#kaito’s grandparents
Day 2: click HERE
Day 3: click HERE
Day 4: click HERE
Day 5: click HERE
Day 6: click HERE
Day 7: coming soon
Doing this again since it was fun last year. Any artwork that is featured in this has been done by me. Momoharu Week is hosted by @momoharuevents
Maki didn’t know what to think or feel at this time.
Only a month after dating Kaito, both of them finally decided to let Maki be introduced to Kaito’s grandparents. This was the first time that Maki was a Ken to the humble household and meet the elders. She had been told of them and she knew that Kaito spoke about her too. It went a bit better than Maki was expecting. The elders were nice and open to her. They weren’t aware of her talent yet (Maki decided that it was too soon to tell them), so she didn’t have any worries at the moment. They also respected her boundaries, not getting too close in case they made her feel uncomfortable. The closet that either of them had gotten was Kaito’s grandmother holding Maki’s hands as they greeted each other. They would ask Maki questions, but not too many and let it go if Maki wasn’t comfortable about saying anything. They would listen to her as she spoke. They even shared stories about when they were young. Kaito’s grandmother even showed Maki some pictures of when Kaito was young, much to Kaito’s embarrassment (his face went bright red a few times). It was a bit strange to be so welcomed like this. It felt nice. It felt great.
But it also felt like Maki was suffocating.
She was able to put up her mask and pretend like everything was okay. However, deep down, she was quite uncomfortable. She didn’t know what it was. She felt like there were too many people in such a small space. It wasn’t like school where there more people but she could easily find somewhere quiet if she felt like it was too much. In the house, it felt like she was imprisoned, even though she was welcome to leave if she wanted to. It felt loud too. Even if the noise wasn’t deafening to everyone else, it was too Maki. It was just a strange sensation and Maki wasn’t sure how she should go through with it.
Maki was staying the night, but a part of her felt like she needed to run away. She thought that being in Kaito’s room and being away from the elders for a while would help. However, this feeling still lingered, continuing to make her feel like she was being smothered. Maybe it was a mistake to come here this soon. Trying to clear her head, Maki was able to slip out of the house and into the back garden. She went through the house so silently that she was sure that no one even sensed that she was awake. Maki gently closed the door behind her to try to keep some of the warmth in the house. She sat down on the stone bench, the grass tickling her bare feet. The night seemed to be peaceful. It wasn’t quiet thanks to cars going past as people were either coming home or starting their late shifts at work or going for a night out with friends. There was even the odd person or group of people walking past. But still, despite the noise, there was a bit of a calming atmosphere. Maybe it was because Maki was outside and she felt less like she was being pressured to stay.
Maybe this really was too soon. Maki felt like she should’ve just visited for a few hours and leave instead of staying the night. She felt like she should leave now. She can take care of herself so she wasn’t afraid of leaving so late at night. Maki was considering on leaving with an apology note to Kaito but she didn’t have a chance to go through with it. She didn’t even have a chance to go back inside or even stand up. She was so lost in thought that she jumped a little when someone gently draped a blanket over her shoulders. Maki flinched as she turned her head. Thankfully she relaxed as she saw Kaito’s grandmother standing behind her, wrapped up in a blue dressing gown.
“You looked like you were getting cold, dear.” The elderly woman sailed apologetically. Maki was about to politely decline but then she saw how blue her hands were. How did she not realise that she was indeed freezing? She must have been that deep in thought.
“Thank you.” Maki meekly spoke, instinctively wrapping the light purple blanket around her tightly. Her toes curled up as the cold started to affect them too.
“What’s on your mind?” Kaito’s grandmother asked as she carefully sat down next to Maki.
“It…it’s nothing…” Maki sighed. That feeling returned again. The one that made her feel like she was being smothered. It wasn’t as powerful as it was before. Maybe it was because she was outside or with only one person or maybe even both. Either way, it was too strong and felt like it was a struggle to contain.
“I may be old, and my eyesight might not be that good nowadays, but I know when someone’s troubled by something.” Kaito’s grandmother chuckled lightly. It wasn’t cruel or malicious towards Maki. It was kind and lighthearted. It made Maki seem like she had nothing to worry about. Especially after spotting a small glint of kindness in the woman’s eyes. “So why don’t you humour this old lady?” Maki hesitated. Should she?
Maki didn’t think long about it before her mouth suddenly opened and started talking before she could stop herself. A part of her was screaming at her to stop but she couldn’t. She truly didn’t want to. She laid out all of her thoughts and feelings that she had experienced today. The feeling of being enclosed and like she was a prisoner, even though she knew that she wasn’t. The sensation of not being used to people that were kind and their feelings of care were genuine. All of these alien thoughts and feelings that just came crashing to her like a freight train. All the while, Kaito’s grandmother sat there patiently. She didn’t interrupt or stop Maki from talking. She didn’t seem upset or angry. She just seemed to be at peace and full of all the patience in the world. She gave off this calming aura that gently encouraged Maki to keep letting out all of her troubles. By time Maki finished, she felt light. Light as in she was floating off of the bench right now. However, she still felt troubled. She just unloaded all of her troubles rather suddenly. A part of her felt like she shouldn’t have done it this late at night.
“I’m sorry. I’m just causing problems.” Maki sighed, slouching a little. She felt like she should get up and go back inside, but she couldn’t move. It felt like some invisible force was holding her down. And it seemed like it needed to be there and have her stay just a little longer.
“Maki, listen to me sweet heart. I know of your situation, or at least most of it. Kaito wouldn’t tell us the full story.” Kaito’s grandmother gently spoke, her hand comfortingly laying on Maki’s shoulder. Maki didn’t show it but she was thankful again for Kaito not telling his family about her talent, but that was besides the pint. She listened intently to the elder. “But what I do know was that the ones who adopted you weren’t the nicest of people. They may have taken you in, but they’re not family. Having a family doesn’t mean that you have to be related by blood or being forced to stay under their roof because you feel obligated to. Family is the people that you are close to and that you care about with all your heart. And they listen when you need a shoulder to cry on and to help make you feel better.
Take Kaito for instance. He cares so much about you, dear. Because of that, you are a part of this family now. I understand that this all strange and even frightening to you, but take your time with all of this. The last thing that we need is for you to feel like you shouldn’t be here. You have nothing to worry about with us. I know that we’ve only just met today, but already you feel like a granddaughter that I’ve never got to have. That is, if you’re okay with me saying such.”
It was like a switch had been flicked so suddenly. Those words deafened every other noise that dared to interrupt the peace. The voice was loud and clear despite having a frail sound. Maki felt like she had been changed so suddenly as the elder spoke to her. The feeling of being suffocated was suddenly erased, like it had never been there to begin with. Instead of being uncomfortable, Maki felt more comfort than she had ever had her whole life. She no longer felt like there was this invisible force that was weighing her down. She felt light, weightless. Like as though she could fly off into the stars at that moment. All the worries and doubts that she had and felt were washed away.
The feeling of that was so quick that Maki didn’t have any time to try to stop the tears from falling. She tried to stop them from flowing. Kaito’s grandmother seemed to have a teary smile herself. She opened her arms, being patient with Maki. She didn’t rush. She only waited. She allowed Maki to leave if she wanted to. Maki stayed. She found herself enveloped in a hug. It was so gentle that it felt like Maki was wrapped up in a second hug. The tears seemed to keep coming as all the emotions that Maki had felt were finally let out with full force. It was just what she needed.
Maki didn’t know how one she had cried for. She just kept going until the tears finally stopped running like a waterfall. By time they stopped, her body felt heavy with sleep. She felt like she needed to sleep for a hundred years after letting all of those tears out. As she pulled back slightly, Kaito’s grandmother gently wiped away any remaining tears that hadn’t dried up yet. They both sat there for a minute longer before they finally ent back inside. Maki still had the small blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she said goodnight to the elder. She crept into Kaito’s room. Kaito was still asleep, snoring quietly. Seems like he didn’t notice that Maki had left the bedroom in the first place. Maki slipped silently into the bed. She thought that she didn’t wake up her boyfriend until she felt the mattress shift.
“You okay, Maki Roll? You were gone for quite a while.” Kaito mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep. Maki’s lips curled up into a tired smile as she looked over her shoulder. Kaito looked so drowsy that she wasn’t sure if he’d fall asleep on her right then and there.
“I’m fine.” She reassured him, making sure that he was out at ease. Kaito didn’t give a coherent response to that. He only grumbled a little before his body slumped back down on the mattress. His arm however looped lazily around Maki. Maki waited until she heard him snoring quietly again. Then she sighed in content as she fell into a peaceful slumber, finally feeling like she had a family that night.
