A Purr-fect Love Story (Haikyuu Fanfiction Series!!!)

13. Suspicions

Akane POV

Like any day, I walk to school with Aoi but although it feels a normal day. I've been troubled by my own thoughts this whole time.

I can't believe what happened yesterday actually happened. I just wanted to have a fun hangout with Kenma but I almost got hurt and made everyone worried.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kenma started figuring out that I couldn't hear. Kenma is very observant. I'm sure he noticed something was wrong with me when I didn't respond to him when he was calling me out.

I'm more surprised that he's been around me for a year already and hasn't gotten suspicious whatsoever. Yet knowing him, he probably did notice something but didn't say anything about it unless I tell him myself.

"Akane..." Aoi worryingly looks over and pats me on the head.

I look up and see my concerned brother trying to comfort me. "Aoi-nii..."

Aoi sign languages for me to tell him what's wrong and I bite the bottom of my lip.

Now I'm making my own brother worry about me.... I have to tell him.

I explain everything that happened that day to him and he takes it all in. Once I finish talking, Aoi sighs.

"Akane you can't hide it forever, you're with them everyday now that you're their manager. I know you feel insecure telling them, but I met all of them before and I can tell that they're all good people. If they figured out the truth and decided to treat you differently then that's their problem. You are you and I'm sure they know that," Aoi explains as I read his lips.

"I... I know they are good people but... even so that doesn't mean anything when they realize I'm deaf," I hesitantly answer.

I know they're good people yet once they hear the truth. They'll treat me differently... it won't be the same. They'll either get angry at me for lying to them this entire time or pity me for my situation just how many others have before.

I bite the bottom of my lip conflicted by my own thoughts. I know they need to know but I... I just don't have the guts to say anything.

Aoi puts his hands on my cheeks so that we're looking at each other face to face.

"Akane, they are good people. I know it and you do too," he states. "Especially Kenma... sometimes he's a little too close to you but I know that he's not the type to rush to judge someone. That's probably why you gotten so close to him," Aoi smiles.

That's true huh... my attachment to Kenma. Is it because I feel comfortable around him? Kenma... for all the times he's been around me, he never did intrude into my personal space but I always felt safe around him and I'm sure he felt a similar feeling of trust when he was around me. And yet—

"I can't tell him.... I lied to him," I admit ashamed.

If I tell him that I can't hear then he'll know that all the times I was listening on his earbuds for games, shows, videos, or music was just a lie. Kenma... I don't want him to hate me. Anyone but him.

"You felt anxious about it Akane. You can't blame yourself for that. Kenma is understanding. Trust me when I say you could trust him with your secret," Aoi says with a sincere smile. "The bond between the two of you is something precious that can't be destroyed from telling him the truth."