Warning: Long chapter ahead

you may take a break while reading and sip your coffee

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The casting for the ice show to be produced by Japan's most famous skaters, Ojiro Korishima and Kaede Ishioka, has started with the purpose of earning money to be donated as disaster relief for the people affected as well as areas and towns devastated by the earthquake.

The last thing that Louise wanted to see was the ice rink or anything that reminded her of her el diablo de cariño, but she's standing on ice in her skates together with Ichika, Kaimen, and her classmates.

Her class was invited by Korishima-senshu himself, and of course Takeuchi sensei was honored to accept the invitation. Because it's a children's class, the choreographers wanted to create a fantasy-themed routine. That's why it's going to be something that has to do with faeries.

It was said that the program is going to be performed by small children to play as tiny fairies and one queen faerie, who should be older than the kids and the one who will be singing the program's song as well. A double performance for the first time in the history of Ice shows.

She swears that if Ojiro and Kaede were behind this peculiar idea, she wouldn't be surprise.

Their sensei had entered her to the singing audition for the casting just because she heard her copying Doraemon's voice while singing the anime's theme song. She's trying to cheer Kaimen up that time after Ojiro is being hard on him again in his training for the double axel.

"So, you can switch voices like that, Louisia-chan? Why won't you try for an audition for the Ice show so you can do something useful once? "

"Eh?" is the only word she can say.

So, I can do something useful for once?

Callate!

Just the mere fact that I am out here in the cold blessing you and everyone with my presence was enough to say you don't deserve any of it.

Who does all the work for the restoration of your king's power?

Exactly.

My coochie.

It's overworked, and I'm not complaining, and you don't tell me what to do!

Takeuchi-sensei gave her a look, an eye brow going up so she could only force herself to accept.

"Haaaai," she responds lazily.

The thing is, when it comes to giving aid to the victims of a natural disaster, Japanese people take it very seriously, and she guessed that the behavior is deeply rooted in the country's history.

Japan has been through a lot of disasters in the past, just like typhoons as well as deadly earthquakes during the reign of Emperor Tenchi, the Great Kanto earthquake that devastated Tokyo and Yokohama, and the great fire in the Edo period that inspired the development of strong fire forces in the modern era.

Those ancient disasters have resulted in countless deaths and famine, and what has helped them rise up into a powerful nation is their mindset that they have developed in community aid as well as resiliency, which is known to be called shikata ga nai, or translated as "it cannot be helped."

The Japanese traditional paper crane folded perfectly represents shikata ga nai. According to folklore, it was said that cranes signify happiness, reminding the Japanese people to be optimistic in the face of adversity.

Louise had seen this mentality in his Japanese coworkers, who continued to go on with their lives after the disaster. In their studio, they also gave their donations in the form of money and material possessions like blankets, clothes, foods, and other basic needs to the victims.

The earthquake that devastated Osaka on Christmas Day had a total of three recorded major earthquakes and a hundred aftershocks that resulted in a total of two tsunamis: one major that flooded a coastal town and wiped it down, and a minor one that also resulted in a lot of wreckages.

The death toll and the recorded number of missing people are increasing. Parts of neighboring towns in Tokyo were still under a red alert for possible aftershocks. Rescue operations and restorations are still ongoing. The whole country was in need of wide community aid, and Louise just couldn't stand watching and doing nothing.

So even if she's growling like a rabid animal from the distance, looking at Ojiro and Kaede practice their program for the Ice Show while her classmates scream beside her in delight, it's not like she can just come up to him and start an argument.

And that's right. Ojiro Korishima and Kaede Ishioka will skate together to a song as the Ice Show's top program highlight.

Louise had known Ojiro to try a lot of sports on ice like hockey, speed skating, skiing and when he's in Kaimen's age, he did train for ice dancing that's why he has experience in the said discipline.

The whole figure skating fandom went crazy that morning when they announced that they  are going to skate to a program together. It was all over the news. Louise couldn't forget how her coworkers have flocked together in a corner reading the news article regarding the show and as soon as the selling of tickets were online, it was reported to be sold out in just a minute, and the next waves has huge demands from all fans inside and outside Japan.

It was the most anticipated collaboration  in the country at the moment, and the show's even more in demand, especially now that there's a rumor going on that the two have gotten back together.

Louise hadn't talked to Ojiro since what happened that night in the new year. She decided to let a day pass for him to calm down and explain what happened. She also apologized for leaving her phone in her apartment; that's why she can't pick up his calls.

He responded to her by reminding her of going back to work for the show and training for the 4CC, clearly not wanting to talk about it, and giving her the cold shoulder.

And just like what Louise had used to, going back to work means not being able to get the chance to have a decent conversation with him.

As a Japanese, and just like everyone else that Louise had encountered with the same cultural upbringing, Ojiro is extremely focused on his contribution to community aid.

At an early age, Japanese start their education not with numbers and how to read but to enhance their mentality towards discipline. And being a disciplined individual means being obedient to the rules.

They were always raised in a country where every single individual would take part in society. That's why it's important for them to show what they are going to give and contribute, and Louise has always seen this behavior in her Japanese boyfriend as someone who puts work first on his priorities.

He had started the preparation for the show with the staff that he had carefully chosen, and he had done a bit more TV exposure and gone to interviews with Kaede to promote the show, not to mention that he's also undergoing training for the 4CC.

Even in the midst of the disaster, fans never fail to talk about the witnessing of the first quad axel in history. Even if he failed to land in the nationals, news about his continuing pursuit of this difficult jump was still going on among his fans.

Ojiro might have exposed himself more these days in public, but he's very discreet when it comes to his training, prohibiting any media near him during his training hours, not allowing video recording, or giving out any updates regarding the latest situation of his training.

All Louise knows is that he's still training at night, and based on all the extra work he's been exerting, she's positive that he will challenge the jump again in the 4CC.