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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8CpWigf8n
Oh god, she waved at her.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczgidKeR0P
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. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXNSGwHxWT
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYJvC3mnIW
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. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz29CYvpqf
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsKwSDlrh5
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AY8LmgQF4
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTl0QFbgCRa
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmXilDSNo2
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjasVDptWBJ
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZAmZXg9MD
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcJscFP7Cf
“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.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFL6vhLCD4
“It is?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ANZvSqz5P
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8psSQHbprS
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Jee9iTbgN
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MAnI4Nekn
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtziYSV1oly
684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk9EHYqhn6
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczi4MoI60m
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufm6pplEQb
She mentally kicked herself.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHINK2LfDd
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?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2i1ThRbNHM
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfsQ5e8jG6
“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?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FYkeK8L6w
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.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDE0SgUe3P
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLll30KAe0m
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4myfOE2Pln
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWlUbY8mVx
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoneKMWqXKZ
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ARqFFFkIn
“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.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z5HpQINoe
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm3q9I4Ciw
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5kqirEU6h
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM99P5746av
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsDoIdPnvZ
“What are you going to do?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeoybjXNHA
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGxvL3ZtAj
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFph6GUiq6
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5lwwFzekx
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8suqOrEYx
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6dfa5DlLa
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsWxCy7TrK
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd8QiBoQoC
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-684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9xmm8mylv
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8JUN2z2So
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.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlHtJgYDV6
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZ7PiAdjvK
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCQLI5krwo
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNhWI0TFtY
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdktIA7mFG
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4Z8Cm1beN
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rT7nbR6YN
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSndNpDC4Q
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4DLHAJfcV
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EAwGqXTNY
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVpUVbqrJM
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9RCsNwKYz
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFJgA5UQpX
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhBgRFmePk
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NkIkZctdI
She hadn’t done any homework.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYdlDHBEyj
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUdfZPXS0T
“Are you okay?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qTG7SVlr1
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtzX9y3nxF
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxX4ywwETMf
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg4sHg6S2y
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDXkWFItEQ
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoKLzhDMuw
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTucPtKU28A
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnavPu4dlJg
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehCtWICAak
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWlBMCtTq8
“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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy5rxW9liI
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLW4LfUVohh
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazhZ4GYbQK
“But I can-”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9l1aUwyNC
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPAWtykMl7
“But you just said it’s not my-”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5smWdreDdM
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrguevIoGX
“What’s going on with y-”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRDHmgyOc5
“I like someone else!” 684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIyFbl2OGg
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJmMVC7ZBt
“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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgJsybXDia
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUwXK6ALsZ
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohd7uGdqLy
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtm6BNPcAb1
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6m7x747aW
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC7qkkF6Df
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuB1nEk6do
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrLf7jVvZL
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnaHgRva1N
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.684Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLZADuSm88
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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