Ever since Yuri came back, everything had changed. My aunt Hiroki and Uncle Toshiya were much happier and livelier. The hot spring business had picked up. It was hard to explain it. Yuri had lost. He didn't make the finals. And, yet, it was as if no one cared. Hometown comradery? It even lifted my own spirit, having Yuri back. We were cousins, but both of us had grown up here, so he felt more like my brother. He'd been gone for five years, but I'd gone to stay with him in Detroit for almost a whole year, two years ago, after the accident. My aunt and uncle thought it would be good for me to get away from Hasetsu.
Yuri coming back made me happy. It didn't matter what happened with his skating, because he was talented enough to get back out there and win next year. He just needed the right motivation. Even I'd seen the video that those crazy triplets had posted. It had gone viral overnight. And that's why I decided to send it to Victor. Who knows if he'll see my message, but I prayed that he would. Yuri needed a miracle to overcome his doubt in himself, someone else to believe in him.
He'd also gained some weight since returning home. It wasn't surprising given the fact that we Katsuki's were binge eaters when we're depressed. I had stress ate many times. Having him home was great. He took me out to dinner a few times, just us and we talked for hours.
The surprise came when my phone rang very early in the morning. Dropping it on the floor in my scramble to answer the unknown number, I fell off the bed. Rubbing my sore head, I rubbed my eyes with my free hand. "Hello?" I yawned loudly.
"Miss Alina! I apologize that's it is so early. My plane just landed, and I would like very much for a tour around town before I go to the Hot Springs Inn." That accent. Russian. It sounds familiar, but it's hard to place.
Leaning back against the bed, I looked at the clock. 7 AM. "I'm sorry, but who is this?" This man knows my name, so surely, I should know who he is.
The man laughed. "Victor Nikiforov. I saw the video of Yuri you sent me online. I've come to Hasetsu to be Yuri's coach!" Again, he laughed lightly.
Huh?! Did I hear that right?! V-Victor is here? Moving quickly, I threw clothes out of my closet to find something warm to wear. "Give… give me ten minutes and I'll be there!" Hanging up, I jerked on my clothes and ran. Yuuko asked me a question but I couldn't hear her. My heartbeat pounded in my ears from excitement.
The airport came into view and Victor was standing at the curb with his dog by his side. Yuri had told me its name, but I couldn't remember. His attention turned me when I ran up. "Miss Alina!" He engulfed me in a hug before I could collapse from exhaustion. Snow had begun to fall, and I'd slid onto my butt more than once on the way here. "It is very very nice to meet you!"
Completely out of breath, I nodded my head. "I-I can't believe you're here!"
Victor winked, holding onto my arms to steady me. "You did message me and ask me to give Yuri some encouragement! So here I am! I will encourage him as his coach!" He said that like it only made sense for this to happen after my short message. He tilted his head to the side, crouching down to inspect my knee. "Did you fall on your way here?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, but I'm alright—" I gasped when Victor scooped me up into his arms.
Smiling down at me, Victor shook his head. "Now, now. You've got quite the gash on your knee. It would be ungentlemanly of me to not take care of the damsel in distress. Where is the nearest doctor's office?" He turned his head in search of a building.
"There's one right around the corner!" I clung onto his jacket as he began to walk. I hadn't been picked up in years! My cheeks flushed, and I stared up at him in awe. Yuri looks up to him for his skating, but Victor is an amazing human being! I've only just him and I already like him. "T-Thank you. I was supposed to be showing you around, not being whisked away to the doctors."
Victor shook his head, the smile never leaving his face. "It is my fault for calling so early in the morning. You don't look quite dressed properly for the snowy weather."
Oh right! In my rush to get here, I'd thrown on a thin dress, some leggings, and brown ankle boots, which had no traction left. My pea coat did little to fight off the icy wind. "I had no idea it was going to snow today."
Victor waited with me to get my knee stitched up with the three stitches that were needed. The doctors were more than shocked to see him here. After it was done and bandaged, I took him around the small town. He reminded me of a child, sometimes, so curious about everything. "Should we head to the inn. My hands are frozen from this snow." I laughed and pet his dog. "Yuri is surely up by now." It's nearing 10. He usually doesn't sleep this late.
"Lead the way, Miss Alina," Victor said, hooking his arm through mine again. The people stared at us, snapping photos without any reservations. I really hope this doesn't come back to bite me. The last rumor I needed going around was about me and Victor.
We parted ways at the inn, Uncle Toshiya welcoming him and taking care of him for me. I needed to help open the rink for the day. Even though I still owned the top half of the building, I promised to help keep the rink going. It had been my father's and I couldn't stay away from the building, even if I couldn't step foot on the ice.
By the time I'd returned to the inn, Yuri was sitting with Victor, in awe of his idol sitting right in front of him. My aunt asked for me to make a special pork cutlet bowl for Victor, the kind that Yuri really liked. He was obsessed with them! It made me laugh thinking about it. His approval of my recipe meant a lot. I set the tray down in front of Victor and took the seat beside him.
"Wow! This looks amazing!" Victor exclaimed.
My aunt clapped her hands together. "This is our specialty! The pork culet bowl Ali makes is the new favorite recipe that Yuri likes so much," She said, grinning from ear to ear. She'd always been proud of my cooking, just like my father.
I blushed, eagerly awaiting Victor to try it. His eyes lit up and with a mouthful of food, he said something in Russian. Is that good? He seems happy. "Really! There are no words! This must be what gods eat!" Victor said while scarfing down the meal. He turned to me with an amazed grin. "Amazing Miss Alina! You are truly talented at cooking!"
I managed to thank him and not stutter over my words. He had an aura about him. Anyone would fall for his charm. It wasn't romantic…, he sounded like a proud father… Something I missed dearly. Since the accident three years ago, there had been a void in my chest. For a moment, the ache had dulled. My phone buzzed with an alarm. "Oh! Um, it was nice meeting you, Victor. I have to go. I have… plans." That sounded ridiculous. I needed to post tonight and at this rate, it'll never get finished.
Victor waved and said goodbye. "I'll see you soon!"
That confused me. He came for Yuri, not me. Shaking off the thoughts, I headed back to my little home at Ice Castle. My father had owned it before his death, and it still technically belonged to me, but I had no interest in keeping it. I'd sold part of the ownership to someone my father used to know, and they pretty much ran it. I had the upstairs, where my father and I had lived since I was born. It was small, but one of the two bedrooms had been turned into my recording studio. That's what I needed to do tonight. A cover I'd started needed to be edited and uploaded.
A text from Yuri made me smile. He'd thanked me for showing Victor around, and promised to come by tonight. I guess Victor didn't tell him that I'd been the one to send him that video. For some reason, it made me laugh. We had a sort of secret. Settled in my recording studio, I stretched my arms over my head. Time to get to work. When I get finished, I can bribe Yuri into bringing me some ice cream and I can spend some time with my favorite cousin. He made me promise to be open with him whenever I felt depressed, and these last few days had been hard ones. Maybe with Victor around, things will get better, for both me and Yuri.