Icy Highness | Yuzuru Hanyu

42.

Saying goodbye was never easy, but unfortunately, it was definitely necessary.

Yuzuru ignored all of his coaches' invites to lunch and chose to go to the airport with her, not even caring that someone could see them in an intimate position.

A taxi took them straight to the destination faster than they hoped. They were sitting in the back seat with their hands entangled and exchanging soft caresses wordlessly.

Getting out of the car together, they walked into the huge building of the airport.

There were too many people around, and no one noticed these two people saying their emotional goodbyes.

He didn't care at all, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

The only wish on both their minds was that they could stay like this for a few more hours, ignoring both of their obligations.

"Call me."

"Of course."

"Every day."

"I don't want to call you too late, I'm not sure if I can call you every day."

"I'll wake up for you, please call."

"Will you miss me?"

"Every single second."

Athena just took the chance to place her head on his chest and enjoy the warmth she loved so much one more time before going back home.

He hugged her tight before whispering in her ear.

"You will miss your flight, princess."

"I kinda want to."

"Yes, but we both know you can't."

"Promise me I will see you soon."

"I promise, love. You know I will go to you as soon as I can."

A kiss on her forehead and the last call for her plane made her get back to reality.

Athena stared right into his almost black eyes and her lips moved to meet his in a passionate exchange. This man had changed her forever, she now needed him every day, every minute, every second.

"I love you." He said in a whisper that made her smile while tears ran down her face.

"I love you too"

"Go."

"Good luck with the gala."

"I'll be skating for you."

"I will be watching."

And just like that, she was running to make sure she caught the plane before it was too late, cleaning her face as she went, turning to wave one last time to the man staring at her.

The trip was short, but it seemed to take forever given that she wasn't very keen on being there. One could easily get used to having what she had with Yuzu during those days.

All of those thoughts were completely wiped away when she arrived, a whole commission waiting for her, not surprisingly given that she had already noticed the bodyguards there.

Athena was immediately led by a security team to a car and was faced with the faces of her parents.

"Hey" she said with a nervous smile.

"Sit down, Athena." Her mom said with a stern voice and she knew this was trouble.

Her parents looked at each other before any other words were uttered and she could see how serious they both were.

Athena's father always tried to reassure and help her as much as possible, but this didn't seem like something that he could help her with.

"Why did you disappear?"

"I didn't..."

"Don't lie to me, young lady. I raised you!"

Even if that was quite debatable, given that her mom barely spent any time with her when she was a child, Athena decided against fighting with it all.

"I went to see a friend."

"A friend? In another country?"

"Yes."

The girl didn't say anything else, even if she knew that they were expecting her to say something, she was quick to change the subject of conversation.

"Is this the same person you went to see in Canada?"

"How do you?..."

Athena had told her father about Toronto, but her mother wasn't supposed to know.

"As much as you two think you can keep secrets, I just know you too well."

The look that the older woman threw both of them was serious as if tempting one of them to speak out loud and challenging her.

"Mom..."

"No, Athena. It's a boy isn't it?"

The princess knew just how stupid it would be to lie again when her mother seemed to know a lot more than they expected.

"Yes" she admitted in an almost silent voice, afraid to admit it out loud.

"Who is more than a friend."

"Mom..."

"Tell me the truth."

"Yes, he is more than a friend."

Her mother looked at her with a very serious face, stern and frowning. The expression alone let the princess know that she was in trouble.

"An athlete... Of all people you could choose, you ended with a famous Japanese skater. Do you have any idea of the backlash this could have for you?"

Athena swallowed, her mother knew more than what she thought, she knew too much that it was scary. This could only mean one thing, that there was someone following her or those bodyguards weren't sent by her father after all.
It didn't matter, because her stance was the same, she loved Yuzuru and wasn't going to back down without a fight.

"I love him and I am willing to take the backlash."

"And what about him? Is he ready and willing as well?"

In a good world, Yuzuru would never be blamed for dating a Royal, no sponsor would drop him, and no severe consequences would force him to quit what he loved.

But this was not a good world and words could be easily twisted to get a more mediatic story. It didn't mean that it was true, but there was no doubt in Athena's mind that the narrative could be twisted in a way that made Yuzu look bad.

Athena didn't want to be the reason why he had to leave a career that he had worked so hard for in the past years. He was her Olympic champion, but she knew what her mother meant, that he had to make wise choices, and this was the first one.

With extreme pain, the princess made the decision on that day to cut contact. Yuzuru didn't deserve to lose everything he had worked so hard for in the last years, certainly not for her.

"I will end it."