um if you're seeing this updated version of this chapter, please read to the end bc i think wattpad glitched and deleted like four hundred words

Shu's POV

I silently grumble to myself before joining Mother outside in the corridor, unbuckling myself from the seatbelt I had been caged in for an hour. I'm not the only thing that's grumbling. My stomach is too, just not as quiet as me. 

The delicious scent of tonight's dinner (spaghetti Bolognese with a serving of Earth's finest wine for the adults) that wafts around the corridors only makes it harder to not grumble. That, and the fact that we're currently hurtling several hundred kilometers per hour across space. Travelling fast makes you more hungry than expected. 

Mother, with a knowing smile, says, "It'll be quick, Shu. We just need to get Mrs. Mabok and take her back to the dining hall with us. Before you know it, you'll be tucking into a mouth-watering meal, hot but not too hot, just the way you like it."

She only laughs when I deadpan at her. 

"Okay, I'll stop talking about food," she grins. "Do you miss (y/n)?"

This question, incredibly (or not at all) random, catches me off guard and I splutter, "W-What?"

"(y/n)," Mother repeats, though she knows fully well that I know who she's talking about. "I saw you looking around at the airport before we left, searching for someone. Do you miss her?"

"Yeah," I say, all embarrassment gone because I know Mother won't judge me for something she would do if she and Father were in our positions. "Even though the social was tonight, I was still searching because part of me hoped that we had defied what reality demands yet again."

Mother is silent, a dreamy look in her eyes as she finally answers, "Wow. Defying reality for your love. How romantic."

Not so romantic when you have to live in a separate universe, I inwardly correct.

"Ah," Mother stops at a room, numbered nineteen. "Here's Mrs. Mabok's room."

Mother knocks at the door and it opens to reveal a drained-looking woman with heavy eyelids who gasps out, "No offense important woman I don't know, but I am never going onboard this aircraft again."

"We've all been there," Mother chuckles in amusement. "On our way to the dining room we can stop at Med Bay to grab some specially made motion sickness tablets."

"Yes please," Mrs. Mabok nods frantically, quickly embracing Mother. As she does, she steps aside, revealing someone behind her who I never thought to be on the plane.

I rub my eyes. "Mother, I really need to go eat dinner now. Because of starvation, I'm starting to see things-"

"I'm real Shu," (y/n) laughs. Before reaching over and grabbing my hand, and I can miraculously feel her warmth as her fingers gently enclose over mine. Her smile widens. "See?"

I'm too shell-shocked to speak. I just stand there, eyes wide to take really take the sigh of (y/n) in. 

Mother, on the other hand, can speak just fine. She only seems worried, her forehead creasing at the sight of a stowaway. "What? What is (y/n) doing here? Shouldn't she be at the social? Shouldn't she be at Earth? Mrs. Mabok, explain this to me immediately."

"Don't blame Aaliyah," (y/n) jumps in before Mrs. Mabok can say anything. "It was my fault. I lied to her and told her that I was allowed on the aircraft. I'm sorry about the inconveniences I'm causing, but please don't blame Mrs. Mabok."

"Alright," Mother takes a deep breath, haughty from the sudden problem and disruption from neat organization that she loves. "You can tell that to your parents on Earth. I'm sure they won't be happen to know that their daughter is going to a whole different galaxy without them. Save your energy to defend Mrs. Mabok later. We're going to turn back right away."

Before anyone can say anything, Mother reaches into the room and presses a button on the wall. A moment passes and then there's a crackle overhead that isn't from the speakers. "This is the commander space, what is the problem, Mrs. Mabok?"

"Hiroyashi, it's me," Mother impatiently taps her foot and (y/n) bows her head in shame because Mother sounds incredibly stressed right now. I squeeze her hand, still intertwined with mine, and happiness bubbles when she smiles at me. "Lilac Eye. I found a stowaway on board who just happens to be (y/n) (l/n). We need to turn around and go back to Earth. Right now."

"Woah," the speaker goes staticky as Hiroyashi sucks in a breath. "I'm afraid we can't do that."

"And why not?"

Hiroyashi explains, "The fuel that's powering the entire aircraft is a mineral called unmei. And unfortunately, there's none on Earth. So right now, besides the emergency stock, we only have enough unmei to last us just enough to make it back to Shinwa. If we go back to Earth now, we won't ever be able to go back home."

"I know that," Mother exhales. "I'm telling you to use the emergency stocks."

"Ma'am," Hiroyashi begins. "Not to say you're wrong or anything, but are you sure this is an emergency? Ashtem has been saving the emergency stocks for situations like oxygen depletion or engine overheating where we will die if we don't turn back."

Mother pinches the bridge of her nose. "Do I need to remind you how we all had to go through some sort of training to be on this aircraft. If (y/n) doesn't adapt quickly to cope with the different environment in space, there will be problems. Not to mention how worried sick her parents will be, not even knowing where their own daughter is."

"Actually," Mrs. Mabok pipes up. "They do know, I managed to tell them just before the aircraft departed."

"Mother," I jump in before she gets a chance to argue. "Surely having (y/n) with us can't be that bad? (y/n)'s parents probably trust her with Mrs. Mabok, and about all of those training things, I can teach her. (y/n) is smart, I know she can get a grasp on how to survive in a different environment if I teach her."

"Yes!" (y/n) exclaims, her face brightening before catching sight of Mother's gaze. "That is, if it's alright with you."

Mother's gaze softens. "Oh honey, I was just worried about you. If Shu is confident that you can cope with the conditions in space, then it's more than alright."

"Really?"

Mother smiles and she gently takes (y/n)'s hands in hers. "Of course. After all, you are the person my son loves."

I tell her not to say anything more.

Not because it's untrue.

But because I want to tell (y/n) myself.

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Your POV

"Attention passengers, we will now be arriving at Shinwa in exactly one hour. Please head to your seats and secure your seatbelts as we exit constellation Basuto."

I oblige the instructions given out over the intercom, grinning to Shu as we both settle into chairs next to each other in headquarters. 

Aaliyah is also in headquarters, safely buckled in and chatting animatedly with Dr. Tarver. It had been that way for the past journey, Aaliyah always in headquarters and talking to someone else, discussing differences between Earth and Shinwa.

Even if it meant that the only other Earth inhabitant was too busy to teach me anything, I didn't mind because the responsibility of teaching me about Earth and firstly, how to survive in space, went to Shu. 

Because of his age, he had nothing major tasks to do, so the two of us just wandered around the aircraft, learning and fooling around and growing indescribably closer. It makes me feel guilty, because I should be thinking about my parents and my friends back at home but I'm not. I don't miss anyone or anything.

I'm completely happy.

Whether it's because of their lack of presence or Shu's presence, I don't know, but my time with Shu on the ship only makes me even more excited to go to Shinwa. 

And to explore everything about the beyblade world, from familiar people to the beyblade tournaments. 

So when the aircraft finally lands in New York and the exit doors open, I'm disappointed to see the large amount of paparazzi surrounding us, not letting any of us leave without getting a few answers.

I did expect it, though, Shu mentioned that the news of Earth had been announced to the public of Shinwa while he was on Earth, so nobody on the special team could provide information to the general public. 

Sensing my discomfort, Lilac Eye tells Shu to take me to the Raging Bulls place while the adults answer the questions. We both happily oblige, and as I step out from the airport, strong, pure excitement washes over me.

On the surface, Shinwa isn't that different from Earth. I'm more excited about the uplifting feeling in the air. Here, nobody cares about business that much. All they care about is a game, so beautifully simple.

Nobody eyes me as the 'daughter of (m/n) and (f/n)' or the 'sister of Blair (l/n)' or 'the girl who kissed an alien'. Because of IREL, everyone sees me as just (y/n) (l/n). 

And everybody loves me.

Teenagers gasp in recognition as Shu and I walk the streets of Shinwa's New York and occasionally children run up to ask me questions. 

But I do know some people hate or pity me. Hate me for being such a coward who was a slave to her friends, and it's quite understandable. Then there's others who pity me for having such a toxic school environment and overprotective parents. 

However, all those thoughts fade away as Shu takes my hand and brings me to his favorite places in New York.

He shows me the horizon of New York from the Empire State building. He points out his favorite view at the Statue of Liberty. He buys me beyblade bread (just as delicious as I expected) from a well-known café and takes me to the best spot in Central Park, where the sunlight sparkles as it meets the water in the most perfect way in a hidden pond near a big oak tree with descending leaves of different colors.

We talk about nothing of great importance, random trivial things that causes few playful arguments and occasional kisses. Yet we manage to keep the conversation going for hours, longer than we need to because by now, as the sun is bidding farewell for the night, everyone else from the aircraft would've gone back to their respective homes. 

We've managed to do everything we can in New York, because in a few days we're going to Beigoma, Japan, Shu's hometown and where Beyblade Burst is centered around. 

I could always do everything I've done back home in New York (and I have done some of those things), but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be the same without getting Shu's detailed descriptions on some of the heritage-listed buildings or his subconscious smile as he bites into a beyblade bread or his eyes lighting up as we finally make it to the top of the Empire State building, hand-in-hand. Together.

I know it's selfish and ungrateful of me to have so much fun without a second thought of the world I had just left behind. Because people still care for me there. Layla, my parents, Blair. Even Roger. The select few who I really do trust. 

But even though they were some of the most important people back home, they've fallen away once I've arrived at Shinwa. It's not because I'm free of school or I can do what I want or that I'm famous for something other than kissing an 'alien'. 

It's because I'm with Shu. It's because our fingers are entangled together and our lips keep on meeting again and again.

It's because we're finally together, without anything in the universe holding us back like last time. 

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word count: 1979