After a tiring week of training and the high from eating all that protein, everyone had begun to settle down. Majority of the teams have also started cleaning up. Kanna went to help the managers with the cleanup, while Kenma stayed seated in his place and resumed playing on his phone.
Once Kanna was far enough from hearing range, Kuroo, Akaashi and Bokuto approached Kenma. Kuroo being genuinely curious about his friend, Akaashi was just there to keep an eye on his Captain, but he was just as curious to know if he was right in his assumptions. Bokuto on the other hand was determined for answers and he was willing to do what he can to get them.
"So Kenma." Kuroo started once they were close enough. Having known Kenma the longest, he knew that he needed to approach the topic slowly or else Kenma'll just keep evading their question. Especially so when it's a question about him, he'll keep giving insignificant answers or asking irrelevant questions that by the time you're annoyed you would've forgotten all about what you wanted to ask him in the first place.
"Since when did the two of you become so close?" The other two stayed quiet, observing Kenma, intensely awaiting his answer.
Kenma looked up from his phone for a second to glance at the three of them. Still having his neutral face on, he questioned "What are you talking about?"
The trio looked at each other before Bokuto spoke. "You and Kanna."
"What about her?" He asked curtly as he returned to tapping on his phone.
"Ken—" Kuroo started, clearly seeing that Kenma was avoiding answering their question, when he was cut off.
"You can't get out of this Kozume. I saw you carrying her the other night." Akaashi blurted making Kenma glare at him.
"WHAT?!" yelled Bokuto, he was totally losing it.
"YOU WHAT?! YOU?! WHAT?!" Inquired Kuroo wide-eyed and pointing at him.
"They really won't let me play my games in peace, will they." With a sigh, Kenma pocketed his phone and started to explain as they all listened.
Kuroo's never been more surprised and confused in all his life. He'd noticed Kenma acting differently these past few days (which he hoped to be a good different), but now so was Bokuto. He'd never seen the Ace so quiet and deep in thought. After the silence that passed once Kenma finished explaining, Bokuto spoke.
"Has she told you?" Bokuto asked seriously, staring straight into his eyes. Meanwhile, Kuroo and Akaashi stood there looking at the exchange with equal parts confusion and intrigue.
Slightly uncomfortable with how intense his gaze was, Kenma averted his own.
"She did, didn't she." Bokuto stated firmly, as he continued to study Kenma's expressions.
Kenma glanced back at him and from the expression on his face he knew. He knew, that there was no doubt in Bokuto's mind that she did. This trait was probably what the Bokuto cousins had the most in common, as Kanna was the same. So he nodded in confirmation.
Bokuto sighed tiredly as he took a seat next to Kenma on the grass, scanning his eyes around the group and then stopping at his cousin.
"I'm assuming she told you the whole thing then." He closed his eyes and knitted his eyebrows before continuing.
"We will never know the whole truth of what happened, because she wouldn't speak about it. No matter what we tried, she just kept on refusing to tell anyone."
"Anyone but you." He finished, opening his eyes as he turned to face Kenma.
Kenma, Kuroo and Akaashi were not prepared for the depth of sadness that could be seen in the Ace's expression, shifting the air around them to a solemn mood.
Bokuto's expression then suddenly changed, allowing the atmosphere to take on a more serious tone, as he started.
"I don't know what you did, but I want to thank you." Bokuto gratefully said with a bow of his head, which stunned the three.
As he lifted his head, he asked. "Now I want to know what you plan to do from now on."
Kenma looked at him confused, along with the duo.
"I don't understa—" He started but was cut off by Bokuto.
"She obviously trusts you a great deal, and I'm not planning on taking that away from her. Especially after everything she's been through. So I want to know how you really feel. I want you to be completely honest with me Kenma, and I mean it." Bokuto declared as he leveled Kenma with an unwavering stare.
"Dude, I thought you'd be the one against this the most. I didn't think you'd be the one to directly and openly say that you're okay with agreeing to all this." Kuroo said confused.
"I don't. Not a 100%, no." He answered simply, but the confused expressions on their faces made him clarify himself.
"Look, all I'm saying is, if you're the person who can bring the light back in her eyes, then maybe I could consider it. But don't get me wrong. I won't hesitate to bring hell with me if you hurt her."
"So?" He questioned once again.
The three of them watched as it was Kenma's turn to look Kanna's way, with an unreadable expression.
"I don't really know.… I've never met someone quite like her before. There's a lot about her that I don't understand, which makes me all the more curious." Kenma quietly said.
"Curious? About what?" asked Akaashi.
Without averting his gaze from Kanna, Kenma answered.
"I'm curious about what goes through her mind when she makes that face. I want to know what she thinks about when she stares at the moon, as if it holds all the answers to, well everything. I wonder how she could care for someone so deeply, even if they've just met. I think about how something as simple as a passing breeze could easily bring a smile to her face. And how someone as strong as her, could be so restrained by something that was out of her control. There is nothing I desire more, than to witness the day she's finally freed from the shackles that bind her to her past."
His facial expression didn't change, but the trio could clearly see the multitude of swirling emotions in his eyes as he continued to watch Kanna from afar.
Suddenly, Kanna turned her head and made eye contact with Kenma. She smiled brightly at him before turning back to the conversation she was having. Unbeknownst to Kenma, it caused his body to relax and a small smile accompanied with a fond expression to bloom on his face.
This interaction though, didn't escape the watchful eyes of the three. They stood there astonished. They never even imagined that he would give them that kind of answer when Bokuto asked such a question, much less that little moment they both had.
"Man…" mumbled Kuroo.
"Kozume…" Akaashi whispered.
The three couldn't seem to wrap their heads around what just happened as they glanced between the two, studying them. There was silence for a few minutes before Bokuto broke it.
"I see." He vaguely said, seeming to come to an answer. As to what, the others would never know. His brain works in inexplicable ways after all.
"Well, we better go. The Karasuno lot will be leaving soon." He said as he stood up to see if anyone needed anymore help. The others followed after him, effectively ending the conversation.
Kenma didn't know what this conversation meant to them, and how it would impact his current relationship with Kanna. He understood where they were coming from, and he was perceptive enough to know what they were implying. But he stands by his answer of uncertainty. As only time will tell, if Kanna and him would ever be comfortable enough to pursue more than what they currently have.
Notes:
*As a commemoration of the story's fruitful year, I have decided to cross-posting it on other platforms. So this can now also be read in AO3 and Wattpad. A Huge Milestone for us!
*I owe everything to all of you. If it wasn't for you all, this story probably would've just been another draft in my folder. And now here I am, sharing it to others just because there was a community of people who responded well to it.
*I would also like to thank Kuroxi, SupremeOverlordLetters, hatdgalice, geniusgrrl, nmullen0135 and Mwayomi for favoriting and following; Ayumika1998, mathmagicalhien, Jumping-Jellyfishes and Siriusly Potter-tastic for favoriting, and INSECTgrl, wintermoon7, YueLuu, Lily Narcissa, ElizabethQuinn20 and Yuu-Chan14 for following after my last post.
Thank You All So Very Much❤️️