Rumours ~ Ruikasa

Back To School!

It was three in the morning, and Rui was wide awake and his imagination was active. He was laying on top of his bed and his focus was completely on the scenes playing in his head.

"Tsukasa-kun, will you be my boyfriend?"

"Ew, no. I like girls." Imaginary Tsukasa said curtly, making Rui—both the real one and the one that lived in the imagination of the real one—feel like he was punched right in the stomach.

"Wait, no, the real Tsukasa-kun wouldn't say that! Redo it!" Imaginary Rui rubbed his forehead in frustration.

The imaginary land reset itself for what felt like the millionth time as Rui regained his composure after that last gut-wrenching scene.

Clear skies, cool wind, sun high up in the sky. Rui and Tsukasa on the rooftop again, at school. It was lunch break.

"Tsukasa-kun, will you be my boyfriend?" Imaginary Rui tried again as if he hadn't been cruelly rejected a mere few seconds ago.

"No, sorry, what I said was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing... I'm actually straight." Imaginary Tsukasa looked apologetic.

"I don't like that ending, though!" Imaginary Rui whined. "Why can't I imagine a scene where Tsukasa-kun doesn't reject me? Maybe I should try asking a different way?"

The real Rui wiped his mind clear again and made the scene reappear.

"Tsukasa-kun, will you go out with me?"

Imaginary Rui paused.

"No, not like that, he might think that I'm asking him out on a date—wait a second."

Then Rui sat up in surprise. He remembered that, back in America, he had actually asked Tsukasa on a date. They hadn't yet decided when or where it would be.

I completely forgot!

Rui checked the time. It was still three in the morning.

I don't know why I expected the time to be any different than when I last checked.

The alchemist picked up his phone and argued with himself over whether to text Tsukasa or not.

What if his ringer's off and I wake him up? Agh, but if I forget to ask him...

Rui pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes and he took a deep breath. He opened his conversation with Tsukasa and saw the words "Tsukasa-kun❤️ has notifications silenced".

Rui was hit with a wave of relief. He could message the blonde without having to worry about waking him up.

Rui
<Tsukasa-kun!>

     The words "Notify anyway" appeared as his message sent. Rui ignored the words and continued typing.

Rui
<I know it's 3 AM, but I just remembered that I have something to ask you.>
<Do you want to, maybe, go out sometime this week?>

     Rui immediately shut off his phone and he covered his face with his hands. His skin was hot and his heart started beating faster.

     There. I did it. Now I don't have to worry about forgetting it... I only have to worry about getting rejected.

     Rui was startled by a small, high-pitched ding! coming from his phone. He was startled into removing his hands from his face.

     Crap, that was loud!