Chapter 23

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It was Saturday morning when Kenma decided to call Kuroo. This time it was Kenma who prompted to go out.




"Kuroo, let's have coffee."




A few seconds of silence was what answered Kenma and on instinct, he put the phone far from his ear as he heard Kuroo yelled.




"Kyanma!"




Kenma absolutely hated loud noise in the morning, an alarm is too much and he doesn't usually set one anyways because he doesn't feel the need to. It's a different story hearing Kuroo yell from the other end of the line like that.




Kenma made sure to hold the phone at arm's length and he still heard Kuroo's voice yelling over.




"Never mind, I can just go there by myself."


"Wait! I'm going with you."




Kenma sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up the ceiling before he spoke. "Let's go at the cafΓ© where Y/n's working."




After that the call ended. He hadn't seen you for a while and Kenma just felt like going to the cafΓ© today. No particular reason, he thought, just because. It's just that simple, he doesn't really need a reason to see you now anyways, since he has a feeling he'll be seeing you often from now.




Half an hour later, as Kenma drove to the cafΓ©, he received a message from Kuroo five minutes ago saying he's already there and that Kenma has to come quick. He doesn't really get the urgency, to Kenma, Kuroo might have been just excited to have coffee with his friend during the weekend. Kuroo is like that sometimes anyways.




After a while Kenma heard his phone ringing and he put the call on speaker.




"Where are you, Kenma?" Kuroo asked and Kenma fought the urge to roll his eyes as he slowed down when he saw the familiar building.




"I'm almost there."




"Well, better hurry."




"Kuro, are you really that excited to drink coffee? At this rate you might end up palpitating if you chug the coffee down too fast."




Kenma ended the call as he parked outside the cafΓ© and unbuckled his seatbelt. He stepped outside and walked up to the entrance.




The first thing Kenma saw wasn't Kuroo.




Considering his jet black hair and that infamous hairstyle of his, it would be hard not to notice Kuroo in public.




But Kenma just happened to noticed someone else first.




You, who stood in the same spot as before wearing the same outfit as before and that cat ears. Kenma realized just why Kuroo wanted him to hurry up.




"Good morning, welcome to our cafe," you said, greeting Kenma good morning who in turn gave you a hint of a smile before he headed to Kuroo's table.




You felt uncomfortable enough as it is and not to mention, your senpai wasn't here. When she said she was going on a date, you thought it would be around afternoon so she can still take her shift even if it's half. But she didn't even come to work the whole day.




Although there are two more persons working here as part-timer, you weren't really that close to them as much as you are with your senpai. Besides, the part-timer working her shift today is new and she's only a freshman in College.




"Seriously, why do those two have to be here today of all days?" you muttered as you sighed heavily.




When Kenma sat across Kuroo, he realized he already ordered two cups of coffee and a plate of apple pie for Kenma.




"So," Kuroo started as he took a sip of his coffee. "What's the occasion today?"




"Huh?"




"It's so rare of you to be the one who would invite someone out for a coffee." It's true, most of the time it would have been Kuroo who would invite Kenma out, the latter isn't really fond of going to any public places except for arcades.




"To celebrate a successful deal, I guess?" Kenma said, shrugging his shoulders as he started to eat the apple pie.




"Oh, a deal. So you're planning to become a broker now eh? On top of being one of the youngest successful stock trader in Tokyo."




"Broker?" Kenma asked, his eyebrows furrowing. If anything he wouldn't even call him that.




"I'm not," Kenma said. "I only provided a suggestion, a mere kind offer to someone. That way, the person who gets the benefits will be more willing to give something in return."




"Big brain Kyanma."




Kenma didn't say anything as he ignored Kuroo's remark and continued eating the apple pie. After a while Kenma noticed that the cafΓ© is more crowded than usual. But then again, Kenma would often go during the night so there aren't much people, not to mention it's also weekend so of course there would be more people going out to cafes.




But Kenma couldn't help but think about that.




About whether the fact that there are more people inside was because of a certain girl wearing that outfit and cat ears.




And speaking of whom, Kenma noticed you walking up to their table with a plate of food in hand.




"Here's your free omurice." You put the plate of omelette rice on their table.




"Is this for free?" Kuroo asked and you nodded.




"What word do you want written on your omurice?" you asked, waiting for either of them to speak.




You thought Kuroo would be the one to say something but Kenma spoke first.




"Any word?" he asked and when you looked at him you suddenly felt a bad feeling. "Hmm, let's see. How about..."




He trailed off and you really have an unpleasant feeling now.




While Kuroo was sipping his coffee, Kenma decided to say that word.




"Kiska,"




Kuroo almost choke on his coffee as he put the mug down and coughed a few times.




"Kenma," he said but Kenma isn't looking at him.




"If you can't write it in Russian, you can write it in English. If you want I can even spell it out forβ€”"




"I'm writing it now," you said, cutting him off as you started to put the sauce atop the omurice, spelling out the word yourself.




You are aware of a pair of eyes on you and you can feel your face starting to heat up. By the time you were done putting the sauce you quickly straightened up and left.




Kenma watch your retreating figure before he turned back just in time to see Kuroo looking at him.




"What?" Kenma asked.




"You really don't know what it means?" Kuroo asked back, his eyes squinting suspiciously.




"It means..." Kenma trailed off as he took the plate and looked at the word atop the omurice. "Kitten, isn't it? Look, Y/n even put a cat doodle."




Kuroo looked down on the plate of omurice and saw the cat doodle at the end of the word before he frowned. "Wait, how did Y/n know what it meant?"




Kenma stopped for a second, he only just realized it now that Kuroo mentioned it. Kuroo wouldn't know it was Kenma who taught you that word.




"Lev's sister might have told her too," Kenma said. "Let's eat this before it gets cold."




Kuroo took his portion and put it on his own plate. They ate in silence afterwards. But the silence didn't last when Kenma spoke. They were almost done with their food anyways.




"I've been thinking of moving out," he said.




"Where?"




"Around Roppongi District."




"I remember telling you that a while back but you insisted on moving in to that old house."




Kenma did remember that. But that time, he just wanted to live somewhere peace and quiet. Roppongi District is too crowded for him, too loud and noisy.




"So, what gives?"




"Nothing in particular," Kenma answered with a shrug.




"Have you started making arrangements? If you haven't, I can recommend you to some apartment complex around the district."




"It's fine, I'm almost done with everything anyways."




Kuroo nodded his head. Although he's still unsure why all of a sudden, when Kuroo already suggested that to Kenma long ago, he wonder what brought about the sudden change. But then Kuroo decided not to pry too much about it, it's his personal life after all.




"And I was also planning to adopt a pet," Kenma suddenly said.




"A pet? Like a puppy?"




Kenma's gaze averted up to where you stood, greeting new customers who come in, before he looked back at Kuroo.




"A kitten."




Kuroo doesn't look surprise when he heard that. "You do love cats. I prefer dogs more though."




"Cats aren't really needy unless they're in heat. They'll hiss and scratch at people they don't like and they'll rub and purr at people they like. They aren't typically affectionate and wouldn't care about anything else, but when they like someone, they want that person to pet them all the time."




"Kenma..." Kuroo started, his eyes squinting suspiciously again as he folded his arms and leaned close. "Tell me the truth, are you secretly studying Veterinary Science or something?"




"No," Kenma said. "I just observe cats when I see one."




Kenma's golden hues found you again, this time he didn't look away until you looked at him and when you did, you saw that hint of a smile that's almost close to a smirk.




Soon after that, the two left and hours blurred by.




Yet somehow you felt like hours are longer today, maybe because your co-worker isn't here. You couldn't help but think about what she must have been doing now.




"Probably eating at a fancy diner," you said when you looked out and saw the surrounding has darkened.




You were about to walk back to the locker room to change when the girl working as a part-timer came.




"Ummm...senpai, the manager asked me to tell you to go to the office."




"Alright, I'll just change."




"But the manager said it wouldn't take long so you can go to the office before changing," she said before she bowed her head. "But of course I'm not ordering you around senpai. He just told me that in case you said you'll just change."




"Seriously, that man," you said as you shook your head. "Alright, I'm heading there now."




"Senpai," she said before you can even take a step. "Someone gave this to me earlier and told me you can wear it if you feel uncomfortable with that outfit. But I really forgot to give it to you."




"It's fine," you said, patting her head. "We were quite busy earlier and there are a lot of customers. By the way, who gave this to you?"




"He didn't say his name," she said slowly. "Ah but I didn't ask! I should have asked his name, I'm really sorry."




"It's fine," you said with a smile. "Thanks," The girl nodded and smiled back at you before she left.




You took the jacket and wore it, at least it made you less cold, and headed to the office.




"That man really gets in my nerves," you said before knocking on the door and opening it as you got inside.




When you got in, the person you first noticed was a man sitting on the couch. He looks around his late 50s to early 60s. You recognized him as the owner of the coffee shop as well as this building.




When you looked to the side you saw the manager.




"Good evening," you greeted.




"Y/n, why are you wearing that?" he asked and he looks a little frustrated.




"What? This jacket? I'm about to go home anyways," you said.




Suddenly you heard the man cleared his throat and you and the manager looked at him.




"Is that her?" he asked and you frowned. "I thought she might be a little older."




Your frown deepened and you suddenly felt a really, really bad feeling. You never really know the owner of the cafΓ©, you only saw him twice before and you knew there's something in the way he usually looks at your co-worker.




"About that..." the manager said. "The other one asked for a day-off."




You suddenly felt hands on your shoulders, your manager ushering you to sit on the couch and you found yourself sitting beside the man.




"I'll come back later," the manager said.




"What?" you asked. "Wait, what's going on here?"




You were trying not to come off as rude since the owner of the coffee shop and this whole building is here but the bad feeling started to become worse and you started feeling uncomfortable.




You heard the door shut and the manager left. You were about to stand up when you felt a hand around your wrist and you were suddenly pulled back down.




"Say, young lady, how old are you?" When you looked at the man, you realized he is too close for comfort, leaning so close that you automatically leaned back. When he lifted his hand to touch your face, that was when you shoved him back.




At this point you could care less whether he's the owner of the establishment you're working at. That look he has, that expression, his gaze going down your bosom, they are disgusting. And if he were to try something you wouldn't like, you wouldn't think twice about fighting back, even if it means losing this job.






This book reached 100k reads! You guys are really amazing, I appreciate your continuous support.



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