IA let go abruptly. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate of me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DRFoL2ZO1
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp78KiWlX6
IA tapped her fingers rapidly against the steering wheel. She looked down at her lap with drooping eyes and sighed.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9d2zIRoI3s
“Are you okay?” Yukari asked.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK68pJ5EPv
IA’s eyes grew and she lifted her head, putting on a smile.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqltsorVUu5
“Of course I am. You’re here, aren’t you?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZleBomt76
This comment sent the warmth from Yukari’s skin to her heart. She smiled and turned her head, covering her mouth.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4tjArKFNF
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLceOWak94g
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfmMgzgUHY
Yukari’s smile grew bigger.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyETcac4y8P
At the apartment, IA wiggled her fingers for a while before taking a book off her shelf.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQtDgCg1qO
She immediately returned it to the shelf. Then she took it out again.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB20zISTZXT
“Okay, this one’s… Don’t judge me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRJ6HqqhZF
She handed it to Yukari while turning her head with her closed eyes scrunched up.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAYJUZBMy2
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ak0jvG7sq
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnL4FDlmZ8Q
Yukari’s chest began to hurt from her heart pounding too hard. She nodded and held the book against her chest.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobaFOGbba9
“I’ll give it a go. I’m eighteen, so I think I can handle it.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO1CTIP8Ye
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaUIjbzio7
“I said it’s fine.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroG6SHDWSf
The two fell silent, just standing there and looking away from each other. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qf3GKqzDg
IA gulped loudly. “Okay. I hope you enjoy reading it.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEIwUf4lrq
Yukari nodded and bowed before leaving the apartment. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvszZ4T34vn
As she headed home she passed Roro’s house and frowned. Her own eyebrows furrowed with guilt, but she continued walking.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4EBSp54Wo
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGWixQvZvi
‘Would it be wrong for her to date me?’842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEyndHNoic
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. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9UNxcltD3
She remembered what IA said.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0kif7i2s6
"That was inappropriate of me.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCtbSIZPHY
Yukari sighed as Roro’s face popped into her head. Was that breakup all for nothing? 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxybJqMAYSa
She shook her head. He wouldn’t deserve to be led on like that. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKw0DwSAmf5
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. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb81fw7mt8
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLVaqaHnFx
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6z1Ecv2PXw
As soon as she woke up, she read some more before her mother yelled at her to have breakfast and go to school.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiK0wKuW5EG
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. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBdsTOipNB
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. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl11TNpagb
She managed to get near the end. She was so close, and the answer to the mystery was only a few pages away-842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53UXTNFkvw
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nmMbK2vBJ
“Show me what you’ve got.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYsmugasIr
Yukari groaned but complied, her hands shaking as she held the book up. The teacher raised an eyebrow. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GhqRYEgIR
“Come with me to the Principal’s office.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAIemlRHWq
“I-It’s not what you think! It’s a mystery novel!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdixKt0j1rd
“Nice try.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQQuCSQJcj
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWsow6Mz7F
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWhD9mo7co
Yukari cried, “They don’t know! Please don’t tell them!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAcjlYzCZk
The Principal shook his head. “This is very concerning. Now, where did you get this book?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcm2qGMAYW
“That’s…” IA’s pearly white smile jumped into her mind. “I bought it.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QJviYZEGG
“And you brought this book here because…”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOL9ER8NS2O
Yukari turned her head and scrunched up her eyes. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpCiC6GWXK
“I wanted to get answers to the mystery in the book. It’s a murder mystery. Look at the magnifying glass on the cover.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlC3YEMd0S
The Principal stared at the cover, trying to keep himself from smiling.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrihlP5fibS
“I’ll have to confiscate this.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpZIV3Zp8O
“For how long?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5ao8r4Yf0
“I don’t think a girl like you should be reading something like this.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXOgKhvfkl
“But… please…. I’m really sorry. I won’t bring it in again.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaGsZraZlf
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcADpPw7kwu
Yukari bowed and left. She headed to the library, finishing her food on the way.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEkU8k07P6
“IA, can I talk to you about the book?” 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LfmVCcfjZ
IA nodded, leading her to the librarian’s office. Yukari took a deep breath and bowed again.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoCRtTRkCz
“I’m really sorry.” She explained what happened.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcsaHHzVTp
IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as she rubbed the back of her neck.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2jtt0wsRO
“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. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhxCTVOOw9
Yukari raised a trembling hand up to IA’s cheek.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUtDHugT1d
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsiQ3siQyZ
IA turned away and took a book off the shelf, her breaths ragged. 842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUdNGkGlEy
“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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeysgPgSXa0
“I like you. Could we maybe, I don’t know, go out for coffee sometime?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfP0fqZMGFb
IA dropped the book and whipped her head around.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc0PxUPJt8
“Could you… repeat that?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wLQcZ4RVn
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?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3WLOKohf7
IA grinned and giggled, her eyes welling up with tears. She wrapped her arms around Yukari and started to cry on her shoulder.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEEHEqZgsg
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijLfjVDyVF
Yukari patted her head before stroking her hair.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3hVURp34i
“I-Is that a yes?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5Z0W4v9CD
“It has to be secret, though. Are you sure you want to worry about keeping secrets?”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXEIPsVgho
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.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRqTzYkpIi
IA frowned and let go. “I… I guess. No one else, though. Not even your parents.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9jdiF54jg
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj6krGzQY2
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.842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PevQtb0GQ
IA winked. “We have to keep this a secret, right? Don’t want to arouse suspicion around me taking you to my office.”842Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop8yM6xYsD
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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