Daycare

✧14:Koushi✧

To say I was shocked was honestly an understatement. Really, I didn't even know if 'shocked' was even the right word to describe how I felt if there was even any real describable feeling.

Daichi's initial visible shock had died down. Clearly, he had no idea that she was just going to show up like that but he was still clearly uneasy.

After Tobio had unknowingly opened the door for her, she had boldly invited herself in. She attempted a conversation with Tobio but he was just as flabbergasted as Daichi and I were.

And that's how we got where we were now. Her, sternly standing in front of him and him just nervously fiddling with his fingers and staying notably quiet.

As bad as it might have sounded, I was sort of at ease knowing that Daichi was uncomfortable rather than happy or giddy. Throughout my time as a daycare teacher, I had learned some of the true secret intentions that some single parents had. Their slimy tactics of using their child as some kind of third-party wingman to get back with their old partner, but Daichi didn't seem to have those same intentions.

"So, I was wondering if I could take him for the weekend?", straight to the point.

Daichi stopped fiddling with his hands and brought them to his face, lightly pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his index finger as he let out a small sigh.

"And you've never heard of, I don't know, texting? You know, before just showing up on someone's doorstep."

His words were laced with venom, probably a little more than he had intended. But it didn't seem to really phase her, as she continued to calmly give Daichi a blank stare, almost as if she didn't even notice at all.

In fact, she smiled curtly.

"You'll live. I didn't expect you to have company."

She smiled again but this time she had it directed towards me. I attempted to smile back, simply just out of my instincts for mutual respect but the smile did not reach my eyes.

She took a breath before getting ready to talk again but Daichi cut her off. Once again attempting to explain to her that she was in the wrong but she once again dismissed Daichi completely, suddenly taking an odd amount of interest in me.

Probably just using me as a distraction tactic to defuse Daichi's hostility.

"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Kiyoko, and you are?"

I hesitated before quietly murmuring my name to her, not really wanting to make a conversation with her. But against my luck, she continued to make small talk while Daichi protectively shuffled towards me.

"Sorry for intruding! It looks like you guys were starting dinner, I feel kind of bad now." she chuckled lightly, tucking the loose hairs that had fallen from the bun holding up her hair behind her ears.

I had half the mind to break and offered her to stay and eat with us but I digressed before the thought had the time to materialize into words and I half-heartedly hoped that Daichi couldn't either.

Kiyoko had obviously noticed the tension in the room, I could see it on her face that she was trying her best to make all the right moves.

"You know, I could take Tobio for the weekend and you guys could have a date night," she suggested.

This took me by surprise.

She thought that Daichi and I were a thing. It was already kind of suspect that we were having dinner together alone and I guess it didn't really help that Daichi was standing so close to me to the point that we were basically breathing the same air but the fact she pointed it out. Daichi almost guarded me from the woman.