To Dream or Not to Dream

Costumes

Author's Note: Short chapter, but hope you like it. I feel like I am writing an angst story here, but... there are happy times to come.  Please enjoy, vote, and comment 🥰

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Boston, Massachusetts - December 2018

"MRS. BELLA!" The voice of a young child reverberated through the arena, bouncing off the plexiglass. If there was one time Isabella wished this wasn't a hockey rink, it was now, as she nursed a hangover from last night, a state that she certainly wasn't proud of.

"Hunter, it is miss. Miss Bella. I am not married," Isabella patiently explained to the energetic child that she had become quite fond of.

"Well, why not?"

Ouch.

Isabella sighed.  Leave it to a kid to state the obvious.

"Hunter, what can I assist you with?"

The eight year old boy stood there picking at the costume his mother had tailored for him. As soon as he entered the venue wearing it two weeks ago, Isabella instantly recognized the design -- Seimei. He had worn it to every practice since then, wide smile present on his face as he pretended he was his idol performing an Olympic-worthy skate.

"Coach Jacob said you trained with Coach Orser," the child spoke quickly.

Isabella was surprised by his words. For a kid so young, she didn't expect him to even know who Brian Orser was.

"He is Yuzu's couch!" The boy continued.

A light bulb went off as Hunter continued to speak, she should have known this had to do with his idol.  

His questions came out in rapid-fire, "Have you met Yuzuru?!  Did you get to see him skate?  I bet it was like magic.  Does he criss-cross his laces?"

Isabella's mouth dropped open as he continued on.  She was surprised that the child had made the connection between her and Yuzuru.  However, she was even moreso taken aback because it was simply too early in the morning to be thinking about him. Especially considering she had spent most of the prior night in a drunken relapse of feelings.

Isabella didn't even want to look at the text messages she was sure she wrote into the depths of the cellular network, her own electronic diary.

Isabella's gaze shifted towards the ice where Jacob stood amidst a group of children. He was already observing the interaction between her and Hunter, catching bits of their conversation. Sensing her discomfort, he glided over, playfully plucking the beanie off the young boy's head as he joined them.

"Hey!! That's my hat!" Hunter exclaimed, arms wildly reaching where Jacob held the item above his head.

"Last time I checked Abe no Seimei didn't wear a beanie Hunter," Jacob teased the boy.

Hunter pouted momentarily, but after a brief moment of contemplation, he nodded decisively in agreement with Jacob. "You're right! I need a better hat!" With those determined words, the boy skated off towards the sidelines where his mother was seated.

"His mom is going to kill you," Isabella tutted, already certain that she knew the conversation Hunter was having with his mother- who had become his personal tailor.

As rambunctious as he could be at times, Hunter's passion for figure skating reminded Isabella of Kaito and she had a soft spot for him. She just wished he would be more gentle when he pointed out the obvious.

"I'm sorry," Jacob spoke, no longer talking about Hunter's mom.  Instead, he referred to telling Hunter about Brian Orser, and therefore Yuzuru. "I didn't mean for that to happen."