Deep Edges | Yuzuru Hanyu

74.

The first thing Izumi did when they finally reached the hotel room was kiss him.

It had seemed like forever. Interruption after interruption, Izumi had been desperate to be alone with the other skater and finally allow passion to consume their exchange.

The second thing was to push Yuzu away and reach for her phone.

"Zumi... Do you really have to be on your phone right now?"

"There's something I have to do. Please be patient."

He groaned in frustration and she could only smile. If this man suspected her plan, he would've been way happier about it.

"And does it have to be now?"

Seeing Yuzu impatient wasn't something that happened every day and maybe deep down, she was enjoying this more than she should.

"Yes."

He groaned again and it wasn't hard to note why. Yuzuru wanted her and it showed in his body.

Izumi smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and turned her phone on for the first time on that day.

Notifications immediately flowed on the screen, most of them being congratulations messages from other skaters and old colleagues. No one in her family even went into the trouble of messaging her and it was fine, she was used to it.

Tsuzuki-sensei had messaged her as well and that was the first and only message she replied to, one that made him answer almost right away.

'Why are you on your phone?? Go celebrate, have a good time!' he immediately lectured her making her chuckle. It finally dawned on her that this man wasn't going to be her coach anymore. It was a sensitive topic that she didn't want to think about.

Izumi checked a few other messages and unfortunately found the contact that she had been her goal in the first place.

He had texted her and even if she probably shouldn't have opened it in the first place, whatever he had written would probably be said when she finally called so it was better to have some kind of idea before.

'You said he wasn't going to be there. Tell me, has he fucked you already? Do you feel like a slut? Is it all for the scores?'

She felt disgusted right away and discouraged about the call she had been dreading. The man would probably call her way more things once he realized what she wanted to do.

Gathering all of her courage, Izumi sighed audibly, fingerpads resting against the button that would make her contact someone that she dreaded more with each day that passed.

"Izumi..." she heard Yuzu call her with a concerned look.

"It's ok."

"What did he write?"

"The usual, but I have to do this."

It seemed like only then did he understand her plans.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Yuzuru stood from his place on the bed and sat by her side, hands instantly caressing in a reassuring way.

"Then I will be right here."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do. I want it on speaker."

"He might say things that will make you mad."

"I don't care. I want to listen to everything that idiot says."

The reassurance that she wasn't alone in this seemed to bring the confidence she needed to do it. Izumi pressed on the call button, her fingers trembling slightly with the nerves.

"Look who finally decided to call." she heard on the other side of the line.

"Hello, Akito."

"Hello? Is that what you have to tell me after allowing him to touch you? Do you have any idea how much I've been mocked by my coworkers and friends? Everyone says it's too obvious that you're fucking him."

"I'm not the only obvious one" she muttered, not even being able to control her anger towards the man.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That I know about your bitches, I've known for a while."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"How about I tell you a little story? The story of arriving at my hotel room after a gala and finding one of my teammates riding you on our bed?"

Akito was completely silent for a while and Yuzuru squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"You never said anything."

"I know."

"It was that one time."

"Don't lie to me."

"It's true."

"No, it isn't. You think I don't know? Do you think I haven't noticed when you buy me flowers or get particularly nice? Akito, I've known for months."

"Why now, then?"

"Because I wanted this medal more than I wanted anything else but now I have it. I can finally do what I should've done a long time ago."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means we're over. I'll mail you the ring as soon as I'm in Japan but I never want to see your face again."

"Is this supposed to be a joke?"

"No."

"Are you out of your mind? Do you know what I've done for you? I could have any girl and I chose you to be my future wife."

"Well, if you have so many interested candidates, I'm sure you wouldn't need me either way."

Izumi was now sick of his arguments. Every word that left his mouth only proved just how wrong it had been from the very start.

"Your mother will hate this."

"My mother isn't my boss. This is my life and I'm the one who has to live it."

"Do you even know the impact this will have on me? People will comment on the failed engagement, they will take their own conclusions."

"You're always welcome to explain that you are not a man comfortable with monogamy."

Yuzuru chuckled beside her, more than proud of how much she was standing up for herself. He had waited months for this moment and she did it exactly when she promised.

"You're going to regret this. I will make your life a living hell."

"You can try."

"Yours and the skater guy. Do you forget who I am?"

"You will make them write BS either way. At least in this way, I know that I win something with all of this."

"You win? You win what?"

"A man that I love."