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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaTXr6LVbt
Oh god, she waved at her.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGtQkOAMuG
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. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KX4BJp1oe
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47pKp3gi9U
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. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6P1xDuWO8i
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfM5QWUAZC
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoXOlQ4Hor
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiSLPZ1VA5
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVqZ3vc4Dj
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnigS1pOnI
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC4xxRgIZy
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcuh3NpIqH
“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.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0lKYezFc7
“It is?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuhqOd2VMS
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmsY0e6vYv
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe66U2S3XmV
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaqs8dW72T
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSMpIBsSiQ
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXA7Ve3cy5l
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOw519MDMO
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAg7HKmamVA
She mentally kicked herself.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaJPrIBGIF
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?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYHYXqRSXW
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNqPpGD2QN
“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?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITTCEhyDW4
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.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwn1ac8JzU3
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0As2hAm41s
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPjy5yV1zQ
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTFehAIt4P
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM54xytGM0
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n082I0Kpx
“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.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVXkbwRcKK
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDM0BYMFbj
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsXKdtlUR3
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzQcflv1mk
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLMVvffQll
“What are you going to do?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydkUXiFYht
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto0mqTVAVf
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wFw944vyN
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVI1yzcFCw
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4XMRSgbXx
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc3AbycVyS
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptWih07EvD
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeYOBOc63m
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-962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaC4eJW9Km
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCsHeiIz0w
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.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSVtqRkKh0
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5scgCePmK
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfsBKHyKUo
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdbSzJLrHb
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMlTt7jc4w
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0ByuJ1puH
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FPfYmFBPE
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zFbbQQAYZ
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdx0EQ4fnC
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXJxMIOpUL
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4kmH3y9Pn
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3O8YCmiDKc
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYicmFMZtZW
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsJO0bdSqs
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugxWEvHYcV
She hadn’t done any homework.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9Whoj6fDf
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sodvPldn6
“Are you okay?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71SLNZTAQ0
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwBU0z4V08
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KHO0PtHER
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHkC7UGgVe
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKg5E969pcH
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTnnHt9B5W
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ7veI6Gnb
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBDqCK0Nf3
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uiOrzhS83
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGFVpGAlb7
“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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7i0PVsAFP
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXk3Lf4pBb
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcboA9hjPp
“But I can-”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEoNNsUvE1
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01EEp5wiBt
“But you just said it’s not my-”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmDTdnHYF0
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcxR4Nx5uv
“What’s going on with y-”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5dMkCxRFu
“I like someone else!” 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnNaLrdIv4
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0hyuwDvHf
“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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5keZ1YflDT
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73FGl2F0h9
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5jcJroyBJ
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVX0omdzNw
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bBTHkllx3
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RlooxzuYd
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPP3nwhxhr
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHpZlLxMgr
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOxdomETyl
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.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wIWbKV2oy
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.
ns216.73.216.251da2
