a kento nanami fanfiction where he shows you what love is after you got ghosted by your talking stage [from this ask] wc 1.6k
ⵌ another request 🤭 took inspiration from my talking stage too for this (he ghosted me too btw) ANYWAYS nanami art from @/chu-cho on tumblr!
after years being single, you finally have a talking stage. well, still not a boyfriend, but you've gone on a date. that.. counts for something, right?
you met this guy through your friend, who swore that the two of you would totally get along. you did get along, pretty well actually.
the first date was a blast. the conversation flowed naturally it didn't feel like the first meeting. he laughed at your dumb jokes, flirted with you effortlessly, and somehow hours passed without either of you noticing.
on the way home, he asked you if you'd like to go on a second date. you, of course, agreed to that.
"Yeah," you said too quickly.
He laughed. "That's a quick answer."
"Was i supposed to make you wait?"
the smile that settled on his face stayed there for the rest of the drive.
by the time he dropped you off, you practically skipped back to your apartment with a smile plastered on your face, already imagining how the second date would go. maybe he'd take you to somewhere new? or maybe you'd hold his hand? or even kiss him?!
but the fantasy slowly dissolved, day by day.
his replies came a little later than usual. at first, you brushed it off. he's probably just busy, you thought. but then they got shorter. no more good morning text, no more asking about how your day goes.
soon, he was barely active. your messages sat unread for hours, sometimes days.
your excitement had turned into waiting. for a reply. for an explanation. for the second date that never came.
"Do you think i did something wrong to him?" the question slipped out quietly.
Nanami's brows furrowed, looking up from his coffee. "...No," he said simply. "Who are we talking about exactly?"
you let out an exaggerated groan, sinking further on his couch. "My talking stage."
"The one your friend introduced you to?"
"He asked me on a second date," you said, throwing your hands up in disbelief. "And then he freakin' ghosted me! Can you believe that?!"
Nanami went silent, but the grip on his coffee mug tightened ever so slightly.
"And you know what's embarrassing?" you sighed. "I actually got excited, i was looking forward to seeing him again."
Nanami looked at you for a long moment. "Anyone would."
"Anyone would be excited after being asked on a second date." he looked away, his voice as even as ever. "There's nothing embarrassing about that."
you laughed bitterly. "Maybe this is the universe's way of telling me to give up on love."
Nanami's head snapped back to you. "Don't say that."
you shrugged, rolling your eyes. "Im being serious. Dating is not for me."
"You met one inconsiderate man."
"Still not enough to decide the rest of your life," he said softly.
"Easy for you to say," you looked away.
he watched you quietly, not bothering to argue anymore. but somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped one day you'd realize someone truly loved you.
and it's him. he loved you, well still until now.
he noticed that you looked exhausted. not physically, but emotionally.
and Nanami hated that. so he made a decision. he wouldn't confess, no, not when you're still dealing with dissapointment someone else caused.
he would wait. and while he waited, he'd show you.
you were so, so oblivious. maybe you'd gotten used to Nanami's antics, but lately he'd been much sweeter than before.
like how he'd show up at your office, his blond hair and green-tinted glasses making him more easy to spot in the crowd.
he didn't even tell you beforehand that he'd be visiting. he just showed up out of nowhere while you were eating in the cafeteria.
"... Ken?" you blinked, caught off guard. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just passing by," he replied. "Figured i'd buy you some pastries."
he placed a rather large paper bag into your hands. you peeked inside the bag and found every single one of you favorite pastries, and it was from the bakery you've mentioned a lot of times to him.
"Oh, thanks," you said, still peeking inside of the bag. "You didn't have to go through all that trouble, though. The bakery's in the opposite direction."
Nanami only gave you a small shrug. "It wasn't much of a detour." he said. "Besides, i know you want to try their pastries."
"How did you know?" you tilted your head slightly, and it was so adorable that Nanami felt his heart skip a beat.
"You've mentioned it a lot."
you frowned, trying to remember. "... Huh," for a moment, you genuinely couldn't recall ever bringing it up once. "Well, thanks, Ken," you smiled, lifting the bag slightly. "I'll give you a review later!"
not only that, he always kept his promises. every. single. one.
if he promised to pick you up after a late shift, he'd already be waiting outside before you even clocked out.
"I thought you were just bluffing!" you admitted, half-surprised.
Nanami raised an eyebrow. "Since when do i bluff?"
or when he promised to take you to the new café you'd been wanting to try, he'd show up at your apartment an hour early.
you opened the door, still in your pajamas and damp hair, only to find Nanami waiting outside.
You glanced at the clock, then back at him. "We're leaving in an hour."
"I don't want to be late," he said simply.
"So that i'm not late when i picked you up."
You let out a small laugh. "Unbelievable," you said. "You better help me get ready then!"
he smiled, barely noticeable. "Of course, sweetheart." he muttered that last word.
then came the day you finally realized Nanami was in love with you.
it was when you were hanging out at his apartment, sprawled on his couch, watching whatever was on TV.
during a commercial break, you got up to grab a cup of tea.
"Ken, you want anything?" you called from the kitchen.
you opened one of the cabinets and noticed something.
you grabbed a box of tea bags and looked over to him.
"Why do you have my favorite tea in your cabinet?"
Nanami looked over to you briefly. "I bought it a while ago," he said. "You drink it, so i thought i'd keep some around."
"Why?" you asked. "I only come over once in a while."
"Exactly," he replied. "It's there when you do."
you looked down at the unopened box of tea in your hands. then, the realization hits.
there was your favorite blanket folded neatly over the armrest. your favorite snacks in his pantry, even though he never ate them. the slippers he bought just for you because you hated wearing his.
the pastries, every promises he'd kept, every tiny detail he'd remembered without you asking.
none of it had ever been random.
you slowly lifted your gaze from the box to Nanami.
he was still sitting on the couch, eyes fixed on the television as though nothing had happened.
you'd been so caught up in your dissapointment over your talking stage that you never stopped to notice that Nanami was in love with you.
you let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh, pressing a hand to your forehead.
Nanami looked away from the television. "What is it?"
you met his eyes. the same calm eyes you'd looked into many times before. only now, you saw then differently.
you walked back to the couch. "Nothing," you murmured, unable to stop the smile tugging at your lips.
Nanami raised an eyebrow when you sat down unusually close to him. like really close.
"I already know, Ken," you said, unable to hide your grin.
Nanami blinked, momentarily at loss for words.
he held your gaze, his expression unreadable.
"I'm afraid i don't," he muttered.
his eyebrows lifted just slightly. "...Liar?"
he let out a quiet breath. "When did you figure it out?"
you couldn't help but laugh. "Now you are admitting it!"
"I didn't think it was obvious," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"It wasn't, really," you admitted. "I was just.. incredibly oblivious."
the corner of his mouth lifted into the smallest smile. "That's true."
"Excuse me?!" you gasped, lightly nudging his arm.
"I was agreeing with you, not insulting."
you stared at him in mock offense. "Unbelievable."
the familiar banter made you laugh again. then, the laughter faded, replaced by something quieter.
"...You waited a long time, didn't you?"
Nanami's smile softened. "I didn't mind waiting."
"Even if i never figured it out?"
"As long as you were happy," he said quietly. "that was enough for me."
a small smile spread across your face. "You know," you murmured. "You make it really hard not to fall in love with you."
for once, Nanami was speechless. "I wasn't expecting that."
you rolled your eyes playfully. "Figured."
after a brief moment, he reached your hand, his fingers carefully intertwining with yours.
you gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "It means i love you too, silly."
He laughed softly. "I'm glad."
you rested your head on his shoulder and he leaned just enough for you to notice.
Nanami had been saying i love you all along. and you'd finally noticed him.
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