Work Text:
"Are you sure it's him?"
"One hundred percent."
"It must be some kind of mistake!" His client says too quickly, the panic taking over him. "It can't be possible."
"I have never been wrong before."
"But..." His client whines again as he looks at the folder. "It can't be this asshole. God, just anyone but him."
Kenma has always hated this part of his job. Comforting people isn't his forte. "Well, you know there is nothing forcing you to be with him, right?"
"Of all people, damn it. Of all people, it had to be him." The young male wasn't paying too much attention to him anyway. "What did I ever do to receive this distasteful joke? Maybe I have another soulmate? It happens, I know it, I've heard about it before."
His client is looking at him as if he was his last hope, but a short glance at his pinky finger soon ends any other option.
There's only one red string tied on his finger. A string that guides him a few miles away, a strong bond that the universe decided to create to link their souls together. A powerful reminder that you have someone out there, waiting for you, looking for you. A string that connects Oikawa Tooru with Ushijima Wakatoshi.
There's nothing Kenma could do besides give him the information. His client can do whatever he wants with it.
"Sorry," he says because he really feels that way. He doesn't know the history behind his reaction, but being tied with someone you don't like mustn't be pretty.
Kenma tells him that there is no need to follow his soulmate, but deep down he wants to know which choice Oikawa Tooru will take.
Will he travel to tell his new soulmate about their bond? Will he stay quiet? Will he ignore the red string to be with someone else?
Unfortunately, that's not part of his job.
Kozume Kenma was born with a particular ability, he can see the red strings of fate connecting people, best known as soulmates.
He first noticed it when he was young and played with the glowing string on his mom's finger, following the path until reaching the end where his dad's pinky finger was.
The string would always lead him to each other.
They explain to him all about soulmates a few years later. Kenma remembers asking them if they knew they were soulmates before him confirming it. A bright smile appeared on both of their faces resembling their happiness as they told Kenma the story of how they just follow their heart to each other, a hint of their linked fate always present. They said that their hearts were always united, red string or not.
Observing people’s strings became his new daily activity.
The red was everywhere. Long, short and even buzzing strings all tangled wherever he went. All hanging from stranger’s fingers with a marked destination.
Not all strings were the same. Some of them shine brighter than others, the reddish color could be lighter and faded than others. There were some strings that he could barely see due to being so much thinner, Kenma always thought that it was because the love wasn’t that strong between those soulmates.
Years later, he learned the true reason. Their time together was limited and the string just gets thinner as the death of one of the souls bonded gets closer, until there’s no string connecting them but only memories and a red burning mark around the person’s finger.
The first time Kenma interfered for a soulmate to find their other half was when he was in high school. He was good with just observing in the background but his best friend Kuro tried to convince him that he had been chosen with this special ability for a reason and he needed to help people find their soulmates.
Kenma refused mainly because Kuroo just wanted to know who was his soulmate or rather make sure if Bokuto Koutarou was the one at the end of his red string. Of course, Kenma didn’t tell him, his best friend needed to take a chance and after two years of dancing around in the “we are bros but I think I’m in love with you” zone, he finally confessed to Bokuto, resulting in both finding a small apartment to move together in their first year of college.
Kenma told them they were soulmates after two months of dating, but they already knew somehow. They could feel their string squeezing their pinky finger every time they were not together.
At that moment, after seeing a softness in their eyes making their smiles wider enough to brighten the whole room, that was the moment Kenma decided to connect soulmates.
So, he opened up a private detective agency where he helps people find their soulmates thinking that the results will be similar to the one of his friends.
Most of the cases weren't.
He was left with almost no appetite after the disastrous appointment with his client and his break didn't last as much as he wanted to. His next appointment was entering through the door with an expensive watch wrapped around her wrist constantly reminding him that her time was gold.
Hatsuko Katsu was looking for her soulmate. Kenma can see her clear string, more pink than red tied on her finger leaving a long trance behind her. Her soulmate wasn't close. But at least she has a clue.
"He is in Osaka."
"And why are you so sure? Is he an ex-boyfriend?"
"Childhood friends. We lost touch as we grew up. There was always an especial connection between us. His father still works for mine, but I haven't been able to reach him. When he sees that I'm her soulmate he will come back to Tokyo."
"If," Kenma emphasizes as he looks for more information about Akaashi Keiji on his laptop. "The only way to make sure is if I see you both at the same time, I will know whether your string is connected or not if we travel together to see him since he is too far to follow it."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, I have a business to take care of. It will be easy if he comes here."
He suppresses the urge of rolling his eyes for the fifth time since that woman opened her mouth. "Then you can invite him considering your history and then you can schedule another appointment."
The woman smiles for the first time since she got here, her lips curving slightly looking for sympathy where she won't find it. It wouldn't be the first time someone offers him a huge amount of money to lie about the destination of a string. The entitlement some people has. As if money could buy them someone to love them
However, a huge amount of money just to travel to Osaka on the weekend and try to bring Akaashi Keiji with him is definitely something he can accept.
He needed a change of air anyway, avoiding the blind date Kuroo set up for him tomorrow was just a plus. His best friend wanted him to find his soulmate, Kenma couldn’t care less.
He has seen too many times how his clients think that just because finding their soulmates, their lives will get better, their lives will have meaning now that they are whole. He has witnessed countless times his clients abandoning their current partners just to keep going with their soulmates. The world is too obsessed with the term soulmates to such an extent that people don't have romantic relationships for the fear of not having their string connected.
And if they do, they blame all their problems on the possibility of not being soulmates.
His business has bought more heartbreak than happiness.
Kenma rests his head on his seat, the screen on his console tells him that he lost again. With a heavy sigh after rubbing his eyes to get rid of any sign of sleep, he takes out the folder about his client to read about him again.
Akaashi Keiji is a twenty-five year old editor with almost no social media but an old Instagram account where he just posts lame quotes and his coffee orders. His family owns quite a fortune but he has no connection with their company. He grew up in Tokyo and lived there until he turned eighteen.
What Hatsuko Katsu didn’t tell him was that an arranged marriage between her and Akaashi used to exist. Apparently, Akaashi’s parents broke it off.
Kenma was stretching his arms above his head when a voice through the speakers announced that they are about to get to their destination. Snd that’s when he felt it.
His eyes widen in shock and every muscle of his body goes rigid. Slowly, he takes his right hand in front of his eyes looking closely at his pinky finger where his own red string is tied. He frowns at the stretched red string as if someone was pulling it somewhere far in the distance.
The string that had remained unmoving for so long was finally waking up. It used to happen all the time when Kenma was much younger, he could see how his string would swing back and forth, other days the string would get all tangled up in his whole pinky finger because his soulmate was twirling it around it, other days his soulmate would just tug it… hard.
The only thing he did was ignore it because honestly, it was annoying and distracting, it made his hand move when he was playing video games. And one day, it never moved again.
Kenma stands in his seat to see the people around him but his string wasn’t reaching any of them.
He was in the taxi when he finally answered back an hour later by pulling it slightly. Nothing happened so he pulls it again, this time a bit harder but the string is just hanging there from his finger. He feels the silky string around his fingers before waving it wondering if the other person can feel it.
Kenma gives a short glance at the address to get to the right apartment. 1401, 1403, and 1405… he deeply inhales before lifting his hand to knock. A strange feeling on his stomach spreading to his chest makes him not want to knock again, so he waits exactly thirty seconds outside the door when he decides to leave.
“Yes?”
Kenma turns around to see a man approaching, the distance of his red string shortening with each step he takes.
An angel with deep green eyes and framed glasses is in front of him, his apartment keys jingling as he takes them out of his pocket.
A mixture of surprise and awe fills him as Kenma follows the movement of the stranger’s hand until he sees a scarlet red string tying his finger delicately, it has a bright glow that connects them together.
“Uh, can I help you with something?” Kenma gulps before shaking his head repeatedly. “Weren’t you knocking on my door five seconds ago?”
Kenma slightly move his head to see the number 1405 on the door of the apartment of Akaashi Keiji. “I- I got the wrong number, I’m sorry.”
“The building it’s pretty big, do you need help?” A glimpse of cautiousness is hidden in his polite tone.
He shakes his head again, glancing at the elevator close by. Fuck the money, he is out. Kenma avoids the intense eyes of Akaashi Keiji as he tries to escape, pressing almost all the buttons on the elevator to leave as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, an arm stops the doors from closing and the string mocks him just hanging from Akaashi’s hand in front of him. He takes some steps back, his back resting completely at the wall trying to be far from Akaashi.
“I received a call today to tell me a soulmate reader was coming. Is that you?”
Who the fuck called him like that? Kenma stares at the elevator doors trying to close but being unable due to Akaashi being right in the middle. “I- Um yes. I mean, I’m a private investigator… sort of.”
“So, were you spying on me?”
“What? No! I was-” A shaky breath comes out of his lips. “Hatsuko Katsu hired me to find her soulmate and she sent me to come looking for you."
His eyes widen a bit behind his glasses. "I'm her soulmate?" The doors try to close again, making Akaashi's whole body slightly jump.
He doubts whether to tell him or not. He isn't going to lie and tell him she is, but he is not sure about saying about the string bonding their souls. "I don't know, the only way of knowing is if I see you both together."
"Why?" Akaashi steps into the elevator, the distance between them shortening. "How's that work?"
"I- I can see the strings."
Akaashi shifts his gaze between his eyes and his own hand. "No way."
"Hey! It's true! I can see them."
"Where does mine goes?"
Akaashi lifts his hand and Kenma sees the red string dancing around his finger, almost as if it was trying to catch his attention. At the same time, Kenma can feel the string tightening around his pinky finger.
"I don't know, I would have to follow it but it's too long, it can take me some time."
"Oh," Akaashi opens his fist and closes it a few times to then lift his gaze and look straight into his eyes. "Where do yours goes?"
"That's none of your business. But uhh it goes pretty far from here."
The elevator doors open and a couple of people enter, Akaashi turns around to stand next to him. "So I have to travel to Tokyo?" He whispers.
"No if you don't want to. I can't force you to go there. Besides, there's a big chance that you are not her soulmate."
"Wow, you are really good at convincing people, don't you?"
Akaashi smirks at him and Kenma melts.
The elevator indicates that they are on the first floor and he wastes no time to escape from there. Kenma didn’t sign up for this, he wasn’t even looking for his soulmate. Oh God, he sucks with relationships, he avoids them for a reason. The fact that he is his soulmate should calm him, but it’s actually making him even more nervous.
A beautiful orange spreads across the afternoon sky bathing the whole city in a perfect autumn picture. God, he can almost hear Kuro said that right now is a perfect moment to fall in love.
“Wait!” He hears Akaashi shout behind him and he wonders if it would be too obvious that he is avoiding him if he just keeps walking to the station.
“Hey! Wait, wait.” Akaashi’s dark hair blew against the strong breeze as he ran to him. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Kozume Kenma.”
“Okay, Kozume, let's go."
“Uhh go where exactly?”
“To Tokyo. I’ll come with you.”
“W- What?” Oh no… He should have run faster. “Now? But, it’s late and it takes about three or four hours to get there, it will leave you with no time to get back.”
“It’s fine, I don’t work tomorrow and I can stay with my friend and his boyfriend tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I sense it will be fun.”
“Yeah, traveling with a stranger sounds like a party.”
Akaashi answers him with a smile, his eyes squinting under the glowing orange sky.
He waits for the train to come sitting on a bench thinking about what he could do now. Telling Akaashi about their shared string is not an option, he could just say that Hatsuko and him are not soulmates and if he tries to book his services later to find his own, he can always refuse. Yeah, for now, he just needs to stop looking at his pinky finger as if his golden eyes were glued to it.
“Here,” Akaashi sits down next to him giving him a cup of coffee he just bought. “I don’t function if I don’t drink coffee at least five times a day. I also bought some onigiri.”
“Oh, thanks. How much was it?”
“You bought the tickets, Kozume, it’s okay if I spend a little on our food.”
“Technically it’s Hatsuko’s money so we are traveling for free and please, just Kenma is fine.”
Kenma pays extra attention to how Akaashi eats beside him. Soulmates should think kalike, right? Maybe they have similar taste. He takes two sugar packets, carefully observing if Akaashi drinks his coffee with two as well. But he doesn’t add any.
“You don’t drink your coffee with sugar?”
“No, I prefer it this way.”
Gross. “Can you give me an extra then?”
“Sure.” He could see Akaashi’s judging look as he was adding all the sugar to his coffee.
Luckily, he wouldn't consider that moment awkward since they were more focused on eating than talking. Well, he was eating, Akaashi was just swallowing onigiri after onigiri. They stayed there for an extra half an hour doing small talk before boarding the train.
“So, have you known Hatsuko for too long?” Kenma asks when the silence became unbearable between them.
“Kind of, our parents have always been good friends,” he answers as he fiddles with his fingers. “We haven’t talked in ages though, I was very surprised when I received her call today.”
Kenma can feel their string moving and getting uncomfortable tighter around his finger as Akaashi pulls it while he talks and talks about his history with his client.
He does everything in his power not to make the slightest of reactions as Akaashi literally tries to cut their bond with how much he is tugging it. “Anyway, it will be good to finally visit her after so long.”
Kenma just nods, her being Akaashi’s soulmate and not him would make everything so much easier for the young editor. She is really beautiful, she looked as if she was constantly in a photoshoot, she has a lot of money, and she is very smart too from what Akaashi told him. Her company was just 20% her parents' efforts and the rest was her.
What could Kenma offer him? Hypothetically of course… The answer is nothing.
“Yeah, she seems uh nice.”
“She is.”
Okay, he gets it! “You don’t travel that often?”
“Not as much as I would like to."
"You seem nervous, you don't like it?"
"Oh no, it’s not that. I- It's just that it has been a while since the last time I visited and this was so spontaneous." Akaashi finally stops fiddling with the string on his finger and he can't help but to sigh in relief.
"Well, that was your fault. I told you that you could travel any other day."
"Maybe I'm a little excited to meet my soulmate. You can't blame me for that."
Oh.
Who wouldn't honestly.
"It must be fun to see what others can't," Akaashi says after a couple of minutes of just staring at the window in silence.
"It certainly isn't. People have a weird vision about soulmates. Having a string attached between souls doesn't grant eternal happiness or whatever. Sometimes they expect too much and then they have to nerve to come after telling me that I was mistaken. As if I was the one bonding them.”
“You make it sound like a curse. Why you do it if you hate the term soulmates then?”
“I do not hate it, I’m just tired of it. I have never met someone that can see the strings and I thought it would be a great business opportunity.”
“Just because you are good at doing something doesn’t mean you should do it, especially if you don’t enjoy it.”
Kenma sighs as he lays his head against the window. “Is that why you decided not to work in your parents’ company and study literature instead?"
Akaashi doesn't seem surprised in the slightest due to him knowing private information, he just nods. “Yes, they understood that it wasn’t what I really wanted in life and they supported me right away.”
Kenma looks away from Akaashi’s persistent eyes not liking how he tries to dig inside of him. Of course he had other options but he chose this path for a reason, it’s too late to change his mind now. And maybe he wanted to be the responsible for the happiness of soulmates he helped bond. But that rarely ever happens.
“I feel like you know a lot about me, but I barely know anything about you,” Akaashi is insistent on trying to make conversation with him.
“Yeah, sorry about that. It’s part of my job to investigate anything I can from you.”
“It’s alright, but there still a lot of me to get to know.” Akaashi's face broke into a smile and Kenma has to suppress the urge of searching on his phone if your soulmate’s smile is capable to kill you.
“Okay, tell me the things about you that I couldn’t find online.”
“Oh no, no. You first. Tell me, Kenma. What do you like to do besides following strings?”
Kenma tells him all about his boring life, that when he is not working he is playing video games and when he is supposed to be sleeping, he is also playing video games. He compensates the lack of interesting details about his life for nice stories about his job. The ones with a good and happy ending.
Akaashi’s eyes are on him at all times soft and attentive. Every time he meets them back, It seems impossible for Kenma to look away. The tingling on his pinky finger returns and he looks for a glimpse of recognition on those green eyes, but he gets none.
Kenma gets bold. As he talks, his fingers play with the red string, pulling it softly to generate a reaction. His chests tighten when he sees Akaashi lowering his head to look at his hand that is resting on his lap. He trips over his words until he stops talking completely, his heart is beating against his chest with the plan of leaving his body at any second.
He can see how Akaashi gently touches his own hand, bending his pinky finger and running his thumb over it, meeting the skin where their thread is tied to him.
When Akaashi finally looks up to find his golden eyes focused on him, he tilts his head with a confused expression. “So… what happened later?”
Kenma blinks several times, damn it… he forgot completely what he was previously saying. “Uhh, I- umm I did- I mean… I told them about the thing? Wait, what was I saying?”
Akaashi smile widens very slowly until he has to cover his mouth with his hand, giggling into it. Kenma’s heart explodes at that very exact moment.
“About the makeup artist. You told her that the supermodel she was working with was her soulmate.”
“Oh yeah, yeah. She fled my office without even paying me, but she came back the next day to tell me that now they were dating. They are still together but I can't tell you who they are since she is a really famous model.”
“That’s okay, I’m glad it worked out for them.”
“Yeah.” Maybe they can be part of another successful story. If he ever decides to tell him they are soulmates… “I’m glad for them too.”
After a couple of hours of talking and talking about each other, they finally arrived at the station. Kenma ignores the sting on his chest when Akaashi texts Hatsuko Katsu to meet tomorrow, he knows they are not soulmates, but what if Akaashi wants them to be?
"Would it be too much to ask if you could wait with me until the taxi arrives?"
"I don't mind," he says trying to shelter himself from the cold by getting closer to Akaashi. "I hope you are ready for tomorrow, please keep in mind that there is a high chance that she isn't your soulmate."
"Are you trying to look after my heart, Kenma?"
Akaashi takes a step forward and now it's impossible for them to be any closer. "I- that's what I do for all of my clients."
The long breeze presses against their skin, making Akaashi's curls dance messily above his head. "Is that so?"
"Of course! Don't think you are special." Akaashi smiles, his eyes squinting and his cheeks blushing. Making Kenma's heart feel warm and fuzzy.
"I think I am," Akaashi lifts his hand, the string waving a bit due to the harsh wind. "I think we are."
Kenma bites his bottom lips, wanting more than anything to run away from here at this precise moment or maybe let the ground swallow him whole. "What are you trying to say?"
"Pull it," Akaashi says. "Your string, pull it."
His eyes travel to the string tied to them and god, there is no way he knows. Can he see them too? "What if nothing happens?"
"Then I will ask you on a date just as I have planning to do all day. But we both know that I will feel it."
"How- how are you so sure?"
"Because a few hours ago, my string moved for the first time and I just knew that I will meet my soulmate today. And then I saw you and I could just feel it, I still do. It has been tingling all day."
Akaashi leans closer and Kenma makes no effort to move away. "Will our date be through Skype? And what about her?"
"My apartment is full of boxes, I accepted a job offer here two weeks ago. Actually, I was gonna travel here on Monday to look for a place. Katsuko is an old friend, I would only be paying her a visit as such."
"Huh… it must be fate then." Kenma takes the string in his hand to tug it, but he doesn't get to see Akaashi's reaction.
Their lips connected just like their strings.