Unforgettable | Yuzuru Hanyu

20. Interest

There was no denying that the situation was far from comprehensible in her mind. It was already quite late and Kana was already overwhelmed with everything that this skater made her feel so easily.

Certainly enough, Yuzuru was as mysterious as ever, dodging everything from the very first second that elapsed as he finished saying those words.

Before she knew it, he was telling her that it was late and that they should leave given that the Staff would want to close off. Sure, he was right, but there was this lingering feeling that he was somehow trying to avoid what he had just said.

Yuzuru was as confusing as ever as she watched him leave the ice and get ready to leave, quickly following his footsteps with a smile on her face. It was still unavoidable to think of how it had been to feel his arms around her, embracing tightly as if it were normal. The goosebumps that he seemed to so easily bring to her skin were so intense that she wished to always be in that state.

To Kana, it was very clear that her body enjoyed his touch.

None of that mattered when they left the confined space of the ice, bringing reality back and everything that so easily separated them. From the obvious fact that he was in a whole different world than she was to the fact that so many people loved him, it was enough to make her back down and pretend like nothing had happened.

Going back home on that day was a bit painful as she imagined what could have been.

If only Kana had ever felt this way about any other man in her life would have been far better. Yuzuru was a choice she would realistically never have, no matter how much attention he provided to her.

Why couldn't Matt or any other man have the same effect on her? It would be way easier to deal with.

But no, like everything in her life so far, Kana had to make it difficult and actually go for the one man in the world who was unobtainable.

Even as she reached home, way later than it was usual, the whole thing was still in her mind. Just as always, her best friend seemed to be able to read her like no other.

"What happened?" she asked from the very first moment that Kana stepped inside the house.

"What makes you think something did?"

Avoiding it was useless but at the same time, it was also so completely expected of her that Stella already had the answer on her tongue.

"You look confused, maybe even a bit sad."

You could be sure that Kana did wonder if telling her friend about the whole thing was wise. Maybe it was all in her head and he was just acting normally.

Still, as with everything in her life, Kana had long learned that telling Stella about it was the best choice she could go for.

So she slowly explained the events of the past days, even what happened before she left a few weeks ago and all the confusing thought that seemed to linger in her brain for weeks in a row.

Stella, as it was now usual, just smiled through the whole thing, waiting until she was done to finally say what she thought about it all.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, but maybe he does like you..."

"Are you out of your mind?"

Shaking her head, Stella looked at her friend with a judgmental look. She wasn't planning on dealing with any BS when it came to this.

"Let's be honest, would it be that bad? Don't you like him?"

The sheer fear of admitting what she had been feeling was what consumed her. Kana was more than aware that her body's reaction to the famous skater was in no way normal to her. It was undeniable that part of her would wish him to like her in some way but right at the same time, the mere thought of this superstar even looking her way seemed stupid.

"That's not it... this is Yuzuru Hanyu we're talking about, not a normal dude that I met at a coffee shop."

Stella knew what her friend was doing and was having none of it. By saying those words out loud, Kana was trying to convince herself that none of this was real, that none of it was even remotely possible.

"You underestimate your value way too much, you silly idiot."

"I don't think so."

As much as Kana debated it, Stella wasn't allowing this whole self-mopping session to continue.

"Hell no, Kana. You're a beautiful, brilliant PhD candidate who just so happens to be a marvelous skater. It wouldn't surprise me that much that he took some interest in you."

Deep down, the Japanese wished that was the case. She hoped he wouldn't see her as this amateur skater who so happened to take some interest in him and look desperate when he finally gave her some attention.

Still, as she thought of every interaction they shared, nothing ever indicated that he thought of her in any bad light. If it wasn't for that first day and the way he stared at her, Kana could almost believe his interest in her story and even who she was as a person.

"Do you really think so?"

Nodding, her best friend now seemed satisfied that she could convince the other woman.

"Now the real question is understanding your side in this. Let's say he does have interest, what would you do about it?"