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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvZUQ5MdsT
Oh god, she waved at her.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDkgJMP0Aq
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. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFC2sGCwoo
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhu7NdRjpy
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. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpM0BovmwEn
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYtA8U7TkB
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TRLL0P2Me
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95ps3LLfdN
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQeFu1YUMz
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjExDfVcOUC
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrW6vecrjI
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnXVnJVb9v
“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.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueyz5M9DVj
“It is?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSIlWbt65y
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjfkFaaMTY
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoBXImjsfN
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5A6DLxhwc
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUo0UFE73Z
719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tw2L48nGE
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BPORsmgld
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4o1TL5N2W
She mentally kicked herself.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIsX7NEavr
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?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNJ5SEFbpg
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy2FyMGyaw
“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?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhcnn6sfT4
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.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMj5tydeGTw
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW3bpFmGsk
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55t16S2DMO
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeXBQ3VWlD
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEO7DQLYgr
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ7khENso7
“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.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsDjybzhXJ
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEdopf4N3F
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHRj7MpnzT
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8YUXTvt4J
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcZjmQtpiO
“What are you going to do?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7wKJ42ms2
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspndIOzUZh
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb370p1tx2
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc535jlGTnn
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJAx6o20PW
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDNFuc6x9x
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOujfpDzvVC
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrqphf5ZBd
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-719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvKy4ncxok
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6pZsriDNV
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.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfywVLojcS
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowZJ1ywae5
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57K5obh8oY
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHZQnmIWYe
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZy0S34sSmy
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW02KQEo8i1
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeYsyxefy8
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVCOQxPwxp
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrjJwqhvPc
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14VhdOWpaM
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZWqffzCYL
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0cCpcrshA
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83fSwXKsBJ
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4en8wXvnc
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA93uOBPuv
She hadn’t done any homework.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLn2rALL8AY
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK87JOupfH7
“Are you okay?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5QTv7p6hX
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQOeImJHu8
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d5SbAoOtS
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsggI4dOp2B
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1urR9X3NcA
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkstmyQalP
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxreUC1MTKx
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0b29ouzhE
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeamzrJrFZX
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNN8vL4yEHb
“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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NuxowmGsW
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyEgD9l9KD
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhQYcDNxjA
“But I can-”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2ycvsBwMb
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lFYfvK3hN
“But you just said it’s not my-”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsArjA9e3c0
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GWJyAiC0w
“What’s going on with y-”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7yxWfUIio
“I like someone else!” 719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y94xkM8Gg
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy6m52siMx
“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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU2B7BtIlR
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMq4DoUDUY
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJGK60CkRO
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTsh9jZUMJ
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVMqaHPPGZ
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmctLvXqRJb
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fVKsU9tB0
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kaRrNG2QD
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD44bLCRhtm
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.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPCpRdPftF
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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