Chapter Text
It wasn’t the first time he had passed in front of the orphanage. It wasn’t the first time he had stopped to watch the children playing.
But that day felt different. That day felt distinctly different.
The sun wasn’t too high in the sky. A few clouds darkened the light, leaving the day grey and overcast - the kind of day Kento hated. The kind of day he usually spent at home or at work, buried under paperwork or with a steaming cup of black coffee in front of him.
His therapist had suggested he take care of something.
He had tried with a plant, but after about two days he had handed it over to his friend Yu, because it looked like it was on the verge of dying.
Then he had tried with a goldfish, but a week later he had found it floating belly-up, and had thrown away the tank and anything that reminded him of that small, glassy-eyed creature.
“Maybe you should get a dog.” The woman had said. “Dogs tend to keep people active and help them disconnect from work.”
Kento had given her a forced smile.
The image of a dog alone in his apartment every day didn’t sit right with him. Nor did the idea of taking in another living thing that couldn’t speak back to him.
Maybe he was just one of those cases where work ended up consuming everything else. And once at home, people simply felt lost.
It didn’t matter. Or rather - he had not had much of a choice.
That day, he entered the orphanage when the children were not outside screaming or running around.
He entered when there was silence, and perhaps when no one was expecting him.
“Good morning, can I help you?”
A brown-haired woman greeted him at the door. She wore a white shirt and had several toys tucked into the pockets of the dark apron tied around her waist.
Kento thought about it for a moment. What had he come here for?
Did he even have a reason to be here?
“I brought these for the children.” He said after a brief hesitation.
He was holding two light-colored bags. It had taken him weeks to choose everything: plush toys, logic games, and even a few packs of allergen-free biscuits.
The woman smiled immediately.
“Oh, the children will be very happy. I’m Shoko Ieiri, nice to meet you. Would you like to meet them?”
His plan had been to drop off the gifts and leave, and yet at that question he couldn’t say no. He never really could.
“Alright.”
The room they found the children in was bright, the walls painted like a blooming garden, the ceiling drawn like a pale sky with soft clouds.
It was the kind of place that didn’t make you long for the outside world, even on days like this.
The children cheered when they saw a stranger enter and immediately rushed forward to greet him, perhaps hoping he had something for them.
They all came at once - except one.
A child was sitting near a painted bush, playing with a worn-out tiger plush. Somehow, he looked like the happiest of them all.
The woman followed Kento’s gaze and smiled faintly.
“He’s the new arrival… He came here after his grandfather passed away. He’s very calm and quiet.” She explained.
Kento’s eyes stayed fixed on the child. He glanced briefly at the others, but his attention kept returning to him.
“His name is Yuji.” Shoko said.
At that, the boy turned toward them and smiled brightly.
He waved, then stood up and followed the group of children. Curious, but careful not to stay too close to anyone.
“Hi.” He said softly, in a voice that didn’t want to disturb anyone.
Kento looked at him, slightly taken aback.
“Hello.” He wouldn’t have called himself good with children - in fact, quite the opposite.
“My name is Yuji, and I’m four years old. This is Wasuke.” He said, pointing at the tiger plush. “He’s named after my grandfather. That way, even if he’s not here anymore, I’m not alone.”
Those words caught Kento off guard, tightening something in his chest.
He didn’t know what to say. He simply offered a small smile, though it felt difficult.
“Yuji, I think the gentleman here also thinks your plush is very nice - and that it has a very nice name.” Shoko commented.
“I’m Kento…” He said, for reasons he didn’t fully understand. The child had introduced himself, and he felt he should do the same.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kento.” Yuji said with a wide smile.
And Kento’s heart skipped a beat.
Shoko noticed the exchange and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Would you like a moment alone with him?”
It wasn’t the first time she had seen that look. And perhaps this meeting would lead to something good for both of them.
The room they were taken to was quiet. It was just the two of them now, and Kento felt like the worst person in the world.
“What do you do for work, mister?” Yuji asked. His voice was sweet and bright, just like his smile.
“I work in an office.” He replied briefly.
It wasn’t something he enjoyed saying. Not that he loved his job - he didn’t - but he had fallen into a cycle of work and emptiness that kept his life going without letting him think too much about the hollow days in between.
“My grandfather also worked in an office. He really liked his job. Do you like yours?”
“You can drop the honorific and just call me Kento.” He said, looking at him.
“Oh… okay. Thank you.”
Kento gave him a small smile, and he didn’t quite understand how it happened, but seeing this gentle, quiet child made something tighten in his chest.
It reminded him of himself as a child - how he had tried to be quiet and diligent just to avoid worrying his parents.
Yuji felt like a younger version of him.
When he left the room, he went to look for Shoko - but she found him first.
“So, have you decided what you’re going to do?” She asked simply.
Kento adjusted his tie for the fifth time and cleared his throat.
He turned toward the door, ready to leave and forget the encounter.
He tried not to think about those sad eyes, the worn-out plush held in small hands, and that smile too carefully built for a child his age.
Shoko waited calmly.
She stayed silent, giving him all the time he needed.
The thought of the plant, the fish, and the dog crossed his mind.
What was he doing? Was he about to make the wrong choice - for what? For the words of his therapist who charged a fee and never even finished her sentences when the session ended?
His thoughts were many, too many.
A tangled mess, just like the morning subway he took to work.
He felt the same suffocating pressure, the weight of others, the eyes of people who perhaps didn’t even want to be there that day.
After what felt like a long silence, Kento finally spoke.
“I would like to adopt him…”
What followed was the sound of rain beginning to fall, tapping against the windowpanes.