✔️ Body and Mind 3

Lunch

The rest of the weekend went in similar spirits and it was obvious that Emily's outgoing personality was growing on Yumi and she genuinely began to like her.
Yuzuru didn't anymore have to filter his translations when they spoke and since his mum went with him to watch his practice on Monday, he didn't have to leave those two alone.

He took his mum for lunch and could see that she is still holding something back. That there were still things she needed to get off her chest.
Considering she was already leaving the next day, he decided just to bite the bullet and asked her.

-So, is there anything you would still want to talk about before you go back to Japan?

-I would like to make sure that you will call me more often.

-I will. And I am sorry that I didn't before.

-And that you will call Anya.

-Why the hell should I call Anya?!

-To see how she is?

-Mum, it was her who stopped replying to my texts. She obviously wanted to stop the contact altogether. I am pretty sure she has found somebody herself and that's why she has stopped.

-Is that why you started to date Emily? Because you thought she moved on?

Yuzuru paused for a moment, giving it a thought before he honestly answered.

-I started to date Emily because I genuinely fell for her. But the fact that I am assuming that Anya has moved on definitely made it easier. What would you like me to do? To sit around and wait for her until we are in our sixties or something?

-No, I just want you to be honest with her.

-With whom?

-With Emily.

-I am!

Yumi sighed and gently shook her head, pointing at the entrance of the restaurant they sat in.
Yuzuru turned in his seat and looked behind him to where she was pointing, frowning as she spoke.

-Can you just for a moment imagine that Anya would now walk through that door? With her long braid hanging over her shoulder and that nervous forced smile, she always has anytime she is in a room full of people?

Yuzuru didn't take his eyes off the door, clenching the back of his chair with his hand, his knuckles turning white, same as his face.

-W-Why are you doing this, mum?

-Just imagine she would walk through, going straight to you and telling you she wants to get back together. That she achieved all she wanted and that----

-But she didn't achieve all she wanted!!

Yuzuru raised his voice, making few heads turn to see what's going on, but he ignored it. He turned back to his mum, meeting her sad gaze.

-But if she would....would you still choose Emily over her?

-Why are you asking me this? It's not a question of either-or! Anya is no longer in my life. I let her go and she moved on. I know she would never be truly happy if we would have stayed together. Not unless she would achieve her dreams.

-Would you choose Emily over Anya?

-I am done.

He put his cutlery down on top of his half-eaten lunch and folded his arms on his chest, staring onto the table.

-Yuzu, I am asking you this only because I am actually starting to like Emily and I don't want her to get hurt.

-So would you like me to break up with her and be alone? To not date anyone, ever?

-No, of course not!

-Well then this conversation is over. Anya and I are over. So you should just accept it. Because I did and there is no point in opening this topic anymore ever again. Ever.

Yumi sighed but didn't say anything more and proceeded to finish her lunch. Yuzuru kept sitting there with his arms folded, not touching the food anymore and thinking if he is truly being honest with Emily.

She knew what he was going through when they first met. How he felt about his ex and the fact that she felt the same about Nathan was what brought them together in the first place.

And after all, they were officially dating not even a week. Even though they were already together in some kind of a strange relationship for almost half a year.

It was only thanks to Emily that Yuzuru started to let go of Anya. He was very well aware of what effect it had on him to find her home everyday after practice. How happy it made him. How much he enjoyed their Fridays, trying not to give her any signs of feelings from his side, yet always watching her by the corner of his eye. Thinking how pretty she is. How funny she is. Making him laugh no matter what mood he got home with. Giving him space when he needed to be alone, yet always with that feeling of being right there if he would want to talk about it.
Just the idea of losing her was unbearable. Not only losing her as a partner but as a friend as well.

Would she choose him over Nathan if it would come to it?
He honestly couldn't tell and doubted that Emily would be able to tell herself.
But he knew that there is no point in even entertaining that idea because that wasn't an option. As much as it wasn't an option for him to be with Anya.
It wasn't a question of either-or. They had only each other and he was eternally grateful for her.

Ater Yumi was done with her lunch, he paid and they went for a walk but sticking only to topics of preparations for the upcoming season that was starting soon and his graduation from Waseda.
To her surprise, he decided not to attend the ceremony in Japan and rather wanted to stay in Canada. Yumi was wondering if he is doing it for the sake of spending more time with Emily but decided not bring it up. It seemed that anything that she so far said either about her or Anya led only to fights anyway.

They went home after the walk and Yuzuru decided not to go to his afternoon practice anymore, planning to do only off-ice exercises at home and an image training.
Trying to convince himself he is doing it for the sake of being with his mum more before she leaves, but deep down he knew, he is just worried she would manage to tell Emily something she shouldn't.
At that point he honestly couldn't wait for Javi who was supposed to arrive in two weeks, knowing at least his friend will be genuinely excited about his girlfriend.