Disclaimer: Koyasu-san owns them.
I am about to sip the last of my morning coffee when I happen to glance down at my watch. 8:45. It's going to happen in—
Five
Four
Three
Two
"Aaaaargh!"
One.
I don't even bother to look up from the newspaper that I am reading. If anyone bothers to look, a tick in my temple is the only indication that I even remotely reacted to the noise.
Two voices reach my ears a few minutes later. I decide to savor the last drops of my coffee for a few more minutes.
"No, really Omi I'm fine! I think my body's immune from falling down those stairs almost every single day. He-he."
"Oh Ken! Why don't you just take those steps one at a time that way you won't fall anymore."
I lower the paper just a trifle as I read the lines on the bottom page. Through my lowered lashes I see Ken glance at me as he leads Omi into the kitchen.
"Good morning Aya!" he calls out.
I merely grunt, totally absorbed with the name of a recently deceased person.
"Good morning Aya," Omi greets. "Oi Ken I don't think you should—"
Omi's warning is drowned out by Ken's second early morning accident.
"Owww!"
I put the paper down and pick up my cup intending to wash it. I glance up to see Ken holding his red hand under the rushing water. He must have tried to pick up the kettle without using the potholder—again.
Ken is such a klutz.
—— o ——
I try my best not to shout at the mass of girls jam packed in our shop. They are customers after all.
"Hey, Ken which flower do you think I should buy?"
I am losing a battle with my inner self.
"Ken! I bought these for you!"
I feel a growl coming on.
"Uhm…Aya…?
I try to focus on the girl in front of me. She is a customer. She will bring in money. I must—
"Ken, are you free tonight? Would you like to have dinner with me?"
I sharply look up and see water dripping from the table Ken is.
"Ken! Are you trying to drown that plant?!" I snarl as I make my way to where he is and try to rescue the poor plant.
"Ack!" Ken holds up the watering can he has been tipping over for the last few minutes. "Jeez! Sorry Aya!"
He tries to mop the table but ends up dragging a piece of cloth that is under several plants. Needless to say the plants will need new pots after we clean up this mess.
God! Ken can be so forgetful sometimes!
—— o ——
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
If he were not essential to the team I would have killed Youji Kudou several times over. I concentrate on my lunch to purge the violent thoughts out of my mind.
"And then you spilled dirt mixed with water on that girl's white dress!"
He doubles over with laughter again. I look at the object of his mirth. Ken's face is blotchy, whether from embarrassment or anger I am not sure. The red parts stand out like allergic spots on his face and neck. He combs his heavily calloused hand through his brown hair.
"Shut up Youji!" he whines. "I didn't mean to ruin her dress! I was just trying to clean up the mess I made and when I turned she was there! I tried to help her out but—"
"But our fearless leader must've stepped in and told you to just dump the dirt outside and let him handle the girl."
I turn back to my salad as Youji's eyes settle on me. I feel Ken's gaze also turn to my direction.
"So Aya, how did you handle that girl?"
Hmm…if I hurt Youji while Omi's at school and tell this bastard not to tell the kid, then maybe I can vent my violent inclinations without having a guilt trip from Omi. No. That will never happen. Youji will tell Omi just to get some perverse satisfaction of seeing the kid lecture me on being nice to my teammates.
"The girl was trying to buy some lilacs. I gave them for free just to shut her up. It worked."
Even without looking I know that they are both gaping at me. It's not everyday that I give something for free. Actually I've never given anything for free to any of our customers before.
Then again, if it meant that I would not hear that girl's voice asking for Ken's phone number one more time, then the sacrifice has been worth it. Wouldn't you be irritated when someone asks for your number when it is clearly printed on every damn brochure your shop hands out?
And Ken can't even get enough courage to tell that girl to just read the brochure or even the phone directory. The Koneko is listed under K.
I glance at my two companions. The blond is now shaking his head. The brunette's mouth is still hanging open.
Ken is such an idiot…and totally clueless too.
—— o ——
I close the door to my room as I head back to the flower shop. I turn around and come face to face with huge brown eyes plastered on a white nervous face. I put on Glare # 5 which can be translated as "What do you want? Hurry up and tell me before I slice you to bits."
"Uhm…Aya…I just…uhm…I just want to say…uuuhhh…"
"Spit it out Ken," I say as his voice falters.
"Uhm…Ijustwantedtothankyouforsavingmybuttawhileagoandsorryformakingsuchamesstoo!"
He turns around and hurries off before I can reply. I sigh before going on to my afternoon shift.
Ken is so rude!
—— o ——
As I walk towards my room after my shift I pass by Ken's open door. I involuntarily peer inside. I wonder how Ken manages to find anything in the mess called his room. I may be obsessed with cleanliness but at least that is better than not caring how dirty your surroundings get.
"Hey Aya, you gonna get ready for the mission?"
Speaking of the devil. No wait, that's Youji. Speaking of the mess-guy.
"Ken," my voice lowers menacingly as I turn to face him. He steps back just a bit.
"Y-y-yes Aya?"
He must be wondering what has set me off this time and ticking off everything he has done for the day which might merit my anger.
"When are you planning on cleaning your room?
He blinks at me. He must have been expecting me to say something else.
"Uhm…"
"How can you live in such a filth?"
He frowns and draws himself up.
"Hey, wait a minute!" he counters. "Just because your obsessive compulsive doesn't mean we all have to follow you! My room isn't filthy. It's just…"
"Dirty," I helpfully supply the word for him.
"No!" he shouts. "It's just lived-in!"
He stomps inside and bangs the door shut.
Ken is such a slob.
—— o ——
"We can't leave her there! Aya we have to go back!"
Omi is barely controlling Ken. I glare at Youji who opts to just watch in the sidelines.
"The mission has been accomplished," I reply coldly. "We have no reason to stay here. The police will arrive any moment now and we mustn't be seen."
Ken manages to free himself from Omi's clutches. I don't see the punch coming and reel from its impact.
"You bastard!" he roars at me. "She's just a child!"
I manage to regain my balance and stare at him.
"If you want to jeopardize our identity by saving one girl who was stupid enough to go where she wasn't supposed to, then by all means go. Save her. But don't think we will rescue you when the police get to you."
My voice has become a cold hiss at the end but he is undaunted. He glares at me then sprints back to the building we just left.
"Ken!"
I grab Omi's arm.
"Let him go," I say to him. "You and Youji go back to the shop."
"But—"
"C'mon kid," Youji steps in. "Just this once I agree with our cold S-O-B of a leader. We have to go. Now."
He drags Omi away into the darkness but not before giving me a small ironic salute. I watch until I know that they are truly gone before I turn back to the building.
Ken is a hindrance with his rashness and high-strung personality.
—— o ——
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Hey watch it!"
Ken winces as I purposely dab the antiseptic-filled cotton hard on his wounds.
"This is all your fault so bear with it," I grind out.
I fold my knees to a better kneeling position as I clean Ken's wounds. How I managed to get him to his bed without tripping on any of the objects on the floor will remain a mystery to me.
"I never asked you to go back after me," he grumbles. I push harder. "I think you made it quite clear that you thought I was a jackass for going back there for just one kid. Ow! You're doing that on purpose!"
"You—" I punctuate each word with a fierce jab of cotton on wound, "are important so someone had to go back for you. I didn't want to risk the others so I volunteered myself. Besides, I was your partner for this mission."
"Gee, thanks," he says sarcastically.
I frown and finish off the cleaning with a particularly nasty swipe over a large wound.
Ken howls in pain.
"Aya!"
I ignore him as I wrap his torso with some bandages. It is lucky that the scratches are not deep and the gunshot only grazed his torso.
He is silent as I pack the first aid kit. Hmm…we are running low on antiseptic and bandages. Better ask Omi to buy more tomorrow.
I give him a once over before getting up and walking to the door.
"Hey, Aya?"
I look back to see him get comfortable in his bed. His face is red and his smile is crooked.
"Thankyouverymuch," he mumbles before turning over so that I won't see his blush redden even more.
Ken is such a child.
—— o ——
Inside my room I slowly strip out of my trenchcoat and shirt before tending to my own wounds. I am too exhausted to take a bath so I just change my clothes and settle into bed. I pick up the newspaper that I was reading this morning and which I brought back up to my room before starting the morning shift. My eyes settle on an article that I missed reading. I scan it, my eyes getting heavy until the last line jumps out at me.
No one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I reflect on my entire Ken-watching day and one thought stays in my mind as I fall off to sleep. Despite everything…
Ken is perfect.