The night before, Adam was still on the call with Kenji.
He had not said the full thing yet.
Kenji was waiting on the other side, and the silence between them was heavier than usual. Adam looked at the chips on the table once, then looked away from them.
This was not about chips.
This was not about orders.
This was about Adam himself.
"Kenji," Adam said, "there is a boy named Adam. You have to sponsor him."
Kenji did not answer at once.
"Sponsor him?" he asked.
"Yes."
"For what?"
"For college."
Adam gave him the details of the college. He did not say the name like it was important to him. He said it as if it was only an address and a file that needed to be handled.
Kenji became even more quiet.
He had expected something related to delivery or customers. Sponsoring a student was different.
"Mr. Will," Kenji said slowly, "this is for a student?"
"Yes."
"Adam," Kenji repeated.
"Yes."
Adam did not tell him that Adam had been suspended.
