An Unwavering Love (A Yuri Plisetsky Fanfiction)

Chapter 22: Leaving on a Jet Plane

[Pan Island Expressway, Singapore—less than 20 minutes before]

"Hi! This is Ayumi Matsumoto! I can't answer the phone right now, but please leave a messa—"

Yuri screamed when yet another one of his calls went into voicemail. He was jittery inside Ethan's chauffeur-driven Mercedes. There was a moderate build-up along the expressway, and the car was moving at a pace too slow for comfort.

"Fuck! Can't this thing go any faster!?!"

Yuuri put a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Yurio. It's just a bit of traffic. We'll make it, don't worry."

He refused to calm down, and having Viktor and Yuuri inside the car only aggravated him further. Otabek couldn't join as he had to pack for his own flight the next morning, meaning he was stuck with the two morons.

"Don't you dare tell me to relax! Her flight leaves in less than half an hour!"

Viktor, who was seated on the other side of the car, let out a sigh. He was staring at his phone, where the message Ethan sent them was in plain sight:

Ethan Khoo: There's only one flight leaving for New York. Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 26. Scheduled departure 11:55. Terminal 3. Good luck. (08/06 11:24 p.m.)

"We know, but you acting like a rabid kitten isn't gonna help. It's not like the car can fly."

Yuri would have made a snarky comeback, but none of them were in the mood to speak any further. The minutes that ticked by only doubled the anxiety they were feeling, with Ayumi's departure time getting closer and closer.

No! Things can't end for us like this!

Ever since what Ethan revealed at the Ritz-Carlton lobby, he was haunted by what he said to her that night, in that very hotel. He accused her of playing with his feelings and treating him like a toy. He called her a slut. He let his emotions cloud his judgement, and in turn he judged her. Ethan was right—I acted like I didn't know her at all.

When he replayed their breakup in his mind, he realized that she left a major hint that led back to his conversation with Otabek: "It's not what you signed up for."

He knew those words rang a bell then, but he couldn't put the two and two together. He realized it was what he admitted to Otabek when his self-doubt crept in. Looking back, it did sound like he regretted being with her. That was the last thing he ever wanted her to think.

No, Ayu! I don't regret anything! I never did!

Yuri knew he let the pressure of being the best drown him once again. Ever since he became a competitive figure skater, he always wanted to be the best. He wanted to be that for her, too. But when people saw him as someone unworthy of her, his defensive walls came up. He shut her out.

"AHH!" His head fell back as he yelled in frustration. He took in deep breaths to calm down, and suddenly he was reminded of a recent memory:

It was a week before they had to leave for Singapore, and he was at Ayumi's apartment after a long day of practice. They just finished eating dinner, and he was sprawled on the couch with his head hanging on the backrest.

"Are you okay?" Ayumi asked, sitting next to him holding a bowl of fruits. She set it down on the coffee table and faced him with concern.

He thundered. "AHH!!! No! I fell so many times on that quad loop today! Fuck! I can't take this! If I can't pull that off before the season starts, I might as well admit defeat to JJ!"

Ayumi sighed loudly, not saying anything at first. He did not want to shout at her again, so he tried to relax. He was stunned when he felt her wrap her arms around his neck.

"Why are you doing this to yourself? It's just like when we became friends... you're letting the pressure get to you again. Tell me, is it because of the Olympics?"

Knowing there was nothing he could hide from her, he admitted. "I need to prove to everyone that I'm not a fluke. I can't fail, especially now that Viktor's back. I'm going to make Russia proud. I'm going to make grandpa proud. I'm going to make YOU proud."

"What? What are you saying?" she pleaded. "You're not a fluke! Your grandfather and the whole of Russia is already proud of you. I'M proud of you. Did you really think you need another medal for that?"

He turned his head away in shame. Ayumi cupped his face. She pressed her lips to his, and he froze. She was never the one who usually initiated a kiss between them. He returned it, and they stayed like that for a few seconds before she pulled away.

"I love you Yura," she whispered. "Very much, and I don't like seeing you beat yourself up like this. I want you to win not because you need to prove anything to anyone. I want you to win for yourself, because you're doing what you enjoy." She rested her forehead on his. "Seeing you happy... that's all I want."

His eyes stared straight into hers, and suddenly nothing else mattered. "Ayu..."

"And whether you win or lose, I'll be here. No matter what."

They kissed each other once again. Yuri forgot about his worries, happy with just having her in his arms.

The memory seemed so trivial before, but it meant everything to him now. Even back then, she was already telling him how much he meant to her. He felt stupid for questioning her feelings, especially when she has done nothing but show it from the very beginning.

I love you too, Ayu! So damn much!

He needed to get to her. He needed her to know that he never meant to make her feel like a burden. He needed her to know he was an idiot for doubting her and for allowing her to slip away like that. He needed to tell her that he understood why she did what she did, and that he last thing he wanted was for their relationship to end. He needed to tell her that he did not hate her—in fact, what he felt was the opposite of that.

You can't leave me again! Not now, not ever!

They were met by the bright lights of Singapore's Changi Airport. As soon as the car stopped in front of the departures hall at Terminal 3, he jumped out and ran. Viktor and Yuuri called out and asked him to wait, but he did not stop. He just kept running.

The flight information panel that greeted him as he entered was large and overwhelming. There was no time to check the list one-by-one. Instead, he ran to the nearest information desk he could find.

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?"

He was panting as he demanded, "Call a passenger on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 26! Her name is Ayumi Matsumoto. I need to talk to her right away!"

"But sir, we can't—"

"Damn it! Just do it!"

The ground attendant was startled by his outburst and tried to contact the plane. Yuri saw a clock behind her, and it read 12:07 a.m. 

No. Please tell me it got delayed. No...

The lady looked at him with a grim face, and his worst nightmare came true:

"I'm sorry sir, but Flight SQ 26 already departed twelve minutes ago."