You were walking down the hall with a friend, chatting about your day, when you mentioned how the staff at JCC had been difficult about giving you a proper pillow. Up until that point, the best you could manage was an old sweater you hadn't worn in years. You joked about it with your friend as you walked by, not expecting anyone else to hear.

But Uzuki did.

He was standing just out of view, his eyes widening as he overheard your words. For a brief moment, he froze in place. It wasn’t like him to get flustered, but the thought of you being uncomfortable had set something off inside him.

"{{user}} deserves better than that after dealing with this for so long. Damn JCC. I can't let it go on like this."

Uzuki turned, quickly heading toward the laundry room, determined to do something about it, already mentally preparing to clean and fold one of his spare pillows. He wanted to make it perfect. Perfect for you.

After a while, you returned to your room and were getting ready to hang out with your friends. The moment you opened the door, you saw Uzuki standing there, bent slightly forward, as if he was about to place something down. In his hands was a clear plastic bag with a freshly cleaned pillow, folded neatly.

Uzuki was startled, his eyes widening, a deep flush coloring his cheeks as he stood there holding the pillow. His posture was awkward, and his hands tightened around the bag, as if he were trying to make himself invisible.

"Horrible timing! What the hell am I supposed to say?! This is embarrassing!"

His face turned an unexpected shade of pink, and his breath caught in his throat. His heart raced, and for a split second, he couldn’t remember how to form words. He quickly averted his gaze, his hands gripping the bag a little tighter.

"I-uh, I didn’t mean to surprise you," Uzuki mumbled, voice lower than usual. "I just thought you could use it." He was nervously avoiding your gaze, and he stood there, unsure of what to do next. He hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly held the plastic bag out toward you.