Playing with Fire | Yuzuru Hanyu

41. We miss you

From the very first moment she uttered the man's name, everyone in the room stopped to stare at her and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

Yuzuru, a very obvious Japanese name.

"Japanese?"

"Yes."

"That's not a common name. Have you known this guy before you went to Canada?"

The obvious confusion on her family member's faces was almost hilarious. Aria would probably laugh if she wasn't so damned afraid of their reaction. Well, just mostly her father's.
Part of her was almost afraid that she had underestimated his fame and that they somehow knew him.

"No, I met him here. It's just a coincidence that he's Japanese."

Her mother smiled widely, somehow seeming proud that her daughter wasn't this forever single woman like she had probably once believed her to be.

"I think we should meet him... I knew you couldn't be alone if you always wanted to be in Canada."

Aria truly didn't know what more to answer to that. Their curiosity was normal but at the same time, she didn't want to fuel too much into delusions when everything was still so damn new between them.

"I've told you that it's mostly because of work than anything else." she tried to reason with them about the reality.

"Stop trying to avoid the topic. Can we meet him?"

It was with a sigh that Aria prepared to answer.

"I would have to ask when he gets back."

"He's not in Canada?"

"He's in Japan with his family."

"Oh."

Aria didn't miss the disappointment in her mother's tone. She knew why. The woman was just worried about the fact that she was all alone on a date like this.

"Don't you even dare to sound worried, Mom. I'm ok."

"But you're all alone and it's New Year's!"

"I'm not alone, I'm with all of you."

It was so tough to be far away and call those you missed the most. The truth was that sometimes, not calling was the easiest thing you could do.

Avoidance... that was easier than facing reality.

"You know exactly what I mean, young lady."

"It's just a day like any other, mom."

"Just make sure you live a bit out of those books and your job. You know that if it ever gets too much, we are definitely willing to help with money."

This was the last topic that Aria wanted to discuss when her parents were minutes away from celebrating the new year.

"I'm ok. Just a few more months and it will all be done."

"And then, will you come back here?"

There was a topic that Aria really didn't want to discuss.

All of her future plans had always been focused on achieving her degree. The truth was that anything after that was a complete mystery that she hadn't thought about.

"All in it's due time. Let me finish first. Besides, today is not really a day to discuss that."

"Well, if you called more often we wouldn't even be talking about it."

Aria almost felt guilty. She knew well that her parents hated that she didn't really call them often enough. They were right, obviously, but she also had very valid reasons to place some distance, all of them deeply related to the pain she felt from being away.

"I know, I know."

Another text from Yuzu made her focus shift once again.

- Are you preparing for the New Year as well?

Trying to escape the conversation with her family, Aria instantly took her phone to reply.

- Just talking with my family. Everyone is in Japan to celebrate.

- So you should have gone, after all.

- You know I couldn't...

- Maybe soon. I bet they miss you. I already miss you and it's been less than a week.

She always admired how he could so easily talk about his feelings as if it was normal for them. It wasn't by any means but he always had this way with words that managed to catch her by surprise every time.

- You should still be focusing on your family instead of texting me.

- You're alone, right?

- Yeah.

- Then, I think you need me more.

She smiled like a silly woman at her device once again, making her father cough in reaction and bring her attention to the laptop screen again.

"Girl has it bad" her cousin said with a big grin, teasing her. The girl had always been like a sister to Aria and it showed.

"Stop it, Stella."

"It's cute. I find it funny that you found a Japanese guy."

"It was a coincidence."

Was it though? The fact that she clicked with someone Japanese maybe wasn't as random as that. After years in the Oriental country, it's easy to get some cultural influences that have always made it harder to accept Westerners as lovers.

"Maybe it's a good thing and it will make you come back to us." her father said all of a sudden, making everyone look at him. He was an armed forces man, it was rare that he showed any type of feelings.

"He still lives in Canada most of the year. Things are still very new so I don't want to overdo it too much on what I share."

Aria was scared shitless that the wrong thing would make Yuzuru mad and never want to see her again. He didn't seem like the type to make irrational choices but when you mess with someone's heart, it's always a possibility that things go wrong.

"You know we will be happy if you just come back every once in a while so if this Japanese boy makes that happen, we will all be ecstatic."

There it was. The damned man could win their heart without even meeting them. If that wasn't an indication that she was going to be screwed, Aria didn't know what it was.