In which a chance was lost.

A few hours after realizing that he had been sent back, Yuuri dragged him out of the house. But because of the eventual trauma in his head, Victor shook his head.

"V-Victor?"

Victor just laughed. "Sorry, Yuuri. But it's really hot. Wouldn't it be better if we just stay in?"

"Eh? What about training?"

"It's fine. I told Yurio that practice is cancelled for the day."

And although the seemingly depressed look on Yuuri's face built up regret in Victor's heart, he knew that he had to do it.

Victor lost Yuuri twice. He didn't want it happening again.

But then again, he had to think of a way for Yuuri not to be bummed out.

It was then an idea came into mind.

"How about we try making some food?"

That afternoon made him realize why his family and even Phichit do not allow him to enter the kitchen.

For one, his way of making food was terrible.

"A carrot and chocolate?! Yuuri, what the hell?!"

"B-But we're making carrot soup, right? And chocolate tastes good on anything!"

Victor sighed. Well, it was just one reason. One simple reason that can be easily fixed.

How hard could it possibly be?

"Victor, the oil got on me!"

"Victor, I can't turn off the stove!"

"Victor, I got burned!"

"Victor, is it normal for the boiling water to make a squeaky noise?"

"Victor, I cut myself!"

He was definitely terrible when it came to cooking. But at long last, they finished their meals.

They ended up making chicken tonkatsu pirozhki with porkchop bits in them with miso soup (not carrot anymore because Yuuri gave up) and botamochi to pair them up. Originally, Yuuri wanted to make the chocolate sauce for dipping. But Victor, with that sense of irritation in him, decided that ketchup could be an alternative.

"This is delicious!"Yuuri said as he took another bite. Victor smiled. "Well, we made it together, did we not?"

Yuuri nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Victor!"

And definitely, Victor did not have a heart attack over that smile.

As they continued eating, Victor stared at the calendar in front of him.

"August..."he uttered.

"August?"

Victor, upon realizing that his utter was loud, laughed. "Sorry! I just forgot what month it is now."

Yuuri sighed sadly. "The weatherman did say that the temperature will rise by three degrees in Hasetsu tomorrow."

Of course, Victor already knew that just by the rewinds. But he had to pretend that it was a normal day, even if he wanted to tell Yuuri the truth.

Did they not promise not to keep secrets from each other anymore?

But Victor had to break that promise for once if it's for the sake of Yuuri's life.

Besides, if he spills the beans, he might end up losing Yuuri and the reset button will never come back.

So Victor had to pretend.

"R-Really?"

Yuuri nodded before yawning. "You know, things like these make me wish that I was back in Detroit."

"What was Detroit like?"

Yuuri gave Victor a strange look before the latter chuckled. "I'm sorry. I mean, I've been there too but I want to hear it from you. Winter, specifically."

Yuuri's face lit up once again. "Let's see...well...in winter...Phichit and I would..."

And as he listened to Yuuri's upbeat voice, Victor made a new promise to himself.

Once this mess is over, he will take Yuuri to Detroit and spend his Christmas there with him.

Four o'clock in the afternoon came.

Victor had eight hours to go.

Although, he wished that this weird mess would end now.

They didn't have anything else to do. All they were doing at the moment was lying down on Yuuri's bed with their phones.

"Phichit has gone to Russia, huh?"

"Eh? Where specifically?"

"St. Petersburg, apparently. I guess he wanted to skate there."

"Thailand does have a hotter temperature there, no?"

Yuuri sighed. "It must be hard living in the Southeast Asia. Phichit even said that you can cook a fried egg in his homeland with that kind of heat!"He gave Victor his phone. "See?"

Victor stared at the picture of the ceramic pan with the raw egg in the before stage and the same picture except the food already cooked after. In both pictures, the heat of the sun was present.

"Their weather is weird,"he said before giving the phone back to Yuuri.

However, as Yuuri scrolled through his Instagram, Victor kept on checking the time.

He had seven hours to go.

It seemed as if every time an hour would pass by, his relief starts to grow. He didn't know why but it was probably because once midnight comes, the curse would come to an end. Then Victor could treat whatever happened as a dream and move on.

Unfortunately, he was paranoid too.

Anything could happen.

Victor looked at Yuuri's smiling face and frowned.

It was only a matter of time until they can finally be saved.

Nine o'clock.

Three hours to go and Victor was already full of joy.

The day already ended and yet, nothing happened to Yuuri. Not even a scratch (save from the kitchen incidences) came to him. Not even a random illness came and attacked him.

Victor wanted to jump in joy. He did it! He finally saved his lover! He was proud to call himself a hero.

As Victor yawned, he looked at Yuuri's sleeping face and smiled.

"Yuuri?"

"Hmmm?"The sound of Victor's faint voice allowed him to wake up.

"After this and fall, do you want to go Detroit with me and spend our Christmas there?"

But before Yuuri could answer, they heard screams of panic.

And it finally occurred to Victor.

"Yuuri, did you turn off the gas tank?!"

"...oh no-"

And the last thing Victor saw was Yuuri's face flooding with panic and fear.

When he woke up, it was the same day and time.