Kenneth / 肯尼思.

OCRP | born in 2001, a British—Chinese pilot raised in London. A sky chaser at heart, exploring the world while starting a new life with his wife.

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain, 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒊, speaking. We’ll be cruising at an altitude of thirty-five thousand feet. Please sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Shixun mendesah.

“On one condition.”

Kenzie langsung mengangguk cepat.

“Anything.”

“You're helping.”

Senyum Kenzie langsung sedikit memudar.

“Oh...”

Shixun menatapnya datar.

“You invited me. So, you help.”

Diana kembali tertawa geli.

“That sounds fair.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Lalu berkata dengan nada datar yang khas.

“Take me to the kitchen.”

Kenzie menganga.

“Dad...?”

Shixun mengangkat satu alis.

“You said hotpot.”

“Yes.”

“Then standing here won't cook it.”

Kenzie tertawa lebar untuk pertama kalinya hari itu.

“You're actually doing it?”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —sitting at the same table.”

Kenzie menatap istrinya penuh kelembutan.

Terkadang, Destine memang selalu berhasil mengatakan sesuatu yang tidak terpikirkan olehnya.

Shixun mengembuskan napas panjang.

Kemudian ia menatap putranya.

“Kenneth.”

“Yes?”

“You're hopeless.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —berubah lebih tenang.

“You really wanted me to cook?”

Destine buru-buru menggeleng.

“No.”

“I only wanted to eat together.”

“Even if all we had was instant noodles... I would've been happy.”

Ia tersenyum malu.

“The important thing wasn't the food.”

“It was... everyone—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —membuat Shixun sedikit terdiam.

Destine melanjutkan dengan jujur,

“I don't even know why.”

“Maybe because...”

Ia menatap mertuanya dengan sopan.

“I wanted our son to grow up knowing his grandfather.”

Shixun menatap menantunya cukup lama.

Tatapan yang semula tajam kini—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs “I really wanted you to come because...”

Ia tersenyum kecil.

“I wanted us to have lunch together.”

“And...”

Pandangannya turun ke perutnya.

“When I suddenly thought about hotpot...”

Ia tertawa pelan karena malu.

“The first person who came to my mind was you.”

Kalimat itu—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Destine langsung berdiri dari sofa.

“N-no, Father.”

Semua mata langsung tertuju padanya.

Destine tampak benar-benar merasa bersalah.

“Please don't misunderstand. I didn't intend to have you come over just to cook.”

Shixun mendengarkan.

Destine menggenggam kedua tangannya.

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Shixun kembali menatap putranya.

“So.”

“You tricked me.”

“I wouldn't use that word.”

“What word would you use?”

Kenzie berpikir sejenak.

“Strategically omitted information.”

“That's called tricking someone.”

“...Can you blame me Dad? I learnt from the best.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —wanted me to cook?”

“Well...”

“Kenneth Lai.”

“Technically... yes.”

Shixun memijat pelipisnya perlahan, frustasi.

Diana yang sedari tadi menahan tawa akhirnya tidak sanggup lagi.

“AHAHA...”

“Diana.”

“I'm sorry,” katanya sambil tertawa kecil. “I knew this was coming.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —berkata secepat mungkin,

“He wants your hotpot.”

Shixun hanya memandang putranya tanpa berkedip.

“My... what?”

“Your hotpot, Dad. Made by you.”

Shixun mengernyitkan keningnya. “I don't cook.”

Kenzie mengangguk cepat.

“I know.”

“And yet you invited me... because you—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs “That's the problem.”

Shixun mengernyit.

“What problem?”

Kenzie berdeham sekali lagi.

“He doesn't want the chef's.”

“Then order it from a restaurant.”

“Not that either.”

Kini Shixun mulai benar-benar bingung.

“Then what exactly does he want?”

Kenzie menatap ayahnya dan—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —bisa menebak ke mana arah pembicaraan itu.

Kenzie akhirnya menghela napas.

“Destine has been craving something.”

Shixun mengangguk.

“That isn't unusual.”

“No.”

“So what does he want?”

Kenzie kembali tersenyum canggung.

“Chinese hotpot.”

“Then have the chef prepare one.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs —langsung menyembunyikan senyumnya di balik cangkir teh.

Shixun memperhatikan ekspresi mereka satu per satu.

Tatapannya mulai penuh kecurigaan.

“What reason?”

Kenzie tersenyum kikuk.

“Well...”

Ia melirik Destine sekilas.

Destine langsung menundukkan kepala karena sudah—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Kenzie menarik napas dalam.

“Apart from wanting you to meet us and meeting your grandson...”

Shixun mengangguk kecil.

“Yes?”

Kenzie menggaruk tengkuknya, jelas sedikit canggung.

“There was... another reason I invited you.”

Diana yang sudah mengetahui rencana putranya—

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Diana ikut terkekeh pelan.

“Unborn babies are very good at that.”

Bahkan sudut bibir Shixun tampak bergerak sangat tipis, meski ekspresinya masih setenang biasanya.

Kenzie melihat momen itu sebagai kesempatan.

Ia berdeham.

“Dad.”

Shixun mengangkat pandangannya.

“Yes?”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Kenzie menoleh dan justru tersenyum kecil.

“It's okay.”

Ia mengusap punggung tangan istrinya dengan ibu jari.

“Our little boy probably has his own schedule.”

Destine tertawa malu.

“He's embarrassing me...”

“No,” jawab Kenzie lembut. “He's reminding us that it's lunchtime.”

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Suara pelan dari perut Destine memecah keheningan yang sejak tadi memenuhi ruang keluarga.

“...”

Selama satu detik, tidak ada yang berkata apa-apa.

Lalu pipi Destine berubah merah terang.

“I-I'm sorry...” gumamnya pelan sambil refleks menutup perutnya dengan kedua tangan.

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs Kenzie segera mengambil koper kecil milik ayahnya dari tangan sopir.

“I'll carry this.”

Shixun tidak menolak.

Mereka berjalan memasuki estate bersama.

Di belakang mereka, Destine kembali mengusap perutnya dengan lembut sambil tersenyum, sepertinya ia akan baik-baik saja.

[Kenneth / 肯尼思. @krypxonite]

@poisonedfoxs “Thank you, Diana.”

Tidak ada kecanggungan berlebihan.

Hanya dua orang dewasa yang pernah berbagi masa lalu dan kini memilih untuk saling menghormati.

Diana tersenyum.

“Come inside. You must be exhausted after such a long flight.”

Shixun mengangguk.

“It was a long journey.”