Baby Steps - Kusuo Saiki x Reader

4. Mr. and Mrs. Saiki

The air was crisp and cold as I made my way to the shrine on New Year's morning. The sky was clear, and the early sunlight cast a golden hue over everything. I loved the tranquility of the shrine, especially on mornings like this. It felt like a fresh start, a clean slate to welcome the new year.

As I approached the entrance, I spotted a familiar figure with pink hair. It was Saiki, accompanied by his parents. Nearby, I noticed Kaido and Hairo as well. They were chatting animatedly, their breaths visible in the cold air.

"Hey, guys!" I called out, waving as I approached them.

"Hi Y/N!" Kaido and Hairo beamed.

Saiki turned to look at me, his usual stoic expression in place. "Hello."

His parents turned to face me, their expressions lighting up with curiosity and excitement.
"Hello there!" Saiki's mom, Kurumi, greeted me warmly. "Are you a friend of Kusuo?"

"Yes, I am," I replied with a smile. "I'm Y/N. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, what a lovely name!" Kurumi gushed. "Are you and Saiki...?" She trailed off, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Both Saiki and I quickly shook our heads. "No, no, we're just friends," I clarified.

Saiki's dad, Kuniharu, chuckled. "Ah, sorry about that! We just got a bit excited. It's always nice to meet Saiki's friends."

Kaido and Hairo joined the conversation, greeting me with their usual enthusiasm. Kaido was rambling about some new strategy he had devised for battling the Dark Reunion, while Hairo was discussing his plans to improve the school's athletic program in the new year.

After a few minutes of casual conversation, I decided to go pray at the shrine. "I'm going to make my offering and say my prayers," I told them. "I'll be back in a bit."

As I walked up to the shrine, I could hear Kurumi and Kuniharu talking to Saiki behind me. They were gushing about how wonderful it was that he had such a good friend and how perfect I would be as a romantic match for him. I couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm, even though they were way off the mark.

When I finished my prayers and made my way back to the group, I noticed Nendo approaching the shrine. He walked up to the bell and, in typical Nendo fashion, rang it chaotically, making a lot of noise. People nearby turned to look, some amused, others slightly annoyed.

Kuniharu stepped in, chuckling as he approached Nendo. "Hey there, let me show you how to do it properly," he offered. Nendo, ever eager to learn, nodded enthusiastically.

As Kuniharu demonstrated the correct way to ring the bell and make an offering, Saiki and I exchanged glances. Using our telepathy, we listened in on what Kuniharu was praying for.

'Please let Saiki get a girlfriend soon,' Kuniharu's thoughts echoed in our minds.

Saiki's face twisted into a look of mild irritation, and I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. Kurumi, noticing our silent exchange, gushed, 'Oh, look at them! They already have inside jokes. How adorable!'

"It must be nice to have such supportive parents," I teased Saiki, giggling.

Before he could respond, Kuniharu returned from the shrine, beaming. He saw me teasing Saiki and immediately jumped to conclusions. "My prayers have been answered already!" he exclaimed.

Kurumi, meanwhile, had another question for me. "So, Y/N, how did you and Saiki meet?"

I began to explain how we met at school, leaving out the part about me being a psychic, but my attention was suddenly drawn to Teruhashi, who had spotted us and was making her way over. Her presence always seemed to cause a stir, and I noticed Saiki subtly trying to edge away.