Icy Highness | Yuzuru Hanyu

58.

Athena knew she was screwed when she finally arrived in Seoul and ran to her hotel room

It took only about half an hour since her post for her phone to start ringing incessantly.

She didn't care too much about it. After a lot of thinking she wrote things in a way that wouldn't be obvious for anyone aware of their close relationship. Well, maybe not the part of "my champion" but it wasn't as if Athena had confessed her love for him to the world.

Athena arrived just in time and entered through Joanna's room. She only had the time to quickly change clothes and ruffle he hair a bit to look as if she had just woken up before the bodyguards barged into her room.

The worse was that they barely even asked to get it, they just entered the room. Athena could have been naked...

"You have never heard of knocking?"

"I'm sorry, your highness. We just had to make sure you were here."

"Where the hell would I be? I could barely stand and eat yesterday!"

"Yes, of course. It was a mistake, we're very sorry."

"Get the hell out of my room. And don't you dare to come in without permission."

"Yes, ma'am."

They disappeared leaving a stunned Joanna that started laughing uncontrollably as soon as she realized the situation.

"Damn, they are like triple our size and you made them tremble."

The two girls laughed together for a while before turning serious again.

"Don't look at me like that." Athena begged.

"That post was crazy."

"I know. But it's better to prepare people."

"So, you're doing it? Going public?"

"We didn't have too much time to discuss it."

"You had plenty of time, your highness. You were in Pyeongchang for almost 24 hours."

"I only got a few hours with him and you know it."

"And it wasn't enough?"

"No, we were busy."

Athena turned red at that because it only made her think of the hours they had spent under the sheets. The first round had been intense but the ones that followed were just like she remembered, gentle and sweet, but equally as nice.

"Oh... I see. Please tell me you at least used protection."

"Joanna!"

"What, it's important! Pregnancy isn't the way to get him to be accepted by your family and you know it."

"We're not careless!"

"Good. Was it worth it? Going there?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Maybe you could've realized that what you were feeling was due to the distance and not something real."

"It's not the distance, it never was."

Athena was a bit lost about the next plan of action. Of course, she knew that taking the phone and dealing with her mom was something that she would have to do eventually, but right now, the princess could only think of it after.

What could they do to spend more time together? Mere hours every once in a while we're not anywhere near enough to cover the need she felt for this man.

A ring on her other phone made her attention shift.

'you're going to get in trouble'

'I guess I don't care. I only wrote the truth.'

'Should I give a press release saying how beautiful the princess is? You know...to add to the fire.'

Athena knew he was joking but it still felt relieving to have someone taking this lightly.

'I think you can just tell the princess directly.'

'I will gladly tell her every day for the rest of our lives.'

'you're so corny.'

'Don't act as if you don't love it.'

'Are you still in bed?'

'Having breakfast with mom'

'A lot of questions?'

'She just asked me when I planned on telling her who you really were.'

'How did she find out?'

'Your post is all over Korean and Japanese news.'

'Shit'

'As if you didn't expect it... Did you arrive safely?'

Maybe Athena expected it, but in her country, not all over Korea or Japan.

'Just in time before the bodyguards barged into my room uninvited. They got a lecture for that too, you should have seen them shake in fear'

'That's my girl. I just don't want you to get in trouble because of me.'

'It will be fine.'

"Earth to Athena.
" Joanna called out and broke her concentration off the phone.

"Sorry, Jo."

"I imagine he has seen it already."

"Yes, it's on the news apparently."

"Damn, you're screwed. Maybe it's time to turn your other phone back on."

"And face my mother?"

"You know you have to... Before she flies all the way to Korea"

"She wouldn't. My mom knows I'm going back tomorrow, she prefers her home turf."

"I admire your courage."

Athena chuckled in reaction. She was anything but courageous, if anything, she is selfish for wanting Yuzu.

The princess did eventually turn on the phone and had to deal with the backlash. No surprises when she saw n incoming call almost right away.

"What do you think you're doing?" She heard her mother scream on the other side of the line.

"You have to be more specific with that, mother. I have no idea what you mean."

"Don't even dare, young lady! You know what you posted! The palace's PR team has been working on it all morning to tone everything down."

"I was congratulating a friend, what's wrong with that? Don't tell me you will dictate who I am friends with now?"

"You called him 'My champion', seriously?"

"Tone it down, Mom. It's nothing, you made sure it wasn't. I just wanted to congratulate a friend that managed one of the biggest achievements of a sports career."

"You know that's not how the media sees it, you're all over the news."

"It will die down eventually. I wouldn't worry too much"

"We will talk when you come back. Don't even try to get to Pyeongchang, if I know you even step a foot there, this will be your very last assignment, young lady."