Chapter 13
"You want me to what now?" Mao asked as she looked between Yuzuru, his lawyer, and Javier.
"Find the paramedic who was there with Yuzuru when he was carrying Jun in." Stephane repeated calmly to her. "Please Doctor Asada. It's our best chance at getting Yuzuru off the charges. We need their testimony."
"Nathan? I mean, I can ask him," Mao said as she tapped her pen on the desk. "I can't make him talk, but I can ask him for you if you want."
"Bless you Mao," Yuzuru half smiled as Keiji stepped into the office accompanied by Yuna. His best friend opened his arms for him and Yuzuru all but fell into them, hiding his face in the crook of the other's shoulders. "Please tell me good news. Only good news. Please."
"I can tell you good news about your family," Keiji said with a soft smile as he stroked Yuzuru's hair. He stepped back, wrapping himself up in Javier's arms, as Keiji dug out and unlocked his phone. "Your parents, grandparents, sisters, they're all safe. They've moved into Ryuju's family home and they're taking care of them, keeping them out of the eyes of the press, everything like that. That good news?"
"That's the best news you could have given me," Yuzuru smiled and Javier pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I can't help but feel like there's something you're not telling me though."
"That's where the good news ends, I'm afraid." Keiji extended his phone to him and Yuzuru went exceedingly pale as he scrolled through news article after news article, all showing pictures of his face. "This has all been published in the last twenty-four hours or so. People coming forward, ready to expose the beloved artist Yuzuru Hanyu. People love to turn against the artists they once loved the most. They love to expose them as frauds, as messes, as bastards."
"Lovely," Yuzuru mumbled with his eyes glued to the screen.
Yuzuru Hanyu's wife finally talks
I'm having Yuzuru Hanyu's baby and he won't pay!
Assaulter Hanyu secretly married?
A history of Hanyu's medical records
One night with Hanyu left me pregnant and alone
"Does anyone actually believe this crap?" Javier mumbled as he leaned over Yuzuru's shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek while he read the information.
"Enough people apparently," Keiji mumbled. "It's a pain in the backside. Guess we've got to disprove some of these for them. Want to do an Instagram live?"
"I'd rather just throw in the towel with all of this." Yuzuru leaned back and kissed Javier gently. "I love the music so much, but the crap that comes with it really isn't worth the effort. Or it doesn't feel like it's worth it anymore."
"Your music moves so many people," Javier promised him. "Don't let them win. Don't let the fire go out. Please Yuzu. Please."
Yuzuru nodded, pressing another kiss to Javier's cheek, before he met Stephane's eyes.
"What do I do?"
"You wait. Let me look at this. You let me collect the evidence. You keep yourself out of the limelight, and you don't say anything without consulting me."
Yuzuru nodded, and everyone turned when they heard the door open. Yuzuru's eyes softened and he wiggled out of Javier's arms, opening his own to offer a hug to Jun.
"Morning Junbug," he said gently as he stroked the youngster's hair down. "How are you feeling?"
"Bit better," Jun looked up at him. "Jason's tour is starting soon apparently."
"Conrad's Canadian tour should be starting soon too," Javier said a little absently, and the blush that rose across Jun's nose didn't go unnoticed. "I agreed to go with him, and Zhenya is going to join him for a couple of the dates. Hopefully all of this will be sorted out before we go, though."
"I'm an adult Javi," Yuzu teased. "I can handle a lawsuit."
"But I want to be by your side. This isn't something you should have to handle alone."
"I'll vouch for you," Jun said firmly.
"You were unconscious," Stephane pointed out. "Sorry kiddo, but your testimony doesn't really help much. But I appreciate it nonetheless as long as you're comfortable sharing some of the information. If you're called to court, you might have to reveal things about yourself that you don't want to."
Jun nodded but didn't step down or move his eyes away. Stephane smiled when Yuna stepped in followed by a medic with dark curls that spilt from the top of his head down into his eyes.
"Yuzuru, Stephane, this is Nathan Chen. Nathan, Yuzuru Hanyu and Stephane Lambiel. This man is your paramedic."
"Hi!" Nathan grinned at them and waved. His smile brightened at Jun and, despite the youngster being taller than him, he reached over and ruffled his hair. "You look a lot better than you did when I carried you in here a few weeks back. Can I pick you up?"
"Sure," Jun burst out laughing as Nathan scooped him up into his arms and spun him around.
"You're still very light, but you're doing better than you were when you first came in. Might I recommend the chocolate cake down in the cafeteria? It's the thing that really gets me through the long shifts. Plus it's the only hospital food here really worth eating."
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal this one away from you," Yuna took Jun's hand, "for a session. You talk this all over with Mr Lambiel, and Dr Asada will be around to help answer any questions for you."
Stephane smiled and sat down at the desk with Nathan while Javier took Yuzuru out of the room for a walk down the hospital corridors. It wasn't the ideal situation, but it was the closest thing they could have to a date given their current situation. Yuzuru leaned his head on Javier's shoulder as they laced their hands together.
"How are you feeling?"
"More hopeful," Yuzuru smiled. "Nathan seems good. Seems like he'll be honest and can really help with everything. Is everything looking up now, or have I just fallen so far that up is the only way to go?"
"You're distracted, Conrad," Brian said as gently as he could, looking between the two singers sitting across from him. "Is everything alright? I know it's a difficult, confusing, and complicated time, but your album is doing really well, especially as a debut album, and you have a chance to have an amazing debut tour."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry. Can I have a minute?"
"Sure," Brian gestured to the two of them. "Zhenya, Conrad, take five minutes to clear your heads, and then come back here. We'll discuss the tour dates then, okay? And, if you're getting coffee, please get me one too."
Evgenia gave their manager a bright smile as the pair of them left Brian's office, leaving the scattering of notebooks and maps of Canada across the desk. She shot Conrad a look and nudged him with her shoulder as they headed towards the cafeteria together. Jason gave them a wave from the corner table, and Shoma was curled up beside him with his head resting against the other's shoulder.
"They're cute together," Conrad raised an eyebrow at them across the room as Evgenia ordered her complicated coffee. "How long has that been a thing?"
"Oh, God, a few days after they came to hide at my other place in Canada. I came home the day we recorded Señorita and found them cuddling on my couch watching through my anime collection, sipping tea from my mugs. Jason made us dinner and, the entire time, they were cuddling. Jason kept feeding Shoma little bits of it and they were so cute. They even cuddled under a blanket and everything. It was so incredibly adorable."
"I'm glad that at least one good and beautiful thing has come out of this whole mess," Conrad said softly as he tapped his card and paid for both their coffees. He sipped at his black coffee and sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"You're worried about Jun, aren't you?" Evgenia said to him with a gentle and soft tone.
"How could I not be? He nearly got kidnapped, he fainted on stage, he disappeared, and then he was last seen being carried out of his home by a paramedic."
"It's more than that." Evgenia fixed him with a knowing look and she patted his arm. "You care about him as more than a friend, or as more than someone who records at the same studio as you. You care about him as more than just a fanboy caring about their bias. Conrad. You care about Jun in that way, don't you?"
Conrad looked away from her, turning his eyes down and busying himself with his coffee. For a moment, they both remained silent as they sipped at their drinks.
"It doesn't matter if I feel that way about him or not. I doubt he feels the same and, even if he did, we couldn't be together. He's not allowed to date anyone or do anything like that. His phone is monitored, remember?"
"His heart isn't monitored," Evgenia countered. "Conrad, come on, surely love is what he needs the most right now! He's stuck in a scary hospital, stressed out of his mind probably, and suffering so much."
"And I can't put him through more by taking advantage of his situation," Conrad gave her a curt nod. "I'm going to give Brian his coffee. Join us again when you're ready in the office."
Brian gave him a confused look when he sat back down, and silently accepted the coffee. Conrad sat back down and looked at the maps when he paused and circled one of the Canadian concert locations before he slid it across the desk to Brian.
"You want to do some stops here in Toronto?"
"I think I'd like to end here, if you don't mind. And can I book one of the venues near here to practice at in between two concerts that aren't on consecutive days?"
"You can," Brian raised an eyebrow at him, "but why?"
"Listen, you need to let me see him."
"I'm sorry sir," the nurse tapped his tablet idly in his hand, "but we can't let you see him unless you're a parent or guardian. He's having no guests."
"Seriously, please, what will it take to get you to let me go and see him."
"I'm afraid I can't just let a random person wander in, claiming to be his friend."
Nathan lingered beside the desk with half a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth, and he looked between the nurse and Conrad.
"Everything alright here?"
"Nathan, you're a medic--"
"Paramedic who helps out around here when they're short staffed, but yes." Nathan raised an eyebrow at the pair of them. "What's going on?"
"Please explain to this man that he is not allowed to go and see his best friend. I know it's hard but we can't just let a random person wander in unattended and--"
"I'll supervise him." Nathan said smoothly. "Come on kiddo. Who are you going to see?"
The nurse spluttered with indignation and Conrad just blinked at Nathan in utter shock.
"Uh... Jun Hwan Cha? I believe he's admitted here."
Nathan glanced at the nurse and nodded. "I'll take him up. Come on. Stick with me and don't break any rules, or it's on my head."
Conrad stuck by his side as Nathan led him out of the waiting room and up, through the elevator, to the floor that Jun was on. In the privacy there, Nathan smiled at him and elbowed him lightly in the side.
"I like your new album, by the way. When are you going on tour?"
"Thanks?" Conrad awkwardly chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh, soon. Evgenia and I were working out the dates and venues earlier today."
"Nice," Nathan stepped out into the ward and weaved around people easily. He knocked on one of the wooden doors that led off from the hallway and into a private room. "Mr Cha? Guest to see you."
Yuzuru was the one who opened the door to their room, and his eyes narrowed as they focused on Conrad.
"Why are you here? Did something happen at the club? Is Brian alright? Jason? Evgenia?"
"They're fine, they're fine. I just had to come and see Jun," Conrad gestured past Yuzuru further into the room. "May I?"
Yuzuru stepped back and Conrad's eyes softened when he saw Jun. The flowers still sat in the vase beside his bed, and the handwritten note was on the table underneath his phone. Jun lay back, holding a raccoon plushie over his abdomen, and he lazily opened up his eyes when he heard the chair shifting beside him.
"Hey Jun," Conrad smiled at his best friend as he took hold of his hand, "you okay?"
Jun squeezed his hand and nodded, shuffling closer to Conrad so that he could rest his head on the other's shoulder. "I'm doing better. Still have the occasional nightmare and urge to throw everything up, but I'm doing better. My doctors have really been helping."
Conrad stroked his hair and smiled down at him, meeting his dark eyes with his own honey coloured ones. "That's good. I miss you. We all miss you."
Jun nodded and hid his face in the other's neck. Conrad wrapped his arms around him and stroked the younger's shoulder.
"Stay with me please," Jun whispered, voice heavy with sleepy. Conrad just nodded, resting his cheek on the top of Jun's head as the younger fell asleep in his arms.