Ch. 9 Anticipation

The morning started faster than intended, Kenta hands Hana a mug of tea before she even asked, accepting it automatically, and the crowd, consisting of Tamaki and Daichi freak out. Despite his meal plans, Kenta was convinced to just make pancakes.

“You could have said no.” Hana states.

“I did.”

“You folded fast.” She smiles. “You’re getting softer.

“They are persistent.”

They make a lot of pancakes, stacks on stacks as requested and they dress them up, butter melting down the sides. Tamaki insists on dressing them for everyone with whip cream and fruit and sprinkles and everything and Kenta stares at the plate in front of him.

“This is excessive.”

“Just eat it.” Hana says and he does before taking another bite. And another. She watches him in amusement. “You like it, don’t you?”

“Yes.” He answers simply before taking another bite, she smiles softly. There was no analysis, no excuses, just a simple yes.

Daichi notices and grins into his coffee cup, Tamaki kicking his feet under the table. Kenta reaches to the pitcher for orange juice, at the same time Hana does and their hands touch.

Both of them freeze, memories of the prior night appearing in both of their minds. Kenta wishdraws. “Y-you may proceed first.” He clears his throat at his slight stumble to get the words out.

“Thank you.” Hana says quietly as her face burns.

Like a whirlwind, the two left just as fast as they arrived, something about fulfilling their chaos quota before leaving.

Hana exhales. “I see why you dodge them so much.”

“It is efficient.”

She laughs. “Yes, it is.”

Kenta begins tidying automatically and she begins to help him, she takes a towel from his hands. “I’ll dry while you wash.”

“That is unnecessary."

“I know.” She smiles and he looks at her, she looks back. “You don’t have to do every part yourself.”

Something in his expression shifted, his eyes softening a little. He handed her the next plate, and to the sound of birds chirping outside, they cleaned the kitchen.

The next few days fall into their usual routine, not like Kenta's efficient schedule but Hana's softer schedule where they had time to relax, having snack breaks. Kenta eventually learns which mug she always reaches for, what shoes she wants on what occasion. It should feel stable and it almost does. Almost.

One evening Kenta is at his desk when he notices Hana hasn’t spoken in a while. Which isn’t super unusual as they both had their own work, or she would read or something. But the silence felt heavy so he looked up, seeing her sitting on the couch with her knees drawn up. Her phone is in her hand, screen dark, she isn’t scrolling or watching anything, just holding it. She wasn’t moving, just staring at nothing in particular.

“You are not engaging in activity.” Kenta states.

Hana blinks a few times, looking around as if she’s been pulled back from somewhere else.

“Hm? No, just resting.”

“It did not look as such.”

She laughs softly. “You’re bad at letting people lie politely.”

He stares at her, her expression was fine, her posture fine, but he can feel something isn’t right. “You are withdrawn.”

Hana sighs through her nose, still smiling lightly. “You say that like I'm a cat hiding under the bed.” She puts her phone face down beside her. “Sorry.”

Kenta tiles his head slightly. “For what?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs, a bit too casual. “Just zoning out I guess.” Before he can say anything more she stands. “I’ll go make dinner.”

He stops what he’s working on and follows, looking at her from the hallway. She was cooking but as if on auto-piolet. She did the movements of rice, veggies, and pan, but it was slower, like it was her body cooking without her mind telling it how to.

Kenta doesn’t return to work, he sits in the kitchen and watches.

“Your kitchen is too quiet.” She says suddenly while she’s stirring a bit too hard, he doesn’t say anything and she stops to turn on the radio.

“I just… I can hear my thoughts too much and it’s making me uncomfortable.” Before Kenta can comment she adds. “I’m okay.”

He stands and walks over to where she is at the counter, he doesn’t interrupt, just stays close. She notices this and sighs, her shoulders relaxing as she continues cooking. “I’m okay.” She says again, automatically.

“It does not seem that way.” Kenta states as Hana keeps cooking despite it already being done. He says more carefully. “Hana.”

She turns the burner off with a click and stares at the pan. “I’m… not good at being seen.”

Kenta doesn’t move, listening and she continues before she can stop herself as if him being here lets her be a bit more honest.

“Like I… I got used to it. At home, I mean. More like a building I guess, wasn’t really a home.” She shrugs. “It wasn’t… awfully abusive but it was busy. Always busy, something always had to be done, something more important than spending quality time with me.”

She laughs softly, empty. “So I got really good at being convenient.”

Kenta's gaze on her stays steady as she reaches for the pan again, trying to reclaim control though doing a simple task. “And it worked, I’m good being of service to others.” She then adds quickly. “I’m okay, I’m really fine I just…”

Her voice catches and she stops, the silence feels heavy as she keeps her eyes on the stove. “Sorry…” She says again, like it’s a habit that resurfaced.

Kenta steps closer and gently touches her hand, not quite holding it, just trying to get her to notice that he’s here. “You are not required to apologize for speaking.”

Hana sighs, shakier that she wished it to. “That’s not why I…” She swallows and he waits, she finally looks at him. Her expression is still trying to hold itself together. “I don’t know… how to be kind to…” She pauses, then says quieter. “...to myself. It’s like I act like I’m not here, it's just my actions and that’s it.”

Kenta looks at her, studying carefully, not analyzing, like he’s trying to understand how to help without breaking her, he lets his fingers graze hers, going from touching her hand to holding it. “You are present now.”

Hana gives a small, tired smile. “That’s because you’re here.”

The answer came out honestly and she looks away when she realizes it. Kenta doesn’t correct her, he squeezes her hand. “That is not an inefficient dependency.”

She smiles, a small one, fragile at the edges but looks down at their hands. “I’m just used to… disappearing.”

“You are currently not disappearing.”

She then looks up to him. “Will you promise not to disappear either?” She says this as if she’s relying on him to say yes in order for her to exist.

“I won’t.” He says gently and she closes her eyes, exhaling before she smiles and opens them again, as if all of her stress melted away.

“Good. I’d have to file a complaint.” She laughs softly and Kenta feels his chest feel lighter at the sight.

“That is not a valid administrative process.”

The kitchen settles back into motion again after that. They get food cooked and sit at the table to eat, but Hana falls back into how she was before a bit, stirring the food on her plate. “Sorry about earlier, it’s just… It’s not like a big tragic thing.” She knew what happened with his brother and didn’t want to act pitiful when what happened to her was nothing compared to what happened to him.

“It’s just easier to not take up space, you don’t get in trouble if they don’t notice you. You don’t get in the way, you don’t exist in a way thats… inconvenient.”

The next morning, Daichi brought over a plant for their garden and took it upon himself to plant it and water it. Hana is sitting at the table, staring at her phone without touching it. Not avoiding, but not engaging, Daichi notices right away.

He leans in the doorway, soaking wet from attempting to water the plant and failing. “Huh.”

She looks over to him. “What?” She says, not commenting on his soaked state like she normally would.

“You’re quieter than usual. Like you’re thinking too much.”

“That is a reasonable observation.” Kenta states and she shoots him a look.

“Don’t validate him.”

Daichi grins and goes back outside as if nothing happened, but later when Hana is busy, he pulls Kenta aside. Not forcefully, he implies it.

“Walk.”

Kenta doesn’t look up. “I am working.”

Daichi changes his tone. “Walk, now.”

This ends the conversation and Kenta follows him outside, once they’re a distance away Daichi crosses his arms. “Talk, what’s with Hana?”

Kenta looks at the ground. “You’ve noticed.”

Daichi scratches the back of his neck, speaking softer. “Yeah, I’ve seen that look before. It’s someone trying to keep themselves together even though their head is going a thousand miles an hour. Did something happen?”

Kenta pauses. “She stated she is not used to being present. She doesn’t expect to be noticed and feels like at times, she ceases to exist. Her family life doesn’t seem… optimal.”

Daichi goes quiet then nods. “That tracks. I was hoping she was too busy helping you that she put aside her personal affairs, not that she didn’t have any in the first place.”

“She adapts by minimizing presence to avoid disruption.”

Daichi nods, looking into the distance. “That’s… that’s a hard habit to unlearn.”

“She is attempting, and I am helping her.”

Daichi looks at him for a long moment then smiles. “Good.” He says. “Good for the both of you.”

That night, the two decide to watch a movie even though it wasn’t the usual night. Hana scrolls through things muttering. “Too depressing, seen it, violence, depressing, man so many of these are about suffering.”

She then lands on something, a Korean romance comedy. “Oh I’ve seen clips from this, it seems fun, let’s try it.”

Kenta doesn’t complain.

At first the movie is everything Hana knew it to be, upbeat music, soft lighting, accidental meetings. She is fully engaged, smiling and laughing, and Kenta watches her, relieved.

There is a tone shift in the middle, and she still smiles, waving her hand dismissively. “This is just the dramatic arc, they always do this but it should get better.”

Kenta doesn’t say anything, just watching. The reveal came with only ten minutes to the end, the female lead is diagnosed with only months left to live, and Hana's smile is gone. The male lead begs her to stay but she refuses to let him watch her die, shaking her head kindly, final. Hands fingers tighten on her blanket and Kenta notices, watching her instead of the movie. The final scene ends with her leaving, and him not stopping her, the screen fades and credits roll.

“Hana.” Kenta says carefully because she didn’t move, she was just looking at the screen like she was watching a scene beyond the screen.

She inhales sharply and tears begin to roll down her cheeks, Kenta freezes. She notices his surprise and wipes her face quickly. “I’m okay, it’s just a movie.”

She laughs but it just breaks into more crying, Kenta carefully raises his arms and Hana allows herself to lean into him as she cries. He pats her back gently, then rubs in circles as she lets her emotions out. After a bit of thought, he says. “You cry as if you were the one left.”

This makes her cries stop as she thinks, sniffling. “I… I don’t like being left.”

“Noted.” He says and she sits up with a laugh as she wipes at her face.

“Of course you’d say that. I’m crying my eyes out and you say ‘noted’”

“It is not dismissal.”

“I know.” She smiles. “It’s very you and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She takes his hand and squeezes it gently. “Thank you.”

She then goes quiet. “Actually… about the last few days.”

Kenta stays still, listening.

“I’ve been… off these past few days because I got a call from my dad. He was asking if I had any money to send and I just said I lost my job so I couldn’t and the call ended.” She sniffles, pulling herself together. “It was small, that was about it, I didn’t think it would affect me this much. I didn’t want to bother you about it but it looks like I did anyway, huh?” She laughs humorlessly.

“It was not a bother.” Is all he says and Hana smiles, glad to have him here with her. She felt a weight lifted, tomorrow she would be back to normal.

Daichi arrived for breakfast, wanting to check on Hana's condition, and do his best to improve it in any way he could. He’s relieved to see her back to normal, she’s laughing and cooking, more relaxed than she had been in days. The house is filled with normal sounds or cooking, laughter, and light playful banter. It feels as if nothing ever happened.

Daichi just ends a story about a friend of his bench pressing a vending machine when Hana decides to casually bring up what happened, just so he could be in the loop too. “Sorry about the other day, I was just a bit off because my dad called asking for money. I said no so he hung up and that was it, not a big deal really.” She laughs lightly. “Sorry I overreacted to-”

She flinches and Kenta's eyes widen as the glass Daichi was holding shatters. Water spills down onto his clothes and he doesn’t seem to care. His playful expression was replaced with something dangerous. “He… did what?”

His voice is low, barely contained. “They call you…” His teeth are grit as he growls. “...after leaving you to work yourself all the way to death's doorstep…” His eyes blaze with fury. “...and they have the guts to ask for money?”

“Fathe-” Kenta tries but he is interrupted.

“They neglect an angel of a daughter and treat her like an ATM?” His voice cracks and he covers his face with his unhurt hand. He was not just pissed, but hurting for her.

“Sorry.” Daichi wipes his face and he’s smiling again. “That probably upset you, I shouldn’t have let that get to me.” He laughs. “You’re just part of the family so I worry and care for you, you know?”

Kenta doesn’t say anything but he understands his fathers rage, feeling the same himself but he keeps it down for Hana. He couldn’t fight who this rage was directed at anyway.

Hana nods and smiles. “Yeah… thank you.”

He then laughs loudly as usual. “Got any bandaids? I’m bleeding!”

Kenta cleans up the glass as Hana helps him get his hand bandaged. She was thankful to have people around her that cared for her so much now.

They fix the atmosphere by settling into normal conversation for the rest of the meal, Daichi pulling out ice cream from the freezer that he hid from Kenta. They all enjoy the sweet treat as they talk before ending the night with playing some games on the TV. Kenta and him try to beat each other as Hana watches and laughs, there really was nothing better than just spending time together.

When it comes time for Daichi to leave, he gives her a hug, making her feel like a kid again with his big frame. She waves as he goes and turns back to Kenta who looks at her. “I’m okay.” She says with a soft smile.

“It’s less loud in my head being here than back when I was by myself.”

“I promised not to leave you alone.” He states and she smiles, her heart fluttering that he remembered.

“Mm.” She hums her response and they go back inside for the night.

The next morning starts with Hana standing on a chair in the kitchen, reaching for her cup that Daichi put away in the wrong spot yesterday.

Kenta walks in and looks at her. “That is unsafe.”

Hana doesn’t turn. “It’s fine. I’m just getting a cup”

“You should step down, I’ll get it.” Kenta steps closer.

“I almost got-” as she leans forward the chair's balance is off and she begins to fall.

Kenta reacts immediately and catches her, she grabs onto his shoulders as he holds her waist and the two notice suddenly.

They are very close.

So close they can feel each other's breath, they both freeze. The room doesn’t but it feels like it tried.

Hana can see the slight shifts of emotion in his eyes as he attempts to register the close proximity that he was not ready for, the blush covering his face from ear to ear. She becomes overly aware of his hands on her waist and her own hands on his shoulders and she feels her heart pounding so loud she begins to worry if he can hear it.

“I told you.” Kenta says and he sets her down.

Hana lets go and straightens her clothes. “Yes! You uh- thank you.”

Kenta grabs the cup she was reaching for and hands it to her. “Here.”

She takes it carefully, like it might explode, knowing her face is flushed red. “Thanks.”

—-------

After an assignment, Hana convinces Kenta to go with her to a bookstore cafe she’s passed many times but hasn’t had the chance to stop into yet.

“It has books AND cake!” She grins, her eyes sparkling with interest.

“Those are typically unrelated categories, only together in recipe books.”

“Well they are together here too.” She pulls his sleeve until they enter, standing inside the warm little shop lined with shelves, looking around as music plays softly overhead. Sunlight filtered through the windows, catching floating dust in the air as people chatted softly, enjoying their baked goods and drinks. It was peaceful.

Hana looks at some books and picks up two, holding them up. “Which person would you trust more?”

“Neither.” Kenta states.

“One is a woman in a garden and the other is a man glaring in a turtleneck.”

“The woman has plants of different climates in the same place and the man is hostile.”

Hana laughs. “You judge really fast. Let’s try some of the food, there’s a table open over there.”

She looks to the table and when she looks back she realizes Kenta isn’t there anymore. She looks around and sees that he hasn’t wandered off to look at more books, he was standing several feet away perfectly still.

Hana’s smile faded. “Kenta?”

She asks and he doesn’t answer, his eyes were fixated on something past her, at the front of the store. She follows his line of sight and sees an older woman. Elegant in a sharp, expensive way like she was dissatisfied with everything and she expects better from all that is around her be it person or object. She looks around and her gaze passes Hana right to Kenta.

Hana felt it before anything was said. The air changed, Kenta took one step back and then another. His face went from stoic and calm to empty as if he was absent.

“Kenta?” Hana says again, softer this time.

He turned right away, not to her but to the back door of the cafe and walked away fast, going faster until he was gone. Hana stood frozen for a second before the panic kicked her forward, rushing after him into a narrow alley where deliveries were made. Kenta was there, one hand braced against the brick wall, breathing so carefully it was as if he had to manually remember each inhale and exhale.

Hana's brows draw together in worry, she’s never seen him like this before. His stance was rigid, his eyes unfocused and he was slightly trembling.

“Kenta…” She says carefully, reaching out to gently put her hand on his shoulder.

“I am fine.” He says more robotically than he has in a long time.

She steps closer to try and comfort him that he’s not alone. “You ran.”

“I changed position.”

“You fled.”

“I relocated.”

Hana stares at him. “You’re doing that thing again where you lie with vocabulary.”

He didn’t answer as footsteps clicked from the doorway behind them, measured and unhurried. The woman steps into the alley, placing a hand on her hip. “Kenta.”

He visibly flinched as the woman's eyes wandered over to Hana like she was a smudge on glass. “I was wondering what sort of distraction was causing you to do useless things like going to an arcade.”

“Excuse me?” Hana blinks, baffled by this woman's attitude.

“Kenta, come along now.”

He did not move, and Hana stepped between them without needing to think about it. “Hi, um, how about no?”

The woman finally speaks directly to her. “And you are?”

“Hana, and you?”

“Kenta’s mother.” The woman's eyes narrowed. “You’re just an employee aren’t you? You’re temporary.”

Hana laughs in disbelief. “Wow, rude and wrong in the same sentence.”

“Kenta.” Her voice sharpened. “We’re leaving.”

“I don’t think so.” Hana crosses her arms.

The woman looks amused, almost. “You misunderstand your place in this world, girl.”

“I understand that he-” she points back to kenta with her thumb. “Doesn’t want to go with you.”

“He doesn’t know what he wants.” She scoffs.

Hana feels anger boil in her chest. “That’s funny, because he knew what he wanted the second he saw you.”

The woman's lips curl into a frown. “You know nothing about this family.”

“I know enough.” Hana shrugs. “I know kind people don’t react like this to seeing someone if they haven’t done anything wrong.”

Hana feels Kenta lightly grab onto the back of her sleeve, he wasn’t pulling her, just holding on and she felt her heart squeeze. The woman saw it too and laughed, soft and without humor.

“So this is what happened.”

“No idea what that means but you can leave now.”

The woman glares. “Kenta, this childish rebellion has gone on long enough, your father poisoned you against me and now you hide behind a girl?”

Before Hana could respond a voice boomed into the alley.

“LADY IF YOU KEEP TALKING I’M GOING TO SHOVE YOUR DUMB SPARKLY PURSE IN YOUR MOUTH!” Daichi strode in like he’d been summoned, Hana texted him that they were going to stop by for some books and treats and he wanted to join even if it was late. It seems he spotted them on his way here.

He went directly between the two and his ex-wife, broad shoulders blocking the alley as if a wall had been placed, his usual grin replaced with a glare. “You are violating a restraining order.”

The woman rolls her eyes. “Oh Daichi, don’t be dramatic.”

“I don’t need to be, all I need is to make one call and you’re done.” He pulls out his phone, holding it up like a weapon.

She goes silent as they glare at one another before she finally sighs. “Pathetic.”

Daichi's jaw flexed as he grit his teeth. “Leave.”

She turned and walked back toward the street without another word, once her footsteps were gone the air felt like it was finally breathable again. Daichi immediately checks on his son. “Kenta?”

No response, Kenta was staring at nothing, still rigid and pale, still holding Hana's sleeve. Very carefully, Hana takes his hand, his fingers tightened once, then loosened. “I think the bookstore date is canceled.”

Daichi gasps, looking at her. “Date?”

“Read the room.” Hana hissed.

“Right, sorry.”

Kenta blinks a few times, running a hand over his face and through his hair like he just surfaced from being underwater. “I apologize… this disrupted your afternoon plans.”

Hana feels her throat tighten. “You idiot, that doesn’t matter.” She releases his hand to step forward and hug him, squeezing hard.

He froze again but differently this time, and after a moment he slowly, awkwardly lifted his own to rest them against her back.

Daichi sighs, ruffling his own hair. “God I hate my ex-wife.”

Hana laughed softly and they stood there for a moment, and for once, Kenta didn’t attempt to say that he was fine.

The days that led after the bookstore felt wrong, like the warmth that had slowly been built inside the office and home was suddenly harder to find. Kenta returned to work with a severity that Hana hasn’t seen since the day they met. He woke before sunrise, he ran further, worked longer, spoke less. All the times that were dedicated to breaks were gone, everything he did was so insanely efficient that it felt hostile.

Hana would invite him to eat and he would say later, but later never came. It was like someone boarded up the windows in their own home. Daichi knew that he would be needed so he decided to stay, he framed it lightly at first as if it was a long sleepover to play and eat more but Hana noticed that he took calls in the hallway with his voice lowered.

Something was wrong, and everyone knew it, except the person pretending otherwise.

One afternoon Hana was stirring curry with more aggression than the food deserved, Daichi sitting at the table with his phone in front as well as a notepad covered in names.

“He didn’t have breakfast.” Hana muttered.

“He had a protein bar.”

“That’s not a proper breakfast.”

“It is sufficient to him.”

Hana frowns and Daichi sighs, rubbing his face. “I’m trying to confirm how she got your location.”

Hana paused. “You think she followed us?”

“I think my boy is many things, careless isn’t one of them.”

Hana nods in agreement as she ladles curry into bowls for each of them. “So what do we do?”

“We wait for him to figure out again that he isn’t alone.”

Hana carried the tray into the office, Kenta was sitting at his desk, sleeves rolled neatly as his pen moved across the page. She looked over at him and he looked tired, like someone trying to outwork his nightmares.

“I brought dinner.”

“I am not hungry.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Hana smiles. “Because I made this so we could eat together while watching that fantasy movie you like.”

She doesn’t get a response but she sets the tray down anyway. “Kenta.”

“I am occupied.”

“With what?”

“Pending tasks.”

“You’ve been doing that for days.”

“They remain pending.”

Hana crosses her arms. “You can take a break for a few hours.”

“No.” The word was immediate, final.

Hana blinks in surprise then softens. “Kenta I’m not trying to control you, I’m worried.”

“I do not require worry, I said I am fine.” He finally looks up, his face calm, far too much so.

Hana crosses her arms. “Kenta, you’re not eating right, you’re barely sleeping, you haven’t-”

“Then do not monitor me.”

Hana’s lips parted to speak but then she pressed them back together, Kenta only realizing what he’s said after it’s already come out.

“Fine.” Hana’s voice shakes and she looks away quickly, but not too quick for him to not see the wetness in her eyes.

“Hana, I did not-”

“I’ll leave the food here.” She says, walking out in a hurried manner before the tears fully fell.

Kenta stood in the middle of the office, and a moment later Daichi filled the doorway. “You’re an idiot.”

Kenta doesn’t reply, his eyes looking at the floor in shame.

“She was trying to help you.”

“I know.”

“Then why didn’t you let her?”

He goes silent again.

Daichi sighs. “Your mother made you cry once too, you know. Even before your brother passed.” Kenta looks up to him and he speaks more softly. “You were little, maybe four and you dropped a glass. It broke and she scolded you for an hour like you ruined the family. I was running on so little sleep from work that I didn’t have much energy to stop her.” he laughs humorlessly. “Would have been five if I didn’t probably.”

Kenta looks back down, remembering the situation.

“You cried because you thought accidents made you bad and you’re doing it again.”

Kenta looks at his hands, a bit of ink on them from writing so much. “I do not know how to handle this correctly.”

Daichi puts one hand on Kenta's shoulder. “You don’t need to be correct, you just need to be honest.”

Hana sat on her bed, hugging her knees, telling herself that she wasn’t crying but she cried enough to prove otherwise. She hears a soft knock on the door, it’s Daichi.

“Hana, can I come in?”

She sniffs, wiping her face to look like less of a mess. “Yeah.”

He entered carrying two mugs of hot chocolate as a peace offering, he hands one to her and sits on the floor with a grunt.

“He’s an idiot.”

She laughs weakly. “I know.”

“He gets that from me.”

She laughs again. “I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing.”

Daichi looks into his mug, smiling sadly. “He’s scared, you know. Of needing you.”

She looks down quietly. “I just wanted to help, but he acted like I was trying to hurt him.”

“He was just raised wrong, kindness is dangerous to him.”

Hana frowns, her eyes filling again. “That’s… really unfair.”

“It is.”

They sit in silence for a bit, then Daichi's phone buzzes. He answers it and stands right away. “What?”

Hana’s pulse jumped. “What?”

Daichi looked at her. “She’s contacted someone connected to the old family property, I think she’s trying to find a place to live nearby.” He swallows hard. “That means she’s not done.”

Later that night Hana hears footsteps outside of her room but there is no knock. She goes to her door and opens it to see Kenta standing there with the untouched tray.

“I corrected the temperature.” He says quietly and she looks down seeing it steaming even though it should be long cold.

She then looks at him. “You’re pretty bad at apologies.”

“I am attempting one.”

She crosses her arms. “It was a bad thing to say, you hurt my feelings and made me cry.”

Kenta's expression tightened. “Yes, I apologize."

She lets him in and sits on her bed, patting beside her so that he can do the same. He does and they each take a bowl, eating in silence for a few bites.

Kenta speaks, looking into his curry. “When she appears… I become less functional. I try to prevent damage by focusing on work.”

“You’re causing it.”

“I know.” He says it so quietly that she almost missed it. “I don’t know of another method to handle it.”

“Then we’ll learn one.” Hana rests her head against his shoulder and the two sit in a comfortable silence.

Once morning comes, Dachi notices that they’re back to normal and he narrows his eyes. “What happened?”

“We sat and ate curry.” Hana responds.

Daichi leans close to Hana, whispering loudly. “How close did you sit?”

Hana stares at him. “Why are you like this?”

“Because life is short and I want it to be fun.” He grins.

Kenta spoke without turning from cooking. “If you continue, I will hide your phone charger.”

Daichi gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“I know where it is.”

Despite the lighter mood, the tension never left. Daichi continued with his calls and Kenta was still a bit inclined to work more than he used to. A few days passed like this, knowing that Kenta’s mother wanted to gain control over her son again.

One morning, Kenta entered from his morning run, towel around his neck, hair slightly damp. Hana stared for a second too long before looking away, her eyes snapping so fast she could have sprained something, which was a shame because after exercise he was offensively attractive.

Daichi saw everything, a smug grin on his face. “Good morning my shirtless son.”

Kenta blinked in confusion. “I am clothed.”

“You are spiritually shirtless.”

“That means nothing.”

Hana drinks from her glass of water, pretending she wasn’t there as they all head to the table for breakfast. Daichi chewed with the joy of a man watching his favorite movie as the two interacted, Hana hyper aware of everything.

“Hana, could you pass the syrup to the father of your future husband?”

She slams the bottle down in front of him so hard that it rattles the table. “Drink it.”

Kenta calmly eats his pancakes. “I do not understand the hostility.”

Hana sighs and they continue their meal like this, understanding after that Daichi was trying to uplift the mood before he had to leave to handle legal matters. He hugs them both before departing and the building felt a lot larger without his voice carrying through every room. Days pass like this until a stormy day where Hana emerges into the room with a stack of DVDs.

“Storm time means cozy time.”

“Those two things do not coincide.”

“They do in my world.”

“We share the same world.”

“Exactly.” She smiles.

Hana has him help build a nest on the couch, blankets, pillows, snacks, plushies. Kenta sat in a more natural way now which made Hana smile. Halfway through the movie thunder cracked loudly and the lights flickered out, darkness swallowing the room. Hana yelped as she felt Kenta move beside her.

Then the emergency generator powered on, she saw Kenta had risen, one arm instinctively in front of her. “Did you… protect me from thunder?”

He sits down, clearing his throat. “It was loud.”

Hana smiles as her heart does a stupid little dance.

“That’s kind of cute.” She pulls the blanket up over them higher before reaching under it to take his hand. She attempts to do this casually, as if it was normal and her pulse wasn’t trying to escape into the next dimension.

Kenta looks down, then to her. “You are holding my hand.”

“I noticed.”

“Why?”

She blushes slightly. “The storm…?”

“That’s not a real explanation.”

“Well it’s the one you’re getting.”

His hand was warm and after a long moment, his fingers closed around hers, gently as if he was testing if he was allowed.

After a bit, Hana asks. “Did you like the movie?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not what I meant to ask.”

“I know.”

She looks away, wondering if she can muster the courage to ask and Kenta watches her, deciding to answer the unsaid question anyway.

“The hand holding is not unpleasant.”

Hana laughed. “That was the least smooth sentence I’ve ever heard.”

“It was honest.”

“That, makes it smooth.” She says and he looks faintly troubled by this. “So if another storm happened…”

“I would not object.” He says and her heartbeat becomes so loud she worries someone may make a noise complaint.

Before she could respond, the office phone rings and the two jump like criminals caught stealing.

Kenta answered right away, his expression changed into a hardened way Hana now recognized. Controlled anger. Daichi enters, back from the legal issues, with a plate of fruit and his smile vanishes when he sees Kenta.

He then takes the phone. “Whos this?”

He slowly sets the place down which was cracked under the pressure of his grip. He ended the call and stood there, just breathing through his nose hard. “That woman…” He looks at Hana, his eyes sad. “She’s asking for you.”

“For me?”

Kenta steps forward right away. “No.”

Daichi held up his hand. “I know, she contacted an old family acquaintance, asking about the girl living with Kenta.”

Hana looks down, her brows furrowed together in frustration. “Why does she even care about me?”

Daichi's jaw clenched. “You matter to him.”

“She’s not to be involved.” Kenta spoke sharply.

“I know.” Daichi growls. “Tell HER that.” He then sighs. “She destroys everything that makes him less what she wants.”

They’re silent for a bit before Hana asks. “What now?”

Daichi runs a hand down his face. “Maybe I can expand the order, I’ll call my lawyer again.”

Kenta turned to leave but Hana caught his sleeve. “Don’t disappear into work again.”

He stops then turns back to her, not saying anything, just staying.

As Daichi leaves she looks up to Kenta. “I’m scared for you.”

“She cannot do much if I prepare.”

“That sounds like you’re trying to become a machine again.”

“It is effective.”

“It also hurts you.”

He looks away. “I am accustomed to that.”

Hana closed the space between them before she thought better of it, wrapping her arms around him in a strong hug. Kenta went rigid then slowly allowed his arms to wrap around her, lightly as if he was scared she might break if he held too tightly.

“You’re not dealing with her alone this time.” She says and Kenta nods, accepting her comfort for once without measuring it like he was only allowed a certain amount.

“She wants to hurt me by hurting people around me.” He says quietly.

“And you got used to that?”

He gives a small nod and Hana feels her throat tighten like she wants to cry. She pulls away slightly, resting her arms on his shoulder as she looks into his eyes. “Do you hate when your dad talks about your mom?”

“No.” That answer surprised her. “I don’t like how much he apologies for it, or how he feels guilty for abandoning me. He didn’t, mom just stopped letting me answer the phone when he called or reply to his letters.”

Her eyes go wide as he speaks about it like a normal person, his voice remained calm but she felt the strain underneath. She really, really hated his mom.

Daichi's calls lasted most of the afternoon, sometimes using two phones, at some point he shouts. “THEN WHAT EXACTLY DO I PAY YOU FOR?” followed by a calmer. “Sorry, not you.”

Kenta continues working as usual and Hana cooks in the kitchen, bringing in some bowls when she’s finished. “Pudding time.”

She puts a bowl right on top of his paperwork and he stares at it. “Why?”

“Stress makes people sad, pudding makes people less sad.”

“That is medically unverified.”

“Enjoy your treatment.” She smiles and begins to eat hers.

Kenta picks up the spoon, looking at the pudding. “You do not appear very worried.”

“I am.”

“You hide it well.”

She shrugged. “I’ve had practice.”

This made him look up and Hana regretted saying it immediately, he noticed. “What does that mean?”

She pokes at the pudding. “It means sometimes if no one helps, you learn that it’s pointless to waste energy being upset no matter how much you want to scream and cry.”

His gaze softens. “You should not have needed to learn that.”

She laughs lightly. “Well I did.”

He looks back down to his pudding. “I dislike that.”

The sincerity in his voice made her heart squeeze. “Good, that means your empathy software still works.”

“I do not have software.”

“Debatable.”

“I HAVE NEWS!” Daichi bursts in, hands proudly on his hips.

“What happened?”

“She can’t get here nor anywhere near either of you without consequences.”

Hana smiles. “That’s good.”

“It is.” His face darkens. “But that means she’s frustrated.”

Kenta’s jaw tightened and Daichi continued more carefully. “She’s trying to figure out your routines so she can catch you guys outside again with the excuse of not knowing you’d be that far from home.”

“I’ll alter-” Kenta starts but Hana stops him.

“No, if we let her control how we live then we’re just letting her win.”

Daichi smiles and crosses his arms, looking between the two. “Oh she’s good for you.”

Hana gives him a look. “No side commentary.”

He mimed zipping his mouth but he still wore a very smug smile.

“Kenta.” Hana looks up at him. “You moved, built this place and made a job that helps people and you changed my life. We can’t just live in fear thinking she might always be around.”

They wound up compromising, they didn’t change everything but they still went slightly different routes, hoping to show there was no guarantee they would be going a certain path when going to certain places. The next morning Hana and Kenta decided to go to the store together to get some groceries instead of their usual one. They were both stiff at first but the more normal everything felt, they gradually loosened up with each uneventful step.

Inside, Hana pushed a cart while Kenta selected items for their meals. “You look at some of those vegetables like they’ve insulted your family.”

“Quality matters.”

“You’ve looked at 12 tomatoes.”

“11 were weak.”

Hana laughs and they wander over to the shelf of snacks. “Kenta, look! Limited edition chocolate wafers.”

With no response, she turned, his eyes were out the front window, body rigid. Hana's smile fades and she looks, seeing across the street a parked car, and his mother standing beside it, watching the store.

Kenta’s face had gone pale. “Hana.” He said quietly. “We are leaving now.” He took her wrist, not rough, just immediate, and guided her toward the back. He moved with urgency, and Hana didn’t resist. She looked back once through the window to see that she was smiling, like she only wanted to know one thing and now, she knew it.

They moved through the back hallway, Kenta moving through it with a speed and swiftness of someone who had memorized escape routes in places he should never need to. Hana kept pace behind him, cart abandoned somewhere near the chips. A teenage employee blinked as they passed.

“Uh, staff only-”

“Emergency.” Hana said and the boy nodded, nobody will question fear when they see it. They exited into the alley behind the building and Kenta pulled her right down it. Sharp turns, side streets, a path they would never normally go but soon the office building came into view and they were back inside. Only then did Kenta let go, locking the door, checking it twice, then stood still with his hand on the knob.

“Kenta.” She speaks carefully, touching his arm.

He turns slightly. “That was her, she didn’t come in, she just watched.”

“Do you think she knew we’d be there?”

“Possibly.” His eyes darken. “If she sees something I care about, it stops being safe.”

Hana felt her heart squeeze. “And you think that means me.”

“I know it means you.” He says it like it is a fact, like gravity that cannot be resisted against.

Hana frowns. “I hate that. I hate that she taught you that.”

They jump when they hear the lock turn then see Daichi entering with some groceries despite insisting they were going to get some. He looks between the two and he slowly sets everything down. “What happened?”

“We saw her.”

“Where.”

“Store, near the burger joint.”

He closes his eyes and runs a hand down his face. “That woman… Did she speak to either of you, to anyone?”

They shook their heads and he pointed to the couch. “Alright, sit down.” The two of them obeyed as he paced the room thinking, angry but protective.

“She’s testing boundaries, seeing if you’ll run.” He looks at Kenta and his voice softens. “There is no shame in that.”

Kenta looked away. “There should be.”

“No.” The force in his answer was like a nail hit with a hammer.

He crouches in front of his son. “No… When you were a child, running was survival and your body remembers that. Don’t confuse that for weakness.”

Daichi stood and looked at Hana next. “And you, thank you for sticking by his side.”

“I wasn’t going to leave him alone.”

“I know.” Then he smiles smugly. “Because you love him.”

“HUH?!” Hana’s eyes shoot wide as he then points to his son.

“And he loves you a lot but it’s going to take him a while to figure it out.”

“Father.” Kenta says like it’s a statement.

“We are in crisis and truth is efficient!”

“That’s not how it works!” Hana runs a hand through her hair, trying to cool the blush on her face.

“Well it worked on his mother back when I was handsome.”

“You’re still handsome though.” Hana says like it’s a fact and Daichi gasps, placing a hand over his heart.

“Bless you, child.”

Kenta covers his face, and for a moment, the tension breaks.

As Daichi makes some more calls, Hana looks to Kenta. “You okay?”

“No.” He states, the honesty surprising her. “But I am better than before but I… am sorry.”

“For what?”

“You were frightened because of me.”

She steps closer. “I was frightened for you.”

He goes silent for a moment then starts again. “If she appears again… do not stand near me.”

She frowns immediately. “No.”

“She may target you.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.”

“Too bad.”

“Hana.”

“Kenta.”

They state at each other and very gently, she reaches for his hand, and he lets her take it. “If she appears again, I am not leaving your side.”

His fingers tighten around hers and he sighs. “You are difficult.”

“You like that.” She grins.

His eyes twinkle with amusement. “Yes.”

Her heart nearly exploded then from the hallway Daichi appears, grinning. “I heard that.”

“YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO!” Hana gasps and he hums happily.

“I hear love clearly!”

Kenta turns to escape and walks directly into the wall cabinet.

Hana giggles. “Did you just-?”

“No.”

“You did.”

“I reject your version of events.”

Hana laughs despite everything.

The next few days were uneasy, Kenta still worked a bit too much and Hana talked with Daichi a bit, learning she is patient when she wants control over something and she wanted to take back Kenta to prove she still had it. One morning Hana's phone rings with an unknown number, she was told not to answer any but she wonders if it might be a client.

“Kentas office.” She says cautiously.

She knew who it was right away as soon as they spoke. “Hana, correct?”

It was his mother, she didn't move. “Yes.”

“I would like to meet you.”

Hearing her talking, Daichi and Kenta enter the room, watching her as she speaks on the phone.

“I simply want to speak with the person my son has become so… attentive toward.”

Kenta steps forward but Hana puts a hand up. “Why contact me?”

“Because I didn’t expect anyone to manage to break down all of my hard work like that. It seems you’re keen on turning him into a lazy bum.”

“I won’t meet you.”

“You will, alone as well. I’m sure you would hate for me to create some misunderstandings to affect his… stability. Call me back when you’re ready.”

And like that the call ended. “What did she say?” Daichi asks right away.

“She wants to meet me. I didn’t agree.”

They all stay silent for a moment until Daichi speaks. “She’s moving faster than I expected. She thinks she can reach him through you.”

“So… what do we do?”

Daichi claps, once, loudly. “Time to ruin her plans!” The two blink at him and he grins. “Let’s get her!”

For the first time ever, all three of them begin on a plan to draw her out and catch her breaking the restraining order. They decided to let her meet Hana, but on their terms. Kenta was very unhappy about it.

“I’m not just bait, I’m a part of this company remember? I can handle things well.”

Kenta stares at her for a long time before nodding with a sigh. “Understood.”

Daichi exhales. “Good because I was about to lose my patience, this is the best way we can do this.”

Hana looks up at him with her brows furrowed. “That’s your calm voice?”

“It’s my restrained voice.”

“That’s terrifying.”

Daichi grins, his voice softening. “Thank you.”

After a few days of planning, Hana gets a text with a location and the message: You’re taking too long to decide, come alone, if I see anyone else this conversation ends permanently. Outside of the cafe, 2pm.

“Good thing we’ve been preparing.” Hana says as she shares it with the others. “Let’s review before tomorrow.”

Their plan had multiple layers, they lay out a map on the table. “I will be nearby, not in sight, a bit away. We got these paths here for if something happens.”

Kenta nods. “I will be closer, hidden here, I will track the situation by your souls.”

Hana points. “And here is where I will be, and she’ll think I am alone.”

They go over all of the emergency plans, paths and places to hide, etc. The second layer was timing, they managed to get the police to agree to come when they call, a bit delayed but ready.

That night Kenta is silent, looking out the window, Hana walks over to join him, not saying anything. After a bit he looks over to her. “If something happens…”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Not doing that, don’t pre-grieve me before anything happens.”

Kenta looks into her eyes to see they were strict, but also soft, just determined but absolute.

“Understood.”

The next morning arrived both too quickly and too slow at the same time. There was no dramatic weather like the movies, it was just a normal sunny day, it felt almost inappropriate. Hana adjusted her blazer a few extra times, and Daichi kept checking his watch. Kenta stood closer to Hana than he normally does, she looked back at him.

“You ready?”

“I am always ready.”

Before she leaves to where his mother asked her to go, he grabs her sleeve.

“Hana.” She turns, his voice quiet. “Return.” He says rather than asking.

She smiles gently. “I plan to.” She puts her hand on his. “And I don’t break promises.”

That made something in his expression settle, just slightly, like he’s been anchored into the present instead of the worries of the future.