Foreign Ground (Yuzuru Hanyu)

5. Why Didn't Hanyu Win?

While the two girls were leaving the arena, something, or rather, someone stopped them in doing so.

A short lady, probably in her forties, with a bowl cut and a formal suit was in their way. She smiled politely and in barely recognizable English asked them to step aside.  

How she found them in that crowd, was a mystery to them.

Clara was on verge of panic, thinking they did something wrong, when the short lady fixed her square glasses and started to present her case.

Her English was mostly grammatically correct, but somewhat lost in the heavy Japanese accent. Still, Lilis understood every word of what she said.

Lady Adachi, as she introduced herself, invited Lilis for coffee in Yuzuru Hanyu's name. That's what Lilis understood anyways.

"Mister Hanyu wishes to invite himself, but too busy. I, Adachi, invite in mister Hanyu's name. If you like?"

The lady spoke with politeness and moved with grace. At the end she even bowed.

Lilis was stunned, too shocked to even look at her friend for comfort. He didn't even know her name. How did he find her? Could he read her look in the rink? Did he really remember? Did he really notice her?

"I... Umm... When, where?" Lilis stupidly mumble.

"Tomorrow morning, Mister Hanyu's hotel. He wants to say thank you to you, for what you retrieved for him."

Again, a smile and a bow.

Lilis found herself blinking and not answering to the invitation.

"She'll be there. Can we get some instructions to the hotel and a maybe more specific time?" Clara spoke out of nowhere, stepping up to the task.

"Yes!" Misses Adachi enthusiastically nodded, "Everything to know, written here, and my card, for you, please!" Offering a piece of paper and a visit card, she bowed once again and with a bright smile left.

Only then the girls noticed a mountain of a man in her company, escorting her back into the arena.

"So... Ummm... I'm I not invited?" Clara wondered.

............ .......... .......

"Clara I can't go!"

"Of course you're gonna go. You've been invited to a tea ceremony with the Japanese legend himself. You shall not decline."

"Can you stop talking that way? And it's coffee, not tea, and there's no ceremony what so ever." Lilis spoke with irritation in her voice, while Clara giggled and teased.

"Seriously though, you have to go!"

"I can't, I'm scared. He lost because of me! Because I took the bracelet." Lilis whined in agony.

"You didn't take it. He lost it and you found it. You helped him back up, he ended up second. Let the man buy you a coffee when he's feeling like it."

"Should I really go?"

"Of course. Don't read too much into this, maybe he really just wants to say thank you and that's it. He's a human being after all."

"I'm still not convinced. He doesn't even know my name."

"I know, but meet up with him, and tell him your name. Who knows, maybe you two will become the best of friends... Also, please take me with you!"

"Of course you're coming with me. I don't want to get kidnapped."

"By Hanyu?" Clara laughed.

"By anyone."

Lilis agreed to meet up with Yuzuru for coffee in his hotel the next morning. She brought Clara with her for protection, but it was probably Nathan Chen who was in need of protection, once Clara stepped foot into that hotel.

.............   .......... ........

Last night

Yuzuru was nervous. He kept rolling around in his sheets, the time zone change wasn't helping, nor the thought of the competition ahead.

If he was being honest with himself, it wasn't the long program that was giving him troubles. The program —he could imagine, he had the name and the steps, he knew his program. What he didn't know, was the name of the girl whose touch was burning his wrist and whose look shook him to the core of his being.

Why did she look so curiously at him? He shut his eyes as tight as possible trying to escape her questioning gaze. But he couldn't shake the feeling away, it was giving him goosebumps even now. It was like she was asking something, like she really cared to know. But what was it? What was it that she wanted to know, that she couldn't already have found out?

Yuzuru tried to remind himself of who he was. He didn't date, he never ever, opened up to anyone, and that was his decision. He got burnt once, and never again. Yuzuru had a mission, at the moment, he couldn't let himself be anyone other than a figure skater. He couldn't be a Yuzuru to someone, he was Yuzuru Hanyu who belonged to everyone and no one, not even himself.

He shut his eyes again, feeling the uncomfortable stinging sensation. Pitying yourself again, huh?

............. .............  ..........

"You have to ask to me?" He spoke with short pauses, frowning at his own words like he wasn't satisfied with the order in which they were leaving his own mouth.

"I do?" Lilis tilted her head.

"I... Saw... In your eyes. You have, you want to ask... me."

"Hmmmm... I guess there is something I would like to know." She smiled sheepishly.

To that, he nervously rubbed his palms together and nodded in encouragement.

"Do you want to ask me anything?" She spoke, now even playfully.

He smiled, trying to cover his nervousness. "Well, hmmmm, I am rude to not ask for your name."

"Are you?"

"I think so, yes." This time he laughed, covering his face, like he was embarrassed.

"I'm Lilis."

He frowned.

"Rrrrr.... Ririz?"

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