Yukari walked out of the library and placed the pile of books onto the desk.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Noz7ZEBnl
“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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PnQwpRYsS
The school bell rang. Yukari bowed and headed to class.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsJ5fAFIgC
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuOfQ2fAYM
When school finished, she waited outside the Principal’s office for her parents.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6cVli16of
Her father didn’t show up, but her mother stormed into the room and dug her nails into her arm as she grabbed it.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTePut0Fsda
“What did you do? What did you do?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdTPHVLZ6O
Yukari said nothing, suddenly very interested in the patterns on the wooden floor. She tucked her lips in to prevent herself from crying.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhTW5XWp6r
“Speak to your mother. Are you listening to me?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT9HCqPg5r
Still nothing. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45nmn9299d
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfSxNk2Mwz
The Principal opened the door, tightening his loose tie and pushing his toupee into place, and welcomed the two in. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21rQkxN7dS
The book was open and a few pages had creases on the corners. Yukari couldn’t help but glare at the Principal.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEngYUtADR
He shut the book and pushed it towards Yukari’s mother, who had one eyebrow up.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6rLDnx2lh
“Your daughter was caught reading this in school.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6Z3fjpzWf
Her mother looked at her, the book and finally the Principal.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawQszSTQXI
“You must be joking. Why would my daughter bring something like this? She’s a good child.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9xgeJ5P59
The Principal shrugged. “Maybe you should ask your daughter.”
Yukari’s mother glared at her. Yukari bowed her head. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGkIZykzhO
“I… I heard it was a good book and…”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo2bdlc5IS
Her mother turned her gaze from Yukari to the Principal.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfrbhC6Jhq
“Will there be any punishment for this?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuylZJrfeL
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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKb6md6IYt
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbjrojoY6E
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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy3yvYnqBy
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLe8JQnHZ1
“Are you going to explain it to me?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhooQbnKvjo
Yukari cried louder. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it. I didn’t want you to know.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXcuVrWbjf
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?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfj92VkJicA
“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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuA8ioK85lt
He mother put her hands on the steering wheel with a tight grip. She licked her teeth with her mouth closed.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtlgxu68jm
“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?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzHnYpK53D
“Roro.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kr8oHloCl
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt1R6nxWtQ
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlBrq8YEIw
She was about to name the contact number ‘IA’ but remembered what IA said.
“It has to be secret, though.”
653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW3CQ6jLRu
It has to be secret.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FXxw89U1n
653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KOfmKKFA4
Secret.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sKsqNiKUE
She decided to name the contact ‘Ichiko’. She was the first girl she fell for and the name started with ‘I’.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoHOk6V4na
She spent almost five minutes thinking of what her first message should be.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxtka5fAlg
Eventually, she settled on something simple.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSmee6pyZZ
Hey, it’s Yukari. Can’t wait to see you.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwFY0URlh8
Yukari hugged her pillow to contain her giddiness. This feeling quickly gave way to worry. Did she sound too desperate?653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDItWFggZ9f
IA responded later that night.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tTdHdAjhm
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. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgb6hPcgVz
Yukari chuckled at the way IA used quotation marks. The couple chatted about books until Yukari felt her eyelids start to get heavier.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYkkiOOKlc
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM8kDSsP1W
When he did, he ignored her and sat down.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I7sPhru5U
“Um… Roro, can we talk?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A6aAYhaPH
“What’s there to talk about?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81ob9Us6zn
Yukari put her hand on his shoulder. “I want to be friends. You know, like we used to be.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvPHg6k0os
Roro said nothing, circling a dent in his desk with his finger. Yukari bit the inside of her cheek in thought.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DoNQIJv0M
“I’m really sorry. I just thought It would have hurt more if I led you on and pretended to still like you.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNeZ3cPr5x
“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?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuEeWJG7qL
Yukari let go of him and looked at her hands as if they had blood on them.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KzsQsmNkQ
“I… didn’t think about it that way. Is there any way you can forgive me?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktPy4C2OM0
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98PclBo5pc
“Let me think about it. Just give me some time to grieve.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBwrLNYMpE
Yukari gave him a soft smile before sitting in her own seat.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t3QyBD9QJ
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBofbyP9bf
“Oh. Good. Great. Congratulations. Wonderful.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PRaCzKnYn
Yukari’s smile dropped but she didn’t question those words.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo7ceZ4S2l
IA immediately snapped out of her mood and gave Yukari a hug. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwneEMIl2vN
“IA, remember…” Yukari hissed. IA let go and blushed.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWv4XSLHVb
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJmgYGctiF
Thankfully, IA didn’t wink this time. Yukari followed her into the office.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEoPnSFg1i
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dcsl1XkX0
“Can we just hang out at your place? I like your apartment. It smells of books.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAZgkrKxbt
“Um… okay.” IA couldn’t help but giggle at the request. “We can watch TV. Uh, what time do you need to be back?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP8aSuk4mb
“If I’m home by 7, I should be fine.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda4LCcuz1Z
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FOUNvWNNm
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoL9dEqnP2
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 10.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc44XtboCd
If you try to kiss on the first date, you’re likely to scare your date off.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy1hzC88Hf
As Yukari stared at the bookshelves rather than the television, a question popped into her head.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfW4bihb71e
“IA, what made you decide to be a librarian?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNokdHeHeVC
IA rolled her shoulders back as if she was using them to turn back time or at least remember her past.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEZIPK8KJA
“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,”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkW2ouz4Z8
“Why didn’t you?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Sz2as40x6
“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?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinVzfxMfFJ
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKoDvgKlZq
“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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WcKoThlHQ
“Well, I’m sure if you found the right assistant, you could make your business a reality. It sounds really cute.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpnhRoalA0
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmIOmz72ym
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbJNYM8OLc
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PWUyvQepj
“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?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaQ62cnOIo
Yukari shook her head and reached to give him a big hug, almost pouncing on him. He stepped back in shock.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxuwFw0txd
“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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROrENoaixn
Yukari’s eyes became the size of records. IA’s response to the question about her speeding habit played through her mind.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeao2vaP2k9
She could come up with no reply for Roro. She just stood there, dumbfounded and with the colour pink splashed onto her cheeks.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvz6WJrZHIb
Roro chuckled. “Geez, you see a ghost or something?” He noticed her cheeks. “Was it a sexy ghost?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHN9fOnGJxf
Yukari snapped out of her surprised state and lightly slapped him on the arm. The two joked around until class started.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1aYYb5N5u
A week later, Yukari brought Roro to the library, telling him about her new relationship along the way.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0dadUE8G0
Roro’s stance was a little tenser than before, but he put on a smile. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSyx878c9g
So did IA when Yukari introduced her to Roro. Her eyebrows were furrowed, but a smile was technically on her face.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ4pL4Cxhr
“Um… nice to meet you, Mister Yuma.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tfplOeSbJ
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ573amQRreO
“So you’re the guy who made her cry, huh?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2IIoAD1cr
Roro took a step back and averted her stone-cold gaze. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxLNx7EUNG
“You don’t think I cried too?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrdcoZyyRY
“Oh, I’m not saying you didn’t. It’s great that you finally came around and became her friend again.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjKvwKJ8gO
Roro looked like he just ate a lemon. “Yes. I ‘finally’ did.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCnYB4i4Mf
“Are you over her yet?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxYPrzaETI
“I… don’t see how that’s important.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68SthU0bMX
IA saw Yukari turn around and wave. She put the smile back on.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡte8HAMNu6J
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrmqpdG3ly
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8F4qJ5pfv9
“Well, since you’re a librarian, I’m guessing you’re smart enough to learn from others’ mistakes.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZuPcRsIIm
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5Avswvig1
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRGJqKReXR
“I-IA?” was all Yukari could say. Who was this person in front of her?653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwQ24dhqjZ
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmHbTHy2n2
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYr5mPeZRH
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo1PG5Gltr
The two looked at each other and inched closer. IA caressed Yukari’s cheek.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtNP2FzqnB
“Can I… kiss you?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8fK8QlKeA
Yukari nodded and closed her eyes. IA’s lips were as soft as feathers, almost tickling Yukari’s own lips.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpljEh0YRYm
The couple chuckled. “That was our first kiss, wasn’t it?” IA asked. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTz4RKm0ew
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFN6DBcgRHT
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIw70b425r9
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVMv8fCKIg
“She’s changed since dating you,” Roro remarked.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VC8paXSO5
IA ripped the tail off a fried prawn. “Is that a bad thing?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5AFXbO2Cu
“Not bad. Just… different.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirLtAVxGSt
Silence.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuCpXYhCgk
Roro eventually continued. “You didn’t try to change her, did you?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79LPdE95jO
IA dropped her prawn and curled her hands into fists.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojO1xguIse
“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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoZ8uyYjV1
Roro stood up. “If you’re so much more mature than me, then you’re clearly too mature for Yukari.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV91Ui5OAXm
IA stood up as well. “She’s certainly more mature than you. What’s your problem?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPecwhw6UZ
“What’s your problem?” Roro shouted.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxISYsu03Ul
Yukari ran back after hearing this. “What’s going on?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8wwDqctN0
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!”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSi4H53evze
“Well sorry for being ‘mature’ enough to stay friends with people after a breakup!”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEIqU8Oboz
“So you can worm your way back into her heart.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxsGtrvk4C
“You’re pathetic. Calm your tits before throwing around accusations!”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1epEEVGjd
“Enough!” Yukari yelled. She turned to IA. “I thought you trusted me.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRREsRxxd11
IA gestured to Roro. “How can I trust you around this guy when I know you’re bisexual?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDwBfOYrgU
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJK0OGmTwh9
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8RdGmWYey
IA tried to apologise over text that night but Yukari refused to reply, instead choosing to cry into her pillow.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIo4fLvkLF
The next day, the teacher from the park told IA that the Principal wanted to speak to her.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB8fRBCtgp
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGTIO9roqg
However, the image of Yukari’s smile made her feel bittersweet, which she considered an improvement over the soul-crushing sadness of the situation. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5RdgzFo5j
She abruptly sat up. Yukari’s words played over and over.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdolZU0bJbs
“You could make your business a reality.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJt2Z4qfZ1
The next morning she headed to a bookstore and headed to the economics section.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEpbYJwxNh
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNGoqHHUI5
Just before the final exams, IA spotted Roro heading home from school and stopped her car, rolling down the window a little.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpqanRwWUC
“Mister Yuma, can I speak to you for a sec?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgX1nTSoTx
Roro continued walking for a bit and IA followed him. “Please. You deserve an apology.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7N0KgAZ4H
Roro stopped and glared at her. “And what about Yukari?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewkwI2WwL2
“I just haven’t built up the courage for that yet.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMEtEFeSg3
“So I’m supposed to be your guinea pig so you can know how to get her back on your side?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOv6XWhBtG
IA looked down at the concrete next to the car, her hand folded over the top of the remaining glass window. 653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiw0fOCR3q
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxty3m9h3xb
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS3eJ7NjZ0
“So I noticed you’re not in the library anymore,” Roro said. “What happened?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZdMy9vAyy
“Oh, I’m making plans for a bookstore business I want to create.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nMYlux4iS
“How’s that going for you?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJvGQuq7m0
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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPqmxwxrdx
Roro stroked his chin. “Huh. Have you thought about hiring some people who are good at different languages?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hRFdmSOBc
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZTQpDjVAu
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxVfiZNJbx
“Yukari! Can I speak to you?”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo5rkxvOKL
Yukari continued walking. Her mother asked her who it was and Yukari didn’t answer.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BV8f0B2em
“I won’t ask for anything, I just think you deserve to hear me say sorry,” IA pleaded her.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ775lwc8r7F
Yukari stopped and turned around. She told her parents to wait there as she walked back to IA.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtiCeTRr3I
She crossed her arms. “I must say it was unexpected. That day it was like you were a completely different person.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLKbQra2h2
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzfA2CD6nC
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbDrNJg9W9
The other day IA apologised to me. Has she said sorry to you yet? She said she was going to- Roro row your boat653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7bLtB8jng
She grabbed IA’s hand, causing her to stare at her like she’d grown a second head.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBG3iqjfIE
“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.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCjHwgUWFG
“Roger that. I’m such as idiot.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kaHslusPN
“I’ll… I’ll message you tonight. You have one more shot. No third strikes. I’m only giving you two.”653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMsc4iBufj
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECEqh4UJ9o
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsADrbadBoA
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShroCEbUYl
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyV8mt7KyR
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.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3J4iCUwKO
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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