"Mom, I need to tell you something concerning Suki's biological father."
Those were the first thing Kenma said the moment his mother answered his call. He didn't say it in a roundabout way because there are times when he doesn't like dragging on things and would rather stick to the point.
Although Kenma did think about how his mother may take the sudden statement, and for a few seconds there was a still silence that linger at the other of the line that's starting to make Kenma worried. But before he can say anything, his mother spoke.
Her words were simple and clear, like Kenma's, she didn't say it in a roundabout way, albeit it was rather vague.
"I know," she said. "About her biological father."
"How?" Kenma asked, his mind trying to comprehend his mother's words and trying to make a sense out of it. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"
"No," she said, her voice low and almost above a whisper. "I didn't know the man personally, I haven't met him nor talked to him, I only know his name."
It was Kenma who knew the man, have met him and talked to him and he hasn't told his mother when she was the one who should know more than anyone else because Kana is her daughter and Kenma is just Kana's brother.
And Kenma thought, if there was someone who should feel betrayed, it should be his mother. And he still hasn't told her about the test.
Though the moment she uttered his name, Kenma doubt the result will make much of a difference.
"Aihara Mori,"
He suddenly leaned to the side, propping his hand on the counter just to support himself up. He knew the man might be Suki's biological father, there's a ninety percent chance of that being true. But Kenma is holding on to that small percentage that he might not be.
Though if he isn't, and there's some other man out there who might be Suki's biological father, Kenma would rather accept Aihara Mori as Suki's biological father. At least he knew the man, albeit not on a personal basis, but he knew him and has met his family.
"Was it a year ago," Keina's voice was what pulled Kenma out of that brief reverie as she spoke. "When I was cleaning our old apartment, I found a letter address to us. It was from your sister. It took me a while to muster up the courage to read the letter and there I saw his name."
"A letter?"
It was Kenma's first time hearing of such a letter from his sister. He had not the slightest idea, that all those times when his mother would come to visit for the last few months, she had been torn between telling Kenma all about it or keeping quiet.
Because that one name might be the rift in the otherwise clean glass of bond between Kenma and Suki, and she wanted to preserve that bond even just for a short while. She always carried the letter, it's always in her purse whenever she'd come to visit Kenma and Suki.
But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to take it out and give it to Kenma, because seeing Kenma and Suki together is more than enough. She thought to herself, things should stay this way. It's fine if she can carry that burden of knowing the man's name herself, she doesn't want her son to worry about it.
Yet, to think that fate will move its piece herself, having Kenma and that man meet, Keina knew fate is always one step ahead.
"When are you free? I'll come by to give the letter."
Kenma was silent for a few seconds, pondering about the question. Until he arrived at a conclusion as he opened his eyes and answered.
"This Saturday. The thing is, mom, I made an important decision." Kenma lowered his head before he continued. "I agreed to have a paternity test taken between Suki and Aihara Mori. The result will come out by then."
In contrast with the silence that linger around, this time the silence was cut short by Keina's short and simple answer.
"I see," she said. "I'll come by this Saturday," she continued before the call ended.
It was right after that conversation with his mother did Kenma tell you that his mom already knew about Suki's biological father. And before you can ask about it, he told you the rest of what entailed in their conversation.
"A letter," you muttered once Kenma had told you everything. "So she left a letter."
"That was very much like her," Kenma said and when you heard a light tone in his voice you looked at him to see that ghost of a smile lingering on his lips. "Kana liked writing, she kept a lot of journals. Why didn't I think about it?" Kenma chuckled lowly, but it wasn't a sound one would make out of happiness or joy, if anything it sounded sad.
"She might have left even a note about her daughter's biological father," he said before he realized something.
That even if Kenma had thought about it, about that possibility crossing his mind, he wouldn't even read through her journals. Because just like his mother, he doesn't want to know the fact that Suki's biological father is out there.
It was like living in a comfortable bubble that he doesn't want to destroy with just a simple prick of a thorn. He'd let the gust of wind softly lull it in the air, but even that wind can also be a reason for it to burst. Only it was just a matter of time.
Time, Kenma thought, always had an intricate way of messing with people, like fate. When one wants it to slow down, it will hasten its pace, and when one wants it to go fast, it will slow down. But time move in a fixed manner, neither slow nor fast and it never missed a second.
A week that Kenma hope would be as slow as possible had blurred by like passing by lamp posts and tall buildings while driving at a hundred kilometres per hour.
They had agreed to meet at Kenma's place, and it wasn't just Aihara Mori that would go but his wife and son as well. So when Kenma told Suki that there will be several guests coming over along with Hiro, she was really excited.
"I think she's excited to meet her first friend," you said when you got to the living room where Kenma is sitting on the couch. "She even chose her own dress."
"Wow really?" Kenma asked, his voice lace with sarcasm and he said it with a deadpanned expression. "I'm very excited too."
"Stop it," you said, shaking your head at Kenma who sighed a little bit heavily before he lowered his head, elbows propped on his knees and hands clasped together.
You lifted your hand and rubbed his back. "Kenma, I don't think this need to be said any further because you've heard this a few times. But regardless of the result, you're Suki's first dad. Not to mention, you've legally adopted her."
Just as you said that, a voice came. "Daddy!" Suki said as she run up to you two and Kenma lifted his head.
"See, you're the only one she calls daddy."
When the little girl got near the couch, Kenma looked at the dress she's wearing. It's a pink dress that Kenma remembered he brought for her a year ago during spring and Suki only wore it a few times since then.
"Did you grow taller? Or chubbier? That dress can hardly fit on you now."
"Daddy you meanie!" she said before she looked at you. "Mommy said I'm pretty though. Suki only believes mommy now because daddy always tell lies."
"I see I have lost my credibility," Kenma said lowly, leaning back on the couch before his phone vibrated and he looked at it to see that the guests have arrived.
"Is that Hiro-kun?" Suki asked, taking a peak on Kenma's phone before he stood up and headed to the door.
"Suki-chan, let's go," you said, taking Suki's hand as you followed behind Kenma.
He opened the door and you and Suki stood behind as she looked to the side to see the Aihara Family. Her eyes lit up when she saw Hiro and she waved her hand to him to which he returned with a wave as well.
"Good day, Mr. Kozume, Ms. Y/n," Aihara Mori said, inclining his head.
Beside him stood his wife who gave you a smile as you returned it with an incline of your head. Kenma opened the door wider and the three walked in and followed Kenma to the living room.
Before long, it's time to settle things once and for all. And things don't happen without a reason, whatever the reason is, it's for them to find out. And eventually, to accept as well.
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