An Unexpected Love (A Yuri Plisetsky Fanfiction)

Chapter 30: Pirozhki

"No! No! No!" Lilia shouted. "Forget who you are!"

Yuri was in yet another practice session with the 'old hag', and they were once again going through basic ballet positions and jumps.

"Your past self is dead, understand? The only people who succeed are those who are willing to be reborn as many times as necessary!"

After the gruelling session, Yuri excused himself to go to the grocery store. He came back to Lilia's house with bags filled with ingredients. That day, he decided to cook for him and his coaches. He was planning to cook pirozhki, just like his grandfather taught him. It took a while to get used to Lilia's kitchen, but he managed to finish it in only a couple of hours.

Lilia and Yakov were sceptical about the dish when it was first presented to them, breaking it in half and examining it before taking a bite. They were astounded—Yuri was quite the decent cook.

"Yakov! I'm going out!" he said after dinner, running out the door with a bag of pirozhki before his coach could even retort. He walked along the streets of Saint Petersburg until he arrived at his destination. He entered the building and went up to the sixth floor, clutching the package in his hands tightly.

"Good evening Mister Plisetsky," Kamoshita greeted as he opened the door.

"Hi Kamoshita," Yuri replied as he took off his shoes like he always did whenever he came for a visit. "Where's Ayumi?"

"Where she always is, sir."

Yuri did not even have to ask. He entered her bedroom and walked towards the work desk.

Ayumi was typing furiously on her laptop, her eyes tired and bloodshot. There were several folders scattered on the desk along with a half-empty cup of black coffee. Judging from that and the bed that did not look like it was slept in, he knew the girl has not moved from her spot for more than a day.

"Ayu," he reprimanded. The girl looked up slowly, yawning. "Uhn, Yura? What are you doing here?"

"Look at you, you idiot. How long have you been working like that? You haven't slept, for God's sake. Have you even eaten anything at all?"

The girl turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze. Yuri suddenly grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the dining area. He sat her down and placed the bag of pirozhki in front of her.

"What is this?" Ayumi asked, opening the paper bag.

"Just eat, Ayu."

The girl took one pirozhki out and slowly took a bite.

"Mhmm, this is really good." she said, taking another bite of the pastry.

"It's called pirozhki," Yuri explained while taking a seat next to her. "My grandpa cooks it for me all the time. It's my favorite dish, and he taught me how to make them when I left for Saint Petersburg."

Ayumi was impressed. "I didn't know you could cook."

"Just pirozhki, really. It isn't even that good. My grandpa makes the best ones. I'll let you try some when we have the chance."

"At least you can cook. I can't, period." Ayumi said as she devoured another pirozhki.

"How long has she not been eating?" Yuri interrogated Kamoshita, who joined them at the dining area.

"It's been two days, sir. She refused come out of the room and eat."

Yuri looked at her, anger laced with concern. "Shit, Ayu. Can you please stop being such a moron and take care of yourself for once?"

Ayumi was mortified. "Sorry. I just had so much to do lately. There hasn't been enough time."

The workload for the girl was beyond Yuri's comprehension. The Matsumoto Corporation has been considering another joint venture project with a Canadian firm. It was a company Ayumi knew well as she has studied it before, and she was a close acquaintance of the chairman's son. Thus, the project was thrown under her supervision. Being a 15-year-old meant that the team was less likely to listen to her if she was ever caught out of her depth, so she's thrown herself into the work needed to make it a success.

He shook his head at the girl's stubbornness. He was not having any of it. "Do I need to come here every day just to make sure you get some food in your system? I will, if that's what it takes."

Ayumi was touched at the boy's concern, but told him that it was unnecessary. After she ate, she noticed that it was getting dark out, so she asked Kamoshita to take Yuri back to Lilia's.

"Dammit, Ayu. Just eat please. I can't see you damaging your body like this," he said as he was about to leave.

"Ok, I will. I promise."

------

Yuri was silent on the drive home.

Kamoshita broke the silence. "Mister Plisetsky, I want to ask you something." He paused. "Do you have... feelings for Miss Ayumi?"

The boy's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't say a word.

That was all the confirmation the butler needed. "You've been very supportive considering what happened with Miss Miwako. You've been helping her pick herself up and start over. I think that you're good for her, sir."

He was completely silent.

"I won't tell Miss Ayumi about this. But I do hope you find the courage to tell her yourself, sir. After all, 'None but the brave deserves the fair.'"

Yuri blushed, looking out at the blurring city through the car window.