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Yuuri is nervous wreck.
Nothing new about that. Except maybe he's had the highest score in the short program. When has it happened? Now what should he do? Can he keep up? Will he manage to have a great score during his free skate? What if he falls? What if he forgets something in the middle of the program? Will Viktor hate him if he flubs a jump? He is no longer worth of Viktor's coaching if he messes up. He shouldn't be here at all.
Viktor knows Yuuri is a ball of nervous energy. Lack of sleep, all the fidgeting, that silence. He's all clammed up and with each skater's turn, Yuuri doesn't seem to let go of anything. Maybe he is even adding to the nervous energy as time goes by. What would Yakov do? He has never been like this before a competition. A bit tense, anticipating what could possibly go wrong, but not collecting all negative energies and condensing them into some kind of bomb waiting to explode.
He couldn't stand seeing Yuuri like this, knowing how well Yuuri did in his short program, seeing how he's been gaining new ground as they have been training together prior to this. He couldn't figure out what he should do except maybe let Yuuri focus and take out the source of his anxiety? Yeah, maybe that would work?
Viktor figures that maybe he could go let Yuuri have his space, not seeing his competition. Just space to breathe, and remember how awesome things have been. Where? The arena is full of people and they can't just easily find space unless ...
The parking lot!
No people, or maybe so little people. And cars. Just cars.
Viktor brings Yuuri to the parking lot. Maybe just maybe this should work.
Unfortunately, it doesn't. Yuuri's mind is still in chaos, a jumble of things that Viktor can't pick apart, really. At this point, what can he do? Is he still enough of a coach? Maybe it isn't working at all. What's it with skaters? Maybe skaters have terribly fragile hearts and so what would happen if you let it shatter?
"Well, Yuuri, I suppose if you don't podium in this competition I might step down as your coach..."
Yuuri just stood in front of Viktor, shocked. "What are you saying? Is this a test? I am not that good, I am used to taking the blame..."
Viktor realized how shattered Yuuri's glass heart was.
Crying, he continued "Don't you see I am worried that my failures will reflect on you as coach? Maybe you can't realize it but I wonder if you've been wanting to quit as my coach."
Viktor has no idea what to do when someone cries, how do people deal? Under Yakov's supervision, he's felt pressure but never cried and he hasn't seen his rinkmates cry either. Now what?
"I just want you to believe in me, Viktor. Just stand by me."
They had to walk back because it was Yuuri's turn. He has no idea what it means to just be there by Yuri's side. Of course he is there because he's the coach. Was that enough? Is that all there is to it? Before he knew it, he was watching Yuuri do his free skate. So beautiful, so graceful. He couldn't believe that Yuuri was doing so well, considering what just happened in the parking lot. What's going on? Who is this beautiful figure, owning the ice? Yuuri has transformed right before his eyes and Viktor couldn't keep his eyes off him, enchanted by what he's watching. And was that a quadruple flip right in front of his eyes?
This day is just too much for Viktor's heart to handle. Indeed, skater's hearts are fragile.
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On their flight back, Yuuri fell asleep soon after he opened a book. Viktor, had earphones plugged into his phone, with his library on shuffle. An old melody came to play, and that's when he realized what Yuuri was saying all along.