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Kenta didn't sleep that much during his captivity…
It was logical. He was wary, and he knew Winner and Tony couldn't be trusted enough for him to close his eyes and try to reserve his energy, couldn't even be trusted enough not to kill him while he slept.
And not sleeping allowed him to know that Dean, too, was caught, even if he hadn't been aware of it, already death-warmed-over when Winner brought him back, and allowed him to see Alan, too, trading safety for something that couldn't be called anything but insanity.
In the aftermath of being injected with that damn serum, he lost consciousness here and there, and that was the closest thing to sleep he had been able to get.
The aftermath of knowing that no kind of hurt could actually leave a lingering damage on him, he was scared of closing his eyes, scared of what would happen if Tony decided to test something or another on him.
So it was only logical that once he was safe in Kim's house, He would drop off to sleep and barely wake up for the following 2 days.
"Kenta… Ken… C'mon, Wake up…"
Kenta opened his eyes and turned to see Kim's worried face hovering over his.
He had barely expressed his worry and disdain about everything that had happened, everything that Kenta had been through, choosing to support and aid Kenta instead of trying to express an anger that everyone knew he had.
"Hey… What's the matter? Something happened with Dean? Charlie?"
It was the last thing he had thought about before falling asleep; both people were dying to say the least…
Kim frowned, sitting next to Kenta on the bed, waiting for Kenta to be a little bit more awake to speak to him.
"Nothing happened. You have been asleep without food or water for close to two days now, you need to have something…"
Kenta sat up in bed. He still felt tired to some degree, but the offer of having a meal with Kim was always welcome, especially considering how little time they had if the packed boxes around the apartment were any indication.
Kenta hummed, and Kim didn't answer, and didn't move. Kenta realized he was looking at him expectedly.
"What? Something wrong with me?"
"Why didn't you say anything about asking Chris for the nullifying serum?"
Kenta shrugged.
"No Reason, Wasn't anyone's business and everyone was busy with other things anyway…"
Kim opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times without saying anything before he got off the bed.
"You dropped something…"
Kenta called after him, noticing something metal on the bed, and reaching to grab it only to notice it was his lighter…
Kim stood transfixed in his spot between Kenta's bed and the door, staring at Kenta's hand holding the lighter with a bit of embarrassment.
"It's… my lighter…"
"Yes…"
"It was in your pocket?"
Kim hesitated but nodded without words, and Kenta's confusion grew.
"You don't smoke…"
"I have been… a couple of times while you were gone…"
"Why? You are very particular about that of all things…"
Kenta flipped the lighter in his hand. He had missed smoking here and there, but something about his lighter being in Kim's pocket made his heart a bit warm inside…
and there was the Kiss matter… They hadn't talked about that… Kenta didn't dare, and Kim seemed to be too relieved to have him back to make him uncomfortable.
"Kim…"
"It found its way back to its owner… Thankfully…"
Kim said with a bit of hesitation, the tips of his ears were red already as he inched closer and closer to the door.
"I will go fix something for us to eat, wash up, and follow me…"
Before Kenta could object, Kim was out the door.
—
Kim was moving calmly around the kitchen, and Kenta hesitated to walk into the space…
He had seen boxes around the house; some of them were empty, but Kim's room seemed to have the majority of them for the most part.
"Kenta…"
Kenta looked up at Kim. He realized he had been staring at some of the empty boxes for a bit of time without moving, and he shook his head, trying to clear it from the spiral of bad thoughts that was threatening to take over everything else…
Kim dropped into the chair opposite Kenta, served him calmly, his hands were steady and warm as he handed Kenta the bowl. Kenta didn't realize he had been shaking till he saw the soup moving from one side of the bowl to another.
"Ken… What's wrong?"
Kim asked softly, fear that Kenta was physically hurt was evident in his eyes, and Kenta found that he could no longer stop himself.
"When will you leave? How long do I have till I have to look for another place to stay?"
It was sudden, but so was Kim's intention to leave almost two days after Tony's death.
"Kenta…"
"How long?"
"Enough… because you won't leave the place here…"
Kenta stared at him openly… Kim's jaw was set, and Kenta knew that he had already made up his mind about more than just leaving.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Kim sighed, placing his chopsticks on the table and leaning back in his chair.
"The apartment is paid for a year… It's yours… till you find out what you want to do and how you want to do it… I don't want you to go back to living with Pete, or figuring things out on your own out in the world unprotected…"
"I don't need charity…" Kenta said before he could stop himself, it wasn't charity, and he knew it, but Kim caring about him enough to give him the apartment and not to stay in it with him was already driving him a bit insane.
"It's not charity… It's a payback… It's a way to know that there's a place for me to come back to as well, I am doing this more for me than you… I need to know you are safe, I need to know that I too have somewhere safe to come back to…"
"I thought you had it all figured out in Korea…"
"I once thought I had it all figured out here, look how that turned out to be…"
Kenta swallowed hard, lowering his eyes to his bowl.
"Ken… Look at me…"
Kenta raised his eyes to Kim. Kim's eyes were slightly wet, but they were not sad, more like reflective.
"I am not trying to impose. I want you to be safe regardless, and you won't be safe anywhere near Pete. I need you to do what's good for you, not what's good because you think it will be good for whoever you are following…"
Kenta nodded, picking up his spoon and sipping his soup calmly.
None of them said anything else…
—
Kenta flipped his lighter open and closed…
He couldn't sleep, couldn't even stop his thoughts from spiraling even if he wanted to, even with Tony gone, he still couldn't find his peace, even with the man who tormented his every waking hour for the past twenty years, he was lost…
Open and close…
Did he ever love Pete? Or was it just the fascination of his Phi, of how strong and resilient he had been, because the Pete in front of him now was no more that person, and a dark corner of Kenta's mind told him that Pete was inching toward the dark side more than the light for the better part of a decade.
Open and Close…
What did Kim mean to him? Was he just a person that could read Kenta, and Kenta found some solace in that, or was it more, and if it was more, had he been part of the reason why he was leaving?
Open and Close…
The kiss… Not only the first one but the last one as well, the one where Kim put all the relief he had been feeling at finding him in one piece, a kiss Kenta couldn't help but return…
Open and Close…
He eyed the cigarette pack longingly for a second before picking it up and getting out of bed. Walking quietly to the balcony, he paused on the sliding door, staring at the person lying down on the floor, staring at the sky.
"What are you doing?"
Kim turned his head to the side and stared at Kenta for a second before turning his head back to the sky.
"Watching the stars…"
Kenta raised an eyebrow at him. He craved being close to Kim, craved the normality, the way Kim looked at him like he was a person.
He walked in and sat next to him, lying down opposite Kim, their heads were close enough that if Kenta turned, he would be able to nuzzle his nose in Kim's cheeks, close enough to know he was not alone, yet far away, not knowing if he would be allowed to reach out or not.
He would run out of this pretty soon… Kim would leave, and the world would go back to being empty and dull again…
He lit a cigarette and stared at the sky. It was a clear night, and he could see some dots of light scattered across the darkness…
He didn't know how, but his brain emptied out, all his doubts and questions seemed too small compared to the vast sky above him.
Kim didn't speak, he was breathing calmly - not that Kenta was checking - he stared at Kenta for a couple of seconds before turning back to the sky, picking the cigarette out of Kenta's fingers and putting it to his lips, inhaling softly before exhaling again.
Kenta couldn't help but turn and stare at him…
"Kim…"
Kim hummed, not turning to Kenta…
"Remember the question you asked… before… before I was caught…"
"Before you decided to forgo all means of both of us walking out of there safely?"
Kenta chuckled, picked the cigarette from Kim's fingers, and took a bracing inhale of it.
"Do you remember it?"
Kim hummed, his eyes reflecting the starlight, and Kenta couldn't help but swallow hard, trying to master all his courage to say what he wanted to say, what he had been dying to say the second Kim was in his vision…
"Ask it again…"
Kim turned to him, his eyes wide and glistening a little.
"What do I mean to you, Kenta?"
Kenta swallowed a couple of times.
"A lot… You mean a lot to me…"
Kenta didn't know what prompted him, but he turned his head and pressed a kiss to the corner of Kim's lips, turning his head again to stare at the sky when Kim said nothing.
If both of them stared at the sky for the rest of the night, it was only for them to know.
—
"I am sorry…"
The apology took Kenta by utter surprise. Alan was the last person who owed Kenta an apology…
Kenta turned to Jeff, who nodded but said nothing.
"You don't have to apologize to me, P'Alan… You of all people…"
"I sure should do, I should have figured out a way to get you both out without risking both your lives and mine, I wasted too much time, enough time that he managed to hurt you too…"
Kenta swallowed hard, trying and failing to say anything in return.
"I am sorry, Nong… I shouldn't have let him keep you there, I should have told Pete what was happening and shaken some sense into him…"
Kenta shook his head. He hadn't expected as much when Jeff told him that Alan wanted a word with him, upon his arrival with Kim at the hospital to check on their own injured comrades.
He didn't run into Pete yet, and he was thankful for that. Kim had pushed him towards Alan's room, letting him know that he would check on Dean and Charlie and meet him later.
"P'Kenta…"
Kenta turned to Jeff.
"I think this time, it's over for real… so… What did you think you would do this time?"
Kenta swallowed hard.
"I don't know yet…"
"Want to maybe discuss it with us over lunch sometime next week? We will meet up at Babe's house…"
Kenta shrugged, and Jeff nodded.
"I will let P'Kim know the time, and both of you can tag along…"
"But… How? Wouldn't Charlie still be in the hospital?"
Jeff's face fell for a second….
"The doctors said that he could be taken home… Babe is also insisting on it, the safety of their house…. even if he is not awake to know it…"
Kenta nodded, turning to leave the room with a final and quiet goodbye and well-wish…
"Don't forget, Nong… You are one of us now…" Alan said loudly to Kenta's back, and Kenta didn't turn to him or answer…
—
Kenta stared at the door to Charlie's room for far too long, and he jerked back when it opened, and Babe was staring at him.
"Kenta?"
Kenta looked beyond the door to see the sleeping figure in the bed, he looked as pale as death itself, a breathing mask was on his face…
"Is he OK? Will he… recover?"
Babe turned to look at Charlie before he turned back to Kenta.
"Bodily… Sure… But they don't know when he would wake up or if he would restore his memory ever again…"
"I am sorry…"
"Not your fault… You did all you could. I should thank you for telling us about Willy and everything else you found out before you were captured… Are you OK, though?"
The question took Kenta by utter surprise. He hesitated for a second before he just nodded.
"Good… That's good…"
When Babe patted his shoulder and walked back into the room, leaving the door open, Kenta couldn't help but follow, sitting in silence with him for a couple of minutes…
—
Finding Kim wasn't hard after Kenta had excused himself and left Charlie's room.
He knew he was probably with North and Sonic in Dean's room, another person who had yet to wake up, and knowing how injured he had been, he would be more than lucky if he did.
"It's my fault, P'Kim…"
"I am sure that's not true…"
"I have been telling him that nonstop since then, but he doesn't listen to me anymore…"
"You shut up or I will shut you up…"
"How?" North patted his eyelashes at Sonic, and Sonic almost shoved him till they noticed Kenta approaching.
"Oh, P'Kenta… How are you doing?" Sonic asked softly, and Kim turned to see Kenta.
"Hey… All good?"
Kenta nodded, standing a good distance before the three, trying and failing to come up with words. Kim nodded his understanding that he didn't have words to say, but unlike Kenta, Kim had some.
"Can you tell this idiot that whatever happened to Dean had nothing to do with him?"
Sonic practically hid behind Kim. Kenta blinked twice, not sure what he should say.
"He wouldn't have tried to stop Winner if I didn't tell him that I didn't trust him…"
Realization dawned on Kenta. He had heard it in passing that Winner survived because of the monstrosity that was his car… and some help from Tony's scientists…
"I don't think so, Nong… I don't think it had anything to do with what you said, you would have done it if you were in his place…"
The part where Kenta was caught because he wanted to make sure Kim was safely away was not mentioned, but the look both North and Sonic gave to Kim indicated that it went without saying…
"How is he doing anyway?"
"Alive… Healing, which is more than anyone had hoped to be honest…" North said quietly.
"Which reminds me… Do you mind us staying instead of those two? They have been here for a little more than a day…"
Kenta nodded, leaning on a nearby wall and watching the three exchange more words…
He could get used to that… to being part of something…
—
"He is doing fine…"
Kenta said soothingly when Kim walked into Dean's room. His eyes took in the chart as Kim dropped to the nearby chair.
"Sure?"
"It looks like it… He will wake up on his own time once his body can bear it…"
Kim hummed, leaning back in his chair, watching the rise and fall of Dean's chest calmly.
Kenta stood near the window, one eye looking out as he watched North and Sonic get into their car - not without bickering - and drive away…
"Is something going on between these two?"
Kim laughed softly, and Kenta couldn't help the stitch that went undone in his chest.
"Yeah… Something had been going on for a while; they just finally managed to be brave enough about it…"
"Good for them…"
Kim smiled but said nothing…
Silence stretched between them… and Kenta was starting to wonder when it would be a good time to ask Chris to remove his powers…
—
"Is it safe?"
Chris turned to Kim, nodded calmly.
"It is safe, Khun Kenta would be the 23rd person who took the serum since it became safe…"
"This much?" Kim asked as he watched Chris move around the lab, collecting things and preparing for the procedure to remove the chip from Kenta's head and remove his powers…
Kenta was lying on a recliner, Kim close but not close enough for him to touch, and Pete nowhere to be found, and if Kenta was honest with himself, He preferred it like that.
"I heard you are leaving…" Kim trailed off, and Chris looked up from the needle he had been loading to look between Kim and Kenta.
"I am… My Mission here is finished…"
Chris came close to Kenta, sitting on a chair near his recliner, pulling Kenta's left arm softly and wiping the crook of his elbow.
"Would it hurt?" Kim asked before Kenta could find the courage to do so, and Kenta never felt more thankful in his life.
"No… It will be like falling asleep, you might feel off the kettler for a couple of days, but other than this, once you wake up, I will check if everything is clear or not, and you can go on your way…"
Kenta nodded, taking a deep breath. Chris paused for a second, looking Kenta dead in the eyes.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes…"
Chris nodded, pressing the needle into the vein. Kenta felt the needle go in, but as Chris pushed in the serum, he felt himself drift away, his head heavy as if Chris was pushing a sedative in his veins.
"He is… losing conscious…" He heard Kim say to Chris with barely concealed worry…
"It's ok…"
That was the last thing Kenta heard before he fully drifted off.
—
Kenta came to calmly… way too calm for it to be normal. He opened his eyes and jerked up, firm hands pushed him softly back down, making sure to cradle the back of his head.
"Easy… Easy… It's all done and ok…"
Kenta blinked a couple of times and saw Kim's face come into focus. Warmth flooded him as he covered the hand that was on his shoulder with his.
"It's ok… You are alright… You are safe…"
Kenta took several deep breaths, the hand on his shoulder didn't move, and neither did his; he needed it to anchor himself, to find his center.
"How long?"
"A couple of hours… Chris checked you a couple of times and said that you are alright, we have just been waiting for you to wake up to do a final assessment…"
Kenta tensed all over again when Pete answered him instead of Kim, Kim turning sharply to the side and giving a dagger look to someone standing on the side.
"P'Pete…"
Pete hummed, coming into Kenta's line of vision, smiling softly.
"I will go call Chris, drink some water, and wait for him before doing anything, Nong…"
Kenta nodded, watching as Pete walked out of the lab and closed the door behind him.
"Do you feel fine?" Kim asked calmly, but the hardly concealed worry in his tone was no longer concealed.
"I feel fine… a bit tired, that's all… Did he remove the chip?"
Kenta reached with his other hand to check the back of his neck, and Kim stopped him.
"Yes he did… Don't touch it for now…"
Kenta heard the door open before he saw Chris walk in, followed by Pete. Kim moved away, sliding his hand off Kenta's shoulder. Kenta missed it the second he didn't feel it. Chris came close and started checking him.
"Is it all well?"
Chris didn't answer Pete's question for a couple of heartbeats till he finished his assignment, speaking to Kenta and Kim more than Pete.
"All looks to be well, I think it's safe for you to head back and rest… You will need to rest for a couple of days… I trust that Khun Kim will be more than capable of watching you for anything for a couple of days…"
Kim nodded, moving towards Kenta before Pete could to help him off the recliner, keeping a firm arm around his upper arm as he led him out of the lap and the entire building.
If Pete tried to stop them… They just ignored him…
—
Kenta opened his eyes and turned his head to the side before he was even fully awake, and Kim was there, sleeping in a position that suggested that it must have started as him sitting next to Kenta to watch him and fell asleep while doing so…
Kenta sat up in bed, and Kim seemed to sense him, because he, too, opened his eyes and moved upright.
"Are you awake? Are you ok?"
Kenta nodded, leaning back against the headboard. Kim mimicked him, and a bit of relief seeped into his shoulders.
"How long was I asleep?"
"The rest of Yesterday and the most of the morning today… I checked on you a couple of times…"
Kenta hummed. Silence stretched between them before Kim spoke again.
"Alan asked me to meet up with them at Babe's today… He said it was important… to keep him company and all…"
Kenta nodded his understanding…
"You didn't see what became of him the last time he thought he lost Charlie… I am sure it feels like he is reliving the worst nightmare of his life…"
Kim didn't answer… or move, and Kenta was glad of the company even if Kim was unnaturally silent.
"What about Dean?"
Kim looked at Kenta like he had just woken up from a daze…
"He is awake… woke up sometime last night and asked about every one of us… North and Sonic promised him that they would take him along today…"
"Is that safe for him?"
"He will be using a wheelchair for the time being, and they will either bring him back to the hospital or Alan's house… so it's just that…."
"Kim?"
Kim hummed, not meeting Kenta's eyes… and dread was filling Kenta.
"Did you… Book the ticket?"
Kim swallowed hard, nodding…
"When?"
"Tomorrow…"
"That soon?" Kenta whispered it under his breath before he could stop himself…
"I am sorry… I have to be back in Korea to start the team meetings soon… I would have stayed more if I could…"
Kenta didn't acknowledge that, falling quiet, and Kim took that as his sign to just get off the bed and leave the room.
If Kenta stayed more than necessary in the shower trying to clear his head, it was only for him to know.
—
Sharing the news with everyone seemed to have the same effect on them as it did on Kenta, if not worse…
Kim was leaving… Charlie was in a coma, and everything seemed to be dented or broken one way or another…
Even Pete looked stricken enough that Kenta guessed that he knew about Chris leaving, too, and for the first time in his life, the idea of approaching Pete to console him or even just talk to him made his skin crawl.
The days passed in relative peace, the others opting to just remain positive about the entire ordeal instead of falling into the bit of misery they were in.
And like that time after they left Pete’s house, Kim drove off to the abandoned amusement park where they had once shared a beer, but instead of hiding in the dark of the night, Kim was framed with sunlight as he leaned on one of the railings.
"Are you Sure about leaving?"
Kim turned to Kenta and nodded.
"Things have to move forward now, don’t you think?"
Kenta didn't answer, and Kim didn’t seem to want an answer.
"Do you think… It would be ok to reach out… to talk…"
Kim chuckled, moving forward to face Kenta as he spoke.
"Sure, as long as you master the courage actually to reach out, Kenta."
Kim placed his hand on Kenta’s shoulder, leaning in as if waiting for Kenta to move, to reach out… to hug him, but Kenta hesitated for a moment too long, and Kim dropped his hand and moved forward towards the car.
—
The drive to the airport was worse than tense…
Kenta had decided that he would drive Kim to the airport, for one, because it was a red-eye flight, and for another. After all, he wanted to be the one sending Kim off, hoping that seeing him off would be the push that would loosen his tongue.
Kim had been quiet since they had left the amusement park. Once they had arrived back at the house, he had collected whatever had remained of his things, handing Kenta the extra house keys and everything else concerning the apartment, showing him where he kept all the documents related to the rental agreement and such…
They had barely exchanged a word, and when Kim offered to order something out for both of them, Kenta found himself saying no without even thinking about it.
He couldn't bear to think of that meal as the last meal they would share for god knew how long, couldn't bear the idea of Kim leaving and never hearing from him again.
"I hope you find the courage actually to reach out, Kenta…"
It was a very Kim thing to say, a reminder that all the choices were now in Kenta's hand, not in anyone else's, that Kenta would be the person getting to choose whether he reached out and tried to make whatever was going on between them work or not…
Kenta snapped out of his reverie when he saw the sign for Kim's terminal. He parked the car and got out of it, helping Kim with his luggage, wheeling them with him inside the airport hall.
"I guess this is it then…"
Kim said, there was an edge of melancholy to it, and it made Kenta's body tingle a bit.
Kenta turned to him. Kim had a small smile on his lips, his hands fisted beside him as if he was fighting an urge to reach out.
If Kenta hesitated now, He would lose more than just this chance…
Kenta reached out and pulled Kim in his arms, wrapped both arms around him, and Kim's breath hitched for a second before he wrapped his own arms around Kenta's back. The tension seemed to seep out of him.
Kenta didn't know how long the hug lasted, but when he pulled back, he couldn't bring himself to fully let go of Kim, keeping a hold of his shoulders.
"Text me when you land… Please…"
Kim chuckled softly, shaking his head in a way that suggested that Kenta was speaking nonsense again.
"I will… Just answer me back… Don't leave me on read… and don't hesitate again, I am not that good of a mind reader…"
Kenta couldn't help the chuckle that erupted from his chest. Kim was as good a mind reader as Pete, if not better. At least with Kim, Kenta was sure that he wouldn't get hurt; he would be safe…
Kim patted Kenta's hand on his shoulder.
"I will see you later, won't I?" Kenta asked quietly, and Kim nodded.
"I will video chat with you once I arrive at my house… and then maybe every day after that…"
"Everyday after that sounds like a plan…"
Kim smiled, leaning in and pressing his lips to Kenta's, moving back hesitantly and explaining himself.
"That's because I don't know when I will get to do that again, because I intend to do that again, don't you?"
Kenta nodded, he wanted more, but all in due time, He wouldn't hesitate, he wouldn't back down, and he wouldn't lose Kim.
If he slept in Kim's bed when he got back to the apartment, it was only for him to know.
—
"Awake? Charlie is Awake?"
Kenta hummed. He was chatting with Kim before Kenta's morning run, a routine he had established since Kim left. Wake up, talk to Kim, go for a run, and then whatever the day throws at him.
He had been between projects, helping Alan in the garage with the adminstratives and other things, Helping Pete with the rest of the kids who were either rescued from that hellhole of a place oe even before that, or the ones who they managed to resuce from their "Adoptive" parents, He had been trying to avoid talking to Pete for the most part, something that Pete must have noticed and complied with if their current situation was any indication.
"Awake and Alert? Does he remember everything?"
Kenta shook his head, and Kim ran his hand through his locks in frustration.
"How is Babe taking it?"
"Considerably well, I told you, He will bear it all as long as he doesn't lose Charlie…"
"Fair Enough…"
Kim said absentmindedly as he seemed to walk around and get ready for the day.
"Bad Week?" Kenta asked when Kim's silence seemed to stretch… His frustration and the way he kept cursing at every minor inconvenience alerted Kenta to Kim's rather sour mood.
"I miss you…" Kim said before he could even think about it, and Kenta paused, the water bottle he had been putting to his lips pausing in mid air.
"I am sorry… I know we said we won't rush things… but…"
"I miss you too…" Kenta whispered, and Kim's eyes widened comically.
"Really? I mean… I thought…"
Flustered Kim was a brand new thing for Kenta to witness, but it was sweet nonetheless, sweet enough that Kenta picked up the phone and sat at the kitchen table staring at Kim's face on the screen, as he tried and failed to contain his excitement.
—
"Are you looking for me?"
Kenta peeked through the door leading to Pete's office in the lab. He had been there more days than not, barely even going to work from the company anymore if he didn't have to, and Kenta thought it had something to do with Chris.
"I thought I should give you something…"
Pete got up from his desk, and Kenta walked in to meet him halfway into the room. Pete took his hand in his and handed him a folder.
"And that is?"
"Your Birth Certificate, with info about your parents, and your official inheritance, since you are no longer accused of Manslaughter, you are entitled to some of Tony's money and Estate, I took care of it - Sorry for that - and liquidated it… It should be more than enough to give you a new start… any way you want it…"
Kenta stared at the folder for a long moment, not knowing what he should say or what he should do. Pete didn't try to make him speak…
"Don't thank me, and don't think too hard on it, it's the least I could do, I failed you in more than one way and… I don't have a way to atone for it…"
Kenta swallowed hard. Kim had had a solid opinion about Pete during their ordeal and even after, one that Kenta had started to believe as his captivity extended endlessly without anyone coming to his rescue…
"I am sorry, Kenta… I haven't been the brother you needed, or anything else…"
Kenta looked up at him and nodded…
"It's… past the room for apologized, Phi… What's done is done…"
Kenta turned and walked out of the room, for the first time in his life, sure that he would never think of Peteas more than a brother ever again…
—
The Second Kenta got out of the airport gate, and his eyes landed on Kim; something inside his chest eased enough that he had to hold onto the cart to steady himself.
Kim followed Kenta's movement, moving to the end of the rail to meet up with him in an obvious haste that suggested that he was barely keeping himself in check.
Kenta tried to form words, tried to come up with something to say to Kim, words to express how much he had missed him, how much he would miss him again, how much he… liked him or even more…
But Kim - being the person he was - pushed the cart out of the way, and pulled Kenta into his arms the second he was within arm's reach, wrapping him tightly in a hug that Kenta returned all too eagerly.
All the words flew out of Kenta's head; he didn't need them anymore. There was no need for words when there were hugs and touches that could convey all the things he felt.
Kim leaned back, resting his head against Kenta's and breathing deeply as if he had just learned how to draw air into his own lungs.
"Hi…" Kenta whispered, and Kim chuckled lowly, pumping Kenta's head with his.
"Hi indeed… Let's go… It's freezing over here, you must be freezing…"
Kenta wasn't cold… at least not internally. He felt like the warmth from his heart was extending all over his body.
—
Sleeping next to Kim was a choice Kenta made, and not anything else…
Because Kim, being the accommodating person he was, had prepared a guest room with all the amenities and everything, he had made sure to reassure Kenta that there were no expectations except spending proper time together.
But Kenta wanted more… Needed more, needed to take his fill from Kim's presence, his smell, and his touches.
He was holding Kim's hand in his under the cover, Kim was asleep on his front, Kenta couldn't sleep, at least not long. He woke up earlier than the sun and stayed in bed staring at sleeping Kim.
A part of him was glad that Kim had some time off for the duration of Kenta's short stay with him; he didn't imagine sharing Kim with anyone…
Greedy and possessive, he knew, but He would soon have to go back and leave Kim, and no one would blame him for wanting to make the most of every second he got.
A Fact that he intended to change soon… if the Korean Books in the apartment were any indication…
Kim steered and opened his eyes, looking at Kenta with hooded eyes that looked more asleep than awake.
"Did I wake you?"
Kim turned to his side, facing Kenta, bringing their tangled fingers up.
"No… But I thought you would want to sleep more…"
Kenta hummed. He didn't feel fully awake, but wasn't sure if he wanted to sleep again or not.
Kim leaned forward and kissed Kenta's forehead, closing the space between them enough that Kenta could smell Kim's skin.
"Rest… I am here… I am with you…"
Kenta hummed, closing his eyes and leaning against Kim's skin, nuzzling Kim's neck with his nose.
Sleep came before he could even think about it, lulled to it by the utter peace he was in.
—
Kenta walked out of the building before dialing Kim's number; it barely rang before Kim picked up.
"How did it go?"
Kenta smiled…
"I think I will get that certificate without a doubt… Did you get the invite?"
Kim laughed softly, a sound that made Kenta's chest loosen up after the rough day at the martial arts certification process.
Kenta had a plan, a plan that only solidified after his visit to Korea to see Kim, a plan that he had worked on in tandem between the two places.
He would open a training facility for kids, troubled Kids like how he had been, who needed an outlet for their emotions and trauma, needed discipline, and a system to move on…
It wasn't an easy process. Kenta spent months learning everything he needed to learn, months undoing his own trauma and past…
Months that he talked to Kim more than any other human, despite how far away they were from each other….
"I got it… I cannot believe those two are finally doing it…"
Kenta hummed, looking at the sky…
"You will come soon, right?"
Kim didn't answer for a long moment…
"Are you still there?"
"I will be there, I might be late, but I will be there… But you will come with me, right? Everything is ready here for you… the dojo, our place… everything…"
Kenta nodded before remembering that Kim could not see him and voiced his approval.
"I cannot wait…" Kim added softly.
"Neither Can I… I am counting down the days…"
"I love you…" Kim said softly, and Kenta's breath hitched in his chest.
"Not more than I do… I love you more…"
And Kenta knew, He had never loved anyone more, or would never love anyone more.
—
Kim was late… Very Late…
"Are you sure he is coming?" Sonic asked calmly, and Kenta nodded.
"He assured me he will… He just said he was waiting for someone and they would come together…"
"C'mon, guys… The ceremony is about to start…" North called everyone, and Kenta hesitated. Alan patted his back and pushed him in front of him.
"Don't worry, He is on his way… He is doing someone a favor, though…"
Kenta didn't understand Alan's comment till he saw Chris walk into the venue, before he felt an arm on his shoulder and turned to see Kim.
"You are late…"
"Sorry… Had to ensure someone had a partner to come back to…" Kim leaned in and kissed his cheek.
All Kenta remembered from the ceremony was Kim's warmth as he held his hand through it all, knowing full well that Kim would hold his hand through all the coming days.
—
Kim watched the class wrap up with something akin to pride, fingering the platinum ring around his ring finger of his right hand.
A gift from Kenta… something Kim didn't expect but Kenta had prepared in the aftermath of Babe and Charlie's wedding, he had slipped it on his finger during the after party, and Kim almost jumped him then and there…
Kenta and Kim had boarded a plane to Korea a couple of days later, saying goodbye to everything that had been their past, looking forward to a new life… a new everything…
Kenta turned to Kim as the students left the Dojo…
"Have you been waiting for long?"
Kim sighed, shaking his head, waiting for Kenta to approach him, pulling him close once he was within arm's reach.
"I am very proud of you… Gosh… I am so proud of you…"
Kenta tensed slightly before wrapping his arms around Kim's back, burying his head in the crook of his neck, and inhaling him.
"I love you… so much…"
Kim hummed…
"I love you more… Let's go back home?"
Kenta leaned back, stared at Kim…
He was home… Kim was his home…
The end.