Chapter Text
Hinata Shoyo was an unpredictable human. Always in the middle of something, too fast to be caught but slow enough to be able to savor every moment. He would step into your life like a lightning, only to gift you with a carefree smile that could take away anyone’s fears.
And maybe that was the point.
Perhaps those were his feelings, but he would never let them show. Because Hinata Shoyo's thoughts were too distant from reach.
That’s why, not even in a thousand years, I would have predicted our story.
KENMA
It was a warm night in the middle of June. There was nothing out of the extraordinary: the clock would mark two am once again, right after a twelve hours stream that Kenma had just closed. His dinner, if not the food for the whole day, had been a couple bags of chips and the three cans of energy drinks that still lay on his desk. And to be fair, it didn't really concern him.
The temperatures were reaching maximums for a streak of 3 days now, making it unbearable to keep up with anything that would make him get out of the air conditioner's range. Because if there was something Kenma hated the most in this world, excluding people, was the unnecessary feeling of being sweaty, and the fact his body felt like he was carrying a fifty kilograms rock over his shoulders. Maybe it was the perfect time to take a cold shower, but that would happen to be later.
There's something Kenma always does after his livestreams: surfing Twitter. Not because he cares about other's opinions, but because he still wants to feel human. Kodzuken might be charismatic and entertaining, but Kozume Kenma is just a 26 years old boy that is still searching for a way to make his days interesting. Gaming became work, and work became tiring. Because part of his job now is making sure he pleases the people behind the screen, and that might be the second reason why he keeps up with his socials.
The reactions from the viewers help to create a clear picture of what they like or not. His routine is simple: he resumes the stream in about 280 characters, or less if possible, and focuses on checking the replies. That makes it easy and straightforward, since the comments towards the stream always flood the notifications tab as soon as Kenma posts.
Kodzuken
@Kodzuken
Thank you everyone for spending a while with me. I did not expect the plot to get so long, maybe we'll be able to clear the game next time.
See you on Saturday at 2 pm. #TWD #TWDKodzuken
2:03 · 21/6/21 · 14,2K views
⮑ Yui @COD_53 · 21/6/21 2:03
It was getting interesting!!! But I'm honestly worried, I believe you are driving yourself to the bad ending lol
⮑ Reply to @COD_53
Kuroo @tetskuroo · 21/6/21 2:05
Is there a fucking bad ending!?!?
⮑ Pedro | COMISSIONS OPEN @pokedroxart 21/6/21 2:03
Oh man sucks to be me! Watch me set an alarm at 2 am next Saturday to not miss it.
⮑ Hinata Shoyo @itshinatashoyo 21/6/21 2:04
IM SO GLAD!!!! I don't want this game to end!!!! Will you play the other titles from TWD series too?
He spends a while trying to pick a bunch of people to reply to. First one is definitely Kuro, Kenma's first subscriber and best friend.
"Dork." He scoffs and shakes his head with a smile. «Yes, Kuro, it's a zombie apocalypse game. Of course there's a bad ending.» Kenma types quickly on his keyboard and presses the send button, knowing already he will get scolded by the raven next time they meet up.
Next in line was Hinata Shoyo, a viewer that came recently to his channel but has been consistently interacting on every stream. He wonders sometimes how someone can have so much free time, but the same question could backfire to him. As fas as Kenma knew, Shoyo was about his age and quite talkative. He's sure anyone could feel his presence even in a crowded room. That's maybe the reason he kept his distance, because someone so nice could only potentially want something from Kenma, and he was not willing to hurt himself, nor deal with more problems. The replies to Hinata would come in batches, once every couple of months, but he had to admit he would read everything sent his way
⮑ Reply to @itshinatashoyo
Kodzuken @Kodzuken 21/6/19 2:07
I'd be lying if I said I have not already bought them.
⮑ Hinata Shoyo @itshinatashoyo 21/6/19 2:08
suddenly the world is bright again
Kenma can't help but to chuckle as soon as the reply comes. "Maybe he's genuinely a good person" he tells to himself, as well as he did every single time they'd interact; but perhaps trying to believe that was his biggest mistake to begin with. Or his lucky strike, depends on how you look at it. Because that night Kenma went out of his routine and involved himself with Hinata Shoyo's world. Determined to leave his comfort zone, he checked his profile picture. A bright orange hair and a sun-kissed freckled nose lighted up Kozume's screen. But it wasn't enough to his curiosity, and that's when the balloons filled up the page after a single click. "Balloons?" he frowned to himself. "Could it be..?"
Hinata Shoyo @itshinatashoyo · 17h
Birthday gift is: I’m finally back home!
And that was, not only Hinata Shoyo's birthday, but the day Kenma started breaking down his walls.
Kenma kept scrolling down, even though there was not much to stalk. As he knew, they both were around the same age, Shoyo apparently being one year younger. His pictures were one of two kinds: he's either posting selfies or sunsets. There's not in between. But it was the melancholic tone in the rest of his words that left an unsettling feeling in Kenma. «man, will I get any good news at some point?» had been written down 5 days ago, and Kenma could have sworn it was after the weekend Hinata Shoyo missed his stream for the very first time. His interaction with another of his viewers seemed to confirm it.
Hinata Shoyo @itshinatashoyo · 7d
I'm literally SO BORED!!!! Like SO DAMN BORED!!!!
⮑ Pedro | COMISSIONS OPEN @pokedroxart · 7d
ain't you watching the stream today?
⮑ Hinata Shoyo @itshinatashoyo · 7d
sadly not :( the internet sucks here!
At the time, his fingers moved on its own, and before Kenma could even realize it, his following count went up on one.
Because there was something about Hinata Shoyo that was out of his control, out of his reach. But much over, out of his logical thinking. That was his only explanation to be texting a complete stranger at two in the morning.
@Kodzuken:
Happy birthday, Shoyo.
2:17
For a second, his mind got blurry; an overwhelming feeling conquering his whole body. Hinata Shoyo shouldn't have known, that's all Kenma could tell to himself. He could easily unsend the message, hit unfollow and perform the biggest lie of his life declaring it had been a rough mistake. Because Hinata Shoyo should be sleeping... right?
To his poor luck, the three writing dots popped up immediately on the screen; unsure of if they should be there, proven by the fact they would continuously appear and disappear for five minutes straight. At some point, they get consistent and, no long after, Kenma receives a reply and he finds himself smiling to the white screen.
@itshinatashoyo:
I'm trying to figure out who the heck hacked your account because this makes 0 sense
2:24
Now seriously: thank you so much???? I appreciate it LIKE A LOT!!!!
2:24
Kenma locked his phone and dropped it on top of his bed, an exasperated sigh leaving his mouth. "what the fuck am I doing".
A cold shower was everything he needed, drops running all over his body and a poor-made-bun to set himself to sleep. But there he was once again, Hinata was not only on his mind but also back on his lockscreen, what made him realize that he never replied.
@itshinatashoyo
I didn't mean to offend you! I'm sorry! I know for a fact I'm more annoying than funny hah really sorry!
Looking forward to the next stream, kodzuken!
3:05
@Kodzuken
Sorry, took a shower
3:07
"what am I even apologizing for?" he asked himself.
@Kodzuken:
no need to worry, Shoyo.
Also, just Kenma.
3:08
Next thing he knows, he completely fell asleep without any warning.