Chapter seven

Kono stood on the door step chewing her lip nervously, her feet shuffling and her palms becoming sweaty. She knew she owed her an apology and she knew it would be awkward and hypocritical of her but it had to be done. Kono albeit stubborn knew when to right her wrongs. She eventually brought her hand up to knock on the door, waiting anxiously for an answer.

"Kono?" Malia questioned in surprise, shocked to see the younger women on her door step.

"Hi Malia" Kono smiled awkwardly, her cheeks lightly flushed in embarrassment and her voice unsteady. "Can I come in?" Kono asked hoping she would get the door slammed in her face.

Malia's eye widened, embarrassed at her rudeness and lack of manners. "Of course" Malia smiled stepping aside to allow Kono in and shutting the door behind her.

"Can I get you a drink or…I have coco puffs" Malia rambled as she wandered to the kitchen, switching the kettle on before she received an answer.

Kono smiled a sad smile as she remembered how genuine Malia was. She thought back to the times when she would bring Kono coco puffs while she recovered after her accident always sneaking them in.

"I won't say no to coco puffs"

Malia grabbed two mugs and two plates, setting out the sugary treats despite how late it was and how bad an idea it probably was to drink coffee and eat sugar at such a time.

"I erm heard what happened…those bruises…"

"They look worse than they are"

"If you say so" Malia smirked as Kono frowned at the almost abrupt comment. "You were always stubborn, refusing to admit when your injuries were worse than you let on"

Kono's lips twitched into a small smile and took a seat at the dining room table while Malia brought over food and drinks before taking a seat herself.

Malia took a sip of coffee as she watched Kono trace her finger around the paper case of the cake peeling it off waiting for the younger woman to explain her visit.

"I erm came to apologize" Kono stated her voice wavering.

"What for?"

Kono picked at her cake and took a small bite before licking her finger clean. The air between them becoming thick and awkward as silence settled around.

"I heard you and Chin"

Malia sipped her coffee and waited for Kono to continue knowing there was more.

"Outside my room…at the hospital"

Realisation hit Malia and her eyes smiled at the young women in front of her. It meant something to Malia to know Kono had decided to come see her; she didn't even care about an apology.

"I'm sorry"

"Why are you apologising?" Kono asked in confusion.

"You should never have had to hear that"

"What, hear that my cousin lied to me for years and let me act the fool" Kono almost bit.

"He was protecting you"

"Like he protected you?"

Malia smiled a knowing smile and took a deep breath. She hated how Chin protected her because she could understand and be there for him, but she understood why Chin wouldn't tell Kono, not at that time anyway.

"He should never have tried to protect me; I could…should have been there by his side. I would have been there for him he left me feeling awful and lost but with you I get it."

"What's the difference, just because I'm younger?"

"No, because you were in the academy, you were trying to work your way up you needed to focus on attaining your career. The least you knew the better for your future. If you knew the truth between me and Chin you would have been mad at him and then that might have pushed you both apart but you both needed each other."

"I would have been there for him still if I knew the truth"

"Maybe"

"He should have told me" Kono sighed. "He normally tells me everything"

"Hmmm but you're always going to be his baby cousin and that means protecting you despite being a young woman."

"I shouldn't have believed…I knew you…I knew what sort of a person you were and how much you loved Chin and how much he loved you, I shouldn't have believed that you would leave him" She spoke, her words broken and her voice vulnerable.

Malia felt for the younger woman before her, knew her nature and knew that sitting and apologising for something that she was kept out of…she knew how hard it must be.

"I never thought about the possibility of Chin leaving you for your protection, I just assumed…he changed after….th way he acted, how he behaved…he never once corrected anyone. It's like when I found out that he took the blame for uncle, he takes everything on his shoulders."

"No one would have expected you to know the truth" Malia whispered softly.

"But I knew you and I knew your relationship with Chin" Kono sighed sadly her hair falling in front of her face as she looked to the half empty mug.

Malia reached across to take Kono's hand in hers rubbing a soothing circle across the top as she lifted Kono's face to look at her seeing the young surf champion she first met.

"You tried to call; you called me every day for a month after we split trying to get answers and trying to sort it"

Kono's eyes became watery but she held them at bay. "I'm surprised you didn't report me or something"

The women chuckled softly and Malia squeezed Kono's hand. "Maybe I should have answered your calls, explained and told you the truth."

"I guess you were protecting my opinion of Chin"

"I couldn't let you see him differently"

Kono's face filled with worry and concern, her eyes dark and sad, glassy with unshed tears. Malia frowned unable to believe the women in front of her was the once young and care free girl at high school. Malia thought there was something deeper going on in Kono's head, a concern that was consuming her.

"Kono is there something else bothering you?" Malia asked softly her voice soothing and trusting but desperate to ensure Kono was really okay.

"When I broke up with Ben I thought love was a lie, that it couldn't conquer anything but then you and Chin showed me that love was everything and then I met Adam…but if you and Chin…I thought you would be together forever…you were the it couple and I always wanted me and Adam to be the same, but you and Chin broke up…what if that happens to me and Adam"

"Oh Kono"

"But it could, what if it was too good to soon, we were so young when we got together and were married…"

"Exactly"

"What?"

"You and Adam married each other, that's the definition of love conquering all. Think of all the shit you go from us and people from school about dating him, no one thought it would work and everyone was intent on breaking you up but you stayed strong even with Adam studying on the main land, despite all that you married each other."

"Do you think Chin would have broken up with you if you had been married?"

"No" Malia stated firmly. "If we had been married we would have made a commitment, you don't break that up easily. We were just another couple it could be broken and there wouldn't have been any ties."

"He did what he thought was best" Kono whispered.

"I know doesn't mean it was right" Malia pointed out knowing that Chin' s intentions had been good but he needed to understand that no matter what they had faced, she would have been there for him.

"I hate to think what you went through" Kono sighed with guilt.

"I dealt with it, I had friends and family around me but it wasn't easy especially when people tell me "Oh you could do better anyway" or "We never liked that one"." Malia chuckled.

"I wish our family had been more supportive of Chin they all just left him and the sad thing is he didn't even do it"

"He had you"

"Mmmm"

"Don't ever doubt how amazing you have been to Chin, you stand by him through anything just look at this, you risked your whole career by supporting him but you didn't care."

Kono smiled a genuine smile and finished her coffee.

"Malia I really am sorry for everything"

"Kono…"

"No, I never should have doubted you and yes maybe Chin should have told me the truth but the other week, I never should have spoken to you how I did in front of everyone, it was disrespectful and out of line"

"Thank you…and I'm sorry for keeping the truth as well"

"Malia…"

"If it makes you feel better then your forgiven but you did try to fix things and don't blame you for standing by Chin, he needed someone. Of course it hurt when we stopped talking but I wasn't answering your calls I was just glad Chin had you."

Kono's eyes became glassy wants more and tears rolled gently down her face before Malia reached over and caught them, wiping her cheeks gently.

"Let's leave the apologies there" Malia smiled softly as Kono composed herself. "I'm really glad you came here, I missed you Kono"

"I missed you to"

"Right let's have a look at these bruises" Malia grinned as she cleared the table and grabbed a first aid box.

"Malia I'm fine I swear"

"I'm a doctor it's my instinct just let me check you over for peace of mind"

Kono rolled her eyes comically and joined Malia on the couch letting the older women check the bruises and cuts and flinching every now and then when Malia applied cream to some areas.

"Done"

Kono smirked at that and waited for Malia to put the box back.

"Is there anything else on your mind?" Malia asked gently noticing Kono's telling eyes.

"I think I've messed things up with Chin"

"Why?"

"He found out what I did when I saw you at the bar and he got really mad and we argued, then we didn't talk and then he found me at the place then I didn't see him at the hospital but I overheard you and I shouted at him and told him I didn't want to see him" Kono sighed tearfully.

"Look maybe you over reacted when you saw me but you were believing something else, Chin should have told you, you have a right to be upset but just talk to him, he's your cousin Kono and your best friend."

"I need to go see him" Kono smiled standing from the sofa.

Malia walked Kono to the door and hugged her tight. "Please don't lose contact again"

"I promise" Kono smiled before heading to Chin's despite the time, the coffee had kept her awake.

Chin went to turn the TV off and head to bed when a knock resounded at the door. He tensed on instinct and looked to see his gun on the table in its holster; he grabbed it and headed to the door, opening it with his gun ready.

"Kono?"

"I know you're pissed at me but do you really thinking shooting me is reasonable?" Kono asked mockingly as she pushed her way into Chin's house.

"I didn't know who it was, it's late"

"I know…I was with Malia"

"What!"

"We talked"

"Oh"

"I owed her an apology" Kono confessed with a small smile before taking a seat on the couch and Chin joining her.

"Oh" Chin swallowed his voice lower than before.

"You shouldn't have left her cuz…she would have stood by you and you shouldn't have lied to me."

"I know"

"I don't want us to fight" Kono mumbled.

"Me neither"

Kono smiled and shook her head at how silly everything was before hugging Chin tightly.

"Was Malia okay?"

"Yeah cuz…she misses you"

"I miss her"

"So fix it"

"Would she ever forgive me?"

"Of course she would Chin she loves you"

Chin smiled down at Kono and kept her under his arm as they sat in silence for a few minutes before Kono yawned as sleep finally started to hit her.

"Can I stay here tonight?" She asked softly.

"Of course want my bed, I'll take the couch"

"I'm fine on the couch cuz, just get me a blanket" Kono grinned as she lay down.

Chin returned and laid a blanket over Kono before turning the light of and heading to bed, taking a moment to look at a picture he had kept in the draw, a picture of Malia. A smile creped onto his face as he looked at it, he missed her desperately and knew he wanted to fix everything between them.