Yukari walked out of the library and placed the pile of books onto the desk.842Please respect copyright.PENANAyXbtNvpvBh
“Thanks for your help, Miss Yuzuki,” IA said with a wink. Yukari gave her a deadpan stare, hoping no one noticed IA’s obvious facial gesture. IA wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to her. It was her number.842Please respect copyright.PENANACb16T2W48M
The school bell rang. Yukari bowed and headed to class.842Please respect copyright.PENANAi3wYCSKxns
The class was boring, so she kept staring at Roro as if doing so would send him a telepathic message to stop ignoring her. It naturally didn’t work.842Please respect copyright.PENANAiOICZfSGsf
When school finished, she waited outside the Principal’s office for her parents.842Please respect copyright.PENANAQgQqtIsVTL
Her father didn’t show up, but her mother stormed into the room and dug her nails into her arm as she grabbed it.842Please respect copyright.PENANAldU2jl6Q4P
“What did you do? What did you do?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAS6iyCBJHl9
Yukari said nothing, suddenly very interested in the patterns on the wooden floor. She tucked her lips in to prevent herself from crying.842Please respect copyright.PENANA6looLWxubg
“Speak to your mother. Are you listening to me?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAJfwfjLf1wn
Still nothing. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAOt6myYToXW
Her mother sat down with a huff. She let go of Yukari, cleaned her glasses with her turtleneck and crossed her arms and legs, tapping the air with her foot.842Please respect copyright.PENANAmZfJ1Z9Y6x
The Principal opened the door, tightening his loose tie and pushing his toupee into place, and welcomed the two in. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAV5dsoJ7xkj
The book was open and a few pages had creases on the corners. Yukari couldn’t help but glare at the Principal.842Please respect copyright.PENANAWEyVMXuUlh
He shut the book and pushed it towards Yukari’s mother, who had one eyebrow up.842Please respect copyright.PENANALTNGxkxOXd
“Your daughter was caught reading this in school.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAOtE0wa1JbD
Her mother looked at her, the book and finally the Principal.842Please respect copyright.PENANAvavybks6ZK
“You must be joking. Why would my daughter bring something like this? She’s a good child.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAf6CQ1WPYoM
The Principal shrugged. “Maybe you should ask your daughter.”
Yukari’s mother glared at her. Yukari bowed her head. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAZYbNxyuzUy
“I… I heard it was a good book and…”842Please respect copyright.PENANAdnPAZGKMYa
Her mother turned her gaze from Yukari to the Principal.842Please respect copyright.PENANA9ijwswhlhD
“Will there be any punishment for this?”842Please respect copyright.PENANADAR1P5LcfH
The Principal shook his head. “I hesitate to give a first-time offender a punishment aside from confiscation, so long as their parents are able to discipline them. I’ll leave it up to you for now.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA3tvmboDQL3
Both Yukari and her mother stood up and bowed. As expected, Yukari’s mother dragged her out of the building and to the car. However, she didn’t start the car and simply sat, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She took off her glasses and stared into them as if an explanation would materialise in the lenses.842Please respect copyright.PENANAfsoRbw6pQr
She spoke in a haunting quiet voice. “I’m glad you’re reading but I don’t understand what appeal that book would have to you. You’re not a… homosexual. I don’t know how you could look at a cover like that and decide that book’s worth your time.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAN1GAi6Zc4b
Yukari snivelled as tears started creeping out of her eyes. She rubbed her eyes but that only made the crying worse. Her mother grabbed her arm and pushed it down.842Please respect copyright.PENANAeNBW9WvunM
“Are you going to explain it to me?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAfCjw3uBefI
Yukari cried louder. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it. I didn’t want you to know.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA5WpLfr8Fvw
Her mother leaned backwards. “Know what? Are you trying to tell me… I don’t remember raising a homosexual. And what about your boyfriend? What’s his name?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAiO7LbvV4kn
“I’m not a ‘homosexual’. I’m… I-I’m… Oh God, I didn’t want to tell you this. I’m… bisexual. I… broke up with Roro because I...liked another girl.” She murmured the last part but her mother seemed to hear it.842Please respect copyright.PENANAsb1CqN9aLj
He mother put her hands on the steering wheel with a tight grip. She licked her teeth with her mouth closed.842Please respect copyright.PENANAtecVmRacvd
“Don’t go… telling other people, okay? I’m not against homosexuals but… it’s not exactly something you need to parade around. Does anyone else know?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAYTXNWZj2tH
“Roro.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA9XIojD3e1t
Her mother’s face went lily-white. “I see.” The two were silent on the way home. Yukari looked out the window, saw a speed limit sign and noticed how slow the car was moving. She almost missed the speed at which IA drove.842Please respect copyright.PENANAjylfy2GrA7
At home, Yukari lied down in bed and rubbed her runny nose. After getting some tissues, she took out her phone and the piece of paper.842Please respect copyright.PENANAwYgAquAEOX
She was about to name the contact number ‘IA’ but remembered what IA said.
“It has to be secret, though.”
842Please respect copyright.PENANAUgxVUuJW8z
It has to be secret.842Please respect copyright.PENANAfdpgYuyfJG
842Please respect copyright.PENANAkSXkEYfPMI
Secret.842Please respect copyright.PENANA5J8iSuN55X
She decided to name the contact ‘Ichiko’. She was the first girl she fell for and the name started with ‘I’.842Please respect copyright.PENANAuIWWN92T2Z
She spent almost five minutes thinking of what her first message should be.842Please respect copyright.PENANASLCRf1dJFz
Eventually, she settled on something simple.842Please respect copyright.PENANATojco57DDN
Hey, it’s Yukari. Can’t wait to see you.842Please respect copyright.PENANAZNdbsOBTY3
Yukari hugged her pillow to contain her giddiness. This feeling quickly gave way to worry. Did she sound too desperate?842Please respect copyright.PENANAkfsLdndL5J
IA responded later that night.842Please respect copyright.PENANAXuh8ZjfRxq
Hey, beautiful. Same here. Btw, I just bought ‘ANOTHER’ lesbian romance novel and so far it’s ‘AMAZING’. I’ll lend it to you when I’m done with it. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAdVE2iEwe01
Yukari chuckled at the way IA used quotation marks. The couple chatted about books until Yukari felt her eyelids start to get heavier.842Please respect copyright.PENANAq1PA05CJEj
As the next day appeared, Yukari stood by Roro’s desk while waiting for him to arrive. No one else had entered the classroom yet.842Please respect copyright.PENANALj384rvuAW
When he did, he ignored her and sat down.842Please respect copyright.PENANAZUJfeEP4nd
“Um… Roro, can we talk?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAMzvnM5z3Pw
“What’s there to talk about?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAhqAzUtld5T
Yukari put her hand on his shoulder. “I want to be friends. You know, like we used to be.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAiakn6NEI9x
Roro said nothing, circling a dent in his desk with his finger. Yukari bit the inside of her cheek in thought.842Please respect copyright.PENANAAdZ8JTnMfQ
“I’m really sorry. I just thought It would have hurt more if I led you on and pretended to still like you.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAWO2eGDPmOf
“You did lead me on, though. Do you know how it feels to know that someone you really like was thinking about someone else behind your back?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAEoEaCpEUYP
Yukari let go of him and looked at her hands as if they had blood on them.842Please respect copyright.PENANAp7laWAXJ9Y
“I… didn’t think about it that way. Is there any way you can forgive me?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAD8gvuaRxLa
Roro rubbed his face up and down repeatedly from his cheek to the side of his eye. He looked at Yukari’s frown and felt his heart twist.842Please respect copyright.PENANAvSiw9frE5y
“Let me think about it. Just give me some time to grieve.”842Please respect copyright.PENANArGA9wZ95YK
Yukari gave him a soft smile before sitting in her own seat.842Please respect copyright.PENANAp9u1LbDwYh
When Yukari told IA after school about Roro, a grin on her face, IA’s own smile was tiny. Deep lines appeared between her eyebrows, which were close together.842Please respect copyright.PENANAos3KNkQF7H
“Oh. Good. Great. Congratulations. Wonderful.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA7A2KmXzTtC
Yukari’s smile dropped but she didn’t question those words.842Please respect copyright.PENANAKaz5tVoAXa
IA immediately snapped out of her mood and gave Yukari a hug. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAUU6utTZGMv
“IA, remember…” Yukari hissed. IA let go and blushed.842Please respect copyright.PENANAibxNI2UT7s
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I just couldn’t wait to see you.” She raised her voice to her normal volume. “Help me out with these books.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAvYPqjutTxs
Thankfully, IA didn’t wink this time. Yukari followed her into the office.842Please respect copyright.PENANA9PaNAJzEdm
IA grabbed her hand. “So what do you want to do after I close the library?” She brushed her hand with her thumb. Yukari looked at their intertwining fingers with pink cheeks. The corners of her mouth rose.842Please respect copyright.PENANABIKO6Syz10
“Can we just hang out at your place? I like your apartment. It smells of books.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAUtjRoxweah
“Um… okay.” IA couldn’t help but giggle at the request. “We can watch TV. Uh, what time do you need to be back?”842Please respect copyright.PENANApZgjTRHUla
“If I’m home by 7, I should be fine.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAui7ivIB5Ie
IA looked at her watch and nodded. She moved her hand from Yukari’s hand to Yukari’s cheek, stroking it with her thumb. She only did this for a second before stepping back and pulling out several books for Yukari to carry.842Please respect copyright.PENANAcXbhW2VDvY
At IA’s apartment, the couple sat on the couch and watched a few episodes of a TV show. Yukari couldn’t tell what the show was about. She was too busy feeling her skin heat up when IA grabbed her hand and rested her head on her shoulder.842Please respect copyright.PENANA4IM1CDJ1q0
A large part of Yukari’s mind screamed, ‘Kiss me!’ She almost kissed IA herself but the rest of her mind was reminded of a rule she read in a magazine when she was around 10.842Please respect copyright.PENANAboblAqKRnj
If you try to kiss on the first date, you’re likely to scare your date off.842Please respect copyright.PENANAyLWsPZrXyd
As Yukari stared at the bookshelves rather than the television, a question popped into her head.842Please respect copyright.PENANAJXdHEgbtf9
“IA, what made you decide to be a librarian?”842Please respect copyright.PENANA4IexVXrN3I
IA rolled her shoulders back as if she was using them to turn back time or at least remember her past.842Please respect copyright.PENANA8MII8L4u8q
“Well, I always wanted to own my own little bookshop. It would be called ‘Cloudrider Book Emporium’. You know, since reading books is like entering a dream world.” She laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. “I was a stupid kid. I wanted it to focus on fantasy and science fiction books since those take you to another world,”842Please respect copyright.PENANAo6ur45Nu4j
“Why didn’t you?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAyhvgzVjJEf
“Do you really think I’m the kind of person who could handle a business? I chose the next best option, which was being a librarian. So, what do you want to do when you leave school?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAk0ozo9lC4k
Yukari shrugged. She figured her parents would tell her which university they wanted her to attend. And what course she would study. And what job she would have.842Please respect copyright.PENANA5M5KOiCcsg
“I’m sure a smart girl like you’ll be able to get a job you want,” IA said, nuzzling her head into Yukari’s shoulder.842Please respect copyright.PENANAr05Zm0pERU
“Well, I’m sure if you found the right assistant, you could make your business a reality. It sounds really cute.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA6707aR1tLn
IA giggled again but, judging by her red cheeks, this was more out of embarrassment than amusement. Yukari tilted her head until it was touching IA’s. They watched the rest of the episode in comfortable silence.842Please respect copyright.PENANAqRiCAVYOhf
IA and Yukari made a routine out of this, watching television after school every day. Sometimes IA would put some popcorn in the microwave and put way too much salt in the bag. Whenever she did this, she would tell Yukari about her ideas for new popcorn flavours, ranging from steak to eggplant. Yukari always found herself laughing at each new idea.842Please respect copyright.PENANA1TpaZCxUoq
Two weeks later, Roro shuffled up to Yukari. With a closed mouth he licked down the inside of his cheek for a second, his eyes not meeting hers. He then sighed.842Please respect copyright.PENANAXwPU1bfAtn
“Look, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. It would be nice to go back to how things were. Is it too late for us to be friends?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAHz0W9nzB4S
Yukari shook her head and reached to give him a big hug, almost pouncing on him. He stepped back in shock.842Please respect copyright.PENANA2u2Agu9XKf
“Um, since when do you initiate a hug like that?” he asked in a voice that made it seem like he was about to laugh.842Please respect copyright.PENANARPtFG0EJhh
Yukari’s eyes became the size of records. IA’s response to the question about her speeding habit played through her mind.842Please respect copyright.PENANAPZRlwYmeRQ
She could come up with no reply for Roro. She just stood there, dumbfounded and with the colour pink splashed onto her cheeks.842Please respect copyright.PENANA2haTr2deQt
Roro chuckled. “Geez, you see a ghost or something?” He noticed her cheeks. “Was it a sexy ghost?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAEjKLFtlveH
Yukari snapped out of her surprised state and lightly slapped him on the arm. The two joked around until class started.842Please respect copyright.PENANAYU8HfOcgXv
A week later, Yukari brought Roro to the library, telling him about her new relationship along the way.842Please respect copyright.PENANAaH7D49WDq1
Roro’s stance was a little tenser than before, but he put on a smile. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAtF2Bh1bbkJ
So did IA when Yukari introduced her to Roro. Her eyebrows were furrowed, but a smile was technically on her face.842Please respect copyright.PENANA8qFNWsrwMl
“Um… nice to meet you, Mister Yuma.”842Please respect copyright.PENANATgx9GLlWKW
Yukari patted Roro’s back. “I need to find a book for class. I’ll be back.” She left the two, who stared at each other in silence. IA eventually dropped the smile.842Please respect copyright.PENANAJyonI9jRcp
“So you’re the guy who made her cry, huh?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAdlDRc7FM7Z
Roro took a step back and averted her stone-cold gaze. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAnPv752HRdr
“You don’t think I cried too?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAHJAx2Q9N7S
“Oh, I’m not saying you didn’t. It’s great that you finally came around and became her friend again.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAl20aUHZfDw
Roro looked like he just ate a lemon. “Yes. I ‘finally’ did.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAAe1NyUIdjH
“Are you over her yet?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAOG116i8pSz
“I… don’t see how that’s important.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA3U8OZe7Btb
IA saw Yukari turn around and wave. She put the smile back on.842Please respect copyright.PENANAyduSQ3TV0i
“Well, you seem like a nice guy. I’d hate for you to live with unrequited feelings. I know how that feels.” As she continued speaking, she took a few books from the returns box and slammed them on top of each other to create a stack. “Just… don’t do anything to make her cry again, okay? I’m sure you’re smart enough to not make the same mistake twice.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAhNUGILC8es
Roro finally allowed himself to look at her, and he did so with flames in his eyes. Their gazes were fierce enough to make it seem like there should be a spark of lightning worthy of scaring Zeus appearing between them.842Please respect copyright.PENANAdEZpZY9XUl
“Well, since you’re a librarian, I’m guessing you’re smart enough to learn from others’ mistakes.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAHG2m2cB3BI
Yukari headed back to them. Before she could greet them again, Roro stormed out of the library. Yukari looked at the IA, then the door, then IA again.842Please respect copyright.PENANAs9gc1Kox9L
IA sat by her desk and began scanning students’ borrowed books, forgetting to muster up a smile. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes were narrow as they looked down.842Please respect copyright.PENANAAYtbuNPpyg
“I-IA?” was all Yukari could say. Who was this person in front of her?842Please respect copyright.PENANA21Gw7zgbFD
IA was back to normal that night and every night for the next few weeks. One night, IA asked Yukari what her parents were like. It took a while for Yukari to figure out the answer.842Please respect copyright.PENANAshVGYwOuuC
“Well, they’re the kind of parents who are around you when they want you to do well in school but don’t care about anything else so they leave you to do whatever you want outside of study time. I don’t really talk to them much.”842Please respect copyright.PENANANML9UTsmek
IA instinctively gave her a hug. Yukari didn’t cry, but a big grin crept onto her face as she heard IA’s heartbeat speed up.842Please respect copyright.PENANAAJktXJxMpG
The two looked at each other and inched closer. IA caressed Yukari’s cheek.842Please respect copyright.PENANAtOvWQumymZ
“Can I… kiss you?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAlitrNeXZqS
Yukari nodded and closed her eyes. IA’s lips were as soft as feathers, almost tickling Yukari’s own lips.842Please respect copyright.PENANAdLvgofiLl6
The couple chuckled. “That was our first kiss, wasn’t it?” IA asked. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAEpsoDDF8kZ
A later night, Yukari asked if they could hang out with Roro one day. IA nodded her head with creased eyes and the smile of a lemon sucker.842Please respect copyright.PENANAHwp9y0IwCi
Roro grimaced at the offer but agreed to join them, and the three went to a park on a Sunday afternoon. IA brought a picnic basket and a blanket, or rather she bought a picnic basket and blanket for the occasion. Roro brought three store-bought bento boxes.842Please respect copyright.PENANAbgkaV8DQws
Together they chatted and ate like there was no animosity between them. However, when Yukari left the blanket to pat a dog, the glares returned.842Please respect copyright.PENANA9kiFjAkXF9
“She’s changed since dating you,” Roro remarked.842Please respect copyright.PENANAxFDJlryJDb
IA ripped the tail off a fried prawn. “Is that a bad thing?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAIfZI9f2W2s
“Not bad. Just… different.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA76gf5UsZFG
Silence.842Please respect copyright.PENANAMIWd87Ys73
Roro eventually continued. “You didn’t try to change her, did you?”842Please respect copyright.PENANA085kSG0SoM
IA dropped her prawn and curled her hands into fists.842Please respect copyright.PENANAUEXD9idPzW
“Why would I want to do that? She’s wonderful. As much as I’d like to grow alongside her, I still want the core of her to remain. A good relationship won’t completely alter you, only improve you.” She picked up her prawn again and took a bite. “But that’s something adults figure out, so it’s not surprising if you don’t know that yet,” she said with the food still in her mouth.842Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3e5uZr9zI
Roro stood up. “If you’re so much more mature than me, then you’re clearly too mature for Yukari.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAhY7JeitbfL
IA stood up as well. “She’s certainly more mature than you. What’s your problem?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAYyoEhGXVv6
“What’s your problem?” Roro shouted.842Please respect copyright.PENANAAlS10wjr9u
Yukari ran back after hearing this. “What’s going on?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAtP3NMBCV0y
The other two ignored her. “Well sorry for thinking it’s a little strange that my girlfriend wants to spend time with both me and her ex!”842Please respect copyright.PENANAllslh2cBA2
“Well sorry for being ‘mature’ enough to stay friends with people after a breakup!”842Please respect copyright.PENANAC2QZE9i7kS
“So you can worm your way back into her heart.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAw5SAtOuycK
“You’re pathetic. Calm your tits before throwing around accusations!”842Please respect copyright.PENANApI1kQnmwv6
“Enough!” Yukari yelled. She turned to IA. “I thought you trusted me.”842Please respect copyright.PENANA55WcFK2E1J
IA gestured to Roro. “How can I trust you around this guy when I know you’re bisexual?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAFvOVgnuKt9
That last word caused a few people in the park to stare at them, including a teacher from Yukari’s school. Yukari froze, her eyes wide and her mouth open.842Please respect copyright.PENANAOOCFd2gQX4
She eventually closed her eyes as they started to spit out tear after tear. IA felt as if someone had grabbed her heart and treated it like playdough, but before she could apologise, Yukari picked up her handbag and ran away.842Please respect copyright.PENANAN8j9XLgo8b
IA tried to apologise over text that night but Yukari refused to reply, instead choosing to cry into her pillow.842Please respect copyright.PENANAjplZXqybQe
The next day, the teacher from the park told IA that the Principal wanted to speak to her.842Please respect copyright.PENANAE8PYI17yPc
The Principal showed her security footage showing her taking Yukari to her car. She was told to pack her things. That night she ended up staining her pillow with tears as well.842Please respect copyright.PENANAnFQJSRlVLQ
However, the image of Yukari’s smile made her feel bittersweet, which she considered an improvement over the soul-crushing sadness of the situation. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5DEMn8cAb
She abruptly sat up. Yukari’s words played over and over.842Please respect copyright.PENANAj54YrqyfGe
“You could make your business a reality.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAFHddPNztgI
The next morning she headed to a bookstore and headed to the economics section.842Please respect copyright.PENANA0guCaDuiLP
Yukari still hung out with Roro, but it just wasn’t the same as before. The jokes started becoming less and less frequent. It remained this way until exams.842Please respect copyright.PENANAGt5XWOrGS3
Just before the final exams, IA spotted Roro heading home from school and stopped her car, rolling down the window a little.842Please respect copyright.PENANABgLPXPxfMO
“Mister Yuma, can I speak to you for a sec?”842Please respect copyright.PENANATkcpyUnDAb
Roro continued walking for a bit and IA followed him. “Please. You deserve an apology.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAwSVa2yHtpB
Roro stopped and glared at her. “And what about Yukari?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAuZxo5Bxg93
“I just haven’t built up the courage for that yet.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAP5JAXB6ro1
“So I’m supposed to be your guinea pig so you can know how to get her back on your side?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAVjUaDQ9h7k
IA looked down at the concrete next to the car, her hand folded over the top of the remaining glass window. 842Please respect copyright.PENANAtJUu4XfLwU
“I don’t think she’s going to be on my side. I don’t think she’s going to forgive me and even if she did, she probably won’t forget. If I can make myself say sorry and let her know how much I mean that apology, that’s enough.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAatCyYijtEh
Roro saw IA’s expression and felt as if a hole in his heart has been patched up. He felt freed from some mysterious force as soon as he realised that he would not have worn that expression if he was in her shoes.842Please respect copyright.PENANAXBCU8dSvyv
“So I noticed you’re not in the library anymore,” Roro said. “What happened?”842Please respect copyright.PENANA9rbZZ3bXA3
“Oh, I’m making plans for a bookstore business I want to create.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAb49zBBfC7Q
“How’s that going for you?”842Please respect copyright.PENANArWlrOKoMDt
IA laughed. “Not super great, to be honest. I really need some people to help me since I hardly know anything about budgeting or planning. I don’t have any employers. I want to make an international online store but my English is a little rusty.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAU0gEbFn6cz
Roro stroked his chin. “Huh. Have you thought about hiring some people who are good at different languages?”842Please respect copyright.PENANAzvEktCew5r
IA rubbed the back of her neck. “I didn’t think to do that. Thanks for the tip. Um, goodbye, and once again I’m sorry.” She drove off. When Roro arrived home, instead of procrastinating like he expected to do he went straight into studying for the exams.842Please respect copyright.PENANAYeZ18AkjiY
Graduation rolled around, and after the ceremony, Yukari and her parents passed a building available for lease. IA was standing in front of it and tapping her chin. When she saw Yukari she beamed at her.842Please respect copyright.PENANA5QKH0grfB1
“Yukari! Can I speak to you?”842Please respect copyright.PENANALtPLnfa4W8
Yukari continued walking. Her mother asked her who it was and Yukari didn’t answer.842Please respect copyright.PENANAoPPik4fAqA
“I won’t ask for anything, I just think you deserve to hear me say sorry,” IA pleaded her.842Please respect copyright.PENANAKa0UBxr9nb
Yukari stopped and turned around. She told her parents to wait there as she walked back to IA.842Please respect copyright.PENANAOrLkscdnhz
She crossed her arms. “I must say it was unexpected. That day it was like you were a completely different person.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAjDApG6bOPj
“It was the same me, just a crappy side of me. I was just…” IA began to tear up. “I was so scared that you’d leave me for someone else like you did to Roro.” She shook her head. “No, I shouldn’t give excuses. I was an insecure idiot and I ruined everything. I love you and someone who’s in love with someone shouldn’t treat the other person like that. So, um, goodbye. I hope you find someone wonderful who doesn’t have a terrible side to them.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAF1JnWAgPjd
Yukari rubbed her lips together in thought. IA waited patiently for Yukari to return to her parents. Yukari remembered a message she received before exams.842Please respect copyright.PENANAK8sCgGCjrF
The other day IA apologised to me. Has she said sorry to you yet? She said she was going to- Roro row your boat842Please respect copyright.PENANAc9Bwa04PW5
She grabbed IA’s hand, causing her to stare at her like she’d grown a second head.842Please respect copyright.PENANAh9PaXMJBhp
“I doubt anyone is perfect and has no terrible side to them. They just learn to keep it in check. Just… don’t use my sexuality as an insult ever again.”842Please respect copyright.PENANASxReAPnUTf
“Roger that. I’m such as idiot.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAWpxO2akBJl
“I’ll… I’ll message you tonight. You have one more shot. No third strikes. I’m only giving you two.”842Please respect copyright.PENANAD2q208p4xw
IA nodded. “I look forward to redeeming myself.” She almost gave her a kiss but then she remembered that Yukari’s parents were standing there.842Please respect copyright.PENANAHPhsEHUcZ8
Yukari managed to get into university and, with the permission of her parents, changed her course to Business. IA had told her about the bookstore and Yukari jumped at the idea.842Please respect copyright.PENANAHyOl5Bdv0P
Roro got a high score in English for the first time in a while and used that knowledge to help with the building of the bookstore website.842Please respect copyright.PENANAPzxUPG8514
IA still felt jealous whenever Yukari was hanging out with someone else, but she learned to control her feelings by reminding herself that Yukari loved her. The store took a while to gain customers, so IA was by herself a lot of the time and she used that time to reflect on her previous mistakes.842Please respect copyright.PENANAPPNIDZlF7u
About a month into Yukari’s first year at university, she introduced IA to her parents. They were a little worried until they saw the way IA’s eyes sparkled whenever she talked about their daughter.842Please respect copyright.PENANAZNjjV0yfGk
After classes, Yukari helped out at the store, so sometimes it wasn’t just IA and the books. Sometimes it was her, the books and the adorable bookworm she fell in love with.
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