It's been a couple of hours since the dinner. I was relieved; Ushijima was talking to me. I was still confused about how he was approaching the situation. His personality hot and cold. I kept telling myself, that he still cared for me. The situation was tricky. I shook my head and hit to take a shower. I softly later doze off to sleep that night.
I woke up, cause I slept early, around 9 pm. So I wake up at 5 am.
My stomach churned cause of anxiety. Today was the first match between Japan vs Zeldians.
I couldn't help but wonder how the match was going to be like.
I quickly took a shower. I wore my outfit for the day despite it being early and head out.
The sun was out and ready, but the atmosphere was misty.
I walked outside the hotel lobby and went to a conbini. I bought some food and decided to eat near a bench outside, watching the misty morning lift away.
From a distance, I saw Ushijima going out for a jog. I thought the boys were supposed to rest until the match.
I carefully observed him as he jogged away. I didn't bother to call out his name. I already felt weird about our relationship.
I hear a voice from a distance.
"May I sit?" I hear the voice say.
I quickly turn. It was a tallboy.
"My name is Victor." He spoke. He was a foreigner. But he spoke in Japanese.
"Oh I was about to leave...." I tried to get up.
"No sit, sit. I insist." he kindly spoke.
His hair was white. His body was slender and fit. I assumed he was one of the Olympians from one of the countries.
"You here for Olympics?" He asks. I nod and show him my badge.
"oooh nutrionist. You're one of the support staff. Important stuff." He chuckled. I looked confused.
"I thought you were one of the players." He said.
"hahha No. just one of those foreigner staff for a Japanese team....volleyball. Volleyball team.." I speak, completing my sentences randomly.
"That makes two of us...." Victor spoke solemnly. Later, he showed his badge ID as well.
It said "Coach. Figure Ice Skating. Japan Unit".
"Victor Nikiforov???" I exclaim.
He chuckled.
"You know me?" He asks.
" I think anyone who lived in Canada will." I said.
"Right!" He looked up at the sky, giggling a little.
"What Made you decide to be a coach in Japan?". I suddenly asked curiously as to why he wasn't helping his own country.
"Same as you." He replied. His answered startled me.
"I guess, faith and love...." He smirked.
"Huh..." I wonder.
"Aren't you famous Ushijima's special friend?" he asks.
"How do you know?" I stood up.
"Russians and Zeldians little friendly nowadays." He winked.
"This is making me uncomfortable." I spoke, unsure.
"Well, that's just simple old olympic gossip. Sportsmen and Sportswomen are celebraties in their own right when its Olympics. You might need to get used to those soon." He said.
"I cannot. These gossip and whatever you call it. It will make me lose my job...lose ...him..." I frown, my voice got sadder.
There was silence.
"Miss Y/n...do you know Yuri Katsuki?" He asked me randomly.
"I am his coach...." He continued.
"There were times, people asked me to quit being his coach. " He said.
I look at him.
"There are rumours about him and I." He continued.
" But you see, the beauty of any sport is....the best always win." He spoke confidently.
" Ushijima...he is best. He definitely win." I said, stumbling to find words.
"I am not talking about Ushijima. I am talking about you. You have to be the best thing they'll ever know in the team in your own right. Give them no choice but to keep you. Make them need you. The only way you can do that is to give your best. Be your best. If you don't want to lose him, the way I didn't want to lose Yuri neither I wanted him to lose any of his games. Be the best version of yourself for them."
"Everyone here is trying their best here. What is stopping you?" He asks with a smirk leaning in forward.
I gulp; his words really hit me.
"Y/n?" I hear Ushijima's voice. His tall presence hovered over Victor and me.
Victor immediately stood up.
Victor put his hands forward for a hand-shake.
"Victor Nikiforov." He introduced. Ushijima little suspicious, but he later shook his hand and introduced himself.
"I figured. I'm Ushijima Wakatoshi".
"Oh, I know. You're quite the talk of the town recently." Victor smiled a little sinfully. Ushijima raised his brows, wondering what Victor meant.
"I'll get back to practice now. I'll see you around Y/N. Good luck to both of you." Victor bid farewell with a wink.
"Was he bothering you?" Ushijima finally asked.
I snapped out of my daydream. "Oh no no...he um..just giving me..advice." I spoke randomly.
"Okay." He replied.
"Breakfast will start soon. We should probably head inside." He spoke formally, started walking. Keeping a distance between us.
"Ushijima. Wait." I say.
He quickly turns.
"Come with me for a second." I said.
"y/n I don't think it's a good idea...." He tried to say. He forgot to use honorifics.
"Just trust me please..." my voice grew louder. I bowed out of respect
My response startled him. He walked towards me, signalling that he is ready to go with me.
I started walking at the official Olympic stadium, where most of the teams ate delicious meals.
Bailey's remarks yesterday didn't sit right with me. I felt like I was snatching away good food from the boys. The proper treatment they deserved. They are Olympic level sportsmen being treated like a bunch of high schools players. They deserved world-class treatment.
"Where are we going?" He spoke deeply. I didn't reply. My eyes were fixated on the venue.
Once we reached, I opened the large door of the cafeteria by myself. The breakfast looked like a royal banquet compared to what I prepared in Nekoma's cafeteria.
Ushijima's eyes wandered with awe.
I was in awe as well. But the guilt over-powered me. I started sobbing loudly.
Ushijima's gaze broke away and now was fixed on me.
"I...I...I want you guys.....have....the best..." I was sobbing. Then, finally, I ran away from the venue. Ushijima jogged after me.
"You guys deserve this. This treatment. Look at the food. Look at the planning. What am I doing? Who ...am I to take away this from you all?...I wish.. I wish..." I sobbed. I couldn't breathe.
Ushijima held my shoulders and shook me. I was blabbering nonsense at this point. The guilt was real.
"y/n...listen to me. Y/N...shh..shh its okay. Breath. breath." Ushijima instructed me.
I wiped my tears weakly.
"okay...okay...I...am..good.I am okay." I tried to breathe.
"Come with me now." Ushijima spoke.
Ushijima took my wrist and took me to Nekoma's cafeteria, which was near the venue.
When he opened the door, I saw the boys already sitting. Laughing, sharing food. Bit chaotic but little laughter. Fighting over food.
Both Ushijima and I stood at the entrance.
"They know..." Ushijima spoke.
I look at him. Ushijima still looking at his boys like a proud captain.
" And they aren't missing out on anything.Y/N." Ushijima continued.
He softly wiped my tears.
" It was never about the food for us. It was always about who cooked for us. We needed someone who we can trust and who knew us. We had pretty bad nutrionists before. Until you came along 3 years ago. " He spoke.
I see Miya and Hinata waving at us.
Yaku, yelling, "The best breakfast ever Y/N-SAN."
I chuckle, whipping my tears.
" We are not a team. We are a family. " Ushijima looked at me with a kind smile.
"You are family." He spoke, softly pushing me to walk towards the cafeteria.