Beyond the Sound | Yuzuru Hanyu

21.

Maya had complete radio silence from the skater for another month.

It seemed like every encounter of theirs was meticulously planned with whole months in between.

Logically, it made sense given that everything was set and planned for the show at the Dome, he didn't need her now.

It didn't mean that she didn't miss him.

Just like clockwork, a few days later, he sent her a cryptic message near dinner time.

'Are you at home?'

"Yes... Why?'

'I'm outside. Could you maybe open the door? It's a bit cold.'

This man and his apparent costume of showing up unannounced.

Maya opened the door for him, looking up and down at the man that hadn't texted her a single time in the past month.

She wasn't even surprised as he acted as if nothing had happened. Smiling at her from ear to ear and even going as far as kissing her lips in greeting.

"Hey... I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

Maybe he wants to get punched or something...

There was no way he thought that making that joke would be funny.

"Not forever, but it as been a whole month..."

"Are you mad?"

"No."

Yuzuru looked at her with the expression he always used when he was thinking hard and it scared her that he could see right through her.

"You look mad."

"What are you even doing here?" she asked in a tone that she wanted to sound neutral but was anything but that.

"Now I know for sure that you are pissed. And from the looks of it, at me."

"Just answer me."

"I just wanted to see you and maybe talk a bit about the show? We have everything settled on the warehouse already."

"You wanted to see me? Really?"

"Yes."

"A month, Yuzuru. A whole month!"

He had the decency of looking at the ground, realizing why she was mad after all.

While trying to understand the full picture, he was also confused.

She had been the one saying she didn't want a relationship...

"I'm sorry. I figured you wouldn't want me around constantly."

Maya didn't want to be insensible and pretend as if he had done a big crime. In theory, Yuzuru was only doing what she asked for.

"No... sorry, Yuzu. I'm a bit moody."

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, sure... just come in."

He did as she said, knowing well that Maya wasn't usually like this for no reason.

Something was going on and he had a feeling it was because he didn't contact her in the past month.

To be quite honest, Yuzuru didn't have much time to get himself to Tokyo.

He wanted to be in her embrace all the time, that hadn't changed, but with everything going on and in preparation for the show, he simply didn't have the time to travel.

His impromptu trip to Tokyo was already quite unplanned.

All of the training he had been doing had effects on his body, with all sorts of pains starting to show.

His ankle, the usual suspect, had been tender and sensitive for a few weeks and then he recently started getting some back pain as well, something that he knew was partly because of all the Biellmanns he had been doing.

The trip was mostly his mother's fault, who ordered him to rest and find something to do at least during the weekend and get a well-deserved break.

His only thought when she suggested that was coming to Tokyo and enjoying some time with Maya.

Now, seeing how she was near the verge of tears, despite trying to hide it, he wondered just how casual this was for her after all.

He wanted to know, but at the same time, all the implications it would bring at that moment were too much to handle with just over a month until he had to perform the biggest show of his career. 

This was far from the right time to try and figure things out.

So he did what he probably shouldn't.

Yuzuru just kept things as she asked, casual and with no strings attached.

When they were inside the apartment, it wasn't hard to deduce that Maya's friend wasn't at home and part of him was a bit glad of that. 

It was easier for them to talk without distractions.

"So..." he started "I was wondering if you would be available to come to Sendai for a few days and come to the rehearsal site. It should give you a good idea about the sound."

"I have a lot of shows scheduled..."

"Can't someone else do them?"

Maya gave him one of those looks that he usually tried to avoid, but she eventually backed down from it.

"I would need to ask. Since a lot of people ask for me, I can't just back down on a project I was asked to be."

"Of course. I understand. Just let me know"

As much as she tried to hide how mad she truly was, Yuzuru just saw right through her. It wasn't even hard given how different she was acting around him.

"Ok."

Silence filled the room and there was no doubt that none of them knew how to act around one another. Not having any labels didn't help one bit in this type of situation. None of them knew what was allowed and what wasn't.

"Maya..." he tried.

"Is that all?" she questioned with a cold look that made him flinch.

"No."

The answer was enough to make her eyes stare into his, the silent question very obvious in them.

"What then?"

"I hate seeing you like this" he eventually said and she just shrugged.

"Can't help it. I told you... I'm moody."

"And why is that? The truth, please."

Maya just allowed her body to sink in the couch, making him smile.

"Too much work and not a lot of time to get some rest."

"I'm a bit familiar with that"

"Yeah..."

"You know what I think?"

"Hum?"

"That you need some stress relief and I know just the thing... The real question is if you want to go to your bed or stay right here in the couch."