✍🏻 Little Matchmaker

17 - Christmas Day

While she was preparing the Christmas feast, Akira was playing with Yuzuru his new Spiderman game on PlayStation. Yuzuru did come over a few times to ask if she would need any help but she always declined, having most of it prepared from the day prior and being more appreciative of him keeping company to her son.
He seemed relieved anytime she said that and it always made her giggle, contemplating if she should ask him to help her cook the next time he comes again. But she didn't. She wanted him to enjoy Christmas as well, still deeply grateful for how he took care of her last night.

The lunch was ready, the table prepared and the moment they said their 'itadakimasu' Akira began to devour the food so fast as if they just blew the whistle at a race.
Both adults chuckled seeing that and began to eat at a normal pace.

"So what do you think Santa got you, Aki?" Yuzuru asked with amusement and Akira almost choked on the food.

He pushed it down with some water and looked up at Sophie, giving her a worried look. She only laughed at his panic but he kept looking at her in all seriousness, switching to Spanish.

"Mum, we should tell him!"

She frowned, trying to keep a serious composure, and even though she continued talking to Akira in Spanish as well, she directed her gaze at confused Yuzuru.

"Well, Aki, if we tell him now, he might feel pretty embarrassed, you know. Being his age and all that."

"I know, but won't it be even worse if we leave it be and do nothing?!"

"Hmm," she took another bite, pretending to mull his question over and watched as Yuzuru began to shoot with his eyes from her to Akira and back to her, "you might be right, Aki. But if we tell him, we need to be really gentle about it."

"You think he will cry?!" he gasped and put down his chopsticks in worry.

"Who knows." Sophie frowned, feeling a little tear trying to make its way out from suppressing bursting out laughing. "You should tell him then, Aki. You are his close friend, I am sure he would rather hear it from you than from me."

Akira sternly nodded, accepting his difficult task with determination. "Alright. I will tell him after lunch. Before we open the presents."

"What's going on?!" Yuzuru finally exclaimed putting his chopsticks down as well and Akira gave him a sympathetic smile, patting his hand.

"There is something I need to tell you. But let's just eat first, okay?"

"What the hell?!" he looked genuinely worried and Sophie bit her lip, trying to stay out of the conversation. Akira didn't answer either and Yuzuru in the end reluctantly followed their lead and returned to the food.

He was eating so slowly as if to postpone what was supposed to come and Akira was getting increasingly impatient. They were both already finished while Yuzuru was still picking each grain of rice individually. She wondered if he was actually enjoying himself, seeing the silent torture he was imposing on both.
After a while, Akira huffed and took out his phone, loading one of his various games.
Sophie almost wanted to tell him off, but considering he was already finished with the food and she herself was looking for a way to kill the time, she let it be.

"WHAT??!!" He suddenly exclaimed and both she and Yuzuru jumped up in their seats. "How did you manage to do almost fifty levels in Candy Crush?!!" He directed his phone screen at Yuzuru, waving with it in front of his face.

"Um..."

"I was still two levels ahead of you yesterday afternoon!!"

"Um..." he finally put his chopsticks down, pushing the empty bowl away, "I had some extra time last night," he muttered with a nervous smile and got up. "So you wanted to discuss something important with me?"