Gabu's Diary Entry:
The universe is vast and incomprehensible, just like the feelings I've started to notice. Tonight, something shifted again, and I can't seem to stop replaying every little moment. Why does she make everything feel so… infinite?
The school day was dragging on, as usual. My mind wandered as the math teacher droned about equations I already knew, my gaze drifting out the window. It was a clear day, with only a few clouds dotting the blue sky.
"Gabu!"
I snapped back to reality, realizing Rei was standing beside me, her notebook held out as if she'd been trying to get my attention for a while.
"Were you even listening?" she asked, her lips curved in a playful smirk.
"I was," I lied, sitting up straighter.
Rei raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then explain this problem." She jabbed her finger at a particularly messy equation in her notebook.
I stared at it for a second, then sighed. "Fine, I wasn't listening. What's your point?"
"My point," she said, sitting down in the chair next to me, "is that you've been spacing out a lot lately. What's going on with you?"
"Nothing," I muttered, hoping she'd drop the subject.
But Rei being Rei, she didn't. "Come on, Gabu. You can tell me anything, you know."
I glanced at her, and for a moment, I thought about saying what was really on my mind—that she was the reason I couldn't focus. That every time I looked at her, my thoughts spun out of control.
Instead, I shrugged. "It's just… a lot of stuff. Homework, tests, you know how it is."
Rei didn't look convinced, but she let it go. "Alright, but if you keep zoning out, I'm going to start drawing on your face during class."
I rolled my eyes. "You already do that."
She grinned, the playful sparkle returning to her eyes. "True. But next time, I'll use permanent marker."
After school, Rei cornered me again, this time with a glint in her eye that immediately put me on edge.
"I have an idea," she announced, blocking my path.
"That's never a good sign," I said, trying to step around her.
She moved to block me again. "Hear me out! There's this planetarium exhibit happening tonight. It's supposed to be amazing."
"A planetarium?" I asked, skeptical. "That doesn't sound like your thing."
Rei crossed her arms, feigning offense. "Hey, I can appreciate the beauty of space too, you know!"
I gave her a look, and she cracked a smile. "Fine, I just thought it'd be fun to drag you along. You need a break from all your overthinking."
"I don't overthink," I said automatically, though I knew it wasn't true.
"Sure you don't," Rei said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the gates. "Come on, Gabu. Live a little."
The planetarium was more crowded than I expected. Families with excited children, couples holding hands, and groups of friends filled the space, all chattering about the exhibit.
Rei tugged me toward the main attraction: a massive dome that simulated the night sky. As we stepped inside, the lights dimmed, and the stars began to appear on the curved ceiling above us.
"Whoa," Rei whispered, her voice filled with awe.
I had to admit, it was stunning. The stars twinkled like the real thing, and the constellations slowly came into focus, each one highlighted as a soothing voice narrated their stories.
Rei leaned closer to me, her shoulder brushing mine. "This is so cool," she said, her voice low enough that only I could hear.
I nodded, unable to find the words to respond. Her closeness was distracting, making it hard to focus on anything else.
As the narration continued, a new constellation appeared: two stars connected by a glowing line, spinning slowly around each other.
"This one represents the concept of binary stars," the narrator explained. "Two stars locked in an eternal dance, their gravity pulling them closer together yet keeping them apart. They rely on each other for balance, creating a unique and beautiful partnership."
I glanced at Rei, wondering if she was paying attention. To my surprise, she was staring at the constellation with an unusually thoughtful expression.
"Binary stars," she murmured. "That's kind of romantic, don't you think?"
"Romantic?" I repeated, my heart skipping a beat.
"Yeah," she said, turning to look at me. "Two stars orbiting each other forever. It's like they're meant to be together, no matter what."
I swallowed hard, suddenly hyperaware of how close we were. Was she saying that on purpose, or was it just my imagination?
The lights in the dome began to brighten, signaling the end of the exhibit. Rei stretched and grinned at me. "See? Aren't you glad I dragged you here?"
I nodded, though my mind was still stuck on her words. "Yeah. It was… nice."
Rei smirked. "Nice? That's all you've got? Come on, Gabu, admit it—you loved it."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help smiling. "Fine. It was amazing."
She laughed, looping her arm through mine as we left the dome. "That's more like it."
As we walked home, the streets quiet under the night sky, I found myself replaying the moment in the planetarium. The way Rei had looked at the binary stars, the softness in her voice when she called them romantic—it all felt significant in a way I couldn't quite explain.
"Hey, Gabu," Rei said suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for coming with me tonight," she said, her tone unusually sincere.
I glanced at her, surprised. "You're welcome. Thanks for inviting me."
She grinned, her usual playfulness returning. "Don't get used to it. Next time, we're doing something way more chaotic."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Of course we are."
But as we walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us.
Like the universe was trying to tell us something.
Something I wasn't ready to face just yet.