Foreign Ground (Yuzuru Hanyu)

16. Some Things I Just Don't Know How To Do

Lilis walked down the stairs like somebody could be woken up at 2 pm.

The old women that sat in the kitchen watching a local drama, gave her a judgmental look when she entered and went for a glass of water like there was a hangover that needed to be cured.

"Good morning." grandma mumbled rather sarcastically.

"Good morning."

She watched her for a moment, like she was deciding where to start.

"Where's that adorable boy? You left him all alone?" She yawned.

Lilis looked away before answering, "He's probably still asleep. You know, the wedding and the time zone change... He's tired."

Lilis was sure she was blushing, she just hoped the woman wouldn't notice.

"Your mother looked lovely yesterday."

"Hm." Lilis agreed, putting on flip flops, them being the only thing one needed to wear in Greece.

"You could've tried to be nicer to her, you know how much she cares about your opinion."

"I showed up, it's enough from me."

Grandma sighed tiredly, noticing her leaving the house.

"Where are you going?"

"To buy oranges."

The old woman waited in confusion, barely focusing on the intrigue of the drama. She waited only to ask the girl: "Since when do you like oranges?"

"I don't. He does." The girl smiled, bothering to squeeze the juice out of the fruits.

Lilis hated how little she has done for him. She had never bought anything for him, she had never wrote him a silly poem or made him breakfast. This is the least she could do for him. She didn't want to leave with regrets.

"Who is that boy anyways?"

Lilis swiftly turned around, giving her grandma a cheerful smile, "Granny, he's my boyfriend today."

"Boyfriend? I'll give you a boyfriend with my slipper!" The woman raised her voice, threatening with the very slipper, "Boyfriend, huh? No boys before you finish university! And what does it even mean 'today'?"

"He's my boyfriend today." Lilis smiled.

"And he's not tomorrow?"

"We leave tomorrow, granny."

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

Of course Yuzuru woke up when she left the room, those doors were too loud to allow any subtlety whatsoever.

He wished he woke up first so he could look at her peaceful sleeping face, but he had already accepted that with Lilis, things just couldn't go his way. With her, things are carried by the water of a mountain river; Sometimes — fast, other times — painfully slow, sometimes — fun, other times — utterly terrifying.

So instead of doing anything at all, he smiled and buried his face in the pillow which carried the scent of tulips, patiently waiting for her return.

When the doors creaked again, Yuzuru felt 7 again, pretending to be asleep when his mom walked into the room.

"I know the way you breath, you can't fool me." She said instead, and Yuzuru opened his eyes, smiling bashfully at her who was setting a glass of orange juice at the table next to his head.

"You know everything?" Yuzuru teased, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her down, onto himself, only to hear the sound of her screeching and laughing, kicking and wiggling.