I didn't want to keep secrets from Kenji. But I also didn't want to ruin this moment, didn't want to witness him spiral into protective fury. Hiro also didn’t need to get yelled at for his mistake.
Kenji watched me hesitate, and his jaw tightened. "Did he hurt you?"
"No." I shook my head quickly. "I was a tiny, tiny bit scared. That's all."
"What happened?"
"I'm fine, Kenji."
"Hiro is not himself when he's sleeping." His eyes searched my face, my neck, looking for damage. "Did he have his knife?"
"Kenji, I'm fine."
"Did he have it?!" His voice was harder now, more demanding.
I swallowed. "So. . .while he was sleeping, he grabbed me and had the knife against my neck, but—"
Kenji rose from the chair so fast it scraped against the floor. “What?!”
“Hold on.”
Kenji left the table and headed off.
"No. No. No." I jumped up and blocked his path to the door. "Can we please enjoy our breakfast? Don't you like it?"
"I need to talk to my brother." He tried to move around me.
I sidestepped, staying in front of him. "No, you don't. We talked. He was so sad and regretful. Everything is fine. We're best friends now.”
“What?”
“Brother and sister." I looked up at him, pleading. "Don't ruin this for us."
“He attacked you—”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you?” He reached for my neck. His fingers were gentle as they traced along the skin where the blade had been. His hand trembled slightly. "A fucking knife at your throat?"
"I'm fine."
"He could have killed you." Kenji’s voice cracked on the last word. “I could have woke up to your being dead. Hiro almost—”
"He didn't."
"Hiro and I will be talking."
"He already regrets it and now I know that I can't be around him when he's sleeping. Problem solved."
"We'll be talking, Tora."
"Don't. Please. I like Hiro." I grabbed his hand. "And please sit down."
A knock sounded at the door.
My heart jumped.
Oh God, what if it's Hiro? What if he came to say hi?
