[English] ~𝒟𝒶𝓇ℯ 𝓉ℴ 𝒟𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓂~ Kenma x OC

Chapter 11: If I had wings, I would...

The menu looked simply fantastic. I didn't even know there were so many different types of onigiri until a few seconds ago. The selection was huge! I scanned the menu uncertainly, but still couldn't decide. There was simply too much to consider. I finally put the menu down to ask Kenma for advice. "What do you recommend?" Making decisions has never been my strong suit. Kenma gave me a knowing look. "How about chicken onigiri and or a fried rice ball?" I tilted my head thoughtfully. "Sounds good. I want to try as many as possible." Kenma leaned back. A smile appeared on his face. "Then you've come to the right place. Osamu-san never lets his customers leave on an empty or half-full stomach. Be prepared for something." 

As soon as he said that, Osamu came to our table. "That's right, Kenma. I remember when you practically had to be forced to eat something healthy during high school." It was the first time I saw Kenma blush a little. A hysterical giggle escaped my lips. This side of Kenma was new. I quickly slapped my hands over my mouth, which unfortunately didn't help. Osamu continued to talk cheerfully. "He immediately ahut his mouth when it came to eating vegetables. Kuroo-san had to force him every time to not eat melon slices only but something normal too." He beat his chest. "But then I got him to eat properly. Thank my onigiris."

My stomach hurt. Kenma's face had now returned to its normal color. He grinned cheerfully at me. "If I were you, I'd stop laughing, Kitten. I don't want you to die of shortness of breath." He pushed the jar of lemonade towards me. Still giggling, I tried to get my breathing under control. It took a few seconds before I could speak again. "Is what Osamu said true?" Kenma nodded. "My second year of high school was particularly bad. I practically lived on melon slices. It was an interesting phase of my life." I believed his word. I sat back and pouted. "I would have liked to see that. I wish I had met you sooner." Kenma's face suddenly became serious. I tilted my head, confused. "Did I say something wrong?" He shook his head. "No you have not." Osamu came with our food. "Here's your meal. Enjoy it." I reached for my chopsticks just when my phone vibrated. Annoyed, I put them back on the table. My expression hardened as I recognized the American phone number. "Sorry, I have to answer that." Kenma nodded.

-----

I paced around the narrow hallway.

"What do you mean, Mr. Jones?"

Paper rustled on the other side of the line.

"𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸, 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘁𝗼. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝟭𝟴. 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱."

I bit my lower lip nervously. This was impossible. I wouldn't let that happen.

"What if that's not possible? What if that's not an option?"

I knew my mother. Once I turned 18, there wouldn't be any money left for me. Dad's attorney sighed.

"Your mother is the only family member you have, right? In that case, we have to transfer the money to her."

I began to cry, but not because of the money. I felt helpless. What should I do? My mother should not receive benefits from my father's death after talking bad about him. Mr. Jones tried to comfort me.

"I will discuss this matter with my superiors. In the meantime, you should do some research about the family on your fathers side. There may be other relatives that can receive the money and estates for you."

I took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Mr. Jones."

I ended the call and wiped away my tears. Crap. This was bad.

-----

Kenma immediately noticed that something had happened. My face was probably completely red from crying. I picked up my chopsticks again in silence. "Is everything okay with you?" Worried, he put his cutlery aside. I just nodded. "Distract me...Please." These four words were enough. He didn't ask, but moved around the table and sat down next to me. He carefully took some salt from the salt shaker and spread it on the table. I watched, unsure, as he drew something into the salt. "Do you know the game If I Had Wings?" He looked into my eyes. I shook my head. Kenma pointed to my hand questioningly. I held it out to him. He took it carefully. "It's very simple. We ask each other what we would do if we had wings. The person with the best answer gets to paint something new that replaces the wings in the next question, for example something like: 'If I was a car...' or similar." Kenma put my hand on the table. "I'm starting. If I had wings I would travel all over the world." He looked at me. "Your turn." I munched on my rice ball indecisively. "Well... If I had wings, then... then..." My mind was blank. I lowered my head. "Take your time."

Kenma's presence had a strange effect on me. There was something healing about his calming manner. I took a shaky breath. "Then I would travel to my father in heaven and give him a big hug." At the same second I regretted my statement. I was close to tears again. But Kenma remained silent. He just smiled warmly at me. "That's definitely the better answer of the both of us." Words couldn't describe how grateful I was for him at that moment. Why was I allowed to meet such a fantastic man?

------

After we finished eating and paid, we went to the new internet café. Kenma had pre-ordered two computers, so we didn't have to wait long. Grinning, he handed me a pair of cat ear headphones. "Here, Kitten." The nickname still freaked me out. I decided that I would try to think of one for him too. We logged in and started playing together. The mood became more and more relaxed. I forgot my worries for a moment and focused on what was in front of me. A pleasant warmth spread within me. After two hours we signed off and left the small café.

"Thanks Kenma." Kenma tilted his head. "For what?" His cat-shaped eyes sparkled in the light of the setting sun. I shrugged my shoulders. "For everything, somehow. When I'm with you, I'm free." He pushed a strand of hair that had fallen out of his braid behind his ear. "You don't need to thank me for that. You just need to know that you can rely on me. That's all, okay?" My heart began to flutter. Kenma stretched out his arms and turned around before walking backwards. The warm light enveloped his body.  I watched the young man with a smile on my lips. He couldn't imagine what the sight of him was doing to me...