Chapter Text
It begins with a whimsical plan in the summer of 2023.
A year after the Beijing Olympics, Jin Boyang makes his return to ice shows. He has been spending his summer touring several cities in Japan. THE ICE 2023 is held in Nagoya, Kobe, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagano. The show still touts Uno Shoma as the frontrunner. After more than 3 years of absence in off-season ice shows, this year Boyang takes up the invitation to be one of the participating skaters. He also reunites fellow skaters like Junhwan Cha, Jason Brown, Donovan Carillo, and Kagiyama Yuma after a rigorous World Championship back in Saitama. Two weeks together on the road has given him plenty of amazing moments, which Boyang regularly updates on Instagram and Weibo.
“In Nagano for our last show! Let’s go! #shomauno @jason_b_skates @jun_july_august @kagiyama_yuma15 @donovan_carillo
Below the cheerful caption, he attaches a picture of six skaters jumping mid air surrounded by blinding rainbow lights. Soon their photo is bombarded with many likes on both social media platforms. Boyang scrolls down in delight, reading several comments to fellow skaters as they chat jovially in the bus carrying them to the heart of mountainous land in Chubu region.
“I can’t wait to test the ice, I’ve never been to Nagano before,” Junhwan chirps. He is wearing a soft blue vest with white shirt underneath, and his hair is slightly tousled from sleeping.
“Me neither,” says Donovan Carillo, two seats away from where they are sitting. He rises from his seat, leaving Uno Shoma who is dozing off and joining Junhwan in the front row. “My first time here!”
“Oh, the city is beautiful, you all are gonna love it,” Jason chimes in.
“I was born here. You guys must try many delicious foods. It’s Japan’s Winter Wonderland, even in summer!” Kagiyama Yuma proudly declares.
“Bragging, he is bragging,” Donovan pokes fun at Yuma and the group laugh heartily.
It seems to wake Shoma up from his sleep, because he finally asks with a croaked voice, “Are we there yet?”
“Soon!” Boyang answers.
He squints his eyes, admiring the view of mountains enshrouding the land under the bright blue sky. “You are right,” he turns to Yuma, “Nagano is beautiful. Great view with great people.”
Since Beijing, Jin Boyang has been putting more effort into learning English.
All of team China know English to varying degrees; Wang Shiyue has a pretty good grasp of it and Liu Xinyu can understand anything figure skating related without much fuss. Wenjing Sui and Cong Han resume their English class in the off-season after the Olympics. They even listen to skating podcasts from time to time.
When it comes to choreographing programs with Lori, English has never been a problem since she usually comes with a translator. Her good relationship with Boyang also makes way for tacit understanding.
However, a certain moment happened in Saitama this March. It awakened the joy of expressing himself in a language different from his usual repertoire.
Perhaps it’s beginner’s euphoria. Perhaps it's a veteran's vanity.
Either way, there’s something so liberating at taking control of his own narrative.
After all, once you ascend the mountain crest, all doubts seem dwarfed beneath your feet.
Words are not that fickle. They do wield certain power, and Boyang is willing to stay one jump ahead.
***
Saitama, 25 March 2023.
A group of cameramans adjusted their positions as the top three skaters for Men’s podium entered the press conference room. First came Kagiyama Yuma. He walked at a moderate pace, eyes bright and vigilant, with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Kagiyama settled on the middle chair where the gold medal winner was supposed to occupy. He folded his palms, slowly tapping both of his index fingers, and waited. Two medalists follow in succession: Hanyu Yuzuru and Jin Boyang.
Hanyu swiftly took the vacant seat on Kagiyama’s right, while Boyang settled on the left. Now that silver and bronze had completed the podium arrangement, World Championship 2023 press conference could proceed.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated,” a Japanese woman with dark hair spoke promptly, holding the microphone with fingers lacquered with red nail polish. She gestured to the reporters to fill in the media seats. The bespectacled woman took a seat at the furthest right side of the table, on the side of Hanyu Yuzuru and Kagiyama Yuma. Meanwhile, a Chinese translator who was provided for Boyang sat on the furthest left.
Boyang squared his shoulders and drew a deep breath. The reality of being surrounded by the press and camera lights had not settled in. It felt surreal; sitting in the World’s medal press conference after missing the podium so many times. Six years ago in Helsinki, thousands of kilometers away from Saitama, he rose to the podium and obtained a bronze medal for the second time.
To Hanyu Yuzuru, the city of Helsinki was synonymous with victory, as he stood at the podium with another gold medal back in 2017. In retrospect, Uno Shoma who grabbed the silver medal that year also embarked on what the media called “the silver streak”.
Boyang wondered what the headlines for today’s result would be. Would the press validate his position, or would they brush over his achievement in favor of other podium contenders?
Ah, he dismissed such concern, words are fickle. Pursuit is steadfast.
Jin Boyang’s path had been full of obstacles and ups and downs. Upon his return as a World medalist, he could think of nothing but gratitude. Pride swelled up in his heart.
Aiming for the podium can bear so much uncertainty. But precisely because of that, everybody has no choice but to give their best shot. I did all I could do today. This placement is without regrets.
Boyang reached for his water bottle and took a big swallow. He then turned his attention to the ongoing press conference.
“... but all things considered, today’s performance was beyond my expectation,” Kagiyama Yuma concluded. “I landed 4 quads that I’ve been practicing for the past year and acquired Season's Best, so this makes me really happy. I will do my best for the next season and skate with the joy that I’ve found on the ice today.”
Hanyu’s turn came next. Throughout the years they have spent competing together, there was never a day where Hanyu Yuzuru didn’t provide impeccable answers to local and international journalists. However, the two-time Olympic Gold medalist sported a different countenance this time. From the corner of his eye, Boyang could see that Hanyu looked tired. Rather dispirited, even. He sat upright with perfect posture but there’s less vigor in his energy.
“Yuzuru, you missed the opening 4Lo. You fell in succession when you tried 4S in the first half of the program. If we compare it with your performance from previous seasons, this does not reflect the caliber of Yuzuru Hanyu’s skating. Plus the injuries since Beijing haven’t been merciful to your physical strength.”
All eyes were on Randy Thomas-Jones, a journalist from The Skating Insider who—for the last several months—had been dishing out increasingly biting questions.
Boyang knew Thomas-Jones, albeit against his will, because he was among the first skaters subjected to this man’s scrutiny in Trophee de France back in November 2022.
Boyang arrived in Angers with stomach flu. He was still getting used to skating at his regular body weight only several months after appendicitis surgery. He bombed his freshly minted Short Program; barely clinched the third spot, trailing behind Uno Shoma and Cha Junhwan. He managed to turn the tide at NHK Trophy though—getting ahead of Uno and Cha, to the delight and applause of spectators in Sapporo.
Video compilations of Grand Prix interviews started circulating on the internet just hours after Boyang’s moment of victory. There were male skaters who won gold at their respective Grand Prix events with total scores below him. That shouldn’t be a problem—after all there were six Grand Prix qualifiers. Plus, it's common knowledge that the level of difficulty in any qualifier event depended on whether there were many top level skaters in one place.
However, the videos showed that Thomas-Jones asked more lenient questions to skaters from bigger federations. This less favorable treatment caused heated debates on Weibo and Twitter. Boyang recalled how his fingers trembled while reading comments from supporters and haters. This time he knew better. He would not be swayed. No more.
Hanyu’s case seemed to be the exception. Representing one of the most prosperous federations still didn’t protect him from questionable scoring—rather, it exposed him even more.
“4Lo jumps have been unstable, not to mention your 4A that still doesn’t quite stick to the landing,” Thomas-Jones prodded. “Those have been recurring problems since last year’s GPF and this year’s 4CC.”
Hanyu was awarded silver while Kagiyama took the lead at GPF Turin 2022. Kagiyama and Uno edged Hanyu to bronze two months later; obtaining gold and silver respectively at Four Continents 2023.
It was a domineering Japanese podium sweep that came with a price. Figure skating world had long speculated that Hanyu’s right ankle would not fully mend. Whispers of retirement had been hanging in the air, tailing him one competition after another.
“Today you surprised us with 4Lz and 3A to make up for that loss. What inspired you to suddenly add both jumps in the second half of your Free Skate?”
Facing expectant reporters before him, a polite smile graced Yuzuru Hanyu’s lips. Carefully weighing his words, he began to elaborate in English. “First of all, I have absolute confidence in my free program composition. I was able to land 4Lo and 4S in practice yesterday—cleanly, even. However, I think the take off positions for both jumps haven’t been working well. I also put too much force on 4A in order to get a higher air position. That made me miss solid landing momentum.”
It wasn’t as if winning a silver medal was something to be ashamed of. Many skaters would exert sweat, tears and even blood to ensure placement on the podium. Clinching a spot on the podium despite finishing what could have been a disastrous loss was even more remarkable. Hanyu did great to bounce back like that–was what Jin Boyang wanted to say—but for now, like all people in the room, he waited.
He waited, because Yuzuru Hanyu always had more to reveal.
The man whom many considered the greatest of all time—the man who was equally graceful both in victory and defeat—smiled for the first time since the press conference started. He continued answering in English, trying to dispel any doubt.
“You asked why I suddenly added 4Lz and 3A near the end of the program. I can simply answer: instinct. During my senior career, I guess I’ve become more… spontant ?” he tilted his head, trying to remember a word, “Spontaneous? Yeah, more spontaneous. Think on my feet, hehehe,” he chuckled.
That loosened the atmosphere in a heartbeat. Several journalists smiled in response and even Thomas-Jones couldn’t object.
Aware that he had command of the situation, Hanyu proceeded in a firmer tone. “3A has never failed me, so going for it to bounce back is only natural. Besides,” Hanyu’s lips curled upward, “4Lz is a friend.”
Boyang would not proclaim that his English was superior, but what he heard just now, he understood enough.
Regardless of a season with less gold medals at hand, Hanyu still had things he could confidently grasp.
Well, Boyang thought, Hanyu has always been someone who’s worthy of making headlines.
Hanyu remained Hanyu no matter what the setbacks, and it’s enough to keep the world of figure skating going. Jin Boyang would not be the last person thinking so.
“Now we’re taking questions for Boyang Jin-san,” the female moderator said. She gave cues to two journalists who sat in the middle row.
“Hi. I’m Sarah Coleman from Ice Universe. I think I speak for many that your performance today was one of the highlights of this season. Welcome back to the podium. Boyang Jin, congratulations for your bronze medal.”
“Thank you,” Boyang gave a slight nod, “I'm glad to be back,” he answered in English.
His unexpected attempt at speaking English elicited several “ooh” from the media crews present. Journalists who had been following Boyang’s career since junior level could attest to his track record of only answering interviews in Chinese.
In a world where people’s attention span was easily swayed by their surroundings, novelty could turn into something newsworthy.
“It’s been a long journey since your second bronze medal in Helsinki. You hit a wall in Stockholm and many predicted that the Beijing Olympics would be your last stop. Talk to us about what has changed since then and how you managed to regain your form.”
After listening to the translator next to him, Boyang cleared his throat.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to the people who have supported me along the way. It really means a lot to me. The problems I had before Beijing were mostly about mentality. Stockholm was a failure, but it was a pity—sorry, I mean, it was necessary. A necessary discovery for me, at least.”
He bit his lower lip, then switched to Chinese. “Secondly, Beijing. Last year I rediscovered the significance of having both love and responsibility. If you only have responsibilities in your heart, the heart will eventually become heavy. If you only rely on love, any disturbance down the road will lead you astray. I was in a place where love and responsibility were frequently at odds. Any unsatisfactory result, I would be swayed. Impatient. The joy from skating felt fleeting, and for a long time it seemed like any remaining purpose of skating escaped me.”
The room quieted down. With every word that the translator uttered to the press, Boyang felt his heart pounding.
He bared all that he had. The world would judge, like it always did, but he knew he deserved this closure.
“But…” he began again in English, “Figure skating is a beautiful sport. I have met so many wonderful people through this pursuit. I have experienced many great moments. I am unwilling to part with it.”
“So I cancel the idea of giving up,” Boyang chuckled, then sported a carefree smile that the media haven’t witnessed in years.
The crowd murmured in assent. Then he heard a faint laugh.
Boyang glanced to his left and found Hanyu gazing at him. Hanyu’s slender figure shook with mirth as he clapped. The corners of his mouth were upturned. A mixture of amusement and respect twinkled in his eyes.
Oh. This feels familiar.
Kagiyama scratched his chin and nodded awkwardly.
Boyang then turned his attention to the second interviewer.
“Hello, I’m Jordan Park from The Leading Figures. Congratulations,” he said. “A big fan of your skating—your Lutz jumps are always amazing.”
“Thank you,” Boyang replied, determined to still practice his English. “I appreciate it.”
“A few questions for you. First, not only did you stabilize your 4Lz since the Beijing Olympics, now you’ve also added 4Lo and 4F to your free skating routine. If I recall correctly, your senior programs have been relying mostly on 4Lz, 4T and 3A. What is the decisive factor behind that change?”
Boyang made sure he listened to the complete translation so as not to miss any nuance.
“Hmm. Other than 4Lz and 4T, my previous programs also used 4S. Before PyeongChang, I practiced 4F and 4Lo too, but the success rate wasn’t good. With the way I was back then—ah, how to say it…”
Boyang paused for a moment, then reverted to speaking Chinese. “The PyeongChang Olympics was too important to carry that risk. Even in Beijing, I focused on jumps that I could land while polishing my skating skills. Now I’m working to consistently land 5 quadruple jumps and connect them with fitting choreography.”
“You didn’t seem to mention 4A at all,” commented Park, gesturing to Hanyu. The cue from Park made heads turn.
Boyang buried his nails deep at the curve of his palm. He ignored the sensation of sweat trickling down his back.
“So far, 4A is the pinnacle of jumping difficulty, and I admire Hanyu who strives to make breakthroughs. As for whether I will try it myself, that remains to be seen. But in my culture, we have the phrase of ‘faith can move mountains’. I choose to put my faith in pursuing 5 quadruple jumps and hopefully Hanyu’s faith in pursuing 4A will be a rewarding endeavor."
Sharp breaths were drawn. Waiting for his words to be fully conveyed in English felt like a millennia, but it was worth seeing how the journalists exchanged looks of approval among themselves. Boyang caught murmurs of “sportsmanship”, “main article”, “promoted content” and “highlights”. Jordan Park and several others shot Boyang a satisfied nod and returned to sitting position; fingers busy tapping on their phones.
“We’ll have the final photo session for our World medalists to conclude this press conference,” the moderator announced.
Hustle and bustle unfolded in the conference room as photographers set their cameras and vied for the best angles. Kagiyama rose from his seat and took the center position. Hanyu stood on Kagiyama’s right while Boyang stood on his left.
Boyang felt Kagiyama’s palm casually landed on the back of his Chinese team jacket. Just as he was about to return the favor, a hand adorned with a crystal bracelet anchored fast to Boyang’s waist; fingers firmly tucked in the comfort of his red jacket. Boyang reached out with little delay and mirrored the gesture. His fingers fit snugly between the crease of Hanyu Yuzuru’s jacket—no longer stranded.
Louder than camera flashes was the resonance of his heartbeat.
***
PING.
A push notification appeared on hundreds of thousands of phone screens across the world.
New notification from ISU Figure Skating.
Thumbs swiped. Pressed to load video.
“Hello, I’m Kagiyama Yuma–”
“I’m Hanyu Yuzuru–”
“I am Jin Boyang–”
“And we are–”
“Your–”
“World–”
“Medalist.”
PING.
ISU Figure Skating has just posted an update.
More taps to reveal. Rapid presses on the love button changed white to red.
World, here are your medalists. Kagiyama Yuma (JPN) took gold after a fierce 2-days battle at the World Figure Skating Championship in Saitama, Japan. Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) secured silver while Jin Boyang (CHN) scored bronze. Congratulations to all the winners in the Men's event!
(Photo by James Zimmerman - International Skating Union)
PING.
ISU Figure Skating has just posted an update.
An uplifting jingle was heard through phone speakers. Letters jumped out on screen, forming a single line.
We asked our World medalists their plans for the off season and here’s what they said…
“Doing ice shows? Also, I miss the onsen in my hometown so I’ll find some time to relax. Let’s meet up again in summer!”
“Etto… I have some earphones I haven’t tried out, so perhaps it’s time to unbox them? I want to try my hand at composing music cuts too, hehehe..”
“I’m going back to Beijing. It’s a very happy thing to return to China with a medal. I’d love to visit Universal Studio Japan sometime, if I can.”
PING.
You have one (1) new message.
Sent from overseas.
Mama, I made it <3