Alkimia ~the Craft of Love~

8. +Love and +Happiness (Shuya + Mako)

Shuya dreams of a past. There was a time when Yusuke invited him out to play.

First, they went to kindergarten to look at children. Second, they went to a random elementary school to look at students. Third, they went to a random middle school to look at growing girls.

When they had lunch at a random cafe, Shuya smoothly inquired the points of missed lessons, changing out of uniform, and visiting other unrelated schools.

Yusuke asked, "What do you think about the experience?"

Shuya replied honestly, "Bored out of my mind,"

"Take a look at this," showing his smartphone, Yusuke had the pictures he took from his middle school's album prepared

Shuya took Yusuke's phone and looked. Shuya stopped breathing.

Seeing Shuya watching the screen intensely while sweeping through the images, Yusuke nodded.

Swallowing, Shuya tore his gaze from the screen and hoarsely asked, "Your point?"

Yusuke smiled, "It's rude to Mako, but as a gift, I will email these photos to you,"

Silently, with Yusuke's phone in his hand, Shuya emailed these photos to himself. And then he deleted them all from Yusuke's gallery.

Yusuke looked at him in pity. Shuya ignored that look.

8.

Returning to the campus with apprehension, Shuya is greeted warmly by his classmates.

Shuya is startled to see Mako in his seat, despite not showing it outwardly.

After learning that Mako broke up with his boyfriend, Shuya can only think of, 'Oh,'

After learning the reason for the break-up, Shuya is filled with fury. Not even he will do that to make other people break-up.

Especially not to Mako.

Mako tells him to not be angry. That she is fine. And after studying her carefully, Shuya agrees that Mako is not regretting the loss of the relationship.

However, Mako does regret on losing a friend.

Shuya feels complicated.

Now, for some reason, Mako decides to stay with him. Shuya feels bubbly. But, also apprehensive. What if Mako finds out what he has been hiding? He has a lot of secrets he doesn't want Mako to know, yet.

Sakura demands him to tell Mako about it though, something Shuya neglects to mention. A casual remark of, "I don't like Sakura like that anymore," comes out in a stutter. Adding salt to injury, Mako doesn't believe him.

He asks for it, really. Always using the same excuse to be with them.

Shuya thinks it's fine. This is fine. They will stay like this for a little longer. To have Mako asking about his...libido is quite a shock.

It's not like he is not dreaming every night. Just by thinking about it, his neck feels warm. Shuya painfully makes sure to be casual to not raise suspicion.

The more he talks to Mako, the more Shuya realises he is beyond help. Mako may be small in size, but she is also an...adult. And that's when Shuya finally acknowledges himself to be impure.

Mako laughs at his admission. Shuya calmly accepts her derision. Either way, Shuya now won't deny that he honestly desires her.

The problem is on how to confess to Mako without she treating his confession lightly.