IA let go abruptly. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate of me.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FN5s9TVET
Yukari croaked, “It’s okay.” She felt as if her skin was on fire. She took a few deep breaths and wiped her tears away.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYcaM5MZ4e
IA tapped her fingers rapidly against the steering wheel. She looked down at her lap with drooping eyes and sighed.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG1ptLDITQ
“Are you okay?” Yukari asked.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHki7Ti5R4
IA’s eyes grew and she lifted her head, putting on a smile.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpi56wxcruu
“Of course I am. You’re here, aren’t you?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmxYIdY7iC
This comment sent the warmth from Yukari’s skin to her heart. She smiled and turned her head, covering her mouth.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXOu06TgCV
IA started the car and continued driving as if nothing had happened. Yukari had gotten used to the speed at which she drove by now, but she remained on the lookout for speed limit signs and reminded IA of them whenever they passed one. IA slowed down a bit.
"Please don’t be upset when I ask this, but why do you drive so quickly?” Yukari asked.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eCLspjYlG
IA chuckled. “I don’t know. I’m just always so excited to get to a different place that it kind of takes over me. If you weren’t here to bring me back to my senses, I don’t know what I’d do.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OcbBFdgth
Yukari’s smile grew bigger.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWJDqmqzTg
At the apartment, IA wiggled her fingers for a while before taking a book off her shelf.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnW0fOBh1J
She immediately returned it to the shelf. Then she took it out again.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5ZpH8Jto2
“Okay, this one’s… Don’t judge me.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbhAIN1exv
She handed it to Yukari while turning her head with her closed eyes scrunched up.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnD8x0eesoo
Yukari gulped. It was a pulp novel that appeared to be translated into Japanese. The cover had two women in lingerie, one brunette lying on a bed and the other, blonde, sitting behind her with a mischievous expression. In the corner of the room they were in was a table with a coat and a magnifying glass on it.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeqKO06bC7
IA’s cheeks turned red. “Don’t get the wrong idea! It’s more than just love scenes. I wouldn’t show it to you if it was just that since, you know, that would be kind of weird. It’s a really intriguing mystery and has an interesting romance between the detective…” She pointed to the brunette. “... and the femme fatale she suspects is the murderer.” She moved her finger to the blonde. “It’s surprisingly good for a pulp novel, but the cover makes it a bit of a guilty pleasure. It has some more mature scenes but they’re not that often.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSdRf62UjE
Yukari’s chest began to hurt from her heart pounding too hard. She nodded and held the book against her chest.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKa5eee64w
“I’ll give it a go. I’m eighteen, so I think I can handle it.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BMLJ950Bw
“Good.” IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as if she felt guilty about something. “If you feel uncomfortable reading it, you’re not obligated to read the rest. You can just return it to me and we can forget I ever lent it to you.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsjNfqxMbc
“I said it’s fine.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoG9lZYU8B
The two fell silent, just standing there and looking away from each other. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBTVIGvtbh
IA gulped loudly. “Okay. I hope you enjoy reading it.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmc8mpsuSR
Yukari nodded and bowed before leaving the apartment. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9OvMBSYnj
As she headed home she passed Roro’s house and frowned. Her own eyebrows furrowed with guilt, but she continued walking.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nA2Ig7FH0
When she finally made it home, she had dinner with her family. After that, she put her pyjamas on, lied down in bed and stared at her ceiling. One question tugged at her mind.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfo3p9JU71
‘Would it be wrong for her to date me?’562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFOcuZsfZg
There was no age issue, at least in terms of the law, as IA was twenty-two and she was eighteen, but Yukari was still a student at the school IA worked at. Then again, it wasn’t like IA was her teacher or anything like that. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfJEOIkKg4
She remembered what IA said.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjN3NfHmaL
"That was inappropriate of me.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eSRzq40UP
Yukari sighed as Roro’s face popped into her head. Was that breakup all for nothing? 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5XjlPS8pc
She shook her head. He wouldn’t deserve to be led on like that. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrJq6QoCTG
She opened the book and began reading it. Some parts of the novel were awkwardly worded, possibly as a result of a bad translation, but the mystery was as engaging as IA said it would be. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHhBQVOxsk
When Yukari made it to the first love scene, her entire body went hot. Clunky wording aside, the scene was undeniably attractive to her, and she pictured IA as the blonde girl on the cover as she read the scene. Eventually, she dropped the book and fantasised on her own, the scenario in her mind getting more and more explicit.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcifEz00l4
When she was done fantasising, she continued reading until Roro’s frightened face entered her mind, convincing her to do homework. After that, she read a bit more until she went to sleep, which was around 11 or 12. It took around half an hour for her to fully fall asleep as the mystery of the novel consumed her mind.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YzXIJPTJQ
As soon as she woke up, she read some more before her mother yelled at her to have breakfast and go to school.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0IKqqdiVi
She shoved the book in her school bag and did as her mother said. During class she kept getting distracted, trying to piece together the clues presented in the novel. She stared at Roro in the seat next to her. He looked back at her and frowned before turning his head and murmuring something she couldn’t hear. She felt her heart sink. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMgGJWJcYj
When lunch started, she took her food with her to the library, saw the ‘no food’ sign and ran outside. She sat under a bridge from the classrooms to the club rooms and opened the book. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sEFWdk2Sj
She managed to get near the end. She was so close, and the answer to the mystery was only a few pages away-562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYGKYFnoGT
And then a teacher walked up to her. He was tall and had eyebrows so thick it felt as if he could crush someone with them. She hid the book behind her back and the teacher scowled at her.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdQJujMYop
“Show me what you’ve got.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0gH8lV1Z3
Yukari groaned but complied, her hands shaking as she held the book up. The teacher raised an eyebrow. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNHlzg0D3K
“Come with me to the Principal’s office.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT2pij9AJg
“I-It’s not what you think! It’s a mystery novel!”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfKlFrlv9L
“Nice try.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3WK1034Xe
Yukari stood up, trying her best not to cry. She followed him to the Principal’s office, which was inhabited by a short man with a toupee. The teacher handed him the book and the Principal’s eyebrows jumped through the roof. Yukari lowered her head and bit her lip.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw9dUn9Vdx
“This is… I’ve never seen a girl bring this sort of material to school before. I’m going to have to call your parents.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55KBv5jLeu
Yukari cried, “They don’t know! Please don’t tell them!”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvyGDQXoQV
The Principal shook his head. “This is very concerning. Now, where did you get this book?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8wRKAthCK
“That’s…” IA’s pearly white smile jumped into her mind. “I bought it.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUvz5AmDTy
“And you brought this book here because…”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCFFCizOLO
Yukari turned her head and scrunched up her eyes. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NEgW90hv9
“I wanted to get answers to the mystery in the book. It’s a murder mystery. Look at the magnifying glass on the cover.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJE435gUzJ
The Principal stared at the cover, trying to keep himself from smiling.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91gmIlVFGn
“I’ll have to confiscate this.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguCUZQ2JME
“For how long?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGCjM17wPT
“I don’t think a girl like you should be reading something like this.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmw7VjsAMjD
“But… please…. I’m really sorry. I won’t bring it in again.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96Yg52DfBs
“Well, since this is your first offence, I guess I can give it back at the end of the week.” He ran his thumb against the cover. “Yes, a week should do. You’ll have learnt your lesson by then. I’m still going to have to call your parents. Come here after school for a meeting. And if you try to leave school before then, I think this book will look nice on my shelf.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKErZShCGTc
Yukari bowed and left. She headed to the library, finishing her food on the way.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPfD1dYmTT
“IA, can I talk to you about the book?” 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJonYinJI7
IA nodded, leading her to the librarian’s office. Yukari took a deep breath and bowed again.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2filUO4b4
“I’m really sorry.” She explained what happened.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTQJvXBrVT
IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as she rubbed the back of her neck.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBGxVe6CEY
“I… I see. The one who should really be sorry is me. Giving you that book… how inappropriate of me. Should I… stop giving you these books? I went too far. I knew this was a bad idea.” Yukari noticed that there were bags under IA’s eyes. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6O253jZUD8
Yukari raised a trembling hand up to IA’s cheek.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUZgNMlExI
“It’s okay. I… I don’t want to end the time we’ve spent together. I do hav something to tell you, though. Hopefully it won’t end… whatever it is we have.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwO9bdDOCB
IA turned away and took a book off the shelf, her breaths ragged. 562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0cDSCpKtI
“I know what you’re going to say.” She and Yukari spoke at the same time. “You’re straight and feel weirded out by me giving you these books.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsLoL19FUC
“I like you. Could we maybe, I don’t know, go out for coffee sometime?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlED60L7Si1
IA dropped the book and whipped her head around.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOlm5qsKGa
“Could you… repeat that?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZYT3V6J8f
Yukari’s cheeks went pink. “Well, I like you. You know that breakup with Roro? It was because I liked you more. You kind of made realise that I’m bisexual. I was thinking… maybe we could go out somewhere. I get it if you don’t want to! You probably want to keep your job. But we could keep it a secret if you want. But, you know, if you don’t want to… that’s cool… I’ll act cool as a cucumber. Cool as ice. Cool as… What am I saying?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FJT8cUGD2
IA grinned and giggled, her eyes welling up with tears. She wrapped her arms around Yukari and started to cry on her shoulder.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vUHY4ztdO
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRo3hdInkvf
Yukari patted her head before stroking her hair.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyAOWfCGUs
“I-Is that a yes?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4rVyzuzUw
“It has to be secret, though. Are you sure you want to worry about keeping secrets?”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYjeL4CTzN
Yukari chuckled. “So long as I don’t do anything as stupid as bringing a dirty book to school, I’ll be fine. By the way, please don’t spoil the ending. I didn’t get to finish it.” She released a short gasp. “Wait, can I tell Roro if he starts talking to me again? He already knows I like you and I know he won’t tell anyone.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvCGUajNWV
IA frowned and let go. “I… I guess. No one else, though. Not even your parents.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHwFf0opOf
Yukari eyes widened. “Oh god, my parents. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow since my parents are probably going to drag me home after this meeting. Thanks for reminding me.” Both her body and her voice shuddered as she shook her head like a dog trying to rid its fur of water after a bath.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikB9qkZXDc
IA took several books off the shelf and made a pile of them, giving them to Yukari, who stared at her with one eyebrow higher than the other.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQXdYV2sW4
IA winked. “We have to keep this a secret, right? Don’t want to arouse suspicion around me taking you to my office.”562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLXGnnEZR2
Yukari nodded with a smile. She turned towards the door and breathed slowly. She took a few moments to appreciate the moment she shared with IA before having to deal with her parents. For a few more seconds it was just her and the ghostlike librarian who became her girlfriend.
ns 15.158.61.17da2
