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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAxYkadRD5
Oh god, she waved at her.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpnu6rRbex
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. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeBzWuzo3v
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyvUb3H5dn
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. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjthMKXr30p
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu1OHy7X4N
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1qFW3loAT
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlg3PdseRCc
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrIkssFOeY
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxHrDarWDF
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozGXg7Whrz
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB4owLIkLo
“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.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6s12iPuWG
“It is?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1SwPvvQZ9
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZR7VMSI0NK
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMG3gTk2BI
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAuCAFOVe1
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhUTMHcpgO
686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbqwikzp47
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl19sUllvO
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxQa5vSC5v
She mentally kicked herself.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMwM9LqtVZ
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?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXyRgNOe78
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NXzqij40e
“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?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8cJKa3dpq
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.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUlKfONnZP
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxZRIDy8QD
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJMJjJhHqC
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOo3kj2qpPt
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7SGZC48fY
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzjTYXSpi0
“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.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX44lmgUkzD
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVde6SXdYV7
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmb4U72IuTg
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtSN0VHC6Z
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgkxkIIEDi
“What are you going to do?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvt8GT6AE7
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n5v44nHMq
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHoU9R5Yby
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOnmldD2eK
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWlq9GTwap
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgMl8w1G0s
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ557kfrOcth
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxN1fef1732
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-686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvwZesHX7h
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8P0ZeqAmg
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.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigUIDFeytb
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhOw2oMhln
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRenqR00w1V
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GDkWYE2cw
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSdUj3bqX7
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHNYFSsW7T
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl50MAfL5C
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Cvz3a0QuU
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmoKGiCy8M
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruqcZdLFhP
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO05IrVQpM
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfwyKPK3Tg
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHUme48JoN
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU12kKtfHk
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F4nQqn61i
She hadn’t done any homework.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpzoTFoBex
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87xxZ2yYYi
“Are you okay?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqigoElraI
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNYlo82OX5
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebFB2BLpox
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK2Z4M76Mw
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDOLPBywW4
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSfdDY86xS
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph7CDCZ4SL
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2mPjMzC7M
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehpaEC5ei1
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPinta3Q4D
“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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwEx5AFK6l
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoRc3DpHuN
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkBtYUm8WH
“But I can-”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgSEV3N5IJ
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXhWn1a6Xu
“But you just said it’s not my-”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfNrQcKbnH
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSSZ7lyIuL
“What’s going on with y-”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq5klveFuO
“I like someone else!” 686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p3yVKobSY
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KTDxEzfLF
“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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlVFBaVznI
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLuuhr6N7u
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIy2GUV8kB4
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffBKBbNZcP
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpDMu77Yrm
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8VdC5V0V1
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOngAGBvC6y
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdjlQrkIVG
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHgfI8l6U1
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.686Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuwhp2QiGw
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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