Icy Highness | Yuzuru Hanyu

8.

Just like every night, Athena escaped from everyone and sneaked into the Barcelona night. Keeping the tradition she had settled on just a few days before.

Her walk made her head think back to the afternoon and as a consequence, to Yuzuru. She couldn't understand why her brain kept focusing on the Japanese skater.

He was different from everyone she had met before, but even so, she still didn't know him well enough to know how he was.

Maybe it was all the mystery surrounding him, maybe all the seemingly champion aura that he had, but she couldn't explain it.

When she sat on the same bench as always, the princess couldn't help but feel disappointed that he wasn't there, on the other bench, like the previous days.

Still, she enjoyed the cold night around her and allowed her eyes to stare at the sky for a few seconds.

The lights in Barcelona made it almost impossible to see any stars but for some kind of reason, her eyes seemed to be transfixed on the dark blue, almost black color.

When she felt a presence beside her, she stirred with wide eyes, only to notice exactly who it was.

The man currently sitting by her side was looking at her with a curious expression, almost as if trying to understand her better, his mask was still on and she could barely make out anything else on his face.

"It's you."

"Yes."

"Why the mask?" She asked, not being able to hold on to that question for much longer.

"Hum... I like be alone."

"Ok..." She didn't understand what he meant, especially since he was the one sitting on her bench, it wasn't as if Athena had been the one approaching him.

Yuzuru seemed to notice that she didn't understand what he meant.

"I... English hard."

"I'm sorry... I wish I could speak Japanese but I really don't." She said honestly. It would definitely make things easier for their communication.

"It ok. I take long to speak, but understand."

"It's okay by me. I have time." Was she being too obvious about her will to know him better?

Yuzuru smiled, it looked genuine and it inevitably made her smile too.

"Mask is to no being...huh..reco...recog"

"Recognized?"

"Yes, that."

"I don't think anyone knows where you're staying but I understand better than most what it's like to want to be anonymous"

"Old habit for me too"

"Yeah... I can't use masks to hide, my parents wouldn't like it at all."

"You no have... Privacy"

"It's hard when I'm on official duties, but most of the time I'm alone at the palace, so I prefer this. At least I can meet other people."

"Must be bad... Lonely "

"Yes."

"Me too"

The admission made Athena stare into his eyes. Yuzuru looked around and when he deemed that no one was around, he finally removed the mask covering his face, allowing her to see him up close for the first time.

"Why are you lonely? You seem to be close with Javi and your coaches. I'm sure you could have them for company sometimes."

"They... skating friends... Different."

"Only for skating?"

"Yes."

She understood that better than most, she had a few 'friends' who were a part of royalty but none of them were trustworthy enough for her to see them as close enough to her to trust.

"You should try to find new people."

"Maybe"

"I know it's not much and you will probably think I'm crazy to even offer but you can speak to me whenever you feel lonely."

He stared at her with wide eyes, surprised at her sudden, very clear offer.

"You...would talk to me?"

"Sure... Why not?"

"But you...huh... You are..."

"A person? Like any other, I hope."

Yuzuru seemed to understand what she meant and gave her a slight smile.

"I use Line. You have install on phone."

That brought a grin to her face.

"Ok... And how does it work after?"

"I give you number... And we can talk"

"I bet you don't have much time."

"I make time."

The answer surprised Athena but it also made her stomach flutter weirdly. It was a feeling she hadn't felt before but it felt incredible.

"Do you do this with every girl you meet?" She asked with a teasing look.

"Only the pretty princesses" he answered with a coy smile that made her flush a deep red color.

"I... How do you say that with a straight face?" She joked.

Yuzuru shrugged his shoulders. "High of champion"

She looked at him once again, completely entrapped by his face and his big, expressive eyes.

The only thing that broke the look was the voice of a woman in the distance, who seemed to speak quick Japanese, the only thing Athena understood was 'Yuzu-kun'

He answered her even before she was near them and turned to Athena again.

"I have to go. That's mom."

"Ah...yeah. of course."

"See you at gala and dinner?"

"Sure."

"Bye. Good night."

"Good night, Yuzuru."

Athena watched him turn and leave with the woman. They were quite alike, there was no fooling that they were family. She seemed like a nice lady too, even if she hadn't understood anything about their small exchange of words.

Yuzuru, on the other hand, valued this small interaction more than he would admit. He had been surprised by how much he craved to see her again. It had happened before, on those late nights at the bench. But when he understood exactly who she was, fear consumed him. He could not be this interested in someone like her, but after being alone with her and having a real conversation, no matter how hard English was for him, he knew he couldn't simply ignore it all.

"Isn't that the princess?" His mom asked in Japanese as soon as he was at her side.

"Yes."

"Be careful, Yuzu-kun. Don't get in trouble because of a girl."