"I should've figured you'd find it back here. You and Junie both seem to have a thing for typing on that old hunk-a-junk."

Tadaari's words still echoing in his mind, Daichi stared down at the desk in front of him, the simple typewriter no longer so simple or insignificant.

Three hours slogged by as if in slow motion, and in that time Tadaari had wandered off without a care in the world,  leaving the bewildered Daichi sputtering like a fish in his wake.

Rather than chase after the man and demand an explanation, Daichi turned back towards the desk, mind already racing to try and figure out what he had missed. He had spent countless hours scouring the past entries, making lists of the people he'd seen in the store on a regular basis, anything he could think of to try and help solve this mystery. And yet somehow, the one person he'd discounted as most unlikely turned out to be exactly the one he'd been looking for.

Jun. He'd been talking with Jun this whole time, building a connection and trust only through text that still felt stronger than most other relationships he had. All this time, Daichi had been thrilled just to find someone he could speak to so candidly, even if it was unconventional. His pen-pal had never been bothered by his appearance or the short fuse of his temper like most people were. Nor did she ever seem upset by the responses he left. And part of him hoped she had found them as helpful as the ones she left for him. Her words had always been waiting for him on days when he needed it most; when the world's scorn had left angry red blisters on his heart, her words had been the soothing balm he craved.

And now that he knew it was Jun...

Daichi's heart twinged painfully, making him gasp quietly as it began racing. What was this aching in his chest? This gnawing pain that ate away until it left a hole behind? Guilt? Regret? Or something else? This had been what he'd been hoping for, right? The one person he felt he could be himself around turning out to be the same person he could express himself truthfully to. He should feel elated, overjoyed. It was Jun, it all made sense. So then why did it hurt this much?

"You ok there, man? Or do I need to brush up on my CPR?"

Daichi blinked, cocking his head to the side to see Suga standing next to him, a grocery bag in hand and head tilted in curiosity. He blinked again, finally realizing where he stood. Somehow in his wild train of thought, Daichi had left The Hobbit Hole and walked all the way back to their dorm without even noticing it. He stood in front of the door for who knows how long, clutching at his chest like he was in pain, staring at the floor with a vacant expression. He probably would have been there all night too if Suga hadn't decided to make a stop back at the room before going to see Machi.

Shifting the bags to one hand so he could unlock the door with the other, Suga softly pushed Daichi through the door, a bit surprised when his friend barely offered any resistance. "Ok, but do I actually need to be worried? Because I do know CPR, but I really don't wanna have to."

Daichi slumped onto their overstuffed couch and sighed. How could he explain all of this to Suga? He already knew about Jun, and the feelings Daichi could no longer deny. Hell, Daichi was even convinced Suga knew about the typewriter after having dragged Suga with him to the bookstore on multiple occasions. But the now understandable truth that these two secrets were linked, and the physical pain it seemed to cause him, the words to explain seemed to disappear like a wisp dissipating in the sun.

"Well, shit." The sheer amount of pain in Daichi's eyes made Suga pause. Something really was wrong. He sent a quick text to Machi, explaining nothing more than 'roommate 911' then plopped down on the couch next to his best friend. "Ok, spill. I can get some junk food if we need it."

Daichi scoffed, "I'm not a chick, Suga."

"No, but I have a feeling this mood involves one, doesn't it?" He gestured to Daichi, cocking an eyebrow as if daring his friend to prove him wrong. "And who says ladies are the only ones who can vent and eat their feelings?" When Daichi's only response was a brief side-eye and a glower, Suga reached for the groceries he'd been meaning for his date and found the peanut butter crunchies he knew both his girlfriend and best friend would always fight over.

"Alright, here's your snack, now tell me about Jun."

As if he hoped spilling the beans would help ease the ache he was feeling in his heart, Daichi held nothing back. He told Suga everything: the typewriter, his pen-pal, the revelation that Jun and his pen-pal were one and the same. But the longer he talked, the more he could feel his heart racing, pounding against his ribs with an aching and longing that was starting to freak him out.

"So let me get this straight," Suga twirled a cheese puff through the air like a marker on a whiteboard, "This whole time you've been writing to someone and you didn't know it was Jun?" It wasn't the question he really wanted to ask Daichi, but that one would come later. After the groundwork was laid.

Annoyed at his nonchalance Daichi snatched the snack from Suga's hand and crunched angrily, "I had a feeling it was her, but never had proof until now. But that's not the point—"

"Yeah, you should have figured it out way sooner," Suga pouted. They'd eaten all the snacks. "aren't you training to be a detective? And you spend all your time at that bookshop, it should have been easy."

Something in the tone of Suga's voice made Daichi frown. "Wait, did you know?"

Shrugging, Suga pulled one of the pillows from the couch and hugged it to his chest. "Well yeah."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME."

Daichi snatched the pillow from him and swung, but Suga only laughed and covered his face. "How could you not know, man? You're at that store all the time, I've been a handful of times and always saw her typing at that thing."

Daichi swung the pillow once more at Suga's head, but with much less force. It slipped from his grip and fell to the floor with a soft fwump. Suga knew. Tadaari knew. And yet he'd had no idea. All that work he'd put into trying to figure it out, and still Daichi had been in the dark. He felt like an idiot.

"Look Daichi," Suga picked the pillow back up and tossed it back across the couch. "It doesn't matter if you didn't know until now." Daichi dug his nails into the soft fabric of the cushion, "That doesn't explain why you're so upset. So how about we talk about that?"

Silence. It pressed down on both of them with such a crushing weight, Daichi was sure he'd suffocate. But Suga didn't budge, he barely even blinked, only adding to the weight pressing down on Daichi's heart. After enduring it for long enough, Daichi finally spoke up, his voice scratchy with emotion.

"I can't get her out of my head."

"And why is that?" Suga prodded. If he had to pry it from him bit by bit, he would.

The smug look on Suga's face only pissed him off more, but there was no more fight left. "Because I like her, ok?" Daichi's voice rose an octave as he finally gave in and admitted what they both knew all along. He buried his face in his hands. "She's perfect and I feel like a complete ass. Are you happy?" This had been what Suga had been hoping for all along, and what Daichi had been trying so hard to avoid. But this wasn't how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to play along and win that bet, and then move on. No problem. Case closed. Yet somewhere along the way things had changed; Daichi had gone from putting on a fake smile whenever he saw Jun, to wanting nothing more than to watch the way that smile would light up her whole face. He thought he had managed to suppress these thoughts for long enough, that it felt like they were finally under control and he could pretend they weren't there. But the typewriter had been the last straw. That one simple revelation and they came flooding back over him like a tsunami.

He was falling in love with Jun, and it was breaking his heart.

Suga scoffed quietly. "Am I happy? My best friend finally, finally, finds a girl he cares about but instead of celebrating you look like you're going to be sick." He crossed his arms and kicked a foot at Daichi's ankle. "I'm pissed."

Daichi winced, his friend's words like drops of acid on a paper cut. Suga had always been the positive one, encouraging him out of his sullen moods ever since they were in high school. To see now how furious he seemed to be by Daichi's mistake only made the weight on his chest grow heavier.

"Look," Suga was still pissed, but he wasn't going to let this moment go to waste just because his best friend was an idiot. "That bet you and Kuroo made was probably one of the stupidest things you could have done, especially because it involved messing with that poor girl's emotions." He barely paused even when Daichi winced again at the harsh truth of his words, "But it's clear that this bet isn't driving the bus anymore. So end it, and take Jun out on a real date like she deserves, and like I know you want. Let your pen-pal see how much you actually care about her."

A real date. Not one marred by murky intentions or raging ego. Just him and Jun. Alone and happy. The aching in his chest seemed to lessen just thinking about it. Suga must have seen it too, because he slapped Daichi on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

"Tell ya what, I've got an idea."

***

"Sorry....I forgot how...enthusiastic she gets."

Daichi and Suga were standing close together, arms laden with stuffed animals, the former sporting a deadly expression as they watched two figures rush away from them for the umpteenth time that day.

Suga's grand idea of a double date had quickly backfired. Ever the hopeless romantic, he had hoped a day altogether would give Daichi the support he needed to feel comfortable enough to actually express his feelings to Jun. And then the two would wander off into the crowd on their own for an actual date together. And Suga could spend some time with his girlfriend too. It was a perfect plan. Absolutely nothing could ruin it.

Except he forgot who he was dating.

Machi's excitement had started even before they arrived at the theme park. Much to Daichi's horror, she had brought along matching tie-dye shirts that she all but forced over his and Jun's heads. And then, when they had finally arrived at the park entrance, Machi had clamped down on Jun's arm with a vice-like grip, rushing them both off towards the games before Suga had even finished parking the car.

The day progressed in a similar manner. Machi would haul Jun off from one stall to the next, playing game after game and only acknowledging Daichi and Suga when they needed someone to carry their prizes. Every once in a while Jun would flash a look back to Daichi, offering a silent "sorry" before she was spirited away once more. As much as he longed to be the one holding her hand and leading her through the park, the little twinkle in her eyes every time they found his told him at least one of them was having a good time.

"I'm really really sorry." Suga tried again, watching as his girlfriend shouted gleefully, pointing at something in the distance before dashing off with Jun in her wake. A little exasperated, Jun only had time to manage a quiet smile back to Daichi and Suga before being lost in the crowd once more. "I swear this was not what I had in mind."

Catching on to where the girls were running, Daichi sighed and reluctantly followed along. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect anything different." Suddenly sympathetic for pack mules, he stopped to pick up one of the many prizes Machi and Jun had won together, rolling his eyes when he saw both of them in line for yet another carnival game. Machi was hopping in place, eyes sparkling as she chattered on and on about the next trophy she wanted to claim.

More subdued but listening politely, Jun scanned the crowd for the one person she wanted to see. Machi was a nice change of pace from Jun's normal life; her exuberance was easy to be swept up by. But as the novelty started to wear off, there was only one person she wanted to be with, and the one person she now had trouble finding.

Sensing the shift even before she spotted him standing by the cotton candy kiosk, Daichi noticed her slightly more round eyed expression and immediately understood. Without caring, Daichi dropped the mountain of toys he'd been balancing and stalked off towards Jun. There were more than a few angry complaints from people in line as Daichi cut past them all on his path towards the front, but their voices never reached his ears. His attention was solely focused on her.

Quick as a cat, Daichi weaved around the last group of people and grasped Jun's hand, instantly feeling lighter when she squeezed back tightly, and lead her away from the line and the unawares Machi. The two had just enough time to see Suga's wry wink before being lost in yet another crowd.

***

"Thank you, I don't know how I was going to get away."

Jun was still clutching tightly to his hand despite having left behind the worst of the crowded pathways. People still milled about around them, but they at least could walk comfortably next to each other without jostling a random stranger. It made it easier to breathe.

"It looked like you could've used some saving," The corners of Daichi's mouth twitched into a smile, "And I wasn't about to let Harada steal all your attention today. I would've been too jealous." Damn, his voice shook a little at the end, his own subconscious betraying him. He didn't think he would be this nervous. It was just another date after all, nothing should have felt different.

And yet it did. Finally free to be alone, Jun and Daichi simply wandered the park together, occasionally stopping to buy a cotton candy or ride the spinning teacups. And while it seemed that nothing was out of the ordinary to Jun, Daichi's mind was in a constant battle even as he plastered a grin on his face. This was their first real date, one not sullied by ulterior motives; it should have been perfect and easy. But the day had already started as a disaster, and even now that the tides had finally turned in his favor, Daichi couldn't seem to shake the mixed feelings of anxiety and guilt that were wrapping their way around his heart in ever tightening circles.

He liked Jun. He knew he liked Jun, and finally had been willing to admit it outside his own head. So then why did the guilt remain in place, a painful sliver wedged into his heart like poison? It had all started as a ruse, sure, but that wasn't the case anymore. And if he were really honest, it hadn't been that way for a while. But the guilt remained, gnawing away at him until doubt crept in as well and he began to question if it was really his true feelings that continued to draw him to Jun, or just the prospect of winning his bet.

"Daichi, look!" Jun's excited gasp shook him back to the present, making him blink in the suddenly too bright sunlight. Jun was pointing at something farther ahead, a new ring of elation he hadn't heard from her before. "We have to ride it, come on!" Without waiting for a reply, Jun practically skipped as she pulled him along to join a growing line of people. Daichi had just enough time to read the sign at the entrance before they whisked past it: The Demon Drop. Something in his stomach churned uncomfortably.

Jun lead them through the switchbacks of the line until they finally caught up to the front, a perfect view of the coaster above them. Practically bursting with excitement, she held onto the railing in front of them, glancing up towards the massive ride with unbridled joy. "My brother told me about this one, it's supposed to be the best! They added a few new features to it recently, and increased the speed."

But Daichi barely heard her. He was too busy staring wide-eyed overhead at the twisting metal monstrosity looming above. Higher and higher the coaster seemed to climb until he thought his neck would snap from trying to see the top. Distant screams of the people on board swirled around him as he watched them plummet to what could only be described as certain death, only to have the ride pull them away at the last moment and into a painful trio of corkscrew turns. Daichi tried to swallow, but his mouth had gone bone dry.

"Hey, you ok?" Jun had finally turned to Daichi to hear his thoughts on the new roller coaster, only to find him white as a sheet. She placed a hand on his cheek and gently turned his face to hers. "Daichi? Is something wrong?" It had never occurred to her that he might be afraid but now it was all she could focus on.

Daichi raised a clammy hand to brush through his hair, his voice a bit quieter than he would have liked. "N-not uh, not a huge fan of these. Ever since I was a kid." He hadn't been on a real roller coaster since he was maybe ten or eleven, and it had not been a pleasant experience. He could still remember the sheer panic he'd felt when the locking mechanism on the ride's restraints hadn't fully clicked into place and he was certain he'd fly out of the seat. That had been the last time he'd ridden one of those death traps, and he always refused to try them again.

"Then we won't go." Shame rippled through Jun with an unrelenting force, washing away her previous excitement. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have assumed. Let's go." Yet when she took his hand again to lead them back towards the entrance, Daichi didn't budge. Still pale-faced, he shot another glance up to the roller coaster, before settling back on Jun. he gave her hand a gentle, albeit sweaty, squeeze.

"You want to go, don't you?"

"That's not important anymore—"

"Yes it is." He may have been fighting his own panic, but Daichi hadn't missed the crestfallen shadow that had fallen over Jun's face. "So let's go."

Daichi seemed to forget that there was still a line of people in front of them, and started pushing his way towards the front, offering anyone who complained a steely-eyed death stare. When they were only a few people from the front of the line he finally stopped, having to take a few steadying breaths to bring his heart rate to a normal range.

"Daichi, really it's ok. You don't have to do this." Not for me. "Let's find something we'll both like." But the line moved again, and Daichi shook his head and placed a more steady hand on top of hers.

"I've never seen you this excited for something that wasn't a book, so we're doing this." Jun stared up at him with worry, but the stubborn glare she got in return told her he had made up his mind.

Still a bit pale, but clenching his jaw in determination, Daichi followed Jun onto the platform and to the last two remaining spots, thankfully near the back. The overhead restraints clicked into place and another shot of panic coursed through him. Jun's cool hand reached for his on the handle, offering a bit of solace for the impending doom. But before he could turn to ask what would happen next, the ride gave a sudden jolt and they were slingshotting through the air.

Wind whipped through their hair and stole the sound from his vocal chords as Daichi's jaw dropped in a silent scream. He tried to close his eyes as they neared the first loop, but the best he could seem to manage was tightening his grip on the handlebars, which thankfully remained safely in place. Another loop, followed by a series of corkscrew twists left Daichi's stomach wishing he'd refused that extra bag of cotton candy, but he had yet to feel the same rush of fear he'd always associated with roller coasters. Braving a glance to his left as the coaster slowed its pace to climb its highest drop, he wasn't at all surprised to see Jun already watching him. It was clear she had been holding back her excitement on the first half, too worried about how he'd react. But as the ride clicked higher and higher, the energy returned to her eyes and Daichi gave her an encouraging half smile.

The ride finally slowed to a stop, teetering on the edge for just a moment, before plunging down into a free fall. Unable to watch the fast approaching ground he was sure they'd crash into, Daichi kept his eyes fixed on Jun until everything else slowly faded away. She still kept one hand safely pressed over his, but the other was flung in the air as she shouted her joy; a pure unencumbered euphoria he'd never seen from her before. And it left him mesmerized.

Much sooner than he expected, it was over. They were back safely on the platform, where it took Daichi a few seconds to stand straight on his suddenly very shaky legs. With one arm wrapped around his back, Jun lead them slowly off the platform and out the exit, her own elation adding a bounce to each step.

"That was amazing!" Even her voice sounded brighter, "I know you're not really a fan, but that had to be a little bit fun, right? Maybe we should go again—"

Jun's voice faltered mid sentence as Daichi pulled away from her grip. He had turned to face her with an unreadable expression, and butterflies swarmed in her stomach. She had upset him, forced him to do something he had been afraid of, and now he was for sure going to tell her off for it. Jun winced, bracing herself for the worst as Daichi closed the distance between them.

And completely melted when his lips met hers.

Two strong hands reached up to cup her face, pulling her impossibly closer. Her arms snaked around his neck as she passionately reciprocated, completely lost in the perfect way they seemed to meld together. His lips tasted like the cotton candy they had shared earlier, only making her press herself more firmly to him. Smiling at her enthusiasm, he slid one hand to the nape of her neck, deepening their bliss until the rest of the world faded away.

It had finally clicked. Seeing her unabashedly happy over something as simple as an amusement park roller coaster, and the doubts had rolled away. It may have been true that Daichi's intentions with Jun had started in the murkiest of ways, but it was clear to him now that was no longer the case. The guilt that had slowly been eating away at him all day now burned to ashes in their fiery embrace. He was in love with Jun, not for the glory of some childish bet, but because when he was with her, nothing else mattered.

Much too soon for her liking, Daichi pulled away, but kept his forehead pressed against hers. She kept her eyes closed for half a second longer, relishing in the moment they had just shared. Eventually, she looked up and met his rich chocolate gaze, almost melting once more at the expression she found there. Tenderly, Daichi reached out a hand to brush along her bottom lip as he contemplated kissing her again.

"Never would have guessed my little Wallflower was such a daredevil. It's kinda hot."

***

Daichi swore quietly to himself as he shifted yet again on the floor. He'd been sitting in the same uncomfortable spot between two narrow bookcases for an hour and a half and still Jun hadn't shown up.

According to Tadaari, this was the perfect hiding place in the entire store. It gave him the best vantage point of the desk and typewriter, but was tucked away enough that only someone who knew about it would be able to see him. At first the tight quarters hadn't been much of an issue; Daichi had assumed he'd only need to be there for twenty minutes maybe, before he'd finally see what everyone else had already known: Jun writing to him on the typewriter. He'd take the moment after she finished writing her new note to surprise her, revealing the final secret they had shared together. And relishing in the knowledge of their mutual connection. But after the first thirty minutes without any sightings, Daichi knew he would be here all day, and the aching in his shoulders had begun.

Sighing, Daichi tried shifting once more to find a more comfortable angle, cursing when a small paperback tumbled from the shelf and bounced off his head. Maybe it wasn't worth it after all. He could just find her and tell her about the typewriter himself, then they could share a laugh and move on.

Finally at hour two, the pain of having so many books pressed into his spine was enough, and Daichi turned to get ready to untangle himself from his wedge of a hiding place. He had to go and meet Kuroo anyway, and it he stayed any longer he'd risk being late. But halfway to standing Daichi paused, a sudden movement in the corner of his eye making him turn.

A cart piled high with books she was meant to be re-shelving, Jun had appeared as if from nowhere to stand in front of the typewriter. Barely breathing, Daichi remained stock still, in case any movement gave him away. They had been right, Suga and Tadaari. Jun stood in front of the desk as if it were her own, resting her hands on the typewriter keys with a gentle reverence. She paused for a few moments longer, making sure the thoughts she wanted to share were correct, before letting her hands fly over the keys and spell out her newest message.

Daichi watched with rapt attention, his eyes barely even blinking as he soaked in the sight before him. He was so enthralled by finally confirming with his own eyes what everyone else already knew, that Daichi didn't remember the reason he'd been waiting for her until she was already gone. Swearing once more, Daichi wrenched free from the bookcases and made a bee-line for the typewriter.

Sometimes she hides
herself away
just to see if
she is worth
looking for

~JM Storm

It was quintessential Jun. So much so, it made Daichi question yet again how he couldn't have known it was her before. It practically leaped off the page at him now, just to smack him in the face for being so dense beforehand.

Daichi's phone buzzed in his pocket; a new text from Kuroo, asking him where he was. He let out a heavy breath, turning to leave when a new idea rang in his mind, making him pause.

Things were different now that he knew it was Jun; writing to his pen-pal wouldn't have the same cathartic experience as writing to a stranger he never thought he'd meet. But that hadn't changed for Jun. She would still be expecting some sort of response. The corners of Daichi's mouth curved into a sly smile. Maybe he could have some fun with this. Get her to see the truth on her own instead of giving it away.

Spurred by this new goal, Daichi turned back to the typewriter, pausing only for half a second before typing the perfect clue, one that only the two of them could fully understand.

She wasn't doing a
thing I could
see, except
standing there,
leaning on the
balcony railing,
holding the
universe together

~J. D. Salinger