Unforgettable | Yuzuru Hanyu

24. Kiss

Kana enjoyed the way he said those words more than she had any right to.

She realized then that she would never give up on him, even if he hadn't asked her to. The truth was that despite all of their history, she couldn't deny how completely and utterly drawn to him she always was.

Without a doubt, it seemed like she wasn't the only one who knew that.

Maybe Kana had told him that she preferred to stay distant but at that moment as she looked at him closely, all she wanted was the same warmth she felt on the rink in his embrace.

There was no denying that this shouldn't be on her head but it seemed oddly impossible to ignore now that they were in this situation.

Yuzuru got closer before she even realized, as her brain was occupied with all sorts of thoughts of him. Not that his proximity managed to tone it down in the slightest.

Feeling him so close took some moments but when she finally did, Kana gulped, allowing the heat to creep up on her cheeks.

His gaze seemed to have noticed that too, causing her eyes to widen and her face to burn even more.

"What?" she asked, trying to act as normal as possible.

"Nothing," Yuzuru said, his voice slightly lower than usual. "I just find you cute when you get nervous around me."

Kana's heart started beating faster, "I don't get nervous." She lied.

"Oh? So it doesn't bother you that we're both alone together?"

It did, actually. It bothered her quite a bit but she wouldn't dare tell him that. Instead, she turned away from him, feeling her face burning once again.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" she asked.

Yuzuru smiled, leaning back against the couch and crossing his legs. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them, locking his gaze with hers.

"Because I love your eyes. They're beautiful and expressive," he replied, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Huh?" she blushed.

"Is something wrong?" Yuzuru asked, noticing her reaction.

"No," she shook her head. "I guess it's just... well, it's been a while since anyone has complimented me."

It took just a few seconds until he was all over her again, the closeness almost too much to endure.

"Kana-chan," he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She could feel his lips brushing against her skin and for a moment, she closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the sensation.

"H-hey," she replied breathlessly as she opened her eyes. His face was too close to hers for comfort, especially with her heart beating faster than ever.

Yuzuru chuckled softly, pulling her towards himself by the waist, making her lose balance and fall onto his lap. Kana gasped as she found herself sitting in between his legs, facing him.

From the moment they were so close, it wasn't too hard to know what was on both of their minds.

He leaned in further, closing the distance between them until there was barely any space left. His hands cupped her face gently as he moved forward, pressing his lips against hers.

The kiss was soft and gentle, making her knees weak. It didn't last very long but it felt like hours had passed since the first time they touched lips.

When he pulled away, Kana's eyes widened, realizing what had happened. She felt her body heating up from within, causing her to blush uncontrollably.

"Y-yuzu," she stammered.

"Yes?" he asked, still holding her face in place. She couldn't possibly know it but for him, the whole experience was just relieving what they once had. He loved every single part of her reaction then as she realized what he had done so easily.

What Kana could have never expected was the ringing headache that followed, one so strong that she could barely open her eyes.

The man noticed it right away as concern filled him. Had he done anything wrong?

"I..."

"Kana? Are you ok? Did I hurt you?"

She instantly found him to be so incredibly sweet. So much so that she would probably kiss him again if it weren't for the pain consuming her at that moment.

"No... no... my... my head hurts"

His hand instantly moved from her cheek to her forehead, trying to gather if there was anything he could do despite being completely helpless.

"Maybe we should... I can take you to the hospital."

Only then did she realize how much this man was panicking with the whole thing. Yuzuru couldn't bear to see her in pain.

"No!" she said right away "It's just a headache... Maybe I just need some rest. A lot happened today."

He looked guilty right away but Kana saw him taking his phone and making a call. She could barely make out his words but it looked like the skater was calling his driver to take her home.

"I'm sorry if I pushed too far" he eventually said right after, obviously feeling guilty for the way he handled things on that night.

"No" she instantly replied with her eyes closed and head on his shoulder "You didn't... I have no idea where this headache came from but it isn't your fault. This isn't me trying to flee what just happened...I... I enjoyed it."

Kana wouldn't be able to see it but in his face was a mirror expression of what hers had been when she realized that he had just kissed her. His cheeks had a hint of red and there was a silly smile on his face.

"My driver will take you home..."

"Yeah... thanks."

"Maybe I should go with you... just to make sure you're ok..."

Despite her pain, she couldn't help but smile once again. Lifting her head from his shoulder, Kana pecked his cheek softly.

"I will be ok, don't worry. Just make sure you get some deserved rest. You need to be in the best shape for the season"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have Stella at home if I need anything."

"I always worry..."

As much as Kana wanted to ask all sorts of different questions after hearing that, the ring of the doorbell signaling the arrival of the driver interrupted all and possible questions.

"I will see you around."