Offline Connection (Kenma x Reader)

Chapter 11

It had been only a few months since Kenma and Y/N had confessed their feelings for each other, but to them, it felt like they'd been together forever. Life hadn't dramatically changed, but the small things - the fleeting glances, the subtle hand-holding, the way they navigated their day-to-day lives - were filled with a warmth neither of them had expected.

It was the beginning of the new school term, and spring was in the air. The cherry blossoms bloomed across the courtyard, painting the school in soft pink hues. Kenma, as usual, walked to school with Kuroo, but there was a noticeable difference in him. His console, which used to be permanently glued to his hands, now stayed in his bag more often. Instead, he'd walk with a distant smile on his face, his mind on Y/N.

"I can't believe it," Kuroo teased as they neared the gates. "Kenma Kozume, the guy who couldn't tear his eyes away from a game, is now... lovestruck. It's almost like a shoujo manga."

Kenma shot him a glare. "Shut up, Kuroo."

But it wasn't like Kuroo was wrong. Kenma had changed, and so had Y/N. The entire school seemed to notice, too. Y/N, still the "mom" of her classmates, had started to soften in ways that were only apparent to those who knew her well. She had always been kind and responsible, but now there was an added glow to her. Her friends often teased her about it, saying she was more "in love" than she wanted to admit.

Today, as Y/N stood at the entrance of the school waiting for Kenma, she couldn't help but smile to herself. She was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, a bit more nervous than usual. When Kenma finally appeared through the school gates with Kuroo by his side, she waved, her face lighting up instantly. Kenma waved back, and though his expression was calm, his heartbeat quickened the closer he got to her.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds," Kuroo said with a wink, heading off toward the gym. Kenma shot him a quick death glare, but Y/N giggled, unfazed.

The two of them fell into step together, walking down the familiar hallways toward their classes. The atmosphere between them was comfortable but charged with that new energy - the thrill of young love. They weren't overly affectionate in public, but the little things spoke volumes. The way Kenma would slow down his pace to match Y/N's, or the way she would glance at him from the corner of her eye, blushing when he caught her looking.

Later that afternoon, Kenma was in his usual spot in the gym during volleyball practice, but this time, his mind wasn't on the game. Instead, his thoughts kept drifting to Y/N. He couldn't help but smile to himself every time he thought about how she had blushed after his confession. The whole thing still felt surreal.

During a break, Kuroo nudged him. "Dude, you've been smiling like that for the last ten minutes. Thinking about Y/N?"

Kenma blushed, quickly wiping the grin off his face. "No. Focus on your spikes, Kuroo."

But the teasing never stopped, especially now that everyone knew about them. Lev, Yamamoto, and even Yaku had their fair share of playful jabs at Kenma's expense, but it never really bothered him. In fact, it amused him how invested everyone seemed to be.

Meanwhile, Y/N had finished her club activities early and found herself walking toward the gym. She peeked in through the windows and smiled when she saw Kenma. Even when he was playing volleyball, she could tell he was different now - more present, more engaged with the people around him. She leaned against the wall outside the gym, waiting for practice to end.

When the final whistle blew, Kenma spotted Y/N waiting and quickly packed up. As he walked out, Lev and Yamamoto were right on his tail, both with matching grins.

"Hey, Kenma! Don't forget to thank Y/N for turning you into a real human being!" Yamamoto called out, laughing.

"Yeah, and maybe you can teach her to play some video games!" Lev added.

Kenma rolled his eyes, shoving both of them away as they cackled, but when he reached Y/N, his expression softened.

"Hey," she greeted, smiling at him.

"Hey," he replied, his tone gentler than usual. "Ready to go?"

The two walked together, hand-in-hand this time, as the sun began to set. The streets were bathed in a warm, golden glow, and the cherry blossoms fluttered down like confetti. They didn't need to say much - the comfort between them spoke louder than words.

As they reached Y/N's house, they lingered at the gate, as they often did, not quite ready to say goodbye.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Y/N asked softly, looking up at him.

Kenma nodded, but before she could turn away, he squeezed her hand gently and leaned in, brushing a soft kiss against her cheek. Y/N froze, blushing furiously, but before she could react, Kenma smirked.

"Goodnight," he said, his voice teasing.

Y/N, still stunned, stammered a quick "Goodnight" before watching him walk away, her heart pounding in her chest.

As Kenma walked back home, he glanced up at the sky, feeling content. For someone who had always been more comfortable in the virtual world, real life was turning out to be pretty great.

And Y/N - she was his new favorite game, one he didn't mind playing for the long haul.

THE END❤️