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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2yrE4yuoC
Oh god, she waved at her.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnArdbabgsn
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. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHJOLnVHEv
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToWUo0v9QP
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. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdVWNi7nCF
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocX6V6JjMK
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDISyDCYU12
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzojEBvGaQL
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JQRc428fG
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KWxtovah2
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrqviPxoas
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkp7fi9SMp
“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.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIN0aKd7HN
“It is?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhB4wjPHVo
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwFVLRSBdw
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkfsqOAhxD
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhBDNUf0XP
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGViKQUV9dv
933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5No5EM2bL
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFw59gUHM8
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvk626jalh
She mentally kicked herself.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXDcXMtv4V
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?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShtwNMl1rh
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSZDwdCM3q
“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?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjl6f0LApy
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.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6pqerhHKI
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrYFRTDkJX
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVI4n4MM40
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAO76co9Yl
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyohiv3t61
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNRwIauBN3
“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.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4BHgzkLKt
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaorfnXVR8
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnPof6d8zi
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc7hZjHWzf
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHlRR8E5en
“What are you going to do?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmwrXtvtYj
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdUS6SCHwB
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOhW3zUA14
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NvYVUaA9a
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnzJXCvU3K
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDzG1sYYe1
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw22uEuRAx
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvTwsvV0mj
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-933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvMc0xvFRQ
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0CplQzXXd
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.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlP5vF3MTZ
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWQq5bbysQ
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EvX9flaFV
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaA5pmhWOh
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vdxT0A1Vg
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW65a29rCK
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnxjKxUA2h
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYoqhptE6r
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdTjYOZE2I
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOa1hITtl0O
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTLyTR5ZuD
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkZFpHJBJD
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgLFJFk9vG
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyGsEXlW6b
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXMRTP0m6E
She hadn’t done any homework.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1QdDpRPPq
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs4wYbUppJ
“Are you okay?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssj3puxxt0
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8kjlg6C0w
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Yyz7vqJYS
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDxvY5FpdN
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvXliy9wwj
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0T0TemaRkZ
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hR65paoYz
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEbnOV6G2j
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoOgeaXO2j
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib5nksDRzN
“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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiSlbeBX6n
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTG4lmtLJW
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuIgryNwG0
“But I can-”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0Xnlg0Gdv
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnYekLK2oH
“But you just said it’s not my-”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aSc7J7WET
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sXumrtWcs
“What’s going on with y-”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiraWHIcfR
“I like someone else!” 933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFbCIIbsnQ
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQR8fR6AEH
“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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpyMiw3jpS
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoOd5FUQBX
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7RLjBWP5C
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ342EFH333W
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlfhEaZcbQ
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnctIopvg1a
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSf0jCxEv6t
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnNnvoisv6
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApwYBSmU8e
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.933Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2BAZ50OZH
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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