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Uki knew it would be a bad idea to keep a physical diary. If it was a notes app file on his phone, he could’ve at least locked it under layers of protection— but no, the old Uki had to do it in the traditional way, and now he wanted to go back in time and punch himself in the face.
Where’s the last time he saw the wrenched book? He scoured his memory to come up with some potential locations, but it wasn’t in his bedside drawer, in his bookbag, or even in the pocket of one of his stupidly large puffer jackets that were trendy for exactly one season. None of his roommates have been at the dorm the past week, Aster on a school-issued research trip to NASA and Ike going home to visit his parents.
Nothing was coming up as he rummaged through the shared bookshelf, but there was one more place it could be; Uki’s stomach sank at the thought as he stepped outside to the corridor and knocked frantically on the neighboring door.
What seemed like an eternity passed before a groggy figure in frog pajamas opened the door.
“What do you want,” Alban drawled, voice still raspy from sleep. It doesn’t make sense because it’s two in the afternoon, but it makes sense because it’s Alban and it’s university.
“Guys, big problem,” Uki announced, stepping into the room and ignoring Alban’s grumbles. “I lost my diary.”
“You still keep one?” Sonny asked from the top bunk, hand tapping at his phone screen. “That’s actually very you.”
“Any idea where it could be?” Fulgur flopped down from his bed in an upside-down position. Good lord there was at least one person with a brain cell in his friend group, because Uki is getting more anxious by the second.
“See, I might’ve— Shu might have it,” he said, voice lowering to a whisper.
Everyone started talking over each other. Sonny said something along the lines of “How did you do that” while Alban just made groggy surprised noises. Someone whistled and Fulgur started laughing— the audacity, but he was Uki’s best friend so it was probably okay.
“Shut up. Shut up, okay?” Uki tried to say between the commotion. “I lent him my history textbook and I might’ve accidentally given him the diary as well.”
“You’re screwed, mate,” Sonny wheezed, “But he knows about your crush on him now! Saved you the hassle of confessing and all.”
Uki smacked his elbow as he yelped. “Geez, you almost made me drop this orange on that peach—”
“He might not have read it yet,” Fulgur suggests, now flopping in another position with his legs hanging off his bed. “Go ask him to give it back.”
Uki frowns in thought as he runs the nail of his thumb along his teeth, an anxious habit of his. “I did write on the first page that it should not be read.”
“Shu’s definitely the type to respect that,” Fulgur said.
Alban shakes his head with a devious smirk, though. “There’s a possibility he might’ve accidentally saw something, since you ramble about his stupidly purple eyes at least twice a day.”
Uki put his face in his palms with a huge sigh. “This is the worst day of my life. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Not almost pole dancing at the orientations?”
“Alban Knox, I did not need to remember that— plus, I was decently good at it.”
Alban seemed to be thinking up a retort back when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” he said, peering through the peephole. He turned back to usher Uki to the doorway, winking at him as he retreated back into the room.
Of course, it was Shu Yamino, the love of his life, at the door dressed in a simple grey sweatshirt and his hair tied up. Uki was going to have a heart attack and pass away right here and there. It was unfair for someone to look so good in such a casual outfit on a Sunday afternoon.
Uki resisted the urge to either swoon or punch him for his beauty. “What’s up?” he said, then immediately cringed at himself.
Shu just smiled as he held up the diary. “I was just going to return this. You accidentally gave it to me with the history textbook.” Noticing Uki’s worried look, he quickly reassures that he hasn’t read the contents of the diary.
Uki breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks so much for bringing it back,” he said. Except instead of exchanging acknowledgments and leaving, Shu was still in the doorway, hands fiddling with each other and cheeks dusted pink.
“Hey, um,” he started, gaze bright and sparkling, ”Are you free on Tuesday night?”
“What? Um, yeah.”
“Well, I have a reservation at this Italian restaurant downtown,” Shu said, showing Uki the restaurant on his phone. “Since you said you wanted to eat there on your Instagram stories…… can I ask you to join me?”
Someone started clapping as Shu’s blush got darker. Uki blinked at Shu in shock. “Are you asking me out?”
“Y-yeah,” Shu stammered a little. “If you don’t want to, it’s alright—”
“No! No, wait, I meant yes,” Uki took Shu’s hand. “I’ll go with you.”
Shu grinned and laced their fingers together. “See you then?”
Uki nodded. Feeling bold, he pressed a kiss on Shu’s cheek before waving him goodbye and closing the door again.
Three pairs of eyes stared back at him.
“This is the best day of my life,” Uki said wistfully.
“I can’t believe you two have been pining for each other all this time,” Sonny exclaimed as Alban laughed uncontrollably at the scene.
“The question is, did Shu read the diary or not?” Fulgur asked, but the answer wasn’t important anymore.