─── ( memory four )
04; cards.
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KENMA WAS NEVER BIG ON SHOWING OR EXPRESSING HIS FEELINGS IN HUGE WAYS. he was very quiet about them and mostly thought about them to himself. he gave and expressed gratitude to people in his head, and though said person he was giving his thanks to didn't know, it worked for him. y/n, as always, was different from him when it came to anything like that.
kenma had realized it a while ago, but again, y/n was way too nice. she seemed to really love and appreciate her friends, so along with gifts to kenma and raw pictures of his apparent beauty, she often gave him cards. they were to remind him of their friendship and to show her appreciation toward him. he didn't really get it, actually.
though, he soon found out, that he simply didn't need to get it. he needed to accept it, as it was all that y/n was silently asking for. she didn't need any of her friends to really understand why she did so many things for them, why she worked so hard and tried her best to make them happy, all she asked was for them to be happy, and she was fine.
as kenma remembered the first time y/n had gifted him a card, he cringed at the remembrance. there was a stab in his gut at the memory, and even though he wanted to, he couldn't exactly erase it from his mind.
"kenma-kun, it's been a month since we've been friends!" y/n smiled happily swaying by his side in the halls, "here you go!"
kenma didn't bother to look at whatever his friend was offering. he kept his head against the locker and peered down at the game, "no thanks," he said shortly after, focusing on defeating the level he was currently on, "try giving it to tetsurou,"
he had barely processed the small huff that tumbled from her lips, like frustration was the sound she made. it was curious but the setter didn't outwardly acknowledge such a small action and kept his focus on the game in front of him, though he could hear the plain forced smile in her voice, "but it's for you," she insisted. "i made one for kuroo specifically, for all of my friends as... uhm, individuals and... kenma-kun?"
kenma hummed, "yeah, that's fine, you can leave it," he told her. his mind went into momentary panic when he saw the life of his character significantly decreasing with the attack of his enemy. he thought he felt something touch his foot but. didn't bother glancing at it until the level was over. he was defeated and with a sigh, he pulled his gaming device away form his gaze and saw an envelope on the floor of the school halls near his foot.
kenma hummed curiously, remembering how y/n was with him only a few seconds ago. he looked at the envelope on the floor and turned to peer down the hall, then the other way. unfortunately, realization had dawned on him; she was upset, most likely.
kenma bent down to pick up the envelope with the small card and opened it up, just as the bell rang for his next class. he didn't make a move to get to class, instead read over the message y/n had written for him. after just a single month of being friends, she had so much to say to him about him. it made his throat tight and dry. he simply safely closed it away into his bag.
but he could also remember going out that afternoon after practice.
and the next day he was at shool, y/n was by his side with her typical sweet, soft smile and bright eyes. kenma didn't say anything until they reached her locker. she paused her sentence when an envelope fell from her small metal space;
a card.
and it was then that kenma slipped away, a small smile sitting on his face at the way she probably reacted when she read the words.
it was the second half of the day when he opened his locker and a small paper slipped from his locker; a paper card.
and he had learned that y/n loved cards. in her own handwriting, she had said so. she had even made a small pop up, the tearing was messy and it looked rushed, but it made kenma smile nonetheless.
his smile faded and dropped into a thin line when the memory was blown away with the harsh, chilling breeze that kissed the side of his face roughly. he was brought back to the reality he was currently living in and stared down at the grave he and kuroo stood at.
he placed the card he held in his hands, gently down so it slightly leaned back onto the stone grave. it held a message to her, and kenma could only hope something existed after death, as he so desperately wished she could read his words. he knew she would be extremely happy.
"from the dollar store?" kuroo asked as he stared at the card kenma just placed at the grave.
kenma even smiled a little,
"THEY WERE HER FAVORITE."
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