Potential To Be Strong

Chapter 6: Back

"I feel like I haven't been home in forever," I exclaim walking through my house. I'm finally back in Canada after spending what seems like a long time in Japan. Yuzuru is doing some pre-season preparations so while he's doing that, Coach Brian gave me some time off to relax. As much as I love my boyfriend, we need some quality time apart.

It's a nice morning in the house as everyone is home. My parents aren't leaving until the late afternoon and my siblings are also home. I walk over to the kitchen. My whole family is there eating breakfast. It's tocino and fried rice. What a classic breakfast. I take a seat between my little brother, Mateo, and my mother. There  is already a plate in my spot. I put a portion of fried rice and two hardy pieces of tocino on my plate. I dig in as I listen to the conversations at the table.

"Mateo, you are going to your friend's place today, right?" My mom confirms Mateo while he's practically shoveling food into his mouth. He just nods. She turns to my older sister. "Anak*, you're taking him, right?"

"Yes, Nanay*," Mary answers. "Right before I go to work."

"Great. Marie, do you have any plans today?"

"Nope, Yuzuru is off doing some preparations for the upcoming season so Coach Brian gave me some time off," I reply after swallowing the food in my mouth.

"Well that's nice. What are you going to do then?"

"I think I'll do my homework and then head over to the college to talk to a counselor. I need to update my education plan."

"That sounds like a good use of your time."

I finish the rest of my breakfast before excusing myself to my bedroom. I pull out my laptop and open up all of the worksheet files I know I need to finish soon. After that I orally practice from the chapters that have been given so far. Right now I'm on casual conversations in Spanish, proper restaurant etiquette in French, and greetings in Korean. I wrap up my homework around 1 pm as I have an appointment with a counselor at 2 pm. I head over to the campus by bus. I make it there before 2, I check in and then wait for my name to be called. It only takes a few minutes for me to be called in.

"Hello Marie," my counselor, Mrs. Grant, greets me as I sit down in her office.

"Hello Mrs. Grant. How are you?" I ask her politely.

Mrs. Grant stares at her computer screen as she pulls up my files and information. "I am doing well. What about yourself?"

"I'm doing great. I finally have some time off from my job so I'm just working on school things. Like checking in with my counselor."

"What is your job?"

"Well I am a translator for a figure skater as well as his mini-manager."

Mrs. Grant looks away from her computer for a moment to look at her. "Who are you a translator for?"

"He's a Japanese figure skater, Yuzuru Hanyu."

"Oh wow. That's impressive. I've heard about him. He trains here. You must be going all over the place because of him."

"Yeah. We just got back from Japan. He's doing some offseason work so I'm not exactly needed right now."

"Well I'm glad to see you have such a great job already and you haven't even completed any degrees. Now, looking at your grades, you are doing quite well. A's in everything, but if you want to transfer to university you need to start taking more in-class courses. Not everything can be taken online. And with your grades and experience, you could go anywhere you want. You might want to consider taking time off of this job."

I sit back as I absorb what Mrs. Grant has just informed off. I've never considered taking time off for the sake of school. But it is true, not every class can be take online. And I'd like to transfer to university sooner than later. But then what would I do about Yuzuru? I don't want to leave him during this important season. I thank Mrs. Grant for her time and leave her office. I take the bus back home when I get a call from Yuzuru.

"Where are you?" I hear through my phone. It's a very confused voice.

"I'm heading back from my college," I respond back. "Why?"

"I'm at your house and nobody is answering the door."

"Oh. I'm heading back right now. Why didn't you let me know you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Well I'm plenty surprised. I'll be there in 20 minutes. Can you wait till then?"

"Okay. Please hurry. Your neighbors are looking at me weird."

"I'll be there when the bus allows me to be there. I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

I hang up the phone and shake my head. How could he just surprise me at my house like this? I wish he would tried asking me if I was home first, but I guess that's Yuzuru for you. I just I'll find out what surprise he had for me when I get back to my house.

The bus did take 20 minutes to get back to my house. There in front of my door, sitting on my step is Yuzuru Hanyu in the fleshn holding a box in his lap. I clear my throat and he looks up. He quickly stands up and presents the box to me.

"I bought you donuts. I heard you liked them," Yuzuru says softly.

I can't help but smile at my adorable boyfriend. He still thinks of me even when he should be focusing on himself. I take the box from him. It's from Tim Hortons.

"Shouldn't you be back at the TCC?" I ask him as I let him into my house. There's no point in staying outside. I sit him at the kitchen and I get us two plates so we can share the donuts. I open the box and see Yuzuru got all my favorites. What is this guy? I give him a donut and I take one as well.

"Coach Brian let me out earlier so I can relax. And then I decided to surprise you. But it failed," Yuzuru says in a defeated tone. He takes a big bite out of the donut I give him. It was a powdered donut. He gets powdered sugar all over his face. I clean up his face for him.

"You definitely surprised me. Don't worry about that. I didn't think I'd see you today."

"Well I wanted to see you."

"Don't you ever get tired of seeing me? You see me almost everyday."

"How could I get tired of seeing the girl I love everyday?"