「Compatible」

II

"You're suspiciously happy today, my little Shubert. What happened?" Shu's mother inquired, leaning in to him for the gossip.

Shu who was doing his homework in the kitchen, stopped writing and looked at his mother with wide eyes. "I-I.." he stammered. "I'm not a little boy anymore mama," he says to the nickname she's given.

"And.. why can't I be happy? Isn't that what I normally do." Shu inquired.

"Hmm.." His mother studied him. Faint blush, awkward smiling, looking away, daydreaming..

She finally got it!

"My baby's in love!" She says out loud, standing up with both her hands clasped together.

"W-What? No-"

"WHAT?! AIN'T NO WAY SHU'S IN LOVE!" Mysta commented, from the living room who rushes to the kitchen. "Are you sick?! Did you hit your head? Dark magic love spell, ayo???" He shook his brother while he asks the questions.

"Mysta.."

Mysta lets go of Shu's shoulder and gave her a smile. "Oops, sorry mum."

She shook her head as a sign not to worry, she then turns her attention to the younger boy. "So, who's this lucky person?"

Shu gulps. He's getting more redder every second. "I-It's just a silly crush mama, it'll go away soon.." he looks away in embarrassment.

"Aw but it's my Shubert's first crush! Who knows what this person would be able to do to you. Maybe they'll.. make you be able to finally get you out of your introverted shell! Maybe they'll introduce you to a lot of new people?"

"It's a girl mama," Shu blushed.

Mysta gasped, grinning ear to ear. "Oh my god, it's Y/n isn't it? Right? I'm right, right? So is it? Is it?!" He excitedly asked, bouncing in place.

Shu sank on his seat, hiding his face using the collar of his shirt. "...it's not a big deal,"

"But it is!" Their mother exclaimed with a determined face. "Is it the girl from Mysta's old orphanage?"

Shu looks at Mysta when she reminds him of the place but seeing his unbothered yet happy face tells him he doesn't have any bad memories from it anymore.

"Y-Yes, her name is Y/n."

"Oh, I remember her very well. She was very nice, such a sweet and outgoing girl." Their mom sighed, taking a seat in front of Shu. "And you're liking her why? There must be a reason."

Mysta nodded, he agrees with their mother. "Yeah Shu, usually people only fall in love with Y/n because she's popular but really, she has a lot of good other qualities!"

"Like caring, compassionate, loyal.." Shu mumbled dreamily.

Mysta and their mom snickered. "What a love-strucked boy~" they teased.

Shu smiled. "Very love-strucked."

° • ~

Shu arrived at school to class at the same time he usually goes. He read his notes and looked up when the door slid open.

"Did everyone miss me?!" Y/n exclaimed, arms opened wide and a huge grin plastered on her face.

Their classmates cried and crowded her as usual. Shu chuckled at this, he found her enegertic outburst to be lovable that he can't believe he fell for her only now.

Why didn't he fell in love with her much earlier on? Was it because he was too focused on his academics that he had no time for love? That's impossible, Shu's an expert and even if he's focused for his academics, he would still have time.

So why didn't he..

Y/n sat beside Shu - her designated seat - and radiated positive vibes just from her aura and smile.

"Is Kyo doing alright?" Shu asked, leaning to his left to talk to her.

"Kyo's recovering very fast because of your help yesterday, thank you Shu." Y/n leaned closer to him too, smiling. "He doesn't say or show this but he likes you, last night he said I should invite you over for dinner again."

Shu blushed, he began stammering. "Uh, ah, oh-" His eyes looked at everywhere as he panicked inside, being as calm as he can on the outside. "Sure,"

Y/n grinned at his response. "He may not show it on the outside, he cares about you. He's just a little tsun."

Shu nodded. "Just like his sister I suppose."

"What."

"What?"

"Yamino Shu, what did you say about Kyo being like me-"

Shu chuckled, he opens his book to read. "Nothing!"

‎

"Sorry for the intrusion.." Shu took off his shoes and went inside with the two Kaneko siblings. "Thanks for inviting me over again." He smiled at Y/n.

"No problem," Y/n smiled. "I'll go get dinner ready, Kyo go take a shower."

Kyo groaned. "But I just got here!"

Y/n crossed her arms, she stared at her little brother waiting for him to make a move. "I just got here and did I go to my room to play games? No, I make dinner because you're still a toddler."

Kyo blushed in embarassement, he looks at Shu then at his sister. "I-I don't do that! Don't embarass me in front of.. fine,"

"You handle him pretty well," Shu says to Y/n after Kyo goes upstairs to his room.

"Thanks, it's been years so I've gotten used to it."

Shu looked surprised at her words. "No one.. took you in?" He asked when she used to live in the orphanage.

Y/n chuckled, it sounded strained. "Yeah," she said. "Everyone wanted to take Kyo but he didn't want to leave me behind. When I asked him this five years ago, he said family sticks together no matter what."

She stopped chopping the carrots to turn to Shu. "I.. I'm mad at myself I wasted his chance to have a proper fam-"

"Don't say that." Shu hugs her, his hand on her back and head. "It happens, never blame yourself. Plus, it was Kyo's decision to make."

"..you're right," Y/n sniffled. "Thank you for being here, Shu."

Shu answered her in a gentle tone. "You're welcome, I'd be there for you any time."