STORGE: The Familial Bond
STORGE: CHAPTER 4
Panic Attacks and Homecoming
At first, Takeshi Ken is very worried for his student.
After the first heat, she practically ran to the restroom after hastily removing her suit and, if Sachiko's statement (read: boastful gossiping) was to be trusted, promptly threw up in a toilet bowl. He was getting worried as her panic attacks are getting more and more frequent these days.
The girl did return half an hour later looking rather dignified despite of her appearance: her tan skin a few shades paler than before, eyes bloodshot from crying (tear tracks are still there but it probably dried off along the way), hair looking like it was pulled and ruffled many times by someone (most likely she did this to herself). She didn't bother saying anything and entered the locker room without a word.
He was glad that she got out of it on her own this time, which means that it was just a mild attack. Or, at least he hopes it was just a mild one.
Takeshi peeked over his shoulder and sighed out of relief as he saw his student emerge from the crowd, wearing the suit once more for this heat. He knew the fact that she was a nervous wreck ever since she saw the board: 54.4, realizing that she's one of the competitors in the second heat and had to race against a girl two years her senior.
This senior is named Akujima Sachiko: the gold medalist of last year's and will be competing in the Junior World Cup later that year. The older girl is quite arrogant and egoistic due to her achievements; especially her personal best is 99.3. And being underestimated is something Anri really hates, thus the taunting she was told made her furious and motivated, completely backfiring at Sachiko. The younger give then challenged the older girl that she will defeat her in the race, and later on regrets it, cursing her impulsive actions at the same time.
He watched as the two skate towards their starting lines, Anri being the one in the inner lane. Takeshi saw the gesture the Kyushu prefecture representative gave the Chibu prefecture representative. It was a thumbs down that drew a horizontal line across her throat: "You're going down."
He chuckled, this is definitely part where she gives her all. This is going to be great.
In the end, Anri won the bronze medal and girl who taunted her was the gold medalist. That may be good enough for Takeshi but this surely disappointed the girl. She wanted that medal, but it seems that the universe doesn't want to give it to her just yet.
The younger girl ignored the offending grin directed at her, though she is barely restraining the urge to flip the bird towards Sachiko's direction. The cameras are still rolling and doing the offensive gesture would make people dislike her. She is not going to make the same mistake as Sjinkie Knegt did. Anri may be a sour loser but she isn't an idiot, she won't drag her own name in the mud because she didn't win.
As soon as they got off the podium, Anri went straight to her coach. Seeing that he is still being bombarded by question, she didn't speak up and went to the locker room.
Upon arriving, she noticed that there's a buzzing sound from her assigned locker. Curiously, she unlocked it and her phone went tumbling down. It was still vibrating and it looks like it's trying to run away. If only she wasn't in out in the public, she would have laughed her ass off at the scene so she just grabbed the phone before it gets damaged or something like that.
Anri unlocked her phone and see the culprit who probably had been spamming her. Seeing that the snowflake icon in the corner of the screen, she could safely say it was from the Ice Cream Queens groupchat. Specifically, the certain friend nicknamed as RS.
AdrenalineJunkieTM logged in
RaisingStar: Finally, the main person arrives! :) ) ) )
Fran: More like:
Fran: "Speak of the devil and he shall appear"
RaisingStar: ! ! !
IceQueen: fran
Fran: Sorry
Fran: Not sorry
RaisingStar: I can't believe my own eyes
RaisingStar: The лягушка actually has a sense of humor
RaisingStar: Has the world gone mad? ? ?
Fran: Bouffe ma queue calisse de fag
RaisingStar: сука
RaisingStar: у тебя нет Дика
Anri just facepalms as she watched the European duo bicker in their groupchat. Having read enough, she tried to insert herself in the argument.
Fran: It's called clitoris
AdrenalineJunkieTM: xcus my french
AdrenalineJunkieTM: but y wer u spamming my phone w/ innuendos
Fran: Va te faire foutre, AJ
Fran: I'm done with this shit
Fran logged off
IceQueen: why
IceQueen: why are you guys like this
AdrenalineJunkieTM: bcus theyre europeans
AdrenalineJunkieTM: they got no chill m8
RaisingStar: Racist much? :( (
IceQueen: its kinda true though
RaisingStar: ! ! !
RaisingStar: Babe, why are you against me?
IceQueen: bABE! ? ! ? !
AdrenalineJunkieTM: oKAY THEN
AdrenalineJunkieTM: imma mute this convo now
IceQueen: NO WAIT
'Sorry, IQ,' Anri pressed the mute conversation button before quickly logging off, 'I'm not going to suffer RS's flirting today.'
Returning home alone is a very uncomfortable experience, especially when you decided to watch news about the worst airplane crashes in history the night before you take the flight.
Why is she such an idiot? Anri berated herself mentally as she once again tensed in fear as the airplane began preparing for takeoff. If her plush is a person, she would have crushed their rib cage by now. She never knew that she'll get aviophobia during these competitions. Heck, she didn't think she even had a phobia or whatever people call it.
Burying her face and fingers on the hamburger plush, she began to reassure herself that no, the flight will be safe, it will be fine. She began to sweat profusely; her eyes are tearing up and the tears starts to fall on her lenses. Her senses became more and more dulled, and her breaths are getting shallower and quicker as the flight progressed. The change in altitude didn't help her much either.
The person beside her must have noticed her distress and tapped her shoulder, asking if she's alright. She didn't notice it, as she was too busy trying to crush the tsunami of worst case scenarios her brain is producing at the moment.
"Hey, kid. Listen to me," the person shook her shoulders, catching her attention, "breathe in and out," they told her in English, smiling reassuringly, "calm down, it's going to be fine."
"Okay, do as I say, breathe in and hold it in," she did as told, and after five seconds, they said, "okay, breathe out."
When the plane finally stabilized as well as the girl's breathing, the foreigner said, "Do it again by yourself, I'm going to get you some water."
As she did the exercise, the foreigner called one of the flight attendants for a cup of water. They gave her the cup when she was calmer now and Anri smiled gratefully at the person before gulping it down in one go.
The person did their best to distract her from the whole flight by chatting with her. The topics varied from the perfect weather to the famous tourist spots in Kyushu. After all, Anri has an unofficial job to promote the Yu-Topia Katsuki now that she will be travelling often (this thought made her shudder).
They talked until Anri fell asleep halfway the flight. She woke up when a flight attendant shook her awake, before telling her politely to get off the plane now since she's literally the only passenger left in it. She apologized and gathered her things, blushing from embarrassment the whole time she did so.
Well, at least she's back in Kyushu now.
TBC
A/N: I hope you like it. Next stop, to VICCHAN ANGST! ! !
And the fear of flight is very real my dears *flashbacks on previous flights*, how is Anri going to survive a flight longer than this? Like, the Junior World Cup is like in another country...
Also, I would like to know if I'm doing good so far, so please comment on my progress. I also accept some critism since I'm really good with writing stories, I'm more of an artist in drawing so yeah... :/