Uchita looked at us with wide, hopeful eyes—like she was making a wish she wasn't sure she had the right to make. Just by the way she stood, hands gently clasped and shifting her weight back and forth, I could tell she was serious. Her eyes darted between me and Najam, trying to read our reaction before we even said a word.
"Please… this is for my best friend," she said, her voice soft but clear, confirming she was asking for our help in planning a romantic date—not for herself, but for someone she cared deeply about.
The way she said "my best friend" was so full of warmth and affection that it made me pause and really take a look at her. This wasn't just a favor. This was her way of giving someone something beautiful—something they'd never ask for themselves.
"Um… okay," Najam replied, a little shyly.
"I don't see why not," I added.
"Yeah, thank you, Sahabi, Najam," she said, smiling as she returned to Jamalia, who was still sitting on the ground.
Najam and I exchanged a look and smiled awkwardly. But then a realization struck me: we'd just fallen right into Uchita's trap.
"Wait… why did we agree to this?" I whispered to Najam.
"I don't know… but somehow I don't regret it," he said with a contented smile.
That's when I remembered Uchita's "ability"—the one that made her so dangerous in the future as one of the most dangerous people. She could communicate with such care and sincerity that people would willingly do whatever she asked, no matter how absurd. Unlike Sabrina's hypnotic influence, Uchita's power reshaped people's own will. In the future, her influence grew so strong that she built a massive following, giving the Matahari organization serious trouble. I'd wanted to investigate Uchita later, but it seems fate has other plans. I'll take this opportunity to gather information on her too.
"I know the perfect place for us to talk about this—come on, follow me," Uchita said enthusiastically, helping Jamalia to her feet.
The four of us left the art room together.
...
Honestly… I don't know how to plan a romantic date. I've never done it before—or not in any way I can remember. Every time I try to imagine it, my brain goes blank or spins in a hundred directions. It sounds simple until you're the one actually doing it. I keep thinking there must be some secret formula—like if I just choose the perfect location or say the right thing, everything will magically fall into place.
But the truth is, I have no idea what counts as "romantic." I don't want it to feel fake or over-the-top, but I also don't want it to seem lazy or forgettable. I'm stuck somewhere between trying too hard and not knowing what "just right" even looks like. It's not that I don't care—if anything, I care too much. And that's what makes this so frustrating.
Lost in my own swirling thoughts about date planning, I hadn't even noticed we'd sat down at a table in the school's garden, surrounded by blooming flowers.
I didn't expect the garden to feel the way it did. It wasn't just full of flowers—it was full of peace, like calm you could actually breathe in. The colors weren't loud or showy, just quietly alive: soft pinks, warm golds, deep purples nestled among the green leaves like secrets. Everything smelled sweet—earthly, sun-warmed—and for a moment, I forgot all the overthinking. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't symmetrical or polished. But it was honest. Peaceful in a way that asked nothing of me. Just there, blooming anyway.
"I didn't know a place like this existed at school," Najam said, looking around.
"Yeah, not just the place—the flowers here are so well-tended and beautiful," I agreed, still in awe.
"This spot is kind of hidden. It's tucked in a corner at the edge of the school grounds, so not many students know about it. Also, it's maintained by the gardening club, so I think they deserve some real appreciation for their hard work," Uchita explained warmly.
I nodded. I could tell they took their role seriously. The care wasn't just in watering the plants—everything was arranged with such intent. The placement, the color combinations—it all followed an unseen pattern that made the space feel cooler, calmer. Like a living design for peace of mind.
"I think I'm going to add this place to my favorites list. It's refreshing, and there aren't too many people around," I said, smiling, trying to commit the place to memory.
"Glad to hear that. Just so you know, though—this garden's only open to the public from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. every day. So make sure you come at the right time or you might be disappointed after making the effort," Uchita added helpfully.
"Right, I should definitely remember that," I replied, nodding.
"Yeah, you'd better. You have this habit of dragging people to cool spots, only for them to be closed when we get there," Najam chimed in with a small laugh, sounding annoyed.
"Wait, seriously?" I asked, confused.
"Yeah, over the past year, every time you recommend a place to visit or hang out, it ends up being unavailable—either due to maintenance or some weird scheduling thing," he continued.
Najam suddenly went silent and looked as if something clicked in his head.
"Actually… I don't think you should make this one of your favorites after all," he said flatly, like someone reliving a traumatic memory.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? That's a little harsh," I replied, baffled.
"You might not remember, but the most extreme case was when one of your recommended spots shut down permanently," he said, still shaken by the memory.
"I'm pretty sure that was just a coincidence. Don't pin it on me like that."
"No, I'm dead serious," Najam said, completely flat-toned.
I had no words. All I could do was give a sheepish smile. Was it really that bad? I didn't realize I had such a cursed track record. I mean, I never used to go out or hang around a lot, so I guess I didn't recommend many places. Add in the fact that I had very few friends—most of them too lazy to go anywhere—maybe this strange habit is just now becoming noticeable because my current friends are more active.
But hold on. Before we get too distracted, we should probably focus on the reason we came here in the first place.
"Anyway, where should we start? Honestly, I've never planned a date before, so I have no idea what I'm doing," I said, looking toward Uchita and Jamalia.
"Good question. I think we can start by discussing the location first," Uchita replied.
"Has the time already been decided?" Najam asked.
"Yes, it's scheduled for this weekend, Saturday at 9:00 AM. Lia wrote it in her letter," Uchita answered.
"Alright, for the date location, I think the safest option is to choose a place Langgeng likes. So, are there any preferences or requirements for what kind of place he enjoys?" Najam asked again.
"I'm not sure. From my experience doing class activities with him, I've never noticed any strong emotional reactions when visiting certain places," Uchita replied, trying to recall.
"What about you, Jamalia?" I asked.
Jamalia shook her head, letting us know she didn't know either.
"If we don't know our partner's preferences, then I think it's okay to choose a place based on what we personally want," I suggested.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea. At least you can avoid awkward moments by accidentally picking a place neither of you enjoys," Najam agreed.
"I agree. So Lia, is there a place you'd like to go with Langgeng?" Uchita asked, looking at Jamalia.
Jamalia fell silent, deep in thought. After a moment, her expression changed as if she remembered something, but then quickly looked troubled and blushed.
"You don't need to be shy about saying it," I encouraged her.
Najam and Uchita both nodded in agreement, looking supportively at Jamalia. After a few seconds, she finally spoke.
"The aquarium... I want to go to the aquarium with him," Jamalia said, blushing.
"The aquarium on the weekend? That sounds doable," Najam replied approvingly.
"Alright, so now we just need to figure out what to do there. Any ideas?" I asked, looking at Najam and Uchita.
Najam raised his hand and started talking.
"How about this? You know how some aquariums have those feeding shows, where someone dives into the tank to feed the fish? Before the show starts, they could walk around looking at all the fish. Then, just before the show, Jamalia could pretend she needed to use the restroom and leave Langgeng waiting at the performance spot. When the show begins, she surprises him by being the diver feeding the fish—holding up a banner that says 'I LOVE U'." he said enthusiastically.
"Rejected," I said flatly.
Then Uchita raised her hand and began talking.
"How about this? Reserve the entire aquarium after hours. Then lead him down each path lined with rose petals. At the end, a candlelit table awaits in a room surrounded by a huge glass tank filled with silent, gliding sharks and rays. Soft romantic classical music plays in the background through hidden speakers. Just before dessert, a diver appears in the main tank holding a sign that reads: 'Will you be mine, in every world, above or below?'" she said enthusiastically too.
"Rich people really do think differently… but also, rejected," I replied just as flatly.
Najam and Uchita both looked disappointed that their ideas were turned down. But come on, based on Jamalia's personality, it was obvious those ideas were impossible. I didn't expect suggestions that over-the-top. Now I was curious.
"By the way, I just realized something important we should've discussed first—has anyone here actually been on a date before?" I asked, completely deadpan.
After a moment of silence, we all glanced at each other. Eventually, Uchita spoke up.
"Sorry… honestly, I've never been on a date," Uchita said, looking a little embarrassed and turning away.
I looked at Najam with hope.
"Nope, same here," Najam replied confidently and unapologetically.
At that moment, I began questioning why we were even having this meeting. Based on the facts, none of us had any dating experience. The atmosphere at the table grew heavy. I could see Jamalia starting to look nervous and a little panicked. I started to feel really bad for her.
"But… haven't you been on a date before, buddy?" Najam asked me.
"Um, if you're talking about the past year, I think you already know the answer," I replied, hinting at my memory loss.
"I meant your experience before entering this school—with your little sister. I remember you once said you took her to the aquarium," Najam replied.
"Huh? Oh, right, I did. But can that really count as a reference for a date? I mean, it's totally different. I only took her because I was forced to," I said, sounding uncertain.
"I think it's fine. I mean, Langgeng and Lia are both awkward people, so it's probably wiser for them to do something simple and ordinary," Uchita responded cheerfully.
"Put that way, I guess it makes sense. But is that okay with you, Jamalia?" I asked, turning to her to confirm.
"Yeah, I think that's fine," she answered, looking pleased.
I then shared the story of my trip to the aquarium with my little sister—from starting with small animals, watching some shows, and going to the touch pool. At noon, we took a break to eat at the food court, then explored the larger tanks with sharks and rays. Before going home, I bought her a souvenir and gave it to her. After I finished telling the story, I noticed Jamalia's eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Alright, then I think we'll go with that plan," Uchita said, deciding with enthusiasm.
"Isn't that a bit too plain?" I asked, surprised.
"No, I think if the plan is like that, I can do it. Thank you, Sahabi," Jamalia said, smiling sweetly at me.
"Um, okay… if you say so," I replied, slightly flustered by her sincere smile.
"What about the outfit? Should we discuss that too?" Najam asked, continuing the conversation.
"I think we should, but I might not be much help there. I'm so used to wearing formal clothes that my fashion sense isn't exactly up to date," Uchita admitted, a little disappointed.
"I have an idea. There's someone in my class who's really good with fashion. Want me to ask them for a clothing recommendation for Jamalia?" Najam offered.
"Really? I think we'd love that," Uchita replied, happily accepting Najam's offer.
"Okay, then. Once I get their suggestions, I'll make sure to share them with you as soon as possible," Najam said enthusiastically.
From what Najam said, I could already guess who he meant. I think this might also be my chance to confront her. I've already met Naradi and Natalia, so I'm curious to see what would happen if I met Cornelia in person.
"Alright, so with that, I guess we've accomplished the purpose of this meeting," Najam concluded.
"Yeah, I think so. Thank you, Sahabi, Najam. I'm really grateful that you helped Lia. You know, I don't have much experience with this kind of thing," Uchita said with a happy smile.
"No worries, it's natural for juniors and seniors to help each other out," Najam replied shyly, nudging me with his elbow.
"Um, yeah, haha," I responded with a small smile.
After that, the four of us parted ways and returned to our dorms.