Love Him...Forever

Revealed

Skate Canada International at Lethbridge had ended, with Yuzuru claiming the silver medal. Monika and Shine remained in Toronto, following Allen's orders. Shine wasn't allowed to contact Yuzuru while he was still in Lethbridge, and the separation made her miss him terribly.

Monday at the club in Toronto...

"Haist," Shine sighed loudly.

"Why?" Monika asked, glancing at her friend.

"Yuzuru, Javi, and Nam were supposed to be here this afternoon, right?" Shine said, staring blankly at the glass doors.

"Yeah... why?" Monika echoed, also looking toward the entrance.

Shine sighed again. "This place feels so lifeless without the noise of the boys." She rested her chin on her knuckles.

"I know! Who would've thought I'd actually miss them this much?" Monika laughed softly.

She wrapped her arms around Shine and looked her in the eyes. "Thanks. You don't know how much your presence means to me," Monika said sincerely, smiling.

Shine tilted her head, curious. "What was life like here before I came? Sure, I've been here alone too, but... I'm not completely alone, you know?"

Monika pulled over two chairs, and they sat. "Pretty much like today," she admitted, "except I didn't have you to talk to back then."

Shine offered a friendly smile.

"And... since you came—whether you're Hana or... her," Monika said quietly, "...I feel like I've gotten closer to Javi and Yuzu." Her excitement was evident.

Shine tilted her head. "Why? Weren't you close before?"

"We talked and greeted each other, but we weren't truly close," Monika explained. "Before you came, I mostly spoke to Nam—and you know why. Maybe it was the language barrier. Yuzu is... very private. And Javi... he was intimidating to me."

"Yuzuru? Quiet?" Shine laughed in disbelief.

"Yes! He was. I thought he'd be that way forever, or at least until his stay here ended," Monika said, more convinced than ever.

Shine chuckled. "Sorry, but Yuzuru isn't really that quiet... even before."

Monika smiled. "I think Yuzu was really excited when you first arrived. He asked about you the day you and Min came," she shared.

Shine blushed, shyly smiling.

Monika smirked, then leaned in. "Now it's my turn to ask."

Shine raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to know?"

"How's it going between you and Yuzu?" Monika asked, poker-faced.

Shine tried to look innocent—but it was too obvious.

"I told you, nothing is going on! He's just Yuzuru, and I'm just Hana," she said defensively.

"I'm not asking if anything is going on between you two! I just want to know how things are with him—especially since you left so abruptly during his free. So why are you being so defensive?" Monika said confidently, narrowing her eyes at Shine.

Shine sighed in defeat, silently admitting the truth. "I'm not being defensive!" she insisted. "...I just thought you were asking about 'us' again."

Monika studied her quietly.

"About leaving during his free... he didn't question me much. And since I'm forbidden to contact him, I honestly don't know," Shine added.

"But I think he's more concerned about the fact that I used Allen's phone to text him that night," Shine confessed.