Haruka wasn't that cute. Sure, she had a nice figure and a good sense of style, but she didn't really stand out from the two other girls in their room. Shizuku and Kotone were both attractive too, so naturally, Haruka didn't seem all that special by comparison. Yuu was just lucky to have three nice girls that she got along with assigned to her dorm. She didn't think much about it past that.
Though, all of that came crashing down when Yuu decided to borrow a textbook. That was all she wanted. She had forgotten her literature book in class and couldn't finish her assignment without it. It was such a simple thing, so why was her heart pounding so hard against her ribs?
When Yuu opened Haruka's door, inviting herself in, she didn't know what she'd expected to find, but it wasn't this. Haruka wasn't supposed to have her hair up in a sloppy bun, a few silky strands spilling down her neck or framing her face. She wasn't supposed to be wearing pink flannel pajamas with sleeves that were just a little too long. The neckline wasn't supposed to dip over one shoulder like that, revealing smooth, creamy skin. None of this was supposed to happen. She was just meant to walk in, casually borrow the textbook, and walk back out.
Instead, Yuu's heart stopped for a moment before it started to race, eyes widening. A pink blush bloomed across her cheeks, quickly spreading across to tinge the tips of her ears. Everything felt too hot and her fingertips itched with the desire to go tuck a stray lock of hair behind Haruka's ear, to trail over the exposed skin on her shoulder. She just felt so dumbfounded and lovestruck all at once, her insides all melting and pooling together.
"Yuu?" Haruka asked, noticing the way the blonde froze the second she stepped past the door. She cocked her head to one side, an endearingly curious glint in her eyes. A small smile turned up at her lips, and all of a sudden, Yuu couldn't breathe.
She couldn't figure out where the notion that Haruka wasn't all that cute had even come from, because now, Yuu was completely confident that there wasn't anything more adorable to be found anywhere on the planet. From the way the soft, powder pink fabric of her pajamas matched the natural blush of her skin to the way her eyes crinkled ever so slightly at the corners with her smile, Yuu was taken totally off guard, unarmed and defenseless. Her heart thumped in her chest and she couldn't help but wonder if that was what love felt like.
Gathering her senses, Yuu realized how long she must have been staring, a darker flush creeping up over her cheeks. "Your literature textbook," Yuu managed to choke out hoarsely, nervously running a hand back through her hair where it hung loose instead of in its normal twintails. "Can I borrow it? I left mine in the classroom," she explained.
"Hmm..." Haruka hummed thoughtfully, "I think mine's on my desk. You're welcome to use it."
Prying her eyes away from Haruka, Yuu nodded and quickly crossed the room to the small desk in the corner, searching through its contents for the navy cover of the text book. When she found it, her heart melted and she could have sworn her knees were getting weaker. Doodles of hearts and flowers edged the border of the cover, all drawn in pretty silver marker, and it just seemed so sweet. Maybe she was being ridiculous; anyone could draw on their textbooks, but there was something about the curve of her lines, the way one side of each heart was always just a little bigger than the other, that tugged at Yuu's heart. Her thumb skimmed over one of the flowers when she picked up the book, a slight grin touching her lips.
"Thanks," Yuu said in reply, gaze flitting back up to meet Haruka's. The other girl just offered a kind smile that made Yuu's heart jump into her throat.
Swallowing thickly, she made her way to the door, not trusting herself to stay any longer. Once it was closed securely behind her, Yuu pressed her back to the cool wood, feeling heat flood her skin from head to toe. Her free hand came to clench in the fabric over her heart, willing it to stop racing so frantically.
That wasn't fair of Haruka, to completely knock her off her feet like that. There was something so endearing about the casual, relaxed Haruka, that had taken Yuu off guard. She was fairly certain that moving to another country was her only logical option at this point. There was no way she could live in the same dorm as Haruka and ever get anything done. Now, her thoughts would be filled with pretty girls in pretty pink pajamas, and while that seemed like a mice thing to fantasize about, Yuu resigned herself to the fact that her homework was as good as failed already. There was no way she was getting anything coherent and intelligent written now.
Still, maybe this was a good opportunity. Living with the girl she had miraculously fallen hard and fast for seemed like a good way to get closer, at least in theory anyway. Though, whether to flee the country or ask Haruka on a date was a debate for another time. After all, Yuu did have homework to finish before class tomorrow. It probably would have been shoddy work anyway, due to the late hour and looming deadline, but it definitely wasn't going to be anything near pass-worthy now. Still, Yuu figured it was better to at least turn something in. In any case, Haruka had been nice enough to lend her the textbook and she didn't want to put that to waste.
Steadying herself, Yuu quietly pushed off of Haruka's door and headed back to her own room. Though her heart was still acting up and butterflies swarmed in her stomach at the sight of Haruka's textbook, Yuu tried her best to get her assignment somewhat completed. Though, everything seemed to be washed in a rosy tint, and Yuu wasn't sure whether that was one of those cliche symptoms of love, or just invading thoughts of Haruka's brilliant, ruby colored eyes.