You didn't know what that feeling was when you saw a pair of a woman's shoes beside Kenma's. But it wasn't entirely a strange feeling, you knew you'd felt something akin to that before, a long time ago. Although before you can fully comprehend that feeling, you heard Suki's voice that says grandma, and when you headed to the living room, you saw a woman cooking in the kitchen.
She has black hair with some strands turning gray, but it doesn't make her any less beautiful. Her eyes are a pair of golden hues like Kenma's. But unlike Kenma's slant eyes, hers are bigger and they don't hold the same amount of intimidation like Kenma's cat-like eyes.
Her smile when she looks at Suki had made her look years younger than she is. "Suki-chan," she said, her voice exuding a certain type of motherly kindness.
In fact her whole demeanor just exudes of motherly kindness that reminded you of your own mother. No wonder why Suki seem so happy seeing her as she run towards the woman and gave her a hug. You stood there for a few seconds, not knowing whether to speak or not, it wasn't until Kenma noticed you did you realize you had been staring at them for a while.
"Y/n," he said, taking your attention as you blinked your eyes and looked at him before making your way towards them.
"Good evening, I'm L/n Y/n," you said, bowing your head in greeting in front of the woman whose smile didn't vanish as she looks at you.
"What a gorgeous and courteous young lady." You couldn't help but feel your face warming up when you heard what she said and when you straightened up her smile stretch, seeing the pinkish tone on your cheeks that was hard to hide.
"You must be the Pediatric Nutritionist, Tetsurou-kun's friend?" she asked.
"You know me?" you shook your head, rephrasing your question with formal words. You just couldn't help switching to informal speech since you feel somewhat comfortable around this woman who reminds you of your mother. "Do you know me, ma'am?"
"Oh no need to call me that, just call me Keina-san," she said. "And yes, I've heard of you from Tetsurou-kun. You don't mind if I call you Y/n?"
You shook your head no before Kenma spoke. "Suki, go change your clothes, it's almost time for dinner."
The little girl nodded, letting go of her grandmother before she walked up to you and held your hand, pulling you in the process as she started to walk.
"Well, see you later ma'am—I mean, Keina-san," you said before following Suki to her room.
When you two have gone to the corner, Kenma suddenly felt a nudge to his side and he looked at his mother who gave him a knowing glance before she went to check the soup. Turning the electric stove off, she proceeded to put the plates on the table.
"Y/n," she started. "I knew she'd be a good person based on what I've heard from Tetsurou-kun."
She is a good person, Kenma thought. But he didn't know Kuroo would be talking about you to his mother. Perhaps you two have really been quite close friends with each other.
"How did she end up living here and taking care of Suki-chan?"
"Things happen," Kenma said simply. But when he saw his mother looking at him, waiting for Kenma to explain how things exactly happen, he sighed inaudibly and started to talk about it.
About how he followed his mother and Kuroo's advice to look for a Pediatric Nutritionist, you specifically, and how your presence had started making Suki feel like you're her mother and prompted Kenma to start a contract with you. That for one year you'd help him raise Suki and become her mother.
"But Suki-chan's birth mother, Kana..." she said, the mention of the name Kenma hadn't heard for a while, especially from his mother whose eyes held a certain glint of sadness. "Does Y/n know about her?"
"No," Kenma answered. "I haven't told Y/n about her yet."
"You should tell her about Kana, both Y/n and Suki-chan," she said.
While Kenma and his mother were talking in the kitchen, you and Suki are in her room, helping the little girl change into her new clothes.
"Mommy, you'll finally meet grandma," she said, her eyes sparkling in enthusiasm. "Grandma is going to like mommy, I know she will!"
You chuckled, looking at the little girl. Honestly you haven't thought about meeting Kenma's mother yet so you were really surprise to see her now. Not to mention, you were a bit nervous. But Suki's smile had put you at ease, especially after hearing what the little girl said.
"Suki-chan, mommy will just change okay? Do you want to go to the dining room first or do you want to wait for mommy?"
"I'll wait for mommy," she said and you nodded, standing up as you and Suki headed to your room.
After changing, you and the little girl headed back to the kitchen to see that the table had already been set and Kenma is already sitting.
"Grandma, we're back!" Suki announced before she run ahead to her chair and climbed up while you walked to the chair beside Suki.
The dinner consisted of miso soup, stir fry vegetables, and teriyaki salmon. The way the dishes are presented look and taste like you were eating in a fine dining restaurant in Tokyo's most expensive district. You noticed that Suki had also finished everything on her plate, even the stir fry vegetables that she doesn't usually eat.
"I also made dessert," Kenma's mother said, and at the mention of the word Suki's eyes lit up. "Guess what it is, Suki-chan."
"Hm, brownies?" Suki asked, tilting her head.
"Nope," her grandmother said, smiling as she glance at Kenma who look back at her before he looked at Suki who turned her head to look at her dad.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, looking back at her grandmother. "Apple pie!"
"Yes!" her grandmother said before she stood. "I'll go get the apple pie!"
Suki nodded as her grandmother left and then she looked at you. "Mommy, do you know that apple pie is daddy's favorite?"
"Really?" you asked as the little girl nodded before your eyes travelled to Kenma who raise his eyebrows at you to silently ask what and you shook your head.
"Here it is," Kenma's mother came with a plate of apple pie, placing it in the middle of the table. She took a slice and put it on Suki's plate before she took another slice. You thought she'll put it on Kenma's plate but you were taken aback when she put it on yours instead.
"That's my son's favorite apple pie recipe," she said, giving you a wink before she took a slice and place it on Kenma's plate.
Once everyone has their own slices of apple pie, you took a bite and the flavor exploded in your mouth. You have eaten apple pies before, from different cafes and convenience store, but you haven't tasted anything like this one.
"It's delicious," you said, taking another bite, this time you might have taken a bigger one that some fell down on the plate. "Oh, sorry," you quickly said, flustered at your little mistake when suddenly, just before you can wipe the side of your lips and chin, someone else already beat you to it.
You froze when Kenma's knuckle touched the side of your lips, wiping off the crumbs. When your mind registered what he did, your eyes slowly widen as you look at him. You didn't notice how Suki and her grandmother exchanged look as you were too preoccupied staring at Kenma before he suddenly spoke, retrieving his hand back.
"Look, you're not a kid. Suki eats apple pie better than you."
"I—" you started but you were clearly at a loss for words as you wiped the rest on your chin. You really don't understand Kenma sometimes. One moment he acts so kind and romantic and the next he'll shatter it with his dry remarks.
You were going to focus on finishing your slice when you suddenly caught Kenma with the side of his lips turn up in what seem like a smile before he masked it with his usual nonchalant expression.
After that eventful dinner, Kenma and Suki headed to their rooms while you helped Kenma's mother in the kitchen. You found out that the room you're staying at is usually the room she would use when she sleeps here.
"You wouldn't mind sharing a room, Y/n?" she asked and you quickly shook your head.
"No, I don't mind," you said. "That room is for you originally anyways. I'm just a freeloader here."
She chuckled lightly, even her chuckle sounded warm and motherly. "Don't say that Y/n. You're not a freeloader here. You're doing all the things that Kana should have been doing."
"Kana?" you suddenly asked, hearing an unfamiliar name. "Who's Kana, Keina-san?"
"Ah..." she muttered, before you looked at her to see her lowering her head, a look of sadness passing through her amber orbs. "She's Suki-chan's birth mother."
You don't exactly know what to feel in that moment. Maybe it was because the way she looked so sad when she mentioned that name, Suki's birth mother. You had asked Kenma a few times about her, but not once did he ever mention that name.
"Kana..." you muttered before you look at Kenma's mother. "What...is she like, Keina-san?"
"She was a very kind young lady but also brave and would stand up for others."
"She was?" you asked, and it slowly dawn on you. She was, you repeated. "Did Kenma...love her?"
"He may not show or say it often, but he loved her as much as she loved him."
Suddenly, you didn't know what it was, but it felt like something is pinching your heart. "Ah, I may have said too much. If you want to know about her, you can ask Kenma."
"It's alright, Keina-san," you said, giving her a reassuring smile, yet somehow it didn't reach your eyes. "Kenma might not be ready to talk about her, it might be hard for him to open it up."
Because you now know, and were sure of it, that Suki's birth mother is no longer in this world.
"Well then, I'll be off to bed, Keina-san," you said and you were about to walk when she suddenly spoke.
"Y/n," she called. "What does it mean to become a mother?"
You had never pondered such question before, one because you aren't a mother yet. But come to think of it, you may not have given birth but someone already calls you mommy, with such loving gaze and smile, a face who always seems eager whenever she calls you mommy.
"To become a mother," you started. "I think being a mother doesn't always mean that you've given birth to a baby. Sometimes taking care of another person's child and loving them unconditionally, is also being a mother to me."
Kenma didn't know if he was too late or if he just came just in time to hear his mother asked you that question and hear your answer to it. But he didn't get to hear you two talked about Suki's birth mother. Whether it's a good thing or not is up to the events that will occur from then on.