Chapter Text
These were pretty boring, Victor thought with a faint sigh.
Nevertheless, his coach insisted he go. It was proper etiquette, and people expected to see him, and he needed to be able to speak to reporters, and on and on the man typically went.
Of course, Victor knew how to be polite and professional, the very image of serene perfection that was expected of him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t bored out of his mind during each and every one of these press conferences.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to do very much talking; Yakov handled that himself.
All Victor needed to do was sit or stand where he was told and smile at the right moments.
As he was doing now, at a press conference that was taking, by his modest estimate, forever . He was sure they had been here for hours now.
At least they were free to sit through this one, at a long table to boot. Victor had busied himself with refreshing various social media apps, when a text suddenly came in from a number not registered to his phone.
Curious, he tapped open the message, only to be greeted by a wall of text in English.
[+81-9060358092]
So you know that while I’m home from school for the summer I’m working at my family’s onsen
15:04
[+81-9060358092]
Well today the most uncomfortable thing happened… (;´Д`)
15:04
[+81-9060358092]
There was this customer. He’s, um, not a regular I don’t think? Anyway. He got really really drunk after the bath like… really drunk. Even drunker than Minako-sensei, and you know how she can get ;;;
15:05
[+81-9060358092]
so my sister was the one serving him and she had to cut him off at some point bc he started getting really rude and aggressive and and was yelling enough that it kinda freaked my hardass sister out which is unusual for her? She deals with the local drunks like a pro all the time anyway I don’t know how she does it
15:07
[+81-9060358092]
but this guy was just going off and ranting and saying some increasingly bad stuff so she went to the back to find me and I didn’t really know what was going on at the time but she dragged me out and asked for my help so…
15:08
[+81-9060358092]
I couldn’t say no! You know how she is!
15:11
[+81-9060358092]
so I went out there even though I had no idea what was going on and did what my sister asked, went up to him and asked him very politely to leave because he was disturbing our other patrons, you know, the whole ‘customer service’ speech
15:11
[+81-9060358092]
You know what he did
15:12
[+81-9060358092]
he threw his drink on me!! It went everywhere and I was standing there IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DINING ROOM and everything went silent I swear Phichit I have never heard it go that quiet in there you could hear a cricket chirp
15:12
[+81-9060358092]
anyway he stormed out and ranted something about coming back whether we liked it or not and didn’t even pay his tab…
15:13
[+81-9060358092]
My parents are saying it’s better that he just left bc someone like that is trouble and while I agree I don’t really like how the whole thing played out…
15:14
[+81-9060358092]
I’m not sure that there’s anything I can do but it’s frustrating to think there isn’t anything and that’s that, you know?
15:14
Despite the fact that he was still stuck in a press conference and likely would be for quite a bit longer, Victor had to smile.
He didn’t know who was texting him, the story they were telling was interesting , and he felt too invested at this point not to respond.
Except…
What did one say in such a situation?
He frowned faintly, pretending to listen to Yakov talk about training while he tried to think. After a few moments, he finally began to tap out a response.
[Victor Nikiforov]
Wrong number (:
15:16
[Victor Nikiforov]
But that does sound frustrating. Your family must work hard and being treated like that by a rude guest must be a slap in the face.
15:17
Victor hummed to himself, wondering if he should say more. What were the chances this person would even respond? But.. If he didn’t, then he was left trying to wait out this press conference.
That didn’t sound nearly as fun as continuing to text this stranger.
[Victor Nikiforov]
Fortunately you were there to help your sister. (:
15:18
[Victor Nikiforov]
What kind of animal throws a drink at someone? ):
15:18
A few moments passed, and he felt his phone vibrate in his hand. A quick glance at the screen had him smiling faintly to himself.
[+81-9060358092]
!!!!!
15:20
[+81-9060358092]
oh I'm so sorry I wasn't paying attention at all to the number I sent those to
15:20
[+81-9060358092]
I just got a new phone so um
15:21
[+81-9060358092]
yeah
15:21
[+81-9060358092]
I'm really sorry!!
15:22
[Victor Nikiforov]
Don’t be (:
15:23
[Victor Nikiforov]
Has it been quiet since he left?
15:24
[+81-9060358092]
um… if you're sure
15:26
[+81-9060358092]
yeah it's been a little over a day and nothing else has happened
15:27
[Victor Nikiforov]
I'm glad to hear that (:
15:28
[Victor Nikiforov]
May I ask, what is an onsen? It's not English?
15:29
[+81-9060358092]
aahhh
15:30
[+81-9060358092]
It’s a Japanese hot spring/inn
15:30
[Victor Nikiforov]
Is that so?
15:31
[Victor Nikiforov]
That sounds wonderful (:
15:32
[Victor Nikiforov]
Is it busy?
15:32
[+81-9060358092]
Hm… sometimes it is
15:34
[+81-9060358092]
It depends on the season
15:34
[+81-9060358092]
wait, um, is it okay that we’re talking like this?
15:35
[Victor Nikiforov]
Why wouldn’t it be? (:
15:36
[+81-9060358092]
I don’t know, I mean…
15:37
[+81-9060358092]
I did just text you out of the blue
15:38
[+81-9060358092]
or I guess it’s more accurate to say I spammed you ;;;
15:38
[Victor Nikiforov]
I don’t mind~
15:39
[Victor Nikiforov]
I was bored before you texted me (: You’re interesting.
15:40
[+81-9060358092]
oh...
15:41
[+81-9060358092]
so um what were you doing before I texted you?
15:42
[+81-9060358092]
If you don’t mind me asking…
15:42
Victor frowned, glancing up from the screen of his phone to the reporters on the other side of the table.
Perhaps…
Perhaps it was best if he weren’t completely honest. Otherwise, it may be difficult to explain.
[Victor Nikiforov]
I’m in a work meeting ):
15:44
[Victor Nikiforov]
It’s taking foreveeeerrrr ): ): ):
15:44
[+81-9060358092]
should you really be texting if you’re at work?
15:45
[+81-9060358092]
I mean, not that I’m really judging you or anything
15:46
[Victor Nikiforov]
Heh, probably not (:
15:47
[Victor Nikiforov]
But I doubt anyone would mind
15:48
[Victor Nikiforov]
Are you doing anything interesting right now?
15:48
[+81-9060358092]
not really
15:49
[+81-9060358092]
not right now, anyway
15:50
[Victor Nikiforov]
But earlier? (;
15:51
[+81-9060358092]
well
15:51
[+81-9060358092]
I sort of… like to go ice skating?
15:55
[Victor Nikiforov]
Oh really?
15:56
[Victor Nikiforov]
Are you good? (;
15:56
[+81-9060358092]
well I guess it’s more like figure skating really
15:57
[+81-9060358092]
it’s a popular thing to do around here?
15:57
[+81-9060358092]
so I would do it a lot in my free time
15:58
[Victor Nikiforov]
That is interesting!!
15:59
[Victor Nikiforov]
You do it just for fun? (:
16:00
[+81-9060358092]
more or less I guess
16:00
[+81-9060358092]
I tried doing it professionally a few years ago but never had the time once I started school
16:01
[+81-9060358092]
I’m sorry I feel like I’m just talking about myself ( ;ﾟдﾟ)
16:01
[+81-9060358092]
what do you like to do?
16:02
[Victor Nikiforov]
No no!
16:03
[Victor Nikiforov]
Please talk about yourself! I think you’re interesting (:
16:04
[Victor Nikiforov]
I like figure skating as well. (: It’s fun to watch.
16:05
[+81-9060358092]
this feels sort of weird actually, talking this much to someone I sent a wrong number text to haha
16:06
[+81-9060358092]
I guess it couldn’t hurt, judging by your area code I doubt we’ll ever meet anyway
16:06
[+81-9060358092]
But um, what do you want to know?
16:07
[Victor Nikiforov]
Well
16:08
[Victor Nikiforov]
What’s your name? (:
16:09
[+81-9060358092]
Oh
16:09
[+81-9060358092]
It’s Yuuri
16:10
[Victor Nikiforov]
I like it (:
16:11
[+81-9060358092]
thanks, haha
16:11
[+81-9060358092]
What’s yours?
16:11
Victor really… hadn’t taken into consideration that Yuuri would want to know his name as well. He glanced over at Yakov, who was still happily talking to the reporters, so their attention was off him.
If Yuuri liked figure skating, then chances were he could recognize him by name.
Meaning…
He could lie, or… he could be vague.
And Victor really, really hated lying.
[Victor Nikiforov]
Call me Victor (:
16:17
[+81-9060358092]
Alright, Victor :)
16:18
[+81-9060358092]
it’s kind of funny, but you have the same name as one of my favorite figure skaters
16:19
Crap.
Victor turned off the screen of his phone so he wouldn’t have to look at it, feeling his heart pounding in his ears.
Maybe he was overreacting. Surely, there were many, many Victors in the world of professional figure skating. He was far from the only one.
Surely, Yuuri meant someone else.
[Victor Nikiforov]
Is that so? Who is it?
16:22
[+81-9060358092]
I don’t know if you’ve heard of him or not, but Victor Nikiforov
16:23
[+81-9060358092]
I’ve been a big fan since I was a kid
16:25
This was… far from the first time Victor had talked with a fan of his, but never before had he felt so… nervous?
He wasn’t sure how to carry himself through the rest of this conversation, but… he really didn’t want it to end.
Whoever this Yuuri person was, Victor was sure he liked him and wanted to talk more with him, and he added him into his contacts without another thought.
[Victor Nikiforov]
Really?
16:29
[Victor Nikiforov]
He took gold in Vancouver, right? (:
16:30
[Yuuri (:]
yes!
16:30
[Yuuri (:]
so you have heard of him then, I’m glad :^)
16:31
[Victor Nikiforov]
Of course (:
16:32
[Victor Nikiforov]
Did you want to be a professional figure skater because of him?
16:33
[Yuuri (:]
it’s kind of embarrassing to say, but yeah
16:33
[Yuuri (:]
when I watched him on TV as a kid I thought he was the most beautiful person ever ////
16:36
At this point in his life, compliments were nice but they didn’t completely sweep him off his feet like when he’d been a teenager.
And while this was certainly a great compliment that would have warmed him to his core (and even did, to an extent)...
Victor couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
But he was sure he’d feel even more guilty if he stopped texting Yuuri for that reason.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Yakov giving him a nasty “get the hell off your phone” look, which he could only meet with a sheepish smile.
[Victor Nikiforov]
You have nothing to be embarrassed about (:
16:38
[Victor Nikiforov]
Yuuri, I have to go
16:38
[Victor Nikiforov]
May I text you again sometime?
16:39
[Yuuri (:]
sure!
16:40
[Yuuri (:]
I’ll talk to you later, Victor
16:40
Reluctantly, Victor pocketed his phone and did his best to shift his attention to the reporters, although his thoughts remained focused on Yuuri.
What an interesting individual, one he very much wished to get to know better.
Even if… Even if he had to keep Yuuri from finding too much about him in the process.