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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaznD9ErHps
Oh god, she waved at her.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxDdUm3Ebs
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFluekk4TrF
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3u0jxbIstp
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. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjNBsMt5qF
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0QsIBHdAY
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIULeOFToSz
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uVWyvH3u7
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL6jtflMUP
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIi0fwDi1ns
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnom0c32jmE
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR7l5qsflj
“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.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVCYhl7Dp6
“It is?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9STca9vTr
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UlyCDCTN4
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMtrUrLKBv
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22T1x6LG3a
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1k8ZRD2CwU
723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuF5pmKKdx
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsFjZGfid5
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MdLaCArI6
She mentally kicked herself.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtaOW2gqao
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?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ae13RfTir
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9t2JpLygC
“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?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxwyIsM16z
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.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1nBHhNiI6
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpH0ZROY6hk
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynmvharQJf
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2oo41aTeW
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51ysCir5lP
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8pbLa4Nvw
“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.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN89bs8S3F5
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6KvnrrUWD
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtFCS8HzVY
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33EKL7MCRx
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0C4j6roGw
“What are you going to do?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhJuzM4bp4
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze0rLpcesc
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVQRticExW
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6sPgCZst7
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOkF5aeWJ6
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkudNZsM49
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gWWSsB9eC
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHQWjzwRtQ
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-723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETsZgA7taP
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9r1CuBy4gk
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.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJKxngaAhT
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAABfJi4B4
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyaWgDp5mJ
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnXXuyQk5j
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrCX8suU2O
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJFGsZoXTe
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI5zb6F0Ub
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKw4ph4oWd
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYCbZPgm5U
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGR1xzJvYv
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw9vkIVU0V
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeupnftx6gN
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxLTyar7bC
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXZwcHYOSv
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUPb8VFUvU
She hadn’t done any homework.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJXHfmBxNi
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl35mx8BT7o
“Are you okay?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHShnvxMFsZ
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagQjKmQoiM
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtUoEDYlum
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFFVueoSve
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97XGXa9Kja
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8dMDmkgqm
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOKnHZq4Ob
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgv0MHQP0Z
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUEYWBqZXp
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwJcEATrRM
“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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd0DClbm19
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC0fD3Vtqs
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94TsdTmyIK
“But I can-”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MzIjLUB3o
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTWMTEfq6a
“But you just said it’s not my-”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDU9vYGTYTZ
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1gHFLgfCt
“What’s going on with y-”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYG0e1tUhU
“I like someone else!” 723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS79yfV1j4R
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkGt1LAJeD
“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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLnOQHfVIH
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbIp4lnL25
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sQMyZCgMW
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrVN4mSuhY
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzW0C4H2ZE
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xMZN2eCq1
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPYwYBvb6k
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCPKgYL0aL
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSaXAuN6a6
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.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kxIIZwV5A
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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