Yuri practically threw herself onto the couch, tried to relax, and failed miserably.

Her mind felt like it was running on overdrive. Fear and excitement met in some sort of confusing fusion that, had her life depended on it, Yuri would not be able to put into words. She was happy, and yet she also wanted to just bolt into her room, hide in the closet, and wait for tonight to end.

He was coming over tonight.

It was just for collaboration- Yuri had to remind herself about that. Despite that, part of her felt like it was a first date. Every fiber of her being wished that it was. She didn't know why she felt this way about a boy, a boy that she had known for only a few months for Pete's sake, but he seemed to aggravate every possible emotion within her at once. Just his mere presence was enough to turn her into a stuttering mess, more so than usual, anyway. Was it the way he smiled at her? Was it the way that he would always chose to read with her? Was it the fact that, despite his lack of literary experience, he eagerly consumed and discussed everything she read with him? Yuri didn't know how he did it, but he stole her heart.

And that is why she wanted tonight to be perfect. Supposedly, they were just hanging out to help develop each other's short stories for a club project. In actuality, Yuri was going to risk everything tonight. She was going to confess, to find out at long last if those feelings were reciprocated. She clasped her hands together, tilted her dead down, and muttered a desperate prayer.

"Please be perfect. Please be perfect. Please let him love me back. Pleeeeaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeee."

Mom walked in at about that moment, her high heels click-clacking against the hardwood floor. She was clad in a long-flowing white dress, heels, and a golden necklace. She had her own date tonight, and she didn't seem the least bit worried.

"Honey, it will be fine," Mom spoke as she grabbed her purse. "You always talk about MC in such a positive light. Surely, he thinks the same about you. All you need is a little confidence."

As she spoke, Mom's beautiful eyes glimmered with warmth. It was not uncommon for Yuri's mother's friends to remark on how much she and her daughter looked alike. Indeed, they did share quite a handful of features: straight, silky violet hair, captivating eyes that were equally as purple, and, well, poor "posture". Where they differed, however, was in personality. Of all the people Yuri had met in her life, male or female, none possessed a propensity for extroversion equal to that of her mother's. Mom was always out with friends, and when she wasn't out with friends, she was happily chatting away with her family, or speaking with some distant contact over social media. While Yuri loved her mother unconditionally, she never understood how Mom could deal with all that constant noise. Just enduring the minimum social interaction that school required proved very daunting some days.

Then, Yuri realized that she was lost in her inner world again. She shook her head and cleared her throat. In spite of her mom's best efforts, all Yuri could do was offer an uncertain frown.

"I. . . I just don't know," she confessed. "I'm not as confident as you are."

Mom placed a reassuring hand on Yuri's shoulder. "Yuri, you have plenty to be confident about. Just be yourself, and be as proud of yourself as I am of you."

That managed to elicit a small smile out of Yuri. Mom knew that Yuri would find doubt in those words, she always did, but knowing that to be true did not stop her from trying to encourage her daughter. One day, Yuri would discover what a wonderful woman she had grown into. Mom hoped that would come sooner rather than later, and that this boy, this 'MC', would be the one to bring it out of her.

"Thank you, Mom," Yuri spoke softly and politely.

"You're very welcome, sweetie," Mom cooed as she ran a hand through Yuri's hair. Yuri squirmed uncomfortably, blushed a bit, and shot Mom a look that said "stop". Mom finally did.

"Just remember that boys can be a little, er, stupid when it comes to our affection," Mom reminded, turning around and snatching her purse off the countertop in the process. "Dad was the same way, you know. He's a smart cookie in most things, but how women work is outside of his spectrum of expertise."

Yuri nodded. She had heard both the advice and the anecdote a hundred times since blossoming into a teenager. Yuri had a hard time believing someone like dad, an ancient history professor at the city's most prestigious university, lacked knowledge on a subject so broad. It didn't help Mom's case that Dad often bought her flowers, took her on dates, and displayed affection at a healthy rate. Still, while Mom and Dad continued to love each other just as much as they did on the day of their wedding, Mom remained adamant that he lacked any ideas regarding social cues.

The loud clop clop clop of dress shoes hitting the hardwood floor signaled Dad's readiness. Sure enough, he entered the room a few seconds later, wrapped an arm around his wife, and held her close in a loving embrace. Mom giggled, then expressed her love with a kiss on the cheek.

Dad blushed. Regarding personality, he was much more similar to Yuri than his wife. Behind a pair of rectangular spectacles were two soft brown eyes, and he often wore a gentle, fatherly smile. He spoke far less in social situations than Mom did, but when he did speak, his tone was deep, masculine, and gentlemanly. He was the one to introduce Yuri to the fascinating worlds found in words on a page, and like Yuri, he seemed to often prefer books to people. The family was an exception, of course, as well as fellow scholars in his chosen field.

After a moment in his daze, Dad cleared his throat. "You ready to go, honey?"

"Of course, dear," Mom assured with a giggle.

Yuri looked away, embarrassed at the affection on full display. "H-have fun, Mom and Dad."

Dad nodded. "You too, honey."

"No funny business, now," Mom reminded, but her playful smile left it unclear as to how much of that command was in jest.

Whatever Mom's intentions had been, Yuri blushed. "O-oh, y-yes, of course."

Dad walked over to Yuri and smothered her in a hug. "I'm so proud of my little princess. Hard to believe she's all grown up, eh, Kasumi?"

Mom grinned from ear-to-ear. "She's turned into a fine young lady. MC is a very lucky man."

The praise heaped upon her only made Yuri feel more embarrassed. "Y-y-yes, well, I think I'm the lucky one, if we are completely honest. I just. . . I really hope everything goes according to plan, tonight."

"It will, honey," Dad promised. He gave he a kiss on the forehead, stepped away, and took Mom's hand in his. They started toward the front door, only for Mom to stop, reach into her purse, and pull out a few bills.

She placed them on the counter, then nodded at Yuri. "Get yourselves a pizza, dear; you can't go wrong without pizza."

Yuri nodded. "Thank you. Have a great time!"

"And you, as well," Mom returned. Then, the pair opened up the door, stepped out, and closed it gently behind them. All at once, the house was deathly quiet. Yuri glanced at the time on the microwave. 3:28. There would still be about another hour and a half before MC arrived. That would be more than enough time to get herself ready for the date. Knowing that it was enough time didn't make Yuri feel any less anxious. She resorted to heading upstairs to take a relaxing hot bath. But even as she lied back in the hot water, Yuri couldn't stop shaking. She glanced down at her arms. There was a rumor going around in school that, due to Yuri's fascination with blades, she regularly cut herself. It was a lie, of course, but it didn't stop the devil on her shoulder from running amok.

Do you think he believes the rumors? You always wear long sleeves around him, after all.

Does he merely pity a girl with a supposed bad habit? Is the no true fondness for the Yuri as a person?

Will he stop spending time with you when he finds out you're nothing more than a worrywart?

What if it's not concern at all that attracts him to you? What if it's entirely to do with your "posture"?

Yuri thunked herself on the head. "Shut up!" she yelled. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Leave me alone!"

There you go again with those outbursts. How long will it take for him to find out that you're crazy? Not long, I bet.

In a swift motion, Yuri snatched her bottle of shampoo, poured an overabundant amount in her hand, and swiftly went about scrubbing her purple locks. Despite knowing better, she operated under the pretense that cleaning her scalp would also clean the nasty thoughts out of her mind. She thought back to Mom's words. How true were they in all actuality? Isn't it the duty of any good parent to bolster their child's self-esteem? Yuri sure didn't feel like she was the perfect young woman Mom painted her as.

She leaned further back in the tub until her hair was completely submurged beneath the water. Taking deep breaths, she finally managed to push back against the doubts festering within. Finally, she was at peace.

There's only one way to find out.

Some time later, Yuri finished her shower, dressed herself in a short sleeve shirt and jeans, brushed her teeth just to make sure they were nice and clean, and took a seat in the living room. She was halfway through the second chapter of Of Mice and Men when she heard a knock at the door. She jumped up, inhaled sharply, and walked purposely toward the front door. She opened it, and to her great relief, there was MC. He stood about half a foot taller than she did, glancing down at her with a pair of empathetic amber eyes. He smiled, and Yuri unconsciously reciprocated.

"Hey, Yuri," MC greeted, notebook and pencil in hand. "How are you doing?"

"G-good evening," Yuri stammered, her grin widening. His presence alone made her feel things that she never dreamed of feeling before. Just being around him made her feel like anything in the world was possible. "P-please, come in."

You didn't answer the question, that little voice in the back of her heard reminded.

MC opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm feeling, great, by the way!" Yuri suddenly blurted out. "Fantastic! Wonderful! I'm so glad you're here!"

Not that forceful, you dolt!

MC opened his mouth to speak again.

"I-I-I-I mean, I'm good, thank you for asking," Yuri spoke again.

MC opened his mouth to speak one last time.

"S-sorry for the outbursts," Yuri apologized, glancing away in shame. "I've never had a friend over before, that's all."

Despite getting interrupted three times in a row, MC was no less happy to have visited Yuri. "It's no problem at all, Yuri; the only visitor I get often is Sayori. It will be nice to have someone else for a change."

Yuri cleared her throat. "Yes, well, please come in."

MC obeyed. It was only after he passed her that Yuri noticed he had brought his backpack with him. It was sorta sensible, she supposed, given how they had planned to work on their poetry together, but why did he feel compelled to bring his entire pack over? Surely, he would have been better off to just carry his notebook and a pen.

MC took a minute to scan the sizable kitchen the pair now found themselves in. Yuri's family, while not filthy rich, was quite well off. She caught a glint of what appear to be marvel in MC's eyes.

"Wow, nice place you got here," MC remarked. "I feel like this one room is bigger than my whole house!"

If he was exaggerating, he wasn't far off from the truth. Yuri's house was the primary testament to the family's considerable fortune. Having visited MC once to help him make decorations for the festival, Yuri had found his house rather small. That was not to say it wasn't a nice house; it was pretty cozy. Besides, she was more than willing to sacrifice the excessive space if it meant waking up beside him every morning, holding each other, cuddling, kissing, maybe doing other things.

"Yuri? You OK? You look a little zoned out."

And just like that, Yuri was flung out of her inappropriate fantasy, becoming very aware that now was not the time to imagine. "Y-yes! I was just, uh, ruminating over poem ideas, that's all!"

MC allowed himself a smirk. "You seemed rather happy to start writing, there. I guess you would be, though, with a vocabulary and imagination like yours. You know, Yuri, I wish I could be half the poet you are."

Yuri nodded. "W-well, thank you. Don't be so quick to deprecate your talents, however; I think you have such a wonderful way with words."

That wasn't a lie solely spoken to make him feel better, but a very real truth. Though there were some bumps and kinks in MC's writing style, he did possess legitimate talent. In any case, he proved himself a better poet than Natsuki and Sayori, and almost as good as Monika.

"Why don't I make us some tea?" Yuri asked, seeking approval before making said beverage. "To soothe our minds, of course."

MC nodded, setting his backpack down and taking a seat on her couch. "Sounds lovely, Yuri."

Yuri hummed happily as she left the kitchen, appearing a few minutes later with two steaming cups. She handed MC one, sat next to him, and smiled. MC chuckled, and Yuri, though she was as far from certain as possible, thought she saw a hint of pink in his cheeks.

"I ordered a pizza while I was brewing tea," Yuri informed. "You like pepperoni, right?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Good, good. I'm glad you like it," Yuri assured awkwardly. A somewhat uncomfortable silence permeated the room not long after, both parties searching for some way to continue the conversation. Finally, MC caught a glance at Yuri's book, picked it up, and smiled to himself.

"Of Mice and Men, huh?" he remarked. "We had to read this last semester in English class. Steinbeck's quite the guy, ain't he?"

Yuri shrugged. "His perspectives of American life during the Great Depression are rather fascinating, though he isn't my favorite author. You read Of Mice and Men in English? We read The Grapes of Wrath."

"I guess Mr. Richards likes to alternate every semester," MC said with a shrug. "Still, I'm surprised you haven't already read it before."

"There are only a set amount of books that a girl can read, MC," Yuri reminded with a smirk. "It's not exactly as if I have a problem with that, however; it means that I will always find something new to bury my nose in."

"That's a great way to look at it, Yuri."

That made her heart swell with joy. "T-thank you. I've been trying t-to take your advice about viewing myself in a positive light. I think it's working."

He had tried so hard to break her out of her shell; even she recognized that. Sometimes, he tried a little too hard, but Yuri didn't doubt for a second that his attempts were from the heart. Honestly, while she was making baby steps, Yuri still hadn't made much progress. That was OK. It was OK because it meant MC would keep trying. He would spend time with her. He would think of her.

He would care for her. She grinned with glee.

"Right, well, why don't we start with our stories?" Yuri spoke. "Do you have any ideas about yours?"

MC shrugged. "I guess you could say that. I mean, it's probably dumb, but I like it.

"What do you mean?"

MC made a motion with his arms that resembled weighing two separate objects. "Well, it's a fantasy world. I thought it would be cool if I wrote about angels living with normal people, but I'm still struggling. How do I make my story be original?"

Yuri brought her pen to her lip, lightly tapping it in thought. Effortlessly, her passion for the literary world had awoken. Ideas flickered in her mind, some dying almost instantly, but some lingering as legitimate ideas. After a pause that was perhaps a little uncomfortably long, she turned back to MC. "Well, what story do you want to tell? I always find it more important to create a plot, get the basic details down, then try to develop the world properly. What kind of story do you want to tell?"

MC scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, romance."

Yuri's eyes widened just slightly. He didn't seem to notice. "O-oh, really? F-forgive me, I didn't take you for the romantic type."

"I didn't, either," MC said with a shrug. "But I've had it on my mind the past few days. I know it's overused to hell, but I wanna do the typical 'two people from different societies meet and fall in love' thing. At the same time, I want to put my own twist on it."

Yuri's face burned. "Y-y-yes. W-w-well, I, uh, can you excuse me for just a moment?"

MC nodded. "You're good."

Yuri rose from her seat, forced herself to walk out of the room calmly, and immediately burst into silent cheer once she rounded the corner. Yes! Yes! Maybe he did feel something, too! Maybe things would just work out, after all! She sighed dreamily.

I love him so much!

With that thought, she turned around, walked back into the room, picked up her notebook, and nodded.

"Ready to begin?"

"Yep."

She beamed. "Wonderful."