He appeared to just be standing there--waiting--even though the music had already began. But he was not just waiting. He was preparing, physically and mentally, to deliver a masterpiece.
Every movement was perfect and deliberate. He held everyone's attention effortlessly. The elements he executed seemed effortless, even though everyone watching him knew it was anything but. When he began the step sequence, the tone and feeling completely shifted to something so exciting and uproaring. After his final combination spin, he struck his ending pose, but there was no "rain of the Poohs", thunderous applause, or any sound from noisemakers. Instead, there was a low ringing toll of a bronze bell. Brian had hit it with his mallet. This was how the Crickets celebrated clean programs in practice.
Some Japanese media had come by today to record parts of his training session and to interview him later. The athlete complied with their desire to interview him, and once they left, he could finally take a break in the locker room.
I focused on my own training. I was going to practice the senior version of my long program (so the longer version), but I discovered that I left that music copy back in the locker room. In hindsight, I deduced it must have been God/fate's intervention because knowing how private Yuzuru was, he wouldn't have let any one of us get to see her if not by accident.
Her as in his girlfriend.
I burst into the locker room to find the music and saw Yuzuru video-chatting with someone on his phone. I gave him a quick wave and searched through my skating bag to try to find the music. My bag was next to Yuzuru, so I happened to catch a few glimpses of who he was talking to.
She was beauty personified. Her porcelain skin was spotless, her cheeks glowed, and her lips were a perfect pale pink.
Yuzuru looked up at me and smiled. "Want to meet Haru?" he asked me, gesturing to the screen. I complied even though it wasn't an order. Just like Yuzuru couldn't say no to me, I couldn't say no to him.
He unplugged his earbuds momentarily. "Haru, 私の友人に会います(Watashi no yūjin ni aimasu, Meet my friend), Lll--roobov," he said, struggling with my name per usual. I giggled.
"Ahh 彼女はかわいい (Kanojo wa kawaī, She is cute)," Haru replied.
"Um...こんにちは (Kon'nichiwa, Hello)," I said nervously. I felt like I was in the presence of a goddess.
"こんにちは (Kon'nichiwa, Hello)," the lucky girl replied. "花のようにあなたはきれいです(Hana no yō ni anata wa kireidesu, You are pretty like a flower)."
"She says 'like a flower, you are pretty,'" Yuzuru translated. "High praise," he said with teasing eyes, looking me over.
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"Ha ha," I shot back in a joking manner, playfully punching his shoulder. I turned back to Haru and said, "どうもありがとうございます (Doumo arigatou gozaimasu, Thank you very much)." She looked both pleased and impressed with my Japanese.
"Did Brian send you, for me?" Yuzuru asked me.
"No, no, I'm just grabbing my music," I reassured him. I finally found the CD and took it out.
"I should get back to training," Yuzuru said, starting to get up.
"At least say bye to your girlfriend first," I told him, trying not to reveal an edge in my voice. The man gave me a peculiar look. I guess I didn't hide it well enough.
"Was going to," he replied. He turned back to Haru.
I walked out of the locker room with the music copy. I was going to have to warm my body up again before I could run through the program since I had been off the ice for more than a minute. Yuzuru came back onto the ice not long after.
**********
It was a long, tiring day, but that was because it was productive. I practiced a lot of double Lutzes, and I even did some triple Lutzes after Brian left for the day so I wouldn't get in trouble with him.
Yuzuru was always the last one to leave the ice. He and I have been carpooling since Katya's apartment and Yuzuru's home are pretty close. Katya's mom would bring us dinner. She always brought Yuzuru food from his mom since we all knew he was picky. But I had him try some of Katya's mom's beef stew and he ended up liking it!
Yuzuru and I were waiting for Katya's mom. Both of our stomachs rumbled at the same time, and we giggled at each other.
I thought back to Haru and her perfect face. "I wish I were older. And prettier."
"Don't say that," Yuzuru said. "I like you just the way you are." He rubbed my shoulder affectionately and I smiled sadly at the ground.
"But...you could never love me...the way you love her."
Yuzuru thought for a long time about what to say. I opened my translator app and motioned to it with an encouraging smile. He smiled back.
He finally said, "I will admit: perhaps I would under different circumstances. But you are much too young for me right now."
"Would you not be willing to wait for me to turn 18?" I asked him.
"It's not just that..." Yuzuru faltered. "I made a promise to her, and I have to keep it."
"What if one of you falls out of love, or you both fall out of love with each other?"
"Well, right now we both love each other. Every time I go back home, to Sendai, I have to visit her."
Yuzuru took a deep breath and told me Haru's devastating story: Haru lost her mom and brother to the 2011 Tohuku earthquake, and a few months later her dad passed away due to extreme grief. She lives with her older cousin and his wife, who are both kind and competent guardians. But she misses her parents and her brother deeply, even to this day. I was shocked and saddened by this information. "I have to make her forget about her hardship, even if just for a little while."
Just like you made me forget about my own insecurities. I thought about my first kiss ever...and it was with Yuzuru Hanyu. Olympic champion. Sendai's hero. My good friend.
Yuzuru glanced at me with a regretful expression. "I'm sorry I have to break your heart, Roo-bav," he said, trying to say my full name. "But Javi told me to treat you like you are older, so I feel that I need to be frank with you. You can handle the truth, no?"
He's right. I need to take this just as an older, more mature lady might. "Yes. I understand." I hugged Yuzuru. Only a few people in the world would be able to do that, and I was lucky to be one of those people. I'll take what I can get.
Unrequited feelings hurt, but they can make me stronger.
SCHOOL'S OUT SCREAM AND SHOUT
THAT MEANS MORE FREQUENT UPDATES (HOPEFULLY) SO YAY
