Safe Haven | Yuzuru Hanyu

28.

Nothing could have prepared Emma to be away from him for months after returning to the States but whenever the pandemic situation seemed to improve, it quickly got worse.

On top of it, Japan was being incredibly strict on the entrance of foreigners.

If two years ago you would've told her just how dependent she found herself to be on a man, she would have laughed.

But look at her now, showing her weak side to him.

She still hadn't told Yuzuru anything and he still believed her to be on a mission while she was just depriving at home and studying.

Yes, because Emma figured that if this whole thing allowed her to dedicate herself to something, the least she could do was move on with her studies. The specialty in oncology came by easily.
After her mother's death, it was a topic that Emma had always wanted to dedicate herself to, but if her short experience working in an Emergency Room showed her anything was that she wasn't ready to deal with patients directly.

It only meant that research could be a future for her if being a bodyguard to a hot Japanese skater didn't work out.

Look at you, Emma, thinking he is hot. This man wasn't even supposed to be your type. Remember those bulky guys from the army?

The reality was that she fell for his personality before even looking properly at his body, but the girl was now pretty much convinced that the only thing that was her type was him. Anything Yuzuru Hanyu was attractive.

It was only by the time the World Championships came that she even found an opportunity to be able to see him.

If she wasn't going to be able to go to Japan, then she had to see him when he was somewhere else.

The thing was, the event was being held without any public.

It wasn't surprising given that the GP series had happened in a very similar way.

What was surprising was that Yuzuru was going.

Part of Emma wondered if he truly wanted to attend the competition or if there was some kind of external pressure for him to be there.

The one thing she knew was that Yuzuru was terrified of catching the virus and placing himself and others in danger.

Even so, he went there and gave Emma a very valuable opportunity.

There was absolutely no guarantee that she would even be able to enter the venue, not with how closed it was but she was still going to Stockholm nonetheless.

It seems like having some contacts in the military was still valuable somehow because it was only due to them that she was able to fly to Sweden without too much trouble.

Emma was tested multiple times to assure everyone's safety and went to Sweden with no expectations and in complete secret.

He still believed her to be on a mission she had no doubts that she was the absolute last person that he expected to see there.

In the end, and once she got to the country, getting inside the venue and finding Yuzuru was an entirely different problem.

The last thing Emma needed was to get him worried and troubled by her presence so she didn't contact him directly.

Even if she was in Stockholm, Emma still watched his brilliant Short Program from the screen of the TV in her hotel room. Finding access to the venue was a bigger problem than she even anticipated.

The whole competition was a huge bubble and only authorized personnel were allowed inside. It was incredibly strict.

Her dumbass brain only remembered about his coaches on the night before the Free Program.

She knew that Brian Orser was around and once Emma finally got her shit together, she had been able to find the hotel that they were all staying at.

Carefully dodging the handsome, polite Japanese that she loved so much, Emma waited for a chance to see Brian Orser alone.

Guess who felt like a CIA agent now?

Emma probably scared the old man more than needed when she intercepted him in one of the halls of the hotel.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked as she blocked his path "Lady, there are social distance rules in place."

"I need to speak to you."

"I don't know you."

"Yes, you do."

The girl lowered her mask and it took some time for the Canadian Coach to recognize her.

"You're Yuzu's assistant."

Oh, yeah. Emma had almost forgotten that they had never revealed that she was a bodyguard.

"Yes..."

"But he didn't tell me you were coming... I don't think we have a pass for you."

"That's because he doesn't know."

"Oh?"

"I had some business outside of Japan to attend to and they don't allow me to go back now. I have been doing remote work but I really wanted to surprise Yuzu."

"I understand, but he doesn't need any distractions right now."

"No. Not today. But can you maybe get me a pass for tomorrow? I would only surprise him after the program."

"This is a very closed competition, I don't think... They didn't even allow his mother."

"But since I'm his assistant, isn't there a way?"

"I doubt they will get us a pass for an assistant."

Emma sighed deeply and then remembered.

"What about for a bodyguard?"

Brian chuckled at her words.

"Don't get me wrong but I couldn't convince anyone that you're a bodyguard."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Why? Because I'm a girl?"

"Yes."

"I served 5 years in the Army, Mr. Orser. I think I'm qualified enough."

He stared at her for a few seconds.

"Do you have any paper to prove that?"

Emma smiled and was quick to answer.

"Do you have an email that I can send it to?"