Dangerous Lines | Yuzuru Hanyu

57. Parting

Yuzu might have been really confident about it then but the reality was that he couldn't do much.

As a public figure, his only choice was to do as he was told by the agents and endure all the time away from her as it was necessary.

Yaeko's heart ached. She wouldn't be able to see Yuzu as a dad and there were no future prospects for them either.

All she knew then was that they had to part ways again.

The Agency didn't tell her where they planned on taking her. All they asked was how her English was and told her to prepare for a flight. It was safe to assume that they planned to take her out of Japan, something that wasn't surprising at all.

What hurt the most was that they barely had time for goodbyes.

Yuzuru held her even as she ate slowly, barely able to stomach anything properly.

Yaeko barely had enough strength to cry at that point. All of those seconds with him were more valuable than ever.

Agent Miura watched them with a pained expression of his own, clearly regretting ever placing Yaeko in the position she was in but knowing that it was far too late now.

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll try to make it possible for you to talk sometimes. It won't be like Saga, but maybe a few times."

Yaeko could see him cringe even as he spoke. Agent Miura knew how painful his words were, even if all he wanted was to give them something to look forward to.

"Just promise me you'll protect them" Yuzu begged the man. He looked so low that Yae barely recognized him as the man who gathered so many people in his shows.

"With my life, Hanyu-san. Wherever Yaeko goes, I'll be there."

"Don't you... don't you have family here?"

He just smiled softly at her.

"Just my parents and they understand my work obligations."

Yaeko felt guilty. She was inconveniencing everyone in her life and for what? To just remain alive. Hadn't it been for the baby inside of her, she would have probably jumped straight into the bullets aimed at her. Her son was her only reason to live.

Yuzuru grabbed her hand gently in an attempt to get her attention. As she turned to look at him, the most beautiful smile graced his features.

"This doesn't change a single thing ok? I told you we would find a way and that hasn't changed. It might take longer, but I want to be by your side as he grows up. I want to fight about how much I spoil him and I want to teach him how to be respectful and polite. "

"He's your son, love. He will be respectful and polite by nature."

He kissed her lips gently, afraid to hurt her in any way when she looked so fragile and vulnerable. Yaeko seemed just like a frail image of the woman he remembered but there was no way he could judge her after everything. She was strong merely by being alive and enduring it all.

"I love you, Yae. Always and forever."

"I love you."

It seemed weird to utter it with a crowd but at that point, there wasn't a choice They couldn't have a private parting, and the time provided merely allowed for a few words and touches.

The half-hour they were provided seemed to last a few seconds before the agents were guiding her out of there again.

Yaeko had been through a lot in her life but she had never felt as scared as she was feeling now. With no certainties about where she was going, what her life would be like, what language she would have to learn, or even what type of living conditions she would have, everything seemed to be a big black hole.

Right then, she was only glad that she wasn't alone.

As it became painfully clear that she was probably giving birth to this child without his dad in the picture, Yae could only promise herself to protect her son at all costs, no matter what was thrown at them. 

One day, once everything was calm enough, she might look at this moment in time as a key point in her life, a moment to learn about and a mere passing second that hurt a bit more than normal. Even if it looked like hell then, she could only hope that things would get better.

More than anything, she wanted to watch her son grow up with his dad by his side, watch him fascinated by all the things Yuzu could show and teach him.

Those moments were mere wishes as she dreamt awake while the car drove away.

This was the time of her life when everything would change and it was only normal to feel scared. The responsibility of being a single parent finally dawned on her.

Yaeko knew she had to do it for her son.

Looking at Agent Miura, she saw the fear from before transform into determination. It was almost as if he had been having a similar conversation in his head, promising to protect her at all costs as well.

Yae would never be able to explain why the agent was so determined to help her but given the circumstances, she had to trust him wholeheartedly. There was no Hana in her life anymore, no connection to Yuzu or her previous life. 

Yaeko was about to understand what the Witness Protection Program really meant when danger was imminent and she could only hope that life would be nice on her.