To become a mother doesn't always mean one had given birth to a baby, sometimes taking care of someone's child can also mean being a mother. Even after a few hours had passed, those words still linger in Kenma's mind. Because he thought how true that statement was.

He had pondered it himself before, what does it mean to be a parent. He had arrived at the same conclusion as well. And to think he would hear someone voice it out, when Kenma thought he couldn't have liked you more, he had to hear that statement coming from you. The words he had concluded way before.

When morning came, Kenma's mother left. Suki loves her grandmother and before whenever she would leave after visiting over, the girl would cry for hours and Kenma had given up trying to console her and just let her cry until she's exhausted enough that she'd fallen asleep. But now, as her grandmother left, Suki didn't cry.

"What's up with you?" Kenma asked, arms folded across his chest as he look at Suki. "You aren't crying."

"Daddy, why would I cry?" Suki imitated the way Kenma's arms are folded but instead of looking intimidating she just looks adorable, especially when her hair is styled in those pigtails. "Suki is a big girl now."

"Ah, I see," Kenma muttered, nodding his head. "If my memory serves right, I think you just cried a few days ago when I couldn't come with you to the family date."

"Daddy!" Suki unfolded her arms and pushed Kenma who's sitting on the couch back. It's not like she can push Kenma back that easily but Kenma just went along with it and his back hit the couch before the little girl started to hit his chest. "Daddy's so petty. So mean."

"Now you're hitting your dad," Kenma said but he sounded so nonchalant as he stare deadpanned at the ceiling. "Stop it Suki. You're hurting me. It hurts."

"Petty daddies deserve to be hit."

"Then do unappreciative daughters deserve to be hit too?"

"No," you suddenly said and Kenma was surprised to hear you as he lifted his head and looked at you. "Why would you hit Suki-chan?"

"Mommy!" Suki climbed down and run up to you as Kenma sat up.

"No, can't you see she was the one who was hitting me?"

"Mommy, daddy's so mean. He keeps teasing Suki because I cried."

Kenma watched as you bent down to get to the little girl's eye level and held her face, caressing her soft cheeks.

"It's alright to cry," you said.

"But Suki is a big girl now and big girls don't cry."

"No," you shook your head. "Big girls cry too. Mommy sometimes cries too."

"Mommy does?"

You nodded this time and gave the little girl a reassuring smile. "So it's alright to cry. Suppressing our emotions is something we shouldn't do. And after we cry, we feel better because the pain in our heart is let out through our eyes."

Suki tilted her head to the side before she blinked and looked at Kenma. "Then daddy cries too?"

"No," Kenma said and you looked at him. "It's been so long since I last cried."

"When did daddy last cry?"

"How old are you?" Kenma suddenly asked.

"Six?" Suki answered, though it's not that she's unsure of her age, she's unsure why Kenma suddenly asked.

"Six. That's how long had passed since the last time I cried."

You wonder why Kenma cried six years ago. Perhaps when Suki was born, and the tears of joy just overflowed and he cried. Or perhaps it was something else. Suddenly your conversation with Kenma's mother invaded your mind.

Kana, you thought. The name of Suki's birth mother. If she had passed on, you wonder if it's due to childbirth and the reason why six years ago was the last time when Kenma had last cried was because Kana died six years ago.

Your thoughts were briefly cut off when Kenma stood up and you straightened up as well. He took out his phone and dialled a number before he excused himself and went to his room. You looked at Suki when you felt her hand around your hand.

"Suki is sad after all," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. "Suki misses grandma already!"

---

A few days had passed since that eventful dinner you had with Kenma's mother. You had gone back to the same routine. You've been living with Kenma and Suki for a while now that your usual routine includes them.

Before long, another week had gone by and it's the weekend again. While you were in the kitchen with Suki, you noticed Kenma going to the front door and after a few moments he came back with a box and Suki saw it.

"Daddy what's that?" she asked, climbing down her chair and you followed after as Kenma sat on the couch and placed the box on the coffee table.

"Is that..." Suki started, looking at the box as Kenma started opening it. "My VR headset!"

Kenma took it out and you realized it's a red VR headset and there were a few stuff in the box as well. Suki run up to Kenma and took the headset as she admire it with eyes sparkling in eagerness.

"Daddy let's try it with the new game!"

"Sure," Kenma said, standing up as Suki run ahead to where you remembered was the arcade room while Kenma stopped in front of you. "Come on, Y/n."

"Mommy, daddy!" Suki yelled and Kenma walked past you and a second later you followed.

You did play VR games in arcades before, but that was back when you were still in college. You didn't have much time going to arcades when you were working so it's been a while since you last played VR games.

You sat on the couch and watched as Suki started playing. Her giggles and laughter made the arcade room warmer as the little girl span around. After she was done, she asked you to play as well and you took turns while Kenma play his own game.

You've lost count of time and how many times you and Suki have taken turns playing until it was your turn again. You didn't know if it was because you've worn the VR headset for a while now but you thought you would have already memorize the surroundings around you until you suddenly tripped.

You braced yourself for impact but instead you felt two strong arms around you and you landed on the couch, your fall cushioned. You didn't realized you had your eyes close until you felt the VR headset being taken off your head and you heard Kenma's voice.

"Y/n," he said.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Suki asked.

You opened your eyes and you saw how close you are to Kenma, his hand on your back to cushion the fall while his other hand is propped on the couch, his knee propped on the edge so he wouldn't fall. For a second, you thought you heard something. Until you recognized it's your heart beating against your chest.

"Mommy?"

"I-I'm fine," you muttered, gently pushing Kenma away as you sat up.

"I think she's tired, Suki let's go to bed," Kenma said, turning the game off as he placed the VR headset on the shelf.

Suki was able to fall asleep quite faster, perhaps because she was tired from playing. And once she had fallen asleep, you headed to the kitchen to drink a glass of cold water but you saw Kenma there drinking apple juice.

"You weren't hurt earlier?" he asked and you remembered the way you so embarrassingly fell while wearing the VR headset and your cheeks heat up.

"No," you said, shaking your head as you pour cold water in a glass and downed it, soothing your throat with the cold liquid. You were about to leave after that when Kenma spoke.

"I heard," he started and you stopped. "What you told mom about what it means to be a mother."

He stood up and walked towards you until he's standing right in front of you.

"I agree with what you said. And if Suki can be given a new mother, I hope it'd be you." He paused for a second before he continued. "Good night, Y/n."

He can't just go after saying that, you thought as you saw him turning around and starting to walk. You wonder if you'd pondered about it thoroughly or perhaps it was simply the spur of the moment that you said it so impulsively and you didn't think much about it until you've already said it out loud.

"...like you."

Those words left your lips and when you realized what you said, your eyes widen and you closed your lips, biting your tongur. You saw Kenma stopped and turned back to look at you.

"What?"

"Oh I said...Suki, she must have had a lot of fun playing that game with the new VR headset you bought for her." You walked past him before you stopped abruptly. "Good night, Kenma."

You didn't hear him say anything as you walk to your room and when you got there, as soon as the door closed, you leaned back and slid down. You buried your face between your knees and closed your eyes.

"Seriously Y/n, you can't just tell him you like him just like that."

Outside, Kenma stood there, still contemplating what you just said.

"Suki?" he muttered. "Like? I like you? Was that what she said?"

(Note: Suki can be a casual way of saying I like you in Japanese.)