Mrs. Chen had always suspected that there was something more than a friendship between Katy and Shaun, even if they hadn't seen it at first. Which is why, when Katy returned home looking more tired than usual, with a very obviously exhausted Shaun clinging to her and not leaving her side after a week of disappearance, she mentally noted that somehow during their enigmatic trip their relationship had changed. Which she was sure Waipo would be thrilled about.
Two weeks after her daughter and her daughters.. best friend? had returned home (and had been glued to each others sides ever since) she was coming home from a night shift later than usual, nearing midnight almost, when the pieces had began to fall into place. It was when she was walking up to the front door Mrs. Chen noticed there were an extra pair of shoes outside, a pair she had seen so many times before and could recognise in an instant because the only person in the Chen household who wore mens shoes was her son Ruiha and he definitely did not own a pair like these. This pair belonged to Shaun. Sweet, helpful Shaun who had offered to help with almost everything since Katy first brought him home. Kind, heart of gold, level-headed Shaun who always got Katy out of trouble. Amiable Shaun who's neat shoes were currently sat outside of her front door next to another pair that she knew belonged to Katy as she could tell were hurriedly tossed down without a care of wether they were stood right way up.
Slowly opening the aged, wooden door Mrs. Chen was careful to not let it make that awful creaking sound that is so frequently did. After placing her bag down near the dining table and walking over to her clean, tidied living room which was currently littered in boxes she can only assumed were filled with dumplings earlier, a strange almost guffaw could be heard from down the hall. Katy. She had always had an odd laugh. The question that irked her however, was why was Katy giggling at this time? Remembering the shoes outside, she was cautious to walk closer to the sound.
Again. She giggled again.
Prepared to berate her daughter for staying up late and this time bringing Shaun over too, Mrs. Chen got closer to her bedroom door. Taking a look at the handle she noticed one thing.
Locked. The door was Locked.
Katy had begged for a lock on her door since she was sixteen arguing something like "but I'm a woman now mom. I need space and privacy." in a very Katy tone. Mrs. Chen had agreed (mostly to stop her whining) but had also compromised, the lock couldn't be locked unless there was a good reason. Katy having her best friend over did not seem like a good reason. Her daughter laughed again but this time it was followed by a lower, more masculine chuckle. Mrs. Chen could make out a few words that were being exchanged behind the small purple door.
"Are you sure? this isn't just some we-saved-the-world-together-and-almost-died adrenaline rush?" Shaun spoke quietly, almost timidly.
"First of all it's been over two weeks superhero, and secondly-" She couldn't quite hear the last part of her daughters witty answer-or Shaun's response to that new, sarcastic nickname- as Katy lowered her voice to a whisper but what she could hear after wasn't exactly a shock after how they have been behaving lately.
A kiss. A small, delicate kiss shared between two people who have been through hell together and still managed to survive. A kiss between Mrs. Chens daughter and the boy her mother had always told her was right for Katy. Perfect even. Waipo really would be thrilled. She still doesn't know what happened on that sudden trip but whatever it was she was glad it only brought them closer and maybe that was all she needed to know. For now, at least. After realising she was still stood outside the purple door and hearing more giggles, kisses and a few sighs starting to come into the mix she decided to leave them be. After all maybe they have been so lost up until now because they hadn't seen what was right in front of them, each other Mrs. Chen had thought. Sure she would try and get some answers out of Katy at some point and make sure to remind her that Shaun is great husband material; especially after those few gasps she just heard. But what mattered is that her daughter was alive and happy. Even if she had come home with no explanation where she'd been and decided her new passion in life was archery and.. Mrs. Chen quotes "being an all round badass". She was happy and Mrs. Chen knew that maybe it was Shaun who had made her feel that way.