A click sound echoed in the silence as the door of a relatively decent apartment was unlocked. Then, two women entered: one appeared to be around 36 years old, with long brown hair and eyes of the same color, while the other, visibly younger, was in her mid-20s, with purplish eyes and short, messy white hair.

"Fuah! Finally home! Please place the bags on the living room table, Saori-chan," said the older woman as she carried a bag full of drinks and cold food to the kitchen sink.

"Sure thing, mama-san!" replied the young woman, Kirigiri Saori, with her usual positivity. After putting the items on the table, she turned to Ninomiya Haruka with a slight smile.

"Do you need help putting away the groceries?"

"No need, but I appeciate you good intention. Actually, I should be thanking you because if it weren't for your help, I definitely wouldn't be able to lift my arms for the rest of the afternoon." Haruka said with a laugh. "Since it's such a hot day, how about some cold water to cool off?" The brown-haired woman offered, receiving a nod of approval from Saori.

Opening the cupboard, Haruka took out two glasses while humming a tune from a random pop song. She filled the glasses with water and headed to the living room table, pulling out a chair for herself and sitting down, followed by her purple-eyed visitor.

"Well, it's always a pleasure to help, mama-san. And I was coming here anyway, so why not lend you a hand?" Saori commented, holding the glass that Haruka offered her and bringing it to her lips, enjoying the refreshness that eased her dry throat. Haruka watched her with a mischievous smile.

"Oh? So you had already planned to come here? Do you miss Yuu-chan that much? Hehehe." The light teasing from the mature woman caught Saori off guard, almost making her choke on the water. Coughing a little, the young woman brought a hand to the back of her head and let out a nervous laugh.

"Aha, ahahaha... Was it that obvious?"

"I'm sorry to say, but yes. I can read you like an open book. But don't worry, missing the man you love is natural and can be distressing, especially when that man is as precious and amazing as my Yuu-chan. We could even name it the 'Yuu Effect,' fufufu." Haruka's words were as powerful as an uppercut to Saori.

"E-eh? W-what do you mean, mama-san? I? In love? W-what are you talking about?" Saori stammered, surprised. She knew she would have to have a serious conversation with Haruka about her feelings for her son at some point, but she didn't expect the older woman to be aware of it already. Involuntarily, she felt her body tense, something that didn't go unnoticed by Haruka.

"Relax, Saori-chan. Despite the eight years of difference between you and Yuu-chan, I see no problem with you having feelings for him. As many say, age is just a number, a small obstacle that can be easily overcome by the love of two people. Have you forgotten that I gave my blessing and told you to take care of him two years ago?"

"Huh?" Confusion washed over Saori's face for a moment, but it soon gave way to understanding. "Oh! That time at the cake store! So that's what you were talking about!"

"Bingo!" Haruka let out a light laugh. "And as you might suspect, I'm aware that he returns your feelings. So, be honest with me: do you miss him?" Upon hearing the question, Saori lowered her head a bit, her hair partially hiding her eyes, but not able to conceal the redness of her face.

"Y-yes," she affirmed, her voice weak and almost timid, a striking contrast to her usual energy. "I miss him so much. Even though he warned me he wouldn't be able to meet me at the back of the office to relax together as usual, I thought I would only not see him for three or four days, not for more than two whole weeks. The emptiness in my chest kept growing until it became unbearable. I couldn't take it anymore and came to visit him, that's when I bumped into you on the way. But from how quiet the house is, I imagine he's not here, right?" She asked, disappointment and sadness intertwined in her words.

Haruka, who had been smiling playfully, raised an inquisitive eyebrow. In the two years since she met Saori, she had never seen her like this. The young woman with white hair was someone carefree, always seeking fun, enjoying her days with a smile on her face. Now, however, this outgoing woman seemed almost fragile.

"Love really affects people in different ways." she pondered in her mind, but soon smiled again. "He's still at school. Since he's part of an elite school, the education there is rigorous, but he should be home in a few minutes. So cheer up!" Upon hearing this news, Saori's slightly downcast expression completely transformed, her purple eyes shining with renewed enthusiasm.

"Really?! Wonderful! I'm finally going to see shounen again after so many days!"

"Ah, but just a warning, Saori-chan."

"Hmm?" Saori looked at Haruka, puzzled by the glint of concern that had appeared on the woman's face.

"Please don't be too thunderstruck by what you see when Yuu-chan comes back, and don't quickly jump to conclusions."

"What do you mean by that, mama-" Saori's words died in her throat when the sound of the door opening was followed by a "I'm home!" that reverberated throughout the whole apartment.

With her respiratory system almost failing to send oxygen to her lungs, Saori turned to see the young man who, with his innocence, kindness, and determination, had stolen her heart.

But what her eyes beheld was not what she expected.

There was Ninomiya Yuusuke, now 17 years old. He had grown taller and a bit more muscular. His hairstyle, unchanged over the years, was something Saori was grateful for, as she believed that style suited him best and made him look handsome.

However, it was not any physical aspect of the boy that surprised her. What truly left her stunned was...

"G-good afternoon! It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Tanabashi Yuuka!"

The beautiful teenager beside him, someone that Saori had never seen before in her life.

xxxxx

Author's Note: This is going to be a two-shot, so the next part is the last one. Of course, it doesn't mean that after this I won't write more Shounen Chotto stories, I'll most likely write a lot of a them(most being one shots or short stories) since I love the manga and the ship.

Also, Haruka is a name that I decided to use, it's not a canon name since in the manga, Yuusuke's mother never had her name revealed.

Welp, I hope everyone enjoyed this!