The sky was clear that morning, the soft hush of the wind playing with the hem of Anaya's kurta as she walked toward the library. With every quiet step on the pavement, sunlight filtered through the trees and painted golden patterns on the ground.
It should've been a normal morning.
It almost was, until he popped into her mind again.
Yu Chen..
Just like that, her heart gave a little flutter, and before she realized it, a small laugh escaped her lips. She quickly pressed a hand to her mouth and looked around, embarrassed. But there was no one nearby. Only the breeze, the sleepy street, and her own foolish grin.
"Why is he always like this?" Anaya murmured to herself. "Why do I remember even the way he scrunches his nose?"
She shook her head, blushing at her own thoughts.
By the time she reached the library, her cheeks were still pink.
The familiar scent of old pages and wood greeted her as she entered. She picked a quiet corner near the window, where the light came in just enough to make her feel safe and cozy. Pulling out her notes, she opened her summer assignment.
She really did try to focus.
She read the first sentence. Underlined a few things.
But halfway through the second paragraph, a memory slipped in, his smiley face, wearing that silly hat in a variety show.
She sighed and closed the book.
With a quiet thud, she pulled her diary from her bag, a soft blue leather one, the edges slightly worn from being opened so often.
She flipped to a new page.
In neat handwriting, she wrote at the top:
My Boyfriend..
Below it, she began listing:
Name: Yu Chen
Date of Birth: May 21, 2002
Age: 20
Boy Group: Universe
Stage Name: AD
Fandom Name: Uno
Fandom Color: Blue
She paused.
Staring at the words, she smiled softly, drawing a little heart next to his name.
Then, she whispered to herself as she tapped the end of her pen on her forehead, "What does he like…?"
The question floated around in her mind like a bubble, fragile and curious.
"I know he likes singing and dancing," she thought. "And about food. Maybe ..?"
She scribbled down:
Likes: Dancing, singing, laughing, making Uno smie.
Anaya whispered herself, "oh! He lokes to eat fish jist like me. That was my favourite food."
Food:Fish, sweet Hawthorns, Mocha, beef rice, American iced coffee."
Anaya mutmurs herself, "hmm, what does it called..?"
"Hmm, forget it.."
She looked at her list, then hugged the diary to her chest.
There were so many of students who are writing like this.. but her's, it wasn't just a celebrity crush. She choose to love him as her boyfriend.
He had become a small part of her every day, like a gentle thought that kept returning, comforting in a way she couldn't explain.
For a moment, Anaya just stared out the window. The world outside moved on, cars, people, lives.
But inside this quiet corner of the library, she felt like she had created her own little universe.
A place where he existed not as a distant star, but as something warm, soft, and close to her heart.
She smiled again.
Then whispered with a dreamy sigh, "Maybe I should find out more about him…"
Just as Anaya was finishing up her thoughts, gently scribbling in her diary, two familiar voices pulled her out of her little bubble.
"Hi, Anaya!" a voice echoed.
She looked up to see Vicky and Rose standing in front of her, both holding their books and smiling brightly.
Anaya smiled back, politely closing her diary. "Hi."
Vicky tilted his head. "Are you here to work on your assignment too?"
Anaya nodded. "Yes, I was."
"Oh, then let's do it together!" Rose chimed in with cheerful eyes. "We can sit near the window. It's quieter there."
Anaya gave a gentle smile, then shook her head softly. "No need. I've already finished mine. I'm heading home now."
Vicky blinked. "Oh… alright then. Safe journey."
She nodded, quickly but politely packing her things into her bag. The weight of her books pressed lightly on her shoulder as she walked out of the library and into the warm sunlight.
The day had drifted toward noon. Her stomach growled faintly as the wind carried the scent of food from a nearby vendor. Without much thought, she headed back to the restaurant.
Lunch was quiet.
She sat in her usual spot, eating slowly, her thoughts floating lazily between her work, the melody she'd played yesterday, and the boy who seemed to live somewhere in the corners of her mind, named Yu Chen.
After finishing her meal, she stayed a little longer at the restaurant to help her boss. She swept the floor, rearranged the jars near the shelves, and wiped the counters while humming to herself.
When the sky turned soft with evening hues, she stood by the little stage near the front of the restaurant, tuning her violin.
She closed her eyes.
The first note rang out, smooth and delicate, like a petal falling gently to the earth.
For a while, the world faded. The clinking of plates, the distant chatter of customers, even her own heartbeat—all quieted beneath the sound of strings and memories.
When she was done, the applause was soft, appreciative. She bowed lightly, then returned to the kitchen to place the violin back in its case.
Later that night, as silence fell once more, she slipped under her blanket. Her room dimly lit by the blue glow of her phone screen.
Just like the night before, she opened YouTube and searched.
"Yu Chen's Good Night.."
She pressed play. The gentle melody began, wrapping around her like a lullaby.
Without realizing it, she looped it again.
And again.
The song played softly beside her pillow, his voice drifting like a dream.
Sometime before dawn, Anaya's eyelids fluttered shut. The phone dimmed. Her breath slowed.
The world outside kept moving.
But inside that room, under the weight of blankets and unspoken feelings, Anaya slept soundly. heart beating gently in rhythm with the boy who didn't know her, but whose voice had become a comfort in the quiet corners of her life.