Even If It Kills Me ¦ Kozume Kenma

Chapter One

Kozume Kenma is the only child of the Kozume family. He is the sole heir to the famous group. However, despite his status, he isn’t that special, really. He’s quite different, and is quick to be made the outcast of almost everywhere he goes. He’s very shy and timid, yet very intelligent among kids his age. He would rather stay inside his quiet home and play video games, than to go outside and socialize with people.

In other words, he can’t defend himself from most of the harm that comes his way. He usually has his personal body guard, and also his best friend, protect him from all things he didn’t like.

“I hear you’re meeting a new guest, Kenma,” Kuroo Tetsurou, Kenma’s body guard, mentions as they leisurely strolled around and about the mansion’s huge backyard garden. He glances at the shorter black haired male playing a game on his phone, waiting for the usual quiet and short response from him.

Kenma simply hums at the mention of the topic. “Father says we’ll be housing the guest for a long time,” he commented as he rapidly pushed buttons on the screen to beat his virtual opponent.

Tetsurou then places his hands behind his head, the usual posture he’d take when he’s casually walking alone or with Kenma. “I wonder how long is that,” He muses, mostly to himself, “She’s probably around your age, too. I saw her arriving this morning.”

The shorter among the two simply hums in return. Yet he knows that deep down he just deeply hopes that the girl is not a trouble to him at all.

“Ooh, here she is now.” Tetsurou halts a step earlier than his companion, eyes looking ahead to a figure not too far away from them.

And as Kenma follows a second later, he holds his device down. He’s been taught and scolded more times than he could count that he should at least put his handheld device down when meeting someone to not act too rude. And just as he looks, the figure ahead turns to face them, or him.

The female has her hair in a neat ponytail, a lovely dress that complimented her skin tone as her outfit, and an adoring smile on her face that could probably win the hearts of men if she wanted to. She slowly saunters to them, steps precise and quiet.

“She’s heading here. Should I leave?” Tetsurou asks Kenma just to make sure that he doesn’t leave his said friend uncomfortable with a guest at his very home.

Before Kenma could even utter a single syllable, he’s forced to stop and close his mouth shut as the female is now in front of them.

“Lovely day today, isn’t it?” She greeted with the same smile on her face, hands behind her back as she waited for Kenma’s reply.

She didn’t seem dangerous, or uncomfortable to be with. In a glance, there’s just something about her that Kenma is oddly okay with. So Kenma offers her a curt nod, though not able to bring himself to smile. “It is.” He makes quick eye contact with her, and brought his gaze downwards timidly. He felt neutral about her comment and just decided to go along with it.

“My name is [last name] [first name]. I will be staying here starting today, so your father told me to go here to introduce myself to you,” she says while curtsying a bow, holding the top layer of her dress.

“Kozume... Kenma,” hesitantly, he introduces himself. He felt a bit awkward, since he knows that she knows his name already. Even though he was taught to do this all the time, he can’t help but feel uneasy.

Tetsurou clears his throat, attracting [first name]’s attention to himself. “My name is Kuroo Tetsurou, Kenma’s body guard. Call me whichever name is easier, miss [last name],” he finds himself smiling thinly at the maiden in front of him, not wanting to catch her off guard with his usual cheeky like expressions.

“Nice to meet you, Kozume-kun, Tetsurou-kun,” she merely smiles at them yet again as she responded. “Please call me [first name], since we will be seeing each other every day now,” [first name] does not forget to tell the two.

“Will do, [name]-chan,” feeling comfortable and not threatened by her, Tetsurou’s usual smirk becomes present.

“That’s great!” [Name] cheers happily at her own accomplishment. She then looks around the area, as if checking if there was anyone else other than the three of them, but she sees no one in tow. “Mind if I join the two of you? I’d love to look around more,” she requests politely, her head tilted to the side.

Tetsurou doesn’t answer, only looking at his best friend for the answer. He doesn’t mind a new company, especially a girl’s company, now and then.

“.. Sure, [name].” He didn’t know why he had agreed for her to come with them. He would usually say a quick excuse to all girls his father would bring to him. But now he’s letting a stranger walk with him, which is something he has never done before.

As [name] positioned herself at Kenma’s other side, they all walked in utter silence. Kenma didn’t get to continue playing his game, not wanting to seem rude to his guest.

“So, [name]-chan,” Tetsurou eventually began, mentally cursing Kenma for the awkward silence between the three of them, “You just arrived this morning, right? What brings you here?” He questions her as polite as possible. He didn’t want to come off as demanding to her, so he’s holding back most of his manly habits to appeal to her.

She nods a yes at him. “My mother had recently passed away due to sickness that couldn’t be cured on time. She’s close friends with Kozume-kun’s father, and she had given him a letter that allowed me to be in his care as soon as she dies. And now, here I am,” she explains to them without delay.

Tetsurou gulps and mentally hits himself for the topic that made the atmosphere thicker with awkwardness. “I’m sorry for your loss, [name]. I hope you enjoy living here from now on,” he sincerely apologizes to her.

“Please don’t treat me nicely just because my mother died,” [name] says with a chuckle. “People die every day, so all I can do is accept it and move on.”

Her answer had shocked both males. It was almost like she wasn’t affected at all by her mother’s death, but they couldn’t exactly judge her. She must be hiding her sadness so that people will think she’s fine.

“Anyway, would it be fine if you two give me a tour?” Changing topics, [name] requests from them once again. “I want to know all the secret hide outs, all the entrances and exits!”

At her enthusiasm, Tetsurou couldn’t help but snort. “Sure. Kenma knows probably all secrets here more than me,” he says while nudging the quiet male at his side.

“Then lead the way, Kozume-kun!”