Ch. 11 All's Well That Ends Well

The days after the incident Daichi left to handle more legal matters, wrapping up everything so they’d finally be free of her. This left Hana recovering under Kenta’s supervision.

“This soup is amazing.” Hana comments, enjoying the special treatment.

“It is acceptable.”

She points to it.” You cut the carrots into little flowers.”

He pauses, a slight blush on his cheeks. “That was accidental.”

“There is no way.”

They eat in silence for a bit before Hana spots his phone open on an article titled ‘Nutritional support for tissue recovery.’ This causes her to giggle softly. “What’s that?”

He flips his phone. “Unrelated.”

“It had diagrams.”

“I enjoy diagrams.”

She smiles. “Did you make a spreadsheet on how to take care of me?”

“I am caring in multiple formats.”

She rests her head on her palm. “That’s cute.”

Because she was supposed to rest, Hana spent more time on the couch, she read or played games and sometimes drifted off. She’d wake up with a blanket tucked around her, her phone charging and water nearby. He helped her change bandages since she couldn’t see it well enough in the mirror, at first she was embarrassed but less so as she realized he was so focused on giving proper care.

“Does it hurt?” He asks.

“No.”

“You winced.”

“Disinfectent stings.”

He softens. “Understood.”

Hana watches him. “You know, most people just say they’re worried.”

“I am worried.”

Her heart fluttered at the immediate answer. “Oh.”

He blinked. “Was that the correct answer?”

She laughs softly. “Yeah, very correct.”

After a few weeks Hana’s side hurt less, she moved easier and laughed louder. They got back to their usual life, but put off assignments for a while. One day the office had been suspiciously quiet, nobody stopping by, no bunch of work, just Kenta standing at his desk, holding a single sheet of paper with a very serious look.

Hana walks over to him. “You’ve been staring at that for ten minutes.”

“I am reviewing for errors.”

“It’s one page.”

“That does not eliminate the risk.”

“What is it?”

Kenta hands it to her with the solemnity of a man delivering legal notice and she takes it, looking down. The paper had times by the hour alongside events ‘Lunch, movie, walk, optional hand holding, dinner, return home’.

Hana giggles and looks up at him, then back down and up again. “Kenta.”

“Yes?”

“Is this you asking me out on a date?”

A faint blush can be seen in his cheeks. “Yes.”

She crumples instantly, bursting into laughter, he was just too cute sometimes.

Kenta worries. “Was formatting incorrect? I can revise it.”

“Don’t you dare revise it.” She laughs, holding the paper to her chest. “Yes.”

He blinks. “Yes?”

“Yes you idiot, I’ll go on the date.”

He smiles softly. “I see.”

“You’re blushing.”

He turns away. “I am not.”

“You are.”

“It is heat.”

“It is love.” She grins and he does not argue.

Lunch was at a small restaurant that Hana pointed out in passing months ago. She only realized it once they were seated.

“Wait… didn't I mention this place before?”

Kenta looks up from the menu. “Yes.”

“You remembered?”

“You said the lunch special looked appealing but we had a client to get to at the time.”

“You remember things in so much detail sometimes that it's scary.”

“It is useful.”

“Its pretty romantic.”

“That was not the adjective. I do not wish to ruin the outing.”

“Right.” She smiles. “It's cute though.”

He looks at the menu, mildly distressed. They enjoyed their meal.

The movie was a romantic comedy, one that she chose. It went without incident, spare their hands touching while both reaching for more popcorn, neither minded it.

They took a walk after the movie, the late afternoon sun turned the streets a warm golden color. Neither was in a hurry, Kenta walked a bit closer so their hands brushed each other. Kenta looked at his watch. “Optional handholding segment is now active.”

Hana bursts laughing. “Kenta!”

“It was planned.”

“You’re nuts.” She giggles, taking his hand herself. “There, now it’s mandatory.”

He looked at their joined hands with a small smile. “Understood.”

They kept walking but Kenta seemed a bit stiff, Hana laughed softly. “You can relax.”

“I am holding a high-value item.”

She giggles, a faint blush on her cheeks. “You shouldn’t call me an item.”

“I meant emotionally.”

“I don’t think that makes it any better.”

Dinner was quiet in the best way, warm lights, soft music, light conversation. At some point Hana begins to trace the rim of her glass with her finger. “So… that day outside the cafe.”

His gaze softens. “Yes?”

“You said you loved me.”

He nods. “Yes.”

“Did you say that just because I was in danger?”

“No.” He says without hesitation and she feels her face warming up.

“Then… when did you know?”

Kenta thinks for a moment. “When I began measuring time by your presence.” He pokes at his food a bit. “When you were absent, time stretched out longer, when you laughed it’s like time disappeared entirely. I couldn’t tolerate you getting hurt either.” He looks at her, a faint blush on his cheeks. “I concluded the feeling before understanding the word for it.”

Hana covers her face a bit. “You can’t just say that.” She was happy with his answer.

They walked home under streetlights, night air was cool and their shoulders occasionally touched. Halfway back, Hana stopped, stepping in front of him. “You’re still a bit weird.”

“I know.”

“You overplan and still talk a bit like a manual.”

“I do, I am trying to improve.”

She steps closer, her fingers caught lightly at the front of his shirt as he looks down at her with a faint blush at their close proximity. But this doesn’t stop him from gently resting his arms around her waist. “You don’t have to improve everything, you can malfunction a little.”

She smiles warmly and his gaze turns to mush, happy to have her here in his arms. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” She says before she kisses him, for a second he freezes in surprise, in the next he relaxes and kisses her back. Careful as if the moment could be broken.

When they part he laughs softly. “I’m starting to think I prefer to malfunction if it is like this.”

She feels her heart soar hearing him laugh, which makes her laugh too. “Me too.”

They kissed again, this time he was ready.

By the time they got home, Hana was smiling so much her cheeks were sore. As he unlocked the door she rocked slightly on her heels. “So…”

“So?”

“Are we dating now?”

“Yes.”

Hana laughs. “You sound like you approved a loan.”

“I can word it differently.”

“Please do.”

He looks directly at her with a smile. “I am your boyfriend now.”

Hana makes a strangled sound and covers her face.

“You can’t keep doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Being accidentally devastating to my heart.”

“It was intentional.”

She uncovers her face and laughs helpless, he was just too sweet. He opens the door for her and she walks in with a blush.

“Kenta?”

“Yes?”

“I’m your girlfriend now.”

He smiles warmly and she feels her heart skip a beat. “I know.”

In the morning, sunlight filled the building with long warm stripes across the floor. Hana was still half asleep when she smelled bacon and eggs. She yawns before shuffling into the kitchen wearing one of his shirts and soft shorts, rubbing one eye. He glances over with a soft smile. “Good morning.”

Hana leans in the doorway, holding her heart. “You attack me like this way too early.”

“I am preparing breakfast.”

“But the usage of smiles has sharply increased, I need time to adapt.” She giggles before she walks over, wrapping her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek between his shoulder blades.

“Pan.” He said calmly.

“I know.”

“It’s hot.”

“I know.”

“You are creating risk.”

“I am creating romance.”

“That does not follow OSHA regulations.”

She laughed into his back.

They invited Daichi and Tamaki over for dinner, this meant Kenta made a cleaning schedule but Hana scribbled over it. Now they were cleaning naturally, which Kenta argued was less efficient, but they were in no rush.

“You moved the dust to another shelf.”

“It will migrate to the floor that we’ll vacuum.”

“That is not proper cleaning protocol.”

She steps on her toes and kisses his cheek.

“That… That is a distraction.” He puts his hand up to where she kissed him.

“I know.” She grins.

By noon they were cooking together, which never quite went right. Hana liked improvising, Kenta liked measurements down to the gram.

“You cannot eyeball soy sauce.”

“My ancestors tell me when to stop.”

“I do not trust your ancestors.” He grabs the bottle in her hand and she grins at him, causing him to tilt his head in confusion.

“You wanna fight about it?”

“I want the food to taste good.”

She leans forward and kisses him quickly, pulling the bottle from his hand before pouring some into the fried rice.

“Dishonerable tactic.” He pouts and she laughs.

“Successful tactic.”

Later, while the rice cooked and soup simmered, Kenta was wiping the counter when Hana slid between him and the sink.

“There is no space here.”

“There was, I am in that space.”

She puts her arms around his neck and he leaves the towel on the counter, automatically placing his hands on her waist.

“Guests arrive in twenty three minutes.”

“You can take a small break, you accounted for a buffer in case something went wrong didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Then this won’t hurt.” She leans against him, placing a soft kiss on his lips. He holds her close as he kisses back, no longer hesitant now.

When they parted she smiled. “See? A small break doesn’t hurt. It improves morale.”

“I was already enjoying my time with you, morale can’t get much higher.”

She blushes and grabs the towel. “You’re unfairly smooth sometimes.” He smiles.

Dinner, as usual, was loud, warm, and slightly chaotic. Daichi ate several people’s fill, Tamaki took pictures for his social media and they all chatted and laughed.

Daichi points to Kenta. “You smile way more now.”

The smile that was on his face wiped to a neutral expression. “No I don’t.”

Hana leans over to kiss his cheek and he blushes, fighting a smile but in the end he couldn’t resist and they all laugh. It was relieving to see, and everyone was overjoyed how relaxed Kenta has become. Even if he still struggled sometimes, he loved them as dearly as they loved him.

Eventually they all leave, hugs go all around and Daichi thanks Hana, always thanking her now for all she’s done. It warmed her heart every time.

They cleaned up together with some music playing, he washed the dishes and she dried, sometimes their hips bumped and sometimes she did it on purpose.

Once he bumped back, she gasped. “Did you just initiate playfulness?”

“No.”

“You totally did.”

“I was rotating.”

As punishment for lying she bumps him extra hard, causing him to stumble, grabbing onto the counter for dear life with wide eyes. She laughs so hard that he does too.

Later they brushed their teeth side by side, Hana made silly faces, trying to distract him. He doesn’t react until he’s done brushing, then starts to tickle her sides.

“Wait!” She giggles, squirming away from him. “Wait! I’ll choke!”

He stops and she finishes brushing as well, as soon as the toothbrush is back in place she attacks him with tickles as well but he was better at it. Once more she was laughing until her stomach hurt.

When they got into bed, Hana slid under the blanket, immediately moving close, they decided to merge their rooms and this has become their routine.

Kenta turned off the lamp before settling beside her, she tucks herself against his chest and he wraps an arm around her automatically. Here they were warm, happy, and safe.

“Kenta?” She asks, her voice a soft whisper.

“Yes?”

“I think I know the answer but I want to ask, are you happy now?” She knew he was in flight or flight mode most of his life and wanted to confirm not just with her eyes, but with him that he was okay now.

“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate. “I am happy because I have you.”

She smiles. “Good.”

“Are you?” He asks, knowing she had a better time hiding when she was hurt.

“Yea.” She nods. “More than ever.”

He tilts her head to him, kissing her softly, tenderly. When they part he kisses her again on the cheek, then her forehead, then her other cheek.

“Goodnight Hana.”

She laughs softly. “Goodnight Kenta, I love you.”

“I love you too.” He smiles and they nestle closer, drifting off to sleep into the night.