Chapter Text
Kozume Kenma is relatively one of the most prominent faces in the video game development industry. At the short age of twenty-eight he has achieved more than any other person close to his age, for a foreigner, to succeed distinctively in another country like the U.S is something he is immensely proud of.
After all, he left Japan when he had just reached the majority of age and never gave up on it to get himself in the place he is at the moment. Kenma’s actual position covers the creating and modifying process of every game plus setting their pre-sales, generating the highest incomes with all of his releases. Being in charge, though, also requires other aspects such as handling half of his floor orders, reprimand, fire and assist every detail that needs to be approved with them, connecting somehow with the employees, which is where his problem lies. Communication.
It is not that Kenma loathes to have pleasant chats with his subordinates, it is definitely not that… but it is. Even though he has his own reasons that he wouldn’t admit out loud, he finds most of them incompetent for hardening his job, tending to use the power his position assign, sometimes, probably more times than he realises of.
So although Kenma is only trying to do his job, from the corporation workers point of view, he is evil, lacking heart and compassion, comparing his big brain to the size of his ego. Therefore his reputation has gained him a pseudonym on their part, ‘The Snake’ mostly used to ease the way of naming him when workers are trash-talking about. Kozume obviously has never heard about it and for the sake of everyone who pretends to maintain his job there, he never should.
Thus what accompanies Kenma in the commodity of his luxurious office is no other than loneliness, he does not hate it, he almost prefers it that way every day. Nonetheless, especially when festivities are around and people in the office share gifts and hugs, in the very deep of Kenma’s mind he would enjoy having more proximity with a few. Some of them are highly capable of maintaining their position, they’re nice, he wouldn’t mind it. But again, that’s something no one will hear him voice a word about.
Instead, Kenma learned to spend his time alone, he was not bored, he did not have free-time for that, no time for friends, nor not scheduled plans, nor love and he could say he was fine with it. He exchanged those with countless hours of work, piles and piles of games to check, so then, he was where he was knowing that working in one of the highest positions was not a charm of good luck.
He acted from the first day as if he did not care.
Kenma was certain he could single-handedly count the amount of people that paid him a visit to his office or talked face-to-face and not through phone calls on a daily basis, between them was his boss, sales manager and his secretary, Kuroo Tetsurou.
Kuroo gained Kenma’s recognition or at least the acknowledgment of his presence close to a year ago, despite the boy having working for him for more than three years. He proved to be worthy of his place when, in the hectic schedule of Christmas month, one of his releases was leaked and both exhaustively handled the situation day and night until it was fixed. Therefore Kuroo was still there because he was capable, they were not friends or close and he was sloopy for his liking but yet, from the few secretaries he has ever had that lasted this long.
One day when everything was going on smoothly, two knocks disturbed Kenma's call. Kuroo opened the door, poking his head through announcing the big CEO was coming into his office.
“What does he want?” Kenma whispered, not even bothering to hang up yet.
“Something about you not filling papers on time.”
A frown formed in his face, indicating the displeasure he felt. “Isn’t that your job?”
Right in the moment when the other was about to reply their conversation was cut in by two men, one of them recognized as the CEO himself, who were entering the room.
The act followed by his secretary closing the door giving them privacy to talk. The CEO didn’t visit him often without previous notice, they had their shared meetings on friday’s afternoon only owning Kenma with his non-announced presence in situations where it couldn’t be avoided for longer.
“Hi Mr. Coleman, how can I help you?” Kenma asked skeptically in the kindest tone of voice that had ever let come out of his mouth.
“Kozume, I thought you said you would solve the visa problem well by yourself.” The man said, standing on the other side of Kenma’s desk with his arms crossed, his gaze was questioning, however the way he spoke indicated he knew, in fact, that Kenma had not handled it at all.
“Oh Mr. Coleman, it must have slipped my mind! But I can do it later if you want to. It's just fixing up some details and every-....”
The grey haired old man interrupted him, not convinced by his lie a little bit.
“Kozume, you are facing deportation right now.” Exasperation was noticeable in his voice. Kenma couldn’t blame him. “From what Mr. Smith had told me you received several notifications that you did not reply to. So now you have to return to Japan for some time until you fix this mess.”
Only the thought of it dawned on Kenma like a cold shower.
“But sir-...” he barged in once again.
“Look, this is Mr. Smith from the immigration department, he will tell you how to proceed and then after everything is clear from this incident you might ask for your visa again. I’m sorry Kozume.”
“But Mr. Coleman, I have ‘Evil’s monster’ release planned for next week. It’s of vital importance that I’m not absent there. A solution has to be found for this!” Kenma yelled, not with a noisy voice or loudly but definitely more highly-pitched than he is used to speaking to. “Who is going to take my place if I leave here? I can’t leave…”
“The manager from the sales department, seems very capable and ready to accept this position, but ask Mr. Smith, he will tell you better than me.”
Kenma knew that manager, he was incapable of covering all his duties the way he did, he couldn’t even complete his managing own job properly, it wasn't his intention to criticize that at this moment though, but the truth was the truth. Howeve, both looked at the man for an answer, which the other pretended to deliberate. Fake cordiality showing off.
“You have been notified even more times than a regular person and you, in fact, did not complete the process needed, the only thing I can think of is for you to be engaged or similar. Which I have not been informed of by-...”
“Oh? but I am!” Kenma pointed out rapidly, cutting in.
“You are?” Both men, CEO and the one introduced as Mr. Smith contemplated his occurrence trying to find the lie in his face. Surprise noticeable in his boss' eyes, clearly not expecting that… Well, Kenma neither. ‘Was it that hard to believe though?’ he considered.
“Yes! I have been dating...” He started, trying to find the quickest most believable answer when through his door glass he spotted Tetsurou sitting at his desk talking on the phone. A plan lit up in his head as a light bulb. “Kuroo for a year now. I'm sorry Mr. Coleman I didn’t tell you, I did not think it would be very work ethic at the time since he also works here. But we are happy together and we are getting married soon. Wait, let me get him here.”
As fast as the speedlight, Kenma moved to reach the door handle that was no further than ten steps away, calling Kuroo in. The bedhead black haired man looked completely out of focus but he still hung up. Looking up and down at the man, to Kenma’s eyes, he wasn’t hard to look at. Kuroo was close to his age, not exactly remembering how much. He was tall and competent, modeling a fit figure, broad shoulders, hazel eyes and peculiar hairstyle that fell close to the one you get in the morning once you wake up. If Kenma was another person, in other circumstances, his mind would betray him to assure he is what newest generations call boyfriend material. Kuroo was attractive, and probably the only person he could indulge in such a situation.
However, being brought back to the reality he was facing, Kuroo held the title of his secretary slash soon-to-be-husband so from his mouth all it came out was muttering which Kuroo deciphered as “cover me and you can get anything you want.”
That left Kuroo even more bewildered. This couldn’t be good.
“So here he is. Mr. Coleman, Mr. Smith, he is Kuroo Tetsurou, my fiancé and secretary.”
By hearing that the black haired boy nearly faints, he was convinced that hadn’t he left his coffee on the top of his desk, it now would be sitting on the floor, spilled. ‘What the fuck is Kenma on now?’. His eyes were wide as the ocean, taken by surprise of what he had just been informed of. However he swiftly found his composure back shaking both men’s hands. “Very pleased to meet you, gentlemen.”
“Kuroo, I did not know you were hiding this all this time. Congratulations!”
“Right…” What could he say, he didn’t know either. “We have been keeping it low profile.” He said laughing uncomfortably, his hand scratching the back of his head.
“I understand.” Kuroo was glad that Mr. Coleman did, because he certainly didn’t.
Mr. Smith who hadn’t kept an eye away from him barged on. “Well if that’s the case I might need you both to present at the immigration office this saturday morning to accommodate a handful of papers and legalize the marriage. You will have an individual interview to see if everything is legit and after that, Kozume might be able to stay in this country.” He took a breath and continued, still glaring at him. “Knowing the many similar cases that tend to discarriage the truth in order to keep a visa I should advise you cleverly... you know Tetsurou, if it is a fraud, you will be facing imprisonment for many years.” Kuroo gulped loudly. “It’s your only chance to change your mind. So Kuroo, I would like to ask you again, are you two really dating?”
All eyes in the room were focusing on him, even Kenma’s who looked like a sad defiant cat, Kuroo wouldn’t want to imagine what the future would depart from him and his career if he denied it now. He was cornered.
He nodded, moving to Kenma’s side.
“We have been dating for…” he looked at the other who mumbled the number one… one year? one month? one decade? how Kuroo was supposed to know. “...a mon-” Kenma trampled on his feet. “A year.” He concluded this time, more convinced. Mr Smith looked at the scene with one eyebrow up, not genuinely believing their act. “But I can’t go this Saturday actually… it’s my grandmother’s birthday this weekend I’m travelling home to visit.”
“Do your parents know about your relationship?” The man asked.
“They don’t!” Kenma intervened. “Because you know… we have hid it very well but it’s probably a great opportunity to tell the family now on grannie's birthday, right darling?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.”
“And where is his grandmother’s house located?” He questioned in order to encounter details, staring at Kenma, who was middling his expression of shock and panic.
“Love, can you tell him where it is?” He encouraged Kuroo, flinching at the pet name.
“Alaska.”
“Alaska.” Kenma repeated.
The older man hummed at that. “I guess if that’s your final answer I will see you both next week. Congrats on your engagement and… Kozume, I apologize for taking your time.”
“Oh no! It was a simple misunderstanding. No one knew.” He said, pretending politeness.
“If that’s all, we will get going then.” The CEO voiced. “Once again, congratulations.”
When both men had left the office Kuroo remained at his place to hear what the hell was going on. However, Kenma treated him with indifference, not even perceiving his presence, straightforwardly returning to his activities as if he hadn’t just compromised the whole integrity of Kuroo’s life, as if nothing happened. He roughly cleared his throat, gaining the other’s attention.
“Oh right Tetsurou, you are still there. Can you bring me my coffee?”
“Your coffee?” Kuroo scoffed incredulously.
“Yes? Was that not clear?” Kenma said but Kuroo didn’t move, not even a millimeter.
For someone Kuroo believed to be so sharp-witted, the obviousness this man possessed in the moment irritated his own self in levels that seemed no humanly possible.
“Can you explain to me what’s going on?” He inquired knowing he deserved that answer at least.
“I told you to cover me, it will be a benefit for you… or are you engaged to someone else?”
“No but I was planning on getting married to someone I love.”
‘Fuck… he’s a romantic.’ Kenma considered ignoring the new information he had been handling.
“Name the price then.” He stated, if there was something money could do, was solve a problem.
“What?” To this moment Kuroo was in trance, disbelief exuding from every part of his body. Was Kenma out of his mind or he couldn’t get his head out of his ass? He did not know.
“The price, what do you want? A house? A new pet? Money? Say it.”
“You can’t just…” Tetsurou huffed, considering what his next reply should be for some seconds. If he was doing this he was going to do it his way.
“I want my game to be released.”
“No way…” He laughed until he realized how serious the other’s face was. “I don’t think that’s possible Kuroo, you know these things don't work like that.”
“The game or I’m coming back to immigration office to explain to that man what’s really happening.” He ought to learn how well he plays his cards because if he was going to be trapped in a labyrinth, so would Kenma.
“You wouldn’t…”
“I would.” Kuroo retorted.
He was risking his freedom, his single status and surely his dignity, yet he possessed some human decency on him to not betray the other, but his boss did not know that.
Kozume hesitated for a few seconds, his mind storming inside.
“Alright.” He said defeated. “Use your miles for my plane for saturday.”
“You are actually going?” Kenma nodded.
Oh this certainly was a bad, bad plan.