Yukari took a deep breath before entering the library. Just her luck. There were several people inside. She started walking towards the librarian’s desk but swerved towards a bookshelf. She looked behind her and saw IA, who waved at her.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaG3cVpnOc
Oh god, she waved at her.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhYY3UOhAH
Yukari just started nodding with the exaggeration of a bobblehead. After almost half a minute of this, she turned her head and focused on the bookshelf. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSA4USvCgm
She wasn’t looking for any book in particular, but she needed to do something to stop herself from staring at the librarian. The more she stared, the more the memory of the previous week’s fantasy would be able to crawl into her brain.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUcjn81y2w
After a minute of staring into space, she realised she was in the mathematics section. She scrunched up her nose. If anyone were to say that being good at something makes you like it, she would throw these hefty books at them. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp9vqJRekt
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKmNMNKJci
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Cavw8RVdX
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxntUk7Jccy
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vffXwiffd
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxOD8kFjRb
Yukari held her head. IA eyed the book in her hand and reached for it. Yukari bit back a gasp when cold fingers brushed against her hand.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0vD6irE1L
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcrhGvqGE2
“Why make me choose?” Yukari replied. “Tsukino Shion is a really relatable main character, but Kanbara Sora is a lot like… hey, how did you know my name? My name’s a lot like Shion’s.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtnZrmAJzQ
“It is?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGEz6gwrkK
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSP0hgh9AHh
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpLa3llWDu
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQKhIuPPmt
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6rqasu8Ns
763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dwcuirU6i
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31K2DpYv7Y
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcTWQnFHVS
She mentally kicked herself.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqdloR0l9r
IA sat back down and typed into the computer. “Are there any good books here?” She covered her mouth. “Forget I said that,” she said with her hand still on her mouth. She took it off and sighed. “Yuka… Miss Yuzuki, do you like jazz music?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGN7YgEWBp9
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPRhFRpwGm
“Well, you mentioned music and I remembered this lesbian romance novel about a spoiled pop star who meets a struggling jazz musician. The descriptions of the songs are really good. It’s like you can actually hear them, even though they’re just words on paper. Would you be able to come to my place again to pick it up?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO7qqzZHis
IA’s eyes widened in realisation. “Oh, is it okay to recommend you new books? You’re probably sick of reading lesbian romance novels since you’ve got a boyfriend.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0JmIvSUp4
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLXLRzo71A
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvh8TOFGVC
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO1eoo7sIy
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUZObpcjiV
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IixmoqcR9
“I didn’t care much about it at first, but after reading the book, I started getting really interested in it. Isn’t it amazing how books can do that? It’s like every book is a new interest or hobby waiting to be discovered.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYnNAzKi12
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6lJtElksC
At the apartment, IA handed her a book with two women holding hands, one kissing the cheek of the other. In one woman’s remaining hand was a microphone and for the other woman it was a trumpet.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsE9aMaKrLC
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4r8T7jC4h
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUHozs8zBw
“What are you going to do?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUYr8RPlq8
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwbDeVCwfe
Yukari sat on the one couch in the apartment, taking off a pile of books that rested on it. IA slumped into the couch, opening her own book while existing in the grey area between sitting and lying down.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxVIDO0JD5
The language of the romance novel in Yukari’s hands was a bit more intricate than the previous novel IA gave Yukari but it wasn’t too difficult to read.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6uHMvMRGF
The jazz music in the background lulled Yukari into a trancelike state as she let the story envelop her. She felt like she was sleep-reading and yet she was able to take in the story as if she had the concentration of a lawyer looking for holes in a witness’ story.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2h80v2ULL
She was eventually broken out of her trance when IA rolled onto her back and raised her legs up against the couch’s back. IA bit her lip and stared at the book like it was written all in the most difficult of kanji characters. Yukari had to force herself to breathe, something she forgot to do as she watched her. She blushed as she stared at her lips.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQxORGjfNc
She chuckled as she looked at the page IA was on. “I thought a librarian would be able to read the furigana.” She almost pointed out that furigana was usually in books for kids but didn’t want to get kicked out of the apartment.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1OWGqRyPx
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47DfIarplY
Yukari took a closer look at the new page before IA once again turned it. It was a bizarre chase scene involving a car chasing a pig with a sack full of cash on its back. It was-763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghDZqa5Ajv
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuMj3Sf8kA
IA turned her head and lightly poked Yukari’s forehead. “Silly girl. No need to apologise. Maybe you can borrow this one from me next time.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yQk1blHOX
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAY4sqopj9
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZpbKrZos9
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutY5X5WPQe
Yukari laughed so hard she snorted, which caused both women to laugh even harder. After they stopped, they stared at each other silently. IA leaned in closer.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEvpqwEm9l
Yukari felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A mysterious shiver swam down her body and her cheeks were as hot as newly toasted bread. She breathed in and out slowly.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7frQNtrUl
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00alsap8sy
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QQ4xAd8NC
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYpLhLivdY
She went straight home instead of Roro’s place. There was no way she was going to read a book with that kind of cover in front of him.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosJCOILuKW
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNn9wCtVLf
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRFeNXPiu1
She didn’t reply. Her fingers tingled, yearning to tell him about everything, but she put her phone back in her pocket to prevent herself from oversharing. This was her battle to fight.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFPl8Lze3o
She read the book she was lended on her bed, hiding it under the covers whenever she heard her parent’s footsteps close in on her. Her parents never opened the door.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsG39MdDg2F
The book was a lot longer than the previous one so she stayed up until 3 A.M finishing it. When she finally finished it, she started pulling at the roots of her hair.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL688worzN
She hadn’t done any homework.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWPq6T6RxQ
She managed to complete her homework after a few hours and went to school with bags under her eyes. Her hands shook whenever she used them and she jumped out of her skin when Roro put a hand on her shoulder.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGADdIlrxW
“Are you okay?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL1W5edWW6
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1izsnEjk8
Life began to form a pattern. Go to school tired, avoid Roro’s queries, return IA’s book to her, go to her place to find a new one, read it until the early hours of the morning and for god’s sake don’t let your parents know, do homework, get two hours of sleep at best, repeat the cycle. This happened for a good three weeks.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K37b5lLV8
Each time Roro kissed her during lunchtime, Yukari felt the magic a little less. She started reminiscing over the days when the two of them were friends.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn6iSysUSK
Yukari began to notice a few things about IA. Her apartment had an unplugged microphone and a keyboard. Her fridge was covered with sketches of monsters with crowns on them, ranging from medusa to demons and all from the same artist. The magnets that held them up were souvenirs from Greece. She had a to-do list with the most basic of functions such as ‘brush your teeth, you dingus’ and ‘if you don’t eat breakfast, you will starve to death before you get to meet a cute girl’. In the latter one, a line went through the words ‘before you get to meet a cute girl’. Yukari felt as if she had been split in half, one side uplifted and the other brought down to the depths of wherever the demon in that drawing came from.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFWVZ4GIiD
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO11oIhieq
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLWrARVdBp
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECGAviVAFS
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFB14S96ia
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhm5hjBHFa
“Then is there anything I can do to help you? You’re not yourself anymore.” He said that last sentence with the face of a rabbit seeing a buzzard and his voice was hoarse, as if it was a struggle to say anything.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc6EnJe5mp
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPDE45xshZ
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPu9MlhnK0
“But I can-”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGRiKiGVIc
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBaN3bDihE
“But you just said it’s not my-”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLxxrWNVgx
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHofCMAQkqC
“What’s going on with y-”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1ptae8L3B
“I like someone else!” 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U4kX56HQu
Roro let go of her and stepped backwards, his hands quivering. Yukari sat on the piano chair and held her head in her hands. Her body shook as she cried. Roro sat next to her, trying to ignore the discomfort of sitting on the corner. He held his hand in the air for a while before placing in on her head and stroking her hair.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzugpFT89u
“Who’s the lucky guy? Is he in our class?” His voice was slow and ponderous, as if he was trying to hold in his own tears.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBirOKGUCH4
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhObcqw30V
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNRusjvrSd
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2zdCyaHal
Yukari shook her head, still looking down. “I liked you. Liked. Past tense. I’m…” She took a deep breath. “...bisexual. I’m really sorry. I should still like you, but… this girl’s just taken over my emotions and… I feel like there’s no room in me for any romantic feelings for anyone else.” She kept repeating the word ‘sorry’ in between sobs.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWyn6bZyk1
Roro was silent for a while. He stood up and wiped his tears away, looking down at the ground and silently wishing the floor would collapse and take him with it.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Hiooy8s45
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI6KIfiKcU
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OAOW931Vi
He didn’t talk to her for the rest of the day. When she returned another book to IA and they headed to her apartment, she burst into tears in her car.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH99jtnslys
She told her about the breakup but didn’t explain the reason for it. IA stopped the car in a parking lane and reached over to hug her, stroking her hair much like Roro did, though this time Yukari actually noticed it and felt her cheeks heat up.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCW9fPA2LS
The two stayed there for a few moments, the only sounds being their breaths. It was just her and the ghostlike librarian who seemed more real with each passing day.
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