✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Enchanted waters (Ken Sato x OC)✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

chapter 17

Another month had passed since Kenji and I rekindled our relationship. The pressure of balancing everything was still present, but Kenji had found his rhythm again, or at least he was trying to. Baseball practices, taking care of the baby kaiju, and managing the everyday chaos of life—it was a lot. But somehow, we made it work, supporting each other when one of us felt overwhelmed.

Kenji’s determination never faltered, though I could see how tired he was. Despite that, he pushed through, showing up for the baby kaiju and for me. He wasn’t one to complain much, but his body language gave him away. The slump in his shoulders, the way his jaw would tighten when things got particularly tough—it was always there, beneath the surface.

We had gotten into a routine. Every morning, we took turns handling the little kaiju’s needs—feeding, playing, cleaning up the mess it constantly made. It was as if we were parenting together, in the strangest sense. After that, Kenji would head out for practice while I stayed behind, taking care of things around the house. By evening, we'd regroup, either exhausted or in need of a quiet moment together to unwind. It wasn't perfect, but it worked.

That particular evening, Kenji came home from practice looking more worn out than usual. He dropped his bag by the door and collapsed onto the couch with a heavy sigh. I could tell from the way his shoulders sagged that he hadn’t had a good day.

I took a seat beside him, sinking into the couch as the quiet settled between us. For a moment, we both just sat there, the weight of the day hanging in the air. I closed my eyes, letting the silence wrap around us, when I felt Kenji’s gaze on me. It was intense, like he was searching for something but didn’t know what.

I turned towards him, catching his tired eyes. The suddenness of it startled him, and his body tensed for a second before he gave a soft, sheepish smile. His reaction made me giggle, the sound breaking the heavy silence that had been building between us.

Kenji's face softened, his shoulders relaxing a bit. He tilted his head slightly, motioning towards the baby kaiju’s room with a raised eyebrow, silently asking if the little one was finally asleep.

I nodded, giving him a small thumbs-up before gently closing my eyes and pretending to snore, adding a dramatic flair to show that the kaiju was out cold. Kenji chuckled at my little act, his lips curling into a real smile this time, one that reached his eyes.

He leaned back into the couch, letting out a sigh, the tension in his body easing slightly. Then, as if remembering something, he fidgeted for a moment before pulling something from his bag that was half-hidden on the floor. It was a small, wrapped object—clumsily done, but the effort was there. He held it out towards me, a hesitant look in his eyes.

I blinked, surprised, then pointed to myself, mouthing the word, Me?

Kenji nodded, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, it's for you," he murmured, his voice low and uncertain, as if he wasn’t sure how I’d react. “I wanted to give you something… since, you know… last time?”

Last time?… Oh, he's talking about our little rekindling session that happened a month ago, I thought, carefully taking the wrapped gift out of his large hands. I happily examined its exterior before placing it down in front of me and taking out my little notepad, scribbling away.

Thank you. =>

He glanced at the note, smirking slightly as he cocked his head, gesturing towards the gift. “Come on, don't just thank me yet, open it.”

I slowly glanced down at the gift, placing my notepad aside as I quickly unraveled the wrapping, revealing a golden-colored box with my name on it. A heartfelt smile crept onto my face as I shifted the lid off slowly. Inside, nestled on a soft cushion, lay a pair of sun-shaped earrings. They glistened beautifully under the light, the green-colored gems refracting their glow onto my hands.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the first gift I had ever received from someone. Stunned by its beauty, I looked up at Kenji, who seemed perplexed as the tears fell one by one.

“Hey, why are you crying? Do you not like—ugh…” He was interrupted when I suddenly leaped forward, enveloping him in a warm hug, causing him to fall back onto the sofa.

Kenji's confusion deepened as I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face into his chest. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do, his hands hovering awkwardly before he gently lowered them, returning the hug with a hesitant but tender embrace.

"Whoa, okay, okay," he murmured softly, his voice a mix of surprise and amusement. "I wasn’t expecting that reaction…"

I could feel his heart beating rapidly beneath my cheek, the warmth of his body grounding me as I held onto him. The tears were still spilling from my eyes, but they weren’t from sadness. It was something else—a wave of gratitude and emotion I couldn’t put into words.

Kenji shifted beneath me, trying to sit up without breaking the hug entirely. "You really liked them, huh?" he asked, his voice softening as he realized how much the gift had meant to me.

I pulled away slightly, just enough to see his face. His expression was still a little confused but also tender, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. I nodded quickly, blinking away the last of my tears as I grabbed the notepad again, scribbling out a new message.

Yeah, it’s my first gift from a human, you.

Kenji glanced at the note and let out a quiet laugh, rubbing the back of his neck, this time with a hint of embarrassment. "Then I’m really glad that I'm your first, and that you liked them," he said, his voice low but filled with sincerity. "I didn’t know if I was picking out the right thing… I just thought they’d suit you."

I stared at him for a moment, my heart swelling with emotion I couldn’t fully explain. The fact that he had thought about me, had chosen something so beautiful and personal, meant more than he could ever know. I picked up the earrings and held them close, admiring the way the green gems caught the light again before gently placing them back in the box.

Kenji watched me carefully, his eyes searching mine as if he were trying to understand everything I couldn’t say out loud. He reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek to catch one last tear before it fell. His touch was soft, almost hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if it was okay.

I want to repay him for this. For thinking of me, for being kind… An idea sparked in my mind. I reached for the notepad, scribbling something down quickly.

You know, Mina once told me that there’s a culture where, when someone gives a gift from the heart without expectations, you give a gesture of thanks in return. It’s a small way of showing appreciation. You can say it’s my gift to you for now.

Kenji read the note, his brow furrowing slightly. His lips parted as if he was going to protest, but I quickly pressed a finger to his mouth, shushing him before he could speak.

But I want to… so could you please close your eyes for me? I mouthed, nodding for him to follow.

He let out a soft sigh but complied, slowly closing his eyes. I hesitated, my heart racing as I considered what to do next. I was supposed to kiss him on the cheek, right? But… wait, was it the cheek or the lips? Oh no, what was the custom again? My mind raced as I glanced at Kenji’s face.

Not wanting to overthink it, I gently cupped the side of his face, leaned in, and without really thinking, pressed my lips to his.

Kenji froze. My eyes shot open, realization dawning on me just a second too late.

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates, school as officially started back for me so....yeah. Anyways don't forget to comment and vote as it keeps me motivated.