It's Not That Complicated - A Re:Kinder Oneshot
Shunsuke looks at his phone. He reads back a message from a certain boy...
Yuuichi: Hey. You wanna meet up somewhere? Just the two of us?
Shunsuke: Sure. What day and time?
Yuuichi: Saturday at 1:00 works for me.
Shunsuke: Yeah, okay. We can hang out then.
Yuuichi: Great! It's a date then! Meet me at our usual spot! I'll see you then, handsome!
Shunsuke: Wait! What do you mean by date?!
Yuuichi never left a response... That's just like him... Ever since they met five years ago, Yuuichi has always liked making him feel weird. Whether it'd be complimenting his looks, or getting as close to him as possible, even when around friends... Heck, when they're alone, Yuuichi goes further, by brushing his hand against his, tackling him from behind and making him carry him (Although, in fairness, he'll do that even with people around...), to even hugging him really closely... Shunsuke tells him to stop, but he never does, and he's always happy he doesn't... But why is that? Why does he like it when Yuuichi does those things? Why is it that every time he sees him, he feels his heart beat super fast... Why is it every time Yuuichi says something that sounds like flirting, he just blushes like a fool... Why does he want to return the favor? Why does Yuuichi have to be so... cute... Shunsuke screams into a pillow, embarrassed.
"C'mon, Shunsuke! He's just teasing! It doesn't mean anything!" He shouts. "I mean... You're not even..." Shunsuke stops himself... "Aren't I though...?"
Shunsuke pulls up an article on gay rights... It's just been passed in America recently that gay marriage is allowed on a national level. He asked his Mom what that meant, and she explained that it meant two men or women could get married like a man and woman now... He remembers being shocked to hear this and asked, "Wait, that's okay now!"
His Mom's response, "It's always been okay. The world is just slow sometimes..." She gave him a look he couldn't quite describe, and that's when the questions came flooding...
Shunsuke knew that he hadn't really found girls all that attractive... But before then, he just chalked that up to not finding the right girl... But then Yuuichi came along and complicated things... He met him by chance in the 2rd grade, running into him on the streets of Kowada town, and they became fast friends... Shunsuke introduced him to Sayaka and Ryou, and they welcomed him with open arms... Yuuichi was reluctant to join them at first, but in time, he would come to their old hideout and play together after school... During that time, Yuuichi got really close to Shunsuke... and the games they would play together became very similar to the games Ryou and Sayaka played together... Yuuichi, of course, would pretend to be the wife, and Shunsuke, bless his heart, tried to be the husband... But he was so off with it that he just turned into a blushing mess... So, they pivoted to playing knights instead. Shunsuke was the Prince, and Yuuichi the Princess. As it turned out, Shunsuke was much more suited to that role, and they would have all sorts of fun... Later on, more friends like Takumi, Aya, Rei, and Hiroto came along, and they joined in on their game... Little did Shunsuke know at the time that all these games were an escape from Yuuichi's home life...
But that was then... this is now... He hopes... Yuuichi is pretty tight-lipped about what goes on at home nowadays... He remembered one particular day when he told him about his parents' fight all the time, and he's the one holding everything together... Most of this came out of nowhere, but Shunsuke listened to his friend who confided in him about something deeply personal... When he was done, he said,
"I understand if you want to stop being my friend... Most people hate me... If you continue to know me, you might end up being hated too..."
Shunsuke didn't know how to tell him that he's already hated... At least by his Dad and his family... So, he hugged him gently and kept him close... "Sorry... You're not getting rid of me that easily..."
"Idiot... You're way too nice..." He responded.
He slept over that night, his Mom cooking them her best curry, and giving him love he clearly isn't used to... Since then, the two have gotten closer and closer... and soon Shunsuke started thinking that Yuuichi was cute... not just cute, but like really cute... These thoughts scared him... These weren't the first time he's had thoughts like these about other boys. Hiroto was a pretty big example... And honestly, his first real step into discovering his... preferences... When he first met Hiroto, he wanted to be near him a lot. It must have been annoying to him at the time, but he was glad to be like a mentor to him... Or maybe a brother is more apt... But it wasn't just wanting to be near him, it was thinking how cool he looked, how strong he looked, how smart he was... Just how perfect he was... To a young 3rd grader still learning things about the world, Hiroto was basically his ideal of what a guy should be... His first real crush... Naturally, it didn't last long... Rei came into the group right around the same time, and while things were a bit rocky at the start with them, the two got close really quickly and soon became confidants, and that eventually turned into a genuine relationship... When that happened, he was happy for them both... The two weren't perfect, but they worked. They complemented each other in very real ways, and it made Shunsuke wonder if he would ever find someone like that for him...
"Okay... So, I might like boys... But that doesn't mean I like Yuuichi..." He tries to reason... He still hasn't told anyone about this... It's not exactly something you can casually bring up. "But..." He looks at the words, 'date' and 'handsome...' Is this really a date? Does he think he's really handsome? Was this Yuuichi trying to ask him out? Or was it Yuuichi pulling a Yuuichi... he just doesn't know... He really needs advice, but... who...?
At that moment, his Mom comes into the room, and can see the look of contemplation on his face... "Something got you stumped?" She asks.
"Oh... hi Mom..." He says, smiling at her... A lot has changed these last few years... His Mom finally ended things with his Dad. Good riddance, and she's been thriving a lot lately. Not only does she seem happier, but she's also been making a lot of strides in the baking industry to the point that her pies have won awards, which gave them enough money to start their own business, and that's been doing really well... Money is still not as tight as they would like it, but they're a lot better off than they were... "Umm..." Shunsuke trusts his Mom... She would probably be okay with him being... gay... Just use that word... It's not a bad word. But he doesn't really know how to tell her... "Well... Kinda..."
"You want my help?" Reina asks.
"Well... I was invited to hang out with someone on Saturday..." Shunsuke starts. "And... well, they called it a date..."
Reina looks at her son, happy for him... "Oh wow, look at you. When did you become so popular?" She asks, jokingly.
"Moooom!" Shunsuke blushes, embarrassed. "I'm not even sure if they meant a real date or if they were joking..."
"And why would you think that?" Reina asks.
"Well, because they have a history of blurring the lines... I never know if they're flirting or if they're just being silly..." Shunsuke admits. "I don't know... I think I want this to be a date... because I really, really, like them, but... I don't know if I like them that way or if it's just something else..."
"Well... there are a few questions I can ask to help you figure it out... You interested?" Reina asks, and Shunsuke nods. "Alright, first question, how long have you known them?"
"Okay, so long enough to develop real feelings. 2nd question, how long have they acted this way?"
"Same amount of time..." Shunsuke answers.
"Ooh, good sign, 3rd question, who's the lucky boy?" Reina asks with a knowing smile.
"Huh? Wait, now hold on!" Shunsuke starts panicking. "I never said it was a... How did you...?"
"You just told me, silly..." Reina pokes his nose, and Shunsuke brings the pillow to his face in embarrassment. "Now, relax... It's not like I knew the entire time. I just... suspected..."
"You're not mad...?" Shunsuke asks, giving a peek. "Mad that I'm... different...?"
"No... You're my son... I love you no matter what anyone says..." Reina gives a gentle smile, and Shunsuke feels a weight lift off his chest... "Okay, now answer... Who's the boy?"
"It's Yuuichi..." He answers, turning a little pink.
"Okay, yeah, he's definitely into you," Reina says, so quickly it practically gives Shunsuke whiplash. "Definitely treat this like a real date. He'll appreciate it, I promise."
"Umm... Okay, but... um..." Now for the other problem... "What do I do on a date...?"
"Well, first, you dress nicely. Second, you should be as sweet as you can, while still being yourself. Third, and this is very important for you, especially, be discreet. Even straight couples are looked at strangely for public displays of affection."
"Well, I don't think that'll be a problem," Shunsuke says, knowing he'd be too nervous to even hold hands with Yuuichi. "But what will I wear?"
"Let's pick something out..." Reina goes to her son's closet and looks through his clothes... "Geez... You really got to organize this..."
"Leave me alone, it's organized... for me..." Shunsuke says, a little too defensively.
"Let's see, I know Rei got you something good not too long ago... Ah! Here we are!" She pulls out a royal blue button-down shirt, his usual white T-shirt, and some grey jean shorts. Since it's summer, he really should try to avoid long pants for the time being. Plus, he's a teenager, so he can be owed some leeway. "This will definitely work..."
Shunsuke looks at the clothes, choosing to defer to his Mom on this one. His sense of fashion is just as bad as it was when he was younger. So, the help is appreciated. "Okay... Yeah, this will work..." He gets really nervous, all of a sudden. "Okay... okay... So, just in case this is real, I'll at least look decent."
"What time is the date?" Reina asks.
"Okay..." Reina goes to get her purse and gives her some yen, putting it on his desk. "Don't forget this, okay? This should be enough for whatever you two want to do together. Just try to be home before 9:00. Keep your phone with you, just in case. Alright?"
"Yes, ma'am," Shunsuke says, smiling... "Hey, Mom... Thank you..."
Reina just smiles and leaves her son to think about his next steps for his first date... It's hard to believe how much he's grown these past few years... She knows the world will likely be against him, but as long as he stays himself, she knows he'll be okay...
As Shunsuke lies down on his bed, thinking about the next day, he gets a text from the group chat...
Ryou: Hey, Shunsuke, you free to hang out tomorrow?
Shunsuke: Sorry. I can't. I have a date tomorrow.
Ryou: Hold on, I'm just not realizing what you say. You have a date!?
Shunsuke: Geez... Don't sound so shocked...
Takumi: I was wondering why my phone was buzzing. Shunsuke, do you seriously have a date?
Shunsuke: Even you, Takumi?
Takumi: Sorry! I don't mean anything by it.
Sayaka: I do! Who would fall for you? I'm kidding! Who is she? Do we know her?
Shunsuke: I'm not telling you! It's a secret! You'll have to find out later!
Sayaka: Ah boo! You're no fun!
Aya: Hi. Just checking in. Shunsuke... Best of luck on your date. I'm sure you'll do great.
Shunsuke: Thanks, Aya...Hey, Ryou, I managed to get a date before you. How do you feel?
Shunsuke: Am I wrong? Are you and Sayaka actually dating?
Sayaka: Hey, don't make this about us, buster!
Rei: Yeesh, you guys are loud. Some of us are trying to study here. By the way, Shunsuke, what are you wearing?
Shunsuke takes a picture of his outfit, which his Mom picked out for him, and Rei sends a thumbs-up emoji.
Rei: Not a bad pick. You'll look good in that.
Hiroto: Sorry, I'm late. What's this about Shunsuke getting a date?
Rei: He's got a date, Hiro. It's his first one.
Hiroto: Oh, wow! Congrats, Shunsuke. Best of luck with whoever it is!
Shunsuke: Thanks... Anyway... Do you guys have any ideas what we should do?
Sayaka: I'm going to recuse myself here. My ideas will probably make you mad.
Aya: You can take them out to eat somewhere... I'd let them pick.
Rei: Aya's got the right idea. But a movie isn't a bad idea either.
Hiroto: Amusement parks are always a safe option. But honestly, you're better off going along with what your date wants, unless they ask you what you want.
Rei: That's the winner right there.
Sayaka: No flirting in the group chat!
Shunsuke: Okay... Thanks... I'll figure it out on my own. But anyway... wish me luck!
Shunsuke silences his phone and decides to try to get some sleep for the next day. When the next day comes, Shunsuke takes a shower to make sure he is clean and then puts on deodorant and cologne. He tries to brush his hair to make it look somewhat nice, but he just goes with his usual style. He puts on his usual white t-shirt, and then layers his royal blue button-down over it, putting on his grey jorts, and then putting on some good walking shoes. He then shows his outfit to his Mom, who promptly takes a photo. Shunsuke turns a little pink, but he smiles a genuine smile... "Did you get the money?" She asks, and he shows the money in his pocket. "Oh, you need a wallet..." Reina looks around the house, and she finds an old wallet she doesn't use anymore and puts the money in there, giving it to Shunsuke. "Okay... Is there anything else you need?"
"Emotional support?" He jokes.
She playfully pushes his shoulder. "You're going to be fine. Now, go have fun... I'll see you when you get home..."
Shunsuke heads out the door and heads on over to his and Yuuichi's usual meeting spot... He tries to be as relaxed as possible. It's completely possible Yuuichi was just messing with him. But when he gets to the meeting spot, Yuuichi is not only already there, but he's wearing a short-sleeved lavender polo shirt and cargo shorts... His messy hair is in its usual state, but it looks like there was an attempt at combing it before he just gave up and left it as is. When Yuuichi sees him, he waves to him, and Shunsuke walks over to him...
"Well, you look dressed to impress," Yuuichi states, looking him over with his usual smile. "Did your Mom pick that out for you?"
"Y-Yeah..." Shunsuke answers.
Yuuichi pokes his forehead. Of course, he has to get on his tippy toes to do so. "You weren't supposed to be so honest, silly... But you look good. How do I look?"
"Um, uh..." Shunsuke struggles to find the words. Well, that's a lie. The first word he thought of was cute. The second was adorable. The third was... "Good..." Shunsuke kicks himself for picking something so plain. But it's hard enough admitting you find a boy either of those things. Do so in a public setting, and it makes it 11x harder.
Yuuichi chuckles, though, as if he expected such an answer. "You're lucky you're cute, or I might have found that insulting."
Shunsuke turns a bright pink, but he regains his composure long enough to ask... "You didn't answer my text..." He sounds a little disappointed at that... "I was really wondering what you meant..."
"I saw it. But I wanted to see what answer you came up with. Judging by how dressed up you are, you thought I meant date in that way..." Yuuichi says.
"Was I wrong...?" Shunsuke asks...
Yuuichi walks up to him, getting really close to him, and says, "What do you think?"
"Um..." Shunsuke's legs start to shake, and he backs away a little... As much as he wants this to be a date, he's still... struggling with being open about his identity... "Sorry..." He immediately says... "I don't want you to think that I don't want it to be that way, but... um... You know...."
Yuuichi sighs and smiles gently. "Of course I know..." Yuuichi keeps his distance. "For the record... I did want this to be a date in that way... I wanted to know if you were like me..."
"I am! I mean... I think I am..." Shunsuke says, still uncertain, but pretty sure.
Yuuichi goes over and grabs Shunsuke's hands, who turns a bright red, the moment their hands touch... "You're in good company then..."
Shunsuke doesn't let go... He really likes holding his hand... It's different... They did hold hands a lot when they were younger, but now it feels different... It feels... safe... "So... what do you want to do?"
Yuuichi shrugs his shoulders, "Honestly, I wasn't even sure you were going to come... But since you're here..." Yuuichi thinks about it for a second before remembering that a movie he's been wanting to see is in theatres... "Did your Mom get you some money?" Shunsuke nods... "Then let's go to the movies! A new movie came out, and I really want to see it!"
"O-Okay..." Yuuichi leads Shunsuke to the movie theatre, and he pays for two tickets to the movie Yuuichi wants to see. While also getting them some drinks and popcorn.
The two take their seats, and Yuuichi wastes no time leaning on Shunsuke. This boy is not subtle at all, and yet Shunsuke still wonders if Yuuichi genuinely likes him, or if he's just doing this to be funny... He decides not to think about it, though, genuinely liking the attention he's giving him... The two spend the next couple of hours watching the movie... Yuuichi spent the entire time watching the film closely, while Shunsuke kept more of his eyes on Yuuichi's face... The way he would smile when something funny happened, the way his face would pout when a character he disliked was on screen, and how, during the emotional moments, Yuuichi went oddly quiet and just looked at the screen with an almost distant look... During that moment... Shunsuke slowly puts his hand over Yuuichi's, which snaps Yuuichi out of his trance, and he looks towards him, surprised... Yuuichi's face turns a dark red when Shunsuke does that... Thankfully, he doesn't see that, but he never expected Shunsuke to be the one to make any kind of move on him... Does he actually like him, too? He honestly thought he was humoring him... Shunsuke smiles, and Yuuichi just turns his face towards the screen... his little heart beating so fast...
When the movie ends, Shunsuke and Yuuichi still feel a bit hungry despite the popcorn, and Shunsuke says, "We can go get something to eat if you want. My Mom gave me enough to eat out."
"Hmm... I could eat..." Yuuichi says. "Sure!" The two then go to a nearby ramen joint that opened up recently, and they head inside and order a bowl. "You ever been here before?"
"A few times. It's pretty good," Shunsuke says. "Their tonkotsu ramen is really good..."
"I'll have to give it a try then..." Yuuichi says, ordering the same thing as Shunsuke. During this, the two talk a bit more. "So, how's middle school treating you?"
"Well... It's harder than elementary school. I actually have to try now..." Shunsuke admits. "My grades have gotten better because the idea of repeating a year is unappealing. But Ryou, Sayaka, and Takumi are in the same class as me, so that's a plus."
"Lucky... It would've sucked if you all got separated..." Yuuichi says. "Join any clubs?"
"Yeah... Actually, I'm in the music club with Aya," Shunsuke admits. "Well, it's more of a choir club really..."
"Oh, so you're a Glee kid," Yuuichi teases, which makes Shunsuke grimace.
"No! That's you," He counters.
"Oooh, ouch, that stings," Yuuichi says, smirking. "Well, at least neither of us gets slushies thrown in our faces."
"Yeah, if that happened to me, I'd probably throw them out the window." Shunsuke jokes.
"Well, let me know if that happens, and I'll help hide the body," Yuuichi adds, making Shunsuke laugh. "In all seriousness... How's the bullying situation there?"
"It's not too bad..." Shunsuke answers, with a solemn look... Yuuichi has a history of being bullied... Before, he and his friends could shield him from it a little, but now... With him being in 6th grade, and the others now in Junior High, it's not as easy as it once was... "Is it happening again..."
"Heheh, nothing gets by you..." Yuuichi answers.
"How bad is it?" Shunsuke asks.
"Nothing I can't handle... Don't worry, soon I'll be out of there, and you can show me around with everyone..." Yuuichi tries to assure... "But... I do miss you when I'm at school..." His voice turned serious for a second, but before turning chipper once more. "Well, you're here now! Let's not talk about that depressing stuff!"
Shunsuke is taken aback by the sudden shift, but he can tell that Yuuichi doesn't want to talk about this. "Hey, Yuuichi... Um..." Shunsuke is honestly at a loss about what to do next. It's been established that this is a date. They just got out of a movie and are now eating lunch together. After this, now what?
"So... I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know what I'm doing," Shunsuke admits.
"Is that supposed to be a surprise?" Yuuichi asks, sarcastically. "It's a date. Not rocket science. Just spend time with me, that's all you need to do."
"But... Well, it's only 4:00. My Mom says to be home by 9:00, and there really isn't much to do here..." Shunsuke says, really wanting this to be special.
"So... We can either hang out around town for five hours... Or..." Yuuichi has an idea, and this one will guarantee that no one can see the two of them. "We can go to your house for the rest of the date."
"Huh... Is that allowed?" Shunsuke asks.
"Why not? Your Mom knows me very well by now. She clearly knows your preferences. And we don't have to worry about people seeing us. Plus..." Yuuichi leans on the table, looking longingly at the other boy... Shunsuke initially thinks he's about to say something flirty again, when instead... "This way, I can avoid going home for as long as possible..."
Shunsuke gives a look of concern when he says that... He hasn't heard much about Yuuichi's home life... and it's not exactly something one discusses in public in earshot of others... Shunsuke feels this sense that if he doesn't say yes to this suggestion, he'll regret it... So... "Okay... I'll let Mom know you're coming over..."
Yuuichi looks at him, surprised, "Wait, you're actually doing this. I was just joking. You don't have to if you don't want-"
"I want to..." Shunsuke interrupts.
"A bit fast for a first date..." Yuuichi says, turning pink, which just makes him look... cute...
"It was your idea..." Shunsuke counters, also blushing a little. "You done eating?" Yuuichi nods, and Shunsuke pays for the full meal.
"You know, I have some money too, maybe I should..."
"Don't," Shunsuke says. "It's on me..."
"If you say so..." Yuuichi watches as Shunsuke leaves some money on the table and the two leave the place. Shunsuke texts his Mom what's going on, and she says,
Mom: Oh! Okay! Sure! I'll get something sweet made for you two.
Shunsuke: You don't need to do that.
Mom: Too late. I already got dough made.
Mom: I have to make a lot of pies for work. So, I premake all my dough.
Shunsuke: Oh! That makes way more sense.
Mom: Anyway, I'll see you two when you get here!
"Alright, I got the okay," Shunsuke says, smiling. "And she's making pie."
"Wow... She really wants this to go well for you," Yuuichi says, teasingly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Shunsuke asks.
"Shunsuke... Let me put it this way... A lot of people would date you only for a chance to eat your Mom's pie for free." Yuuichi states.
Shunsuke slants his eyes, feeling conflicted. "You just praised my Mom while insulting me, and I don't know how I feel about that..."
"Well... I'm not most people..." Yuuichi says, grabbing his arm, which makes Shunsuke blush even more. "You're adorable when you blush."
"Sh-Shut up..." Shunsuke says.
"Ah, c'mon, Shun-chan, you know it's true," Yuuichi teases...
"Don't call me that..." Shunsuke says, pouting.
"Why not... It's a cute nickname, and aren't couples supposed to give each other cute nicknames...?" Yuuichi asks, giving a pout, which just makes Shunsuke blush even more.
"I... How should I know?!" Shunsuke blushes even more. "Are we even a couple?"
"Do you want to be?" Yuuichi asks, looking almost serious.
"C'mon, Yuuichi! Stop messing with me like this..." Shunsuke says, moving a little bit away, crossing his arms as if to protect himself... "It's confusing..."
Yuuichi looks at Shunsuke's face and realizes that he may have gone too far... "I'm sorry..." He says, looking genuinely guilty...
"We can talk about this when we get back to my house..." Shunsuke says, starting to walk, turning around to make sure Yuuichi follows him. He does, much to his relief...
It doesn't take long for the two to get back to Shunsuke's house, where his Mom is still making the filling for the pie, while the crust cooks. "Hey guys," She says. "How's the date?"
"It's going good," Shunsuke says, looking over at Yuuichi, who takes off his shoes... He goes over to Reina and gives her a hug hello.
"It's good to see you, Reina," Yuuichi says. "Thanks for letting me come over."
"It's no problem. I've known you long enough. You're like one of the family," Reina says. "Why don't you and Shunsuke hang out in the living room. I'm cooking something special to commemorate this moment, and I'm gonna want to your honest opinion."
"Okay! I'll be to tell you how much it sucks!" Yuuichi jokes.
Reina thumps his forehead, leaving a little mark there. "Just for that, I'm charging double the next time you come in."
"Ah, but your pies are already expensive!" Yuuichi sounds genuinely saddened by this prospect. "I'm sorry! I'll tell you how amazing it is instead!"
"Now, that's better," Reina responds, laughing. "Now, go hang out with your boyfriend, already."
"Ah, um... well, we haven't actually made it official yet," Yuuichi admits. Reina looks at Yuuichi and then at Shunsuke, who is watching all of this happen, and his uncertain face is enough for her to know he's being truthful...
"Are you waiting for my permission?" She asks... Yuuichi shakes his head... "Well, you have it anyway... But you two need to talk about this..." Reina goes down to Yuuichi's height to whisper... "I know you like him a lot... You've made it obvious since you were seven. If you want to pursue a serious relationship with my son, you need to tell him how you feel without all the theatrics..."
"But... what if it scares him away...?"
"It won't..." Reina assures. "You two need to take things slow... but you also need to decide where to go from here..."
"Okay..." Yuuichi says...
Shunsuke goes over to Yuuichi and gently grabs his hand, who looks over at him, surprised... "Mom... Is it okay if we talk in my room? I'll keep the door open..."
"That's fine," Reina says. "I'll come get you when the pie is ready."
"Thanks... C'mon, Yuuichi..." Shunsuke tugs him along, and they head up the stairs. When they get up there, Shunsuke asks... "So... why did you ask me out...? Be honest with me..."
Yuuichi solemnly chuckles... "Nothing gets by you, huh..."
"I've noticed a pattern with you... Whenever something happens, you always want to talk with me alone..." Shunsuke says, sitting down on his bed. "Did something happen at home?"
Yuuichi nods, sitting down next to him... "My Grandma died recently..." He says... "Her heart finally gave out..."
"Yuuichi... I'm sorry..." Shunsuke says.
"She was old... And her mind was fading... It was her time..." Yuuichi states, crossing his arms as if to comfort himself. "To be honest... I was glad when she died... I thought maybe my Mom would finally start getting better. Or maybe my Dad would start being nicer..."
Yuuichi shakes his head. "Nope... Not the way I wanted it to... Once Grandma died, Mom did the unthinkable... She asked my Dad for a divorce..." Shunsuke's mouth opens wide in shock. "I gave the same look you did... What's even stranger is that my Dad agreed! Like, there was no fighting! No screaming! No holes in the wall! My Mom just asked my Dad for a divorce, and he agreed... They're speaking with a divorce lawyer now, and... well... one of them is leaving Kowada Town..."
"No way..." Shunsuke says... "You... You're not leaving, are you?"
"I don't know yet... My parents are letting me decide..." Yuuichi admits. "Honestly... I've been wanting an opportunity to leave this place for years now... I don't have a lot of good memories here... I mean, there's you, and your friends, obviously, but..."
"It wasn't enough to counter everything else..." Shunsuke says, feeling conflicted. With a part of him wanting Yuuichi to be happy, and another part wanting him to stay... He knows it would be selfish to wish for the latter, but... he doesn't want him to leave...
"Sorry..." Yuuichi says. "I'm sorry for using you again..."
"What do you mean again?" Shunsuke asks...
"Well... every time something went wrong, I would go to you because you always made me feel better..." Yuuichi admits. "I knew you wouldn't say no to me if I asked you to see me... and that wasn't fair of me to ask to hang out with you so I could talk about my problems... And... Well... I know it wasn't fair to flirt with you constantly without making it clear what my feelings are for you... And for that, I'm sorry too..." Yuuichi gives an obviously fake smile... "I'm awful and underhanded... You shouldn't fall for someone like me..."
"But I did..." Shunsuke admits, gently holding his hand, and looking him in his brown eyes... "I did fall for you..." Shunsuke finally says the thing he's been holding back for a while now... "I think I fell for you the moment you asked me to be your Prince..."
"Geez, you remember something that embarrassing?" Yuuichi asks, chuckling, but secretly happy. "How could you fall for someone like me? I'm rotten..."
"Because I'm rotten too..." Shunsuke admits, making sure that Yuuichi keeps looking at him... "I knew you had a hard life, and I still chose to stick around with you because being around you made me feel good... It made me feel like a good person for wanting and choosing to be around someone the rest of the town dislikes for some reason... I thought because I did that, I was using you to make myself feel better..."
"But... that's not true..." Yuuichi says. "If that were the case, you wouldn't let me spend time with you alone when no one was here to see you... If that were true, you wouldn't have said yes to being alone with me in public on multiple occasions... You may have thought that, but that doesn't make it true..."
"Well... If you say so..." Shunsuke's still not sure if that's true, but he does know one thing to be true... "I still like you a lot... Like... in a boyfriend way..."
"I like you too..." Yuuichi admits. "I like you so much, it hurts..." Yuuichi brings his hands to his heart... "You know, it's funny... I've been wanting to leave this place for so long, but now that I've found you, and told you how I feel... I don't want to leave..."
"You don't?" Yuuichi shakes his head, and Shunsuke gently pulls him into a hug... "Then stay... I... I want you to stay... And if you think you can be happy with me, then... Well... I'll gladly be your boyfriend..."
Yuuichi turns a bright pink, and he buries his head into Shunsuke's shoulder... "If you're okay with how I flirt, cling to you, and well, everything else... then... well... I'll be your boyfriend..."
"To be honest, I really like it when you do that," Shunsuke admits, smiling... "I... um... only react the way I do because I didn't know if you were being sincere or not..."
Yuuichi smiles and plants a kiss on Shunsuke's cheek. "Does that answer your question?"
This act unfortunately broke Shunsuke for about a minute as he had to comprehend what Yuuichi just did... His face turns dark red, and his brain is on high alert. "Shunsuke.... You okay, dude?"
Shunsuke nods, grabbing a pillow to hide his face... Yuuichi just laughs, though, thinking this entire scene was just adorable. "For a guy who tries to be cool, you sure do break easily."
Shunsuke turns his gaze towards him, and he glares at him a little. His eyes are closed from laughing, and Shunsuke decides a little payback might be overdue... So, he scoots over to Yuuichi and kisses him right on the cheek... Which proceeds to overload Yuuichi as he contemplates that someone actually gave the same level of affection he would give to him, and now his brain is trying to comprehend someone caring that much about him... Yuuichi can only lie down on his boyfriend's bed and look up at the ceiling as his face gets really hot, and his brain becomes lightheaded... Good job, Shunsuke. He just broke his boyfriend! It's Shunsuke's turn to laugh now, as he lies next to him and starts to hold him close...
"You're adorable, Yuyu..." Shunsuke says... which manages to bring Yuuichi back... Partially.
"Yuyu?" Yuuichi questions, feeling really embarrassed by that name.
"You said couples give each other embarrassing nicknames. Well, that's mine for you. Do you hate it?" Shunsuke asks, with a mischievous grin.
"Yes. Never call me that in public," Yuuichi answers, glaring.
"Okay, I will," Shunsuke says, joking, which earns him a playful punch from Yuuichi.
"You're mean," Yuuichi responds.
"Turnabout is fair play," Shunsuke responds.
"I hate turnabouts..." Yuuichi says, but he leans into Shunsuke... "Just shut up and hold me..."
Shunsuke complies, the two sitting up, with Shunsuke holding Yuuichi as he leans into his boyfriend's chest. Eventually, Reina walks up and sees the two cuddling, and she just smiles.
"Pie is ready if you two love birds want it," She says.
"Okay, Mom, we'll be right down," Shunsuke says.
"Sorry, Shun-chan, but I'm afraid I love your Mom's pie more than you," Yuuichi says, as he gets off of Shunsuke and heads down towards the kitchen, with Shunsuke following him while rolling his eyes. When they get down there, Yuuichi is already eating a slice, and his Mom slides a plate over to Shunsuke, who begins eating his...
"So...?" Reina questions, looking at the two expectantly.
"It's official," Shunsuke says, smiling, a little embarrassed.
"I'm so happy for you, Shunsuke..." Reina says... "My baby boy is growing up so fast. Yuuichi... I'm glad he found you..."
Yuuichi looks over at Shunsuke, and he smiles at him... He still can't believe this is real... "Me too..."
The two finish up their pie, and Shunsuke walks Yuuichi out the door... He doesn't live that far, and he's certain it's way too soon to ask Yuuichi to spend the night with their new relationship... His Mom likely wouldn't let that happen anyway. Still, the two walk outside into the night sky, and Shunsuke holds Yuuichi's hand under a streetlight...
"I had a good time..." He says.
"Me too... Maybe next time, we can go to a game center or a theme park..." Yuuichi suggests, smiling wide.
"Hiroto says that themes park are usually a safe choice," Shunsuke states.
"Well, he's not wrong," Yuuichi responds. "Speaking of, how should we handle that bombshell for them?"
"We could tell them tomorrow. I'm pretty confident they'll be okay with it," Shunsuke answers.
"If that's what you want, that's fine. I don't particularly want to hide anyway... I've done enough of that for one lifetime," Yuuichi says, scooting closer to Shunsuke... Both boys blushing...
"You know... if this were a movie, we would kiss..." Shunsuke points to his lips... "here... I... I don't know if I'm ready for that, though..."
"Hmmm..." Yuuichi smiles. "Do you want to kiss me again?"
Shunsuke nods, nervously... "But I think it's too soon for that kind of kiss..."
"That's fine..." Yuuichi turns his cheek... "You can kiss me here again... I'm ready for it this time..."
Shunsuke nods, and he kisses Yuuichi on the cheek again, one more time, and Yuuichi returns it with his own kiss on the cheek. The two boys giggle like, well, children... and they give each other one last hug, before saying...
"I'll see you tomorrow... I'll keep in touch about what my parents decide. I'll figure things out..."
"Alright. Let me know if you need anything, Yuyu..." Shunsuke gives a teasing grin, while Yuuichi just gives a glare... the nickname may or may not be already growing on him. But he isn't about to say otherwise.
"You too, Shun-chan," Yuuichi says in his own teasing voice... "Bye bye!"
And with that, the two sign off on their official first date, when Shunsuke heads back inside... He can hardly believe it's real... He and Yuuichi are actually boyfriends now... Wow, that's going to be a lot to explain to his friends tomorrow. But he knows it'll be okay... He knows that things will be okay now... Shunsuke goes to put on his sleepwear, and he lies down in bed as he texts his friends that the date went well and that he's in a relationship now. He also says he's going to show them who it is tomorrow... saying it'll probably be a surprise to some, and to others, not at all... Of course, with the reveal of Yuuichi being his boyfriend now comes the added bonus of coming out as gay to trusted friends... Right now, he hasn't thought about all the struggles that come with being young and gay, but right now, he's so happy that he doesn't really care about all those struggles. Sure, he knows they exist... But he'd rather deal with them as they come... He's still young, and the world may not be perfect, but as long as Yuuichi is by his side, he'll be okay... They both will be okay...
//Yeah. This is definitely a bit on the fluffy, trashy side than anything deep and introspective. But if you want that, you can read Lost Boy's Solace. I think part of my struggle was coming off on so much angsty writing that I felt I needed to include it. But honestly, I think with the world being on fire, we just need stories that depict honest, queer joy. So, yeah, this is my ShunYuu fluff. I hope you guys enjoy it, even though it's not as cerebral as my other works. I had a lot of ideas coming, and I ultimately decided to either lighten it up, and/or reuse them for Lost Boy's Solace, which will be a natural hunting ground for as much angst as you want... Anyway, happy Pride month, everyone. I know that the world sucks right now, but keep living, and keep strong. There's always something worth living and fighting for, no matter how shitty the world is... But that's enough on my soapbox. I'll see you around.//
