Icy Highness | Yuzuru Hanyu

44.

Unlike what her heart told her to do, Athena chose against following her maid's advice.

It wasn't that she didn't believe it to be a good choice, it was more that she didn't want to put this burden on him just months before the Olympics.

Just like before, she followed his every competitive step, carefully looking into everything she could on social media to keep up with how he was doing while fulfilling her own duties.

Her mother had been very attentive to her, trying to gather if she wasn't hiding anything behind her back once again.

Athena wasn't hiding anything, but she would be lying if she said her love for him was any less.

Yuzuru had left his mark on her heart and the princess suspected that it would be very hard to make it disappear.

Through all of her trips, the memory of him was ever so present in the minimal things. A simple feather was enough for her to remember his lovely features and how it felt to be kissed by the Japanese.

Yet again, Athena just wished she wasn't a Royal and that fate could've worked a bit better and gotten them together as she always expected.

It was easy to tell from all of the side eyes she got during family gatherings that the news of her adventures had spread easily. Gossip was always the favorite task for the Royal Family, especially when it involved one of the people closest to the throne.

Her father had pulled her aside and warned her that people were talking and advising her to do her best ignoring the attitude she was about to receive.

The problem was that Athena wasn't one to just watch silently while people mocked her.

"I simply cannot understand why someone would be interested in a commoner." One of her cousins, Theresa, started in the middle of a conversation that had nothing to do with that particular topic.

Athena side-eyed her immediately, she wasn't dumb and knew where this was going right away.

This was just a Tea gathering that her mother had called last minute and forced her to attend against her will. All Athena could do was stay there and listen to the hateful words.

"At least if someone was to do that, might as well choose a hotter man." Sophia completed. The girls were sisters and both as bitchy as one could get.

"Yes, I can't understand how one can find Asian men attractive."

Another side eye from Athena. Given that this cousin of hers was an avid K-pop fan made the whole conversation even more ridiculous.
The princess couldn't help but chuckle before words got out of her mouth.

"All of this talk coming from someone who has several posters of Korean men in her bedroom and closet is hilarious."

"They are famous and very handsome."

"You want to guess who else is famous and handsome?"

Athena made no effort to hide that all of the gossip was true. She wasn't embarrassed to love Yuzuru and there was zero proof that anything happened between them. People would always gossip either way.

The princess wasn't quite sure how much they knew for sure, but she couldn't just stand there while they spoke of something they didn't know shit about.

"That's enough!" Her mother quickly cut.

Interesting... So they probably don't know who he is after all. At least not from their expressions.

"Are you implying that this Japanese guy is famous?" Theresa asked with a scoff.

Athena smiled, that was all they knew, that she had a supposed affair with a Japanese man. They had zero clue about how he looked or even who he was.

"Why does it even matter to you?"

"I'm just trying to understand."

"You wouldn't understand either way."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that love is far beyond how someone looks like."

Maybe the princess should have kept her mouth shut and judging by her mother's gaze, she wasn't happy at all that Athena was speaking so freely.

Still, the older stayed silent while her cousins interrogated her.

"Love?" Sophia chuckled right away "Is she serious??"

The laughter that followed was the fakest thing Athena had ever heard.

If anything, all of her interactions with other royals only made her despise the family and titles even more.

"Girls, behave."

The warning came from her Aunt Victoria who had just entered the room. Someone could think the aunt was taking pity on Athena, but the girl knew she was the worst of them.

"But Momma, you should have listened to Athena. She says the Japanese sidekick of hers is famous."

The princess had rolled her eyes so much that afternoon that she started to be concerned that they would end up like that permanently.

"Famous? Is he a singer or something?"

She didn't want to answer this, in fact, all Athena wanted was to disappear and guard herself in her room.
The only thing stopping her from doing so was the warning look that her mother kept giving her.

"He's an athlete if you must know."

The girls started laughing again and just like before, Athena cringed hard at how fake it sounded.

"How would an athlete even look at you?" Theresa started and Athena was already fuming by the way the words were uttered. "I know you're a bit limited, but chess isn't a sport. Whoever the nerd is, I doubt you can call him an athlete."

The princess was sick of it, she hated when they pulled that card on her. Because Athena chose against attending university, they liked to call her dumb.
She knew better than to fight it all, but it didn't mean that she was willing to just listen to the insults.

She stood and ignored the Queen's look.

"For the record... Chess is considered a Sport.  I wouldn't expect you to know this given that your knowledge is limited to clothes and shoes.
Now if you excuse me, I have some business to attend to."