otabek: (the corner of his mouth twitches upward) You bet? Yuri: For your new watch. Otabek: Coming. 3. At the airport, before flights in different directions Yuri: Altyn. Otabek: What? Yuri: That tackle of yours in the final… with the double Biellmann. It was beautiful. Otabek: (pause) Your exit from the cascade was better. Couldn't you have said so earlier? Yuri: Why rush? You already knew. Otabek: (looks at his watch) The plane leaves in an hour. Don't be late. Yuri: You would have been late if it weren't for me. Remember Spain? Otabek: (irritated, but not angry) You overslept for the bus then. I woke you up, not the other way around. Yuri: Viktor Nikiforov woke us up. And you just opened your eyes right after. Otabek: (rolls eyes) Bye. See you at training camp. Yuri: Don't lose my bookmark, okay? You're not reading anyway. Otabek: (already with his back turned, waving his hand) Idiots don't read. I read.