IA let go abruptly. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate of me.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLwp4uVXbd
Yukari croaked, “It’s okay.” She felt as if her skin was on fire. She took a few deep breaths and wiped her tears away.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyagegfH0j5
IA tapped her fingers rapidly against the steering wheel. She looked down at her lap with drooping eyes and sighed.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY3S8N86fB
“Are you okay?” Yukari asked.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTFiwwQ6IT
IA’s eyes grew and she lifted her head, putting on a smile.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3a0ccdxGxi
“Of course I am. You’re here, aren’t you?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdfN3EVpOt
This comment sent the warmth from Yukari’s skin to her heart. She smiled and turned her head, covering her mouth.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5oJkQr148
IA started the car and continued driving as if nothing had happened. Yukari had gotten used to the speed at which she drove by now, but she remained on the lookout for speed limit signs and reminded IA of them whenever they passed one. IA slowed down a bit.
"Please don’t be upset when I ask this, but why do you drive so quickly?” Yukari asked.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA09vMD66hL
IA chuckled. “I don’t know. I’m just always so excited to get to a different place that it kind of takes over me. If you weren’t here to bring me back to my senses, I don’t know what I’d do.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC4UCGVecj
Yukari’s smile grew bigger.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjlh7Lqq79
At the apartment, IA wiggled her fingers for a while before taking a book off her shelf.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxc9rT785o
She immediately returned it to the shelf. Then she took it out again.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiw8908z8sp
“Okay, this one’s… Don’t judge me.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58HWveUpZh
She handed it to Yukari while turning her head with her closed eyes scrunched up.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRk3gaGPlR
Yukari gulped. It was a pulp novel that appeared to be translated into Japanese. The cover had two women in lingerie, one brunette lying on a bed and the other, blonde, sitting behind her with a mischievous expression. In the corner of the room they were in was a table with a coat and a magnifying glass on it.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtfFPbVHEU
IA’s cheeks turned red. “Don’t get the wrong idea! It’s more than just love scenes. I wouldn’t show it to you if it was just that since, you know, that would be kind of weird. It’s a really intriguing mystery and has an interesting romance between the detective…” She pointed to the brunette. “... and the femme fatale she suspects is the murderer.” She moved her finger to the blonde. “It’s surprisingly good for a pulp novel, but the cover makes it a bit of a guilty pleasure. It has some more mature scenes but they’re not that often.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvryw6jW3Su
Yukari’s chest began to hurt from her heart pounding too hard. She nodded and held the book against her chest.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLFlL8lyoj
“I’ll give it a go. I’m eighteen, so I think I can handle it.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkS8SYxIuf
“Good.” IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as if she felt guilty about something. “If you feel uncomfortable reading it, you’re not obligated to read the rest. You can just return it to me and we can forget I ever lent it to you.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnS7FLjljp
“I said it’s fine.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN1eJSU84v
The two fell silent, just standing there and looking away from each other. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtPVLasNDa
IA gulped loudly. “Okay. I hope you enjoy reading it.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9XUZbBmvt
Yukari nodded and bowed before leaving the apartment. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiwC1WrGOl
As she headed home she passed Roro’s house and frowned. Her own eyebrows furrowed with guilt, but she continued walking.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMVuaEB7PS
When she finally made it home, she had dinner with her family. After that, she put her pyjamas on, lied down in bed and stared at her ceiling. One question tugged at her mind.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGVBJdMj4u
‘Would it be wrong for her to date me?’481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRchPOLqoYJ
There was no age issue, at least in terms of the law, as IA was twenty-two and she was eighteen, but Yukari was still a student at the school IA worked at. Then again, it wasn’t like IA was her teacher or anything like that. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7kBhhZjqA
She remembered what IA said.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHneML75SvP
"That was inappropriate of me.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIPY9IahE5
Yukari sighed as Roro’s face popped into her head. Was that breakup all for nothing? 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Od56ZZYXi
She shook her head. He wouldn’t deserve to be led on like that. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Z12nhJ9C
She opened the book and began reading it. Some parts of the novel were awkwardly worded, possibly as a result of a bad translation, but the mystery was as engaging as IA said it would be. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡig1hGS5Ph0
When Yukari made it to the first love scene, her entire body went hot. Clunky wording aside, the scene was undeniably attractive to her, and she pictured IA as the blonde girl on the cover as she read the scene. Eventually, she dropped the book and fantasised on her own, the scenario in her mind getting more and more explicit.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDoPvvFiuG
When she was done fantasising, she continued reading until Roro’s frightened face entered her mind, convincing her to do homework. After that, she read a bit more until she went to sleep, which was around 11 or 12. It took around half an hour for her to fully fall asleep as the mystery of the novel consumed her mind.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTtJXtttJM
As soon as she woke up, she read some more before her mother yelled at her to have breakfast and go to school.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPbHSUzPrn
She shoved the book in her school bag and did as her mother said. During class she kept getting distracted, trying to piece together the clues presented in the novel. She stared at Roro in the seat next to her. He looked back at her and frowned before turning his head and murmuring something she couldn’t hear. She felt her heart sink. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVO1P2koXQ
When lunch started, she took her food with her to the library, saw the ‘no food’ sign and ran outside. She sat under a bridge from the classrooms to the club rooms and opened the book. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS8Kl8Lum6
She managed to get near the end. She was so close, and the answer to the mystery was only a few pages away-481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Kp1lnyoB8
And then a teacher walked up to her. He was tall and had eyebrows so thick it felt as if he could crush someone with them. She hid the book behind her back and the teacher scowled at her.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e56L2bKpP
“Show me what you’ve got.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNNvKTOQRH
Yukari groaned but complied, her hands shaking as she held the book up. The teacher raised an eyebrow. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gEggzWATy
“Come with me to the Principal’s office.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbENK3HlEHf
“I-It’s not what you think! It’s a mystery novel!”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3HN2nfWut
“Nice try.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVGBXQ01Vn
Yukari stood up, trying her best not to cry. She followed him to the Principal’s office, which was inhabited by a short man with a toupee. The teacher handed him the book and the Principal’s eyebrows jumped through the roof. Yukari lowered her head and bit her lip.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoo3kr9UZcx
“This is… I’ve never seen a girl bring this sort of material to school before. I’m going to have to call your parents.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwTKFwKB09
Yukari cried, “They don’t know! Please don’t tell them!”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXbQIfys74
The Principal shook his head. “This is very concerning. Now, where did you get this book?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFgcbXmE6n
“That’s…” IA’s pearly white smile jumped into her mind. “I bought it.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4eu3qleMu
“And you brought this book here because…”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTdENHyaCV
Yukari turned her head and scrunched up her eyes. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATUMIAlGrF
“I wanted to get answers to the mystery in the book. It’s a murder mystery. Look at the magnifying glass on the cover.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct8fDtkJsB
The Principal stared at the cover, trying to keep himself from smiling.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89Z7npiqXJ
“I’ll have to confiscate this.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJ80ocqZXK
“For how long?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUvyrEL0KE
“I don’t think a girl like you should be reading something like this.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJPzQeGZFj
“But… please…. I’m really sorry. I won’t bring it in again.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv9efG0uLq
“Well, since this is your first offence, I guess I can give it back at the end of the week.” He ran his thumb against the cover. “Yes, a week should do. You’ll have learnt your lesson by then. I’m still going to have to call your parents. Come here after school for a meeting. And if you try to leave school before then, I think this book will look nice on my shelf.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkEreRFHTM
Yukari bowed and left. She headed to the library, finishing her food on the way.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbMJhjQkLa
“IA, can I talk to you about the book?” 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEynl0J5XFc
IA nodded, leading her to the librarian’s office. Yukari took a deep breath and bowed again.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3M90nXDzh
“I’m really sorry.” She explained what happened.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfHhGLZA1u
IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as she rubbed the back of her neck.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc9ToeNzn8
“I… I see. The one who should really be sorry is me. Giving you that book… how inappropriate of me. Should I… stop giving you these books? I went too far. I knew this was a bad idea.” Yukari noticed that there were bags under IA’s eyes. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8GP12uONz
Yukari raised a trembling hand up to IA’s cheek.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlx1zRXQDRg
“It’s okay. I… I don’t want to end the time we’ve spent together. I do hav something to tell you, though. Hopefully it won’t end… whatever it is we have.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaaeNKNPSM
IA turned away and took a book off the shelf, her breaths ragged. 481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5SsVCue3C
“I know what you’re going to say.” She and Yukari spoke at the same time. “You’re straight and feel weirded out by me giving you these books.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoENAsAOMF
“I like you. Could we maybe, I don’t know, go out for coffee sometime?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK8curuzTp
IA dropped the book and whipped her head around.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1BKg64W1F
“Could you… repeat that?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPJfqtk62T
Yukari’s cheeks went pink. “Well, I like you. You know that breakup with Roro? It was because I liked you more. You kind of made realise that I’m bisexual. I was thinking… maybe we could go out somewhere. I get it if you don’t want to! You probably want to keep your job. But we could keep it a secret if you want. But, you know, if you don’t want to… that’s cool… I’ll act cool as a cucumber. Cool as ice. Cool as… What am I saying?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG9CTgeDnU
IA grinned and giggled, her eyes welling up with tears. She wrapped her arms around Yukari and started to cry on her shoulder.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKIwEYmifg
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIzF7smTJy
Yukari patted her head before stroking her hair.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LAxGaTTuB
“I-Is that a yes?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROqwbnh1lU
“It has to be secret, though. Are you sure you want to worry about keeping secrets?”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2me9jfeM9n
Yukari chuckled. “So long as I don’t do anything as stupid as bringing a dirty book to school, I’ll be fine. By the way, please don’t spoil the ending. I didn’t get to finish it.” She released a short gasp. “Wait, can I tell Roro if he starts talking to me again? He already knows I like you and I know he won’t tell anyone.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWL3FXX0Ei
IA frowned and let go. “I… I guess. No one else, though. Not even your parents.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxq4UV7yPv
Yukari eyes widened. “Oh god, my parents. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow since my parents are probably going to drag me home after this meeting. Thanks for reminding me.” Both her body and her voice shuddered as she shook her head like a dog trying to rid its fur of water after a bath.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigIcpqMDpW
IA took several books off the shelf and made a pile of them, giving them to Yukari, who stared at her with one eyebrow higher than the other.481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbq0fJctPB3
IA winked. “We have to keep this a secret, right? Don’t want to arouse suspicion around me taking you to my office.”481Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOmFLo2Ngq
Yukari nodded with a smile. She turned towards the door and breathed slowly. She took a few moments to appreciate the moment she shared with IA before having to deal with her parents. For a few more seconds it was just her and the ghostlike librarian who became her girlfriend.
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