Manager wa Maid-sama • 赤葦 京治

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 29

The light sizzling of the rain was like a lullaby. You slept soundly on Akaashi's lap while he wrote down some of the answers for you to fill out later.

He spied the city outside through the hazy window. Gloomy and cold, that's what it looked like from inside. Oddly to him, it was the same feeling when he found you that day in Shinjuku.

He had a hunch. Although he wasn't entirely sure how it would relate, he thought of it as a likely possibility. He intended to ask about it later when you're in a good state of mind, that way he hoped it won't turn into a heated argument.

You were waking up like a kitten, hiding your yawn in his thighs and hugging his waist. Akaashi kept brushing your hair while answering a text from his mother.

You rolled over so you could look at him. His mouth curved into a smile as he took a gander on the sleeping beauty.

"Sleep well?"

"It was okay," you rubbed your eyes wearily.

"My mom said she's going to be home late. Do you want to have dinner here or go home?"

You extended your hands to cup his face, "You as my dinner sounds nice."

He simpered, poking your nose in a gentle boop, "Let's save that for some other time."

"I think I'll just go home then."

You sat up, stretching your limbs. The sight of unfinished homework on the table made you slumped back on the floor groaning.

"I've copied some of my answers so you can just tweak the sentence a little."

He closed the books and cleared the table.

"But you still need to finish the second part on your own."

"I will, thank you."

You stood up to tidy yourself, starting from tying the uniform bow and then putting on some socks. After that, you collected the books on the table and stuffed them into your bag. Akaashi carried his own and piled them up with the rest on his desk.

He glanced at you who was primping in front of the mirror. The thought of asking you crossed his mind. Perhaps this would be a good time.

"[name], can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

Akaashi rubbed his neck for feeling uneasy.

"What happened... that night in Shinjuku? I know you encounter something or someone."

You gazed at his reflection from the mirror with a disheartened look. You averted your eyes, purposely avoiding the question.

He spoke again, cutting right to the chase.

"Did you see your dad?"

A bitter taste resurfaced in your mouth as the view of that night flashed in your mind. You held yourself and crouched down, only responding to his question with a hurtful nod.

Akaashi walked up your side and wrapped his arms around you. He immediately swarmed with guilt for meddling with your family affair.

"I did," you said with a raspy voice, "I saw him, with his new wife and son. He... he was happy. They were happy."

There was a burning lump in your throat. To complete the sentence was a great struggle.

"You know what hurt me most? The kid..." you restrained a sniffle, "He's... a toddler. So the affair has been happening for God knows how long and mom only found out about it months ago. All this time he was hiding them behind our backs."