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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB05DKalfaJ
Oh god, she waved at her.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUDvp7DaPv
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. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6aq16vGaS
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59R0bJ5dTQ
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. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiRcBq3pHN
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH8PdvQ90O
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSBkv44kLl
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaw7iNaXax
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpswvsJfQ2
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQObjB0aMrV
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBegaYmW3V
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVNN584j9k
“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.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCUwOWi2hS
“It is?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4pDU3OgfB
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE89y9MPAJt
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4E8Rbv8uI
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHkPj2vkBi
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrlKKOP44N
683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eQylwlwO0
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr49pjEfXrU
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuoCPZzVVU
She mentally kicked herself.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gAX7CDv7d
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?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyEViIsS5d
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY4Ey9TC9J
“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?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmynTuZpuc
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.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4y0l61z5Z
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RJJMlmSWI
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOnc3j74wE
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzdG487ZOR
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6frn9fQU4
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFKnrf1n8Z
“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.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaPZxlLbXH
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0L1f2EzVr
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxUnNCyuiD
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wia2kny1k
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwrM7BxvRK
“What are you going to do?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08lPy1qFjL
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFg0trpG4Z
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzokH29xYyP
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOI4NLHphv3
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAPjmAcZqy
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5S07z0VF7
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZAjFv3P3G
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKYciCBsEq
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-683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuveCa1cRL
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DnkPDBgXh
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.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc4lr4ttof
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMTPV75D0p
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6mgcXuKQC
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttEBI4P07F
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ750EfJWLb3
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWC5slKCZX
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qbJxdtPon
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJG7VnAvHv
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU054bpKXDA
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBtQRfqAIu
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH93x2o4mp
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZx6w8RctE
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrrrOhyUMt
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlcfhJ44YV
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5cmI1mBKd
She hadn’t done any homework.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jOnJZzOWB
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILEs7k884n
“Are you okay?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh96cR0sT7P
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43iIpOtRJu
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtohk16H1M
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNz1i4U0izr
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxp4JQLRy1
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2C1IoKkhCQ
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCErTLga84r
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUMJc0iNEp
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiNzyc6sjH
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxs34V1tZd
“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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREO8VpxqRi
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKZV5FRyp8
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfHvPRu7C8
“But I can-”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQ6rPUrrgu
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1elVnMHRRY
“But you just said it’s not my-”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3NLRq7r0q
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIzr0e7nam
“What’s going on with y-”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXTDNBjdVh
“I like someone else!” 683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioDFZln0x3
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AmWrJeqbo
“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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCFDkTLljg
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4vZ3CTOWJ
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQccvPTjn9y
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdR8X08ercE
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu3PDGH5z7
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AJlZgrp2Y
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlH0ydieiV
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcsGu3LzT3
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9MxbF9sG1
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.683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FKi3PpfOs
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.
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