nevertheless || yuzuru hanyu

thirty-eight - serve and return

Badminton sounds simple, you can even explain it in two words.

"Serve" and "Return"

Every match is a fast cycle, much like how living passes and days go by.

At some point in anyone's life, they too have to commence their matches that involve the concept of serve and return.

Everyone always has a different outlook on what it is. Sometimes it's to serve and return for someone else, or simply, serve and return for themselves.

•••

People are annoying.

Life can turn out very differently when the people around you always strive for your welfare. That despite how bad days can go, they never stop inspiring you to keep going.

Even when you're at that last second, or that last moment. Perhaps even when you're making that last decision—an important decision that would decide if you were going to let go or keep going.

You're almost at the end of it all. You're almost successful in your escape, just one more step and you're out of it,

But then someone calls your name, someone sends you a message, or perhaps someone inspires you, and for some reason, you just find yourself walking back that pathway. That despite how gloomy and difficult of a road you'll have to take, you'll do anything to call out back to them or to follow their voice.

That was how Gabriella defined the idea of "Serve and return"

Serve was the way there was always someone around her who made her feel better despite the painful days. Serve was the way that someone inspired her to keep going.

And now, she was the return. What she does back in gratitude, is her way of returning all the good things that they have ever provided her.

Just a small moment to make them proud for all the effort that they put into making sure that she doesn't give up.

She was so close to just letting go, but some people just reach deep within her heart in ways that she could never ponder.

Now, here she was. With all her breath and might, running to the training center, trying to return to what she had temporarily walked away from.

She knew the consequences of her impulsive actions, so she was going to accept with an open heart any decision that would be made towards her.

12:58

With a lot of heavy breaths, she pushed past the court doors, bending and holding her knees tightly in hopes that she had made it.

"Please tell me I made it." She was able to say in the middle of the continuous breathing.

There was no immediate response, all she heard were footsteps that spoke of the person coming closer.

"Stand up, Gabriella Kim." The voice said. It was firm but friendly—too familiar to not recognize.

For most of her life, it's one of the voices that she's been hearing the most.