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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJgABKR1xP
Oh god, she waved at her.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH4Gn4cJ4n
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. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEWph3PdYQ
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXz9wUMaxTz
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. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzV9hBk6wj
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxD0rMardj
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7Ec6NHoD6
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F2X4NHahy
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFU5VgDgVq7
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgvdEPyZJ7
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF3c3CQY8Y
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8b4uPrSAVQ
“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.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IWzWjRz9k
“It is?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9tR6DrCGC
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWPcXehSrP
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SggjgnhlK
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWDmGIt7QV
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcihTW5AEtj
902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmSMiaq4GE
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VCNwoJnRA
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB1avd68Ck
She mentally kicked herself.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sqmVfj1h3
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?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZjN3BPT4x
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi1ik4WErb
“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?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqcIJ5ujWm
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.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PMOMZr6Fr
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jItjI02xo
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDI4bQIlO5
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6V1ToZuUTH
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdmGns2qM4
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejDNJK0Eew
“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.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHysKAKgrUA
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxExgxo9pMH
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRklc8bRv5
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9SB868O6I
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzVElXzsyh
“What are you going to do?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TkpHDwLya
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5c5oPl69v
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0SKD4SplE
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheMNSXNsH4
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCX9Ql0DYs
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjS63nYh6u
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UZNRKZyKr
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJyT18omeT
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-902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuHoKz1Nav
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFN5DCtI6jf
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.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5coeHGma7
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJyPuF7jnD
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgzo60M1D2
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdMvImcVyS
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp81CqR2Buh
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgEF4mlrZW
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaAV7K6agH
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaoq3nZTM8
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtnMRBDyUI
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nUIqIPS5H
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMXQQbn1Jj
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHn0GwF48gy
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtjw2aCkpa
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVygcNQl7x
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDV8kBDCeDE
She hadn’t done any homework.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfwZfLqYuQ
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNA8Is2p4SF
“Are you okay?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIyr9TOqmF
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKig44wuIkN
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3aZAji2lv
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkXMpBkOZX
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcHfNZhTTS
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVqdLeO4Nq
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobMgS3zMmq
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHN7KdzQv9c
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwmFccciE4
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV6YJfFJRM
“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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKUFTM4PH1
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa5bnospQm
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFJYd2C2pb
“But I can-”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7Anl7QIvd
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6svuw2vtg
“But you just said it’s not my-”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6iH1yfC0A
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ074KmTuezH
“What’s going on with y-”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnwLYZvXSk
“I like someone else!” 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZuvVbBwsk
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtaw98yRcQ
“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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodEtbupBMB
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSJNeiOmWF
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrG3iltHAMO
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NZkLkTnhF
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYikrGpCbZd
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEW6ec4Y53
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNSdF8W47D
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtMWaXf8Xc
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeEwKWVchF
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.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZgU8UyiQF
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.
ns216.73.216.176da2
