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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN9WU8py7G
Oh god, she waved at her.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9y64Dp78Lr
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. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9JBpeeTrg
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoW4TW95Nj
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. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPtCEDKVcl
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6GlLalXny
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX5P5GlS9h
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1fhy5LLhD
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCYJE7c2xx
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCGGyuZwIU
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMCINupqal
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcQMPmwIki
“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.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEqIqMf0cU
“It is?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKZcqPq0Kh
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEABxWHDqOW
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3CQlKMeBe
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh763eZlWlF
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvreOVEIy1
1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSwsGlLvD2
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNba21xLpu
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonMDym1xxN
She mentally kicked herself.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q03FfDYeR
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?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3QX76xLMR
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeq1vlv7xUd
“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?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQof7XcKBOJ
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.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI2sm5zLiA
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceSBMvq8gm
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNvATVurM2
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTKvgHJiQl
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0SrHQTEBN
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHz3kMRHaDx
“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.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEZsETitM0
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16ST7oZjdH
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllRJWbFZMg
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR8VGX5C7Y
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7B1xaukqE
“What are you going to do?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OIBPJEnnl
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqKSs9lbSt
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCtMfjjJDM
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjes4oMSvy
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAIbOGl9qG
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXvI0fIiR2
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjgdctctx4
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTMNGanOsp
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-1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamxoVKeuJy
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSoadpLgtd
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.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwja59sc6q
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOMEhytyaP
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnEqGNozyh
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPuRwfpLUP
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyfKLoc6tK
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0hUn99zhB
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHI7g7yjgN
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7sMb0vb87
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjM7JosYWNu
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfixO44GSg
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRjKFHQ00s
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeXPo3bkmI
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6mMIHV2wW
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV6EWCQk5e
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCGYr87tae
She hadn’t done any homework.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnP2vGPTUx
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXdwJqJQIo
“Are you okay?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g22ewCAmt
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrNrbSmpVT
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6D5vUiMtx
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8yraAoG73
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSxI4AEsry
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYT9Ma4BAkS
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwEEshuKGQ
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWU63JO1COZ
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAImIXl7s8
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnk8WOvmkzW
“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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6P4y4Qi1M
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJrhblGYE7
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5HHVqkUW3
“But I can-”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtOFO1tyQs
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5iYK7pMgB
“But you just said it’s not my-”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W5H1OysDL
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2lsGVmldp
“What’s going on with y-”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyVPH8ORLh
“I like someone else!” 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdT8BriJZ5g
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgByY8zmGLT
“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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTcIAmk8qt
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMqOmZjfrS
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlxIDNPPgq
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpJ2oPnXTM
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7nszwEZPV
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5MZTkyR84
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2ws0h1PMJ
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpe76XqO7f
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovwGZVvf35
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.1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaiOEoJkA4
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.
ns216.73.216.23da2
and then Add to home screen.