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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGw9L9lVY9
Oh god, she waved at her.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwIkWSCl5r
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. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafnkhaXbyU
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSZwauSZS1
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. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41f1KNTNU8
She looked down at the book in her hand and remembered the main character’s struggle to talk to the ghostlike woman.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD70lk81Wl
She turned around and lurched towards IA, debating whether to walk like she usually did or in a casual, breezy way.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5HCJOpSPI
IA smirked at her. “Do you like maths?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbN1nLpfwes
Yukari snorted like a horse. “Of course. I love me some numbers. Trig is seriously underrated. Yeah.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQapCi276z7
IA chuckled. “Calm down.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82B1WsbPtM
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPnwZSO4N6
“Did you like it?” IA asked. Yukari, still looking down, nodded. “Who was your favourite character?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3kfon6rsA
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84gnhV2kao
“It is?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uZ6xSbWkK
Yukari stepped back. She squinted her eyes at IA, who had her head tilted like a dog again.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIZbn5GrhN
“I’m Yuzuki Yukari. You… didn’t know?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLPOHmBbXx
IA stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry for not asking for your name earlier. I keep getting…distracted whenever we talk.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezNI5RQC8q
I keep getting distracted whenever we talk.
I keep getting distracted.
Distracted.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NBj6B18iV
678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEncu7GlotL
Yukari felt like something exploded in her head, sending a blast of heat that reached from her neck up to her ears.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGkQ1XG0qf
She coughed. “So, uh, books. Gotta love ‘em. And music… music’s pretty… dope. It’s like oxygen. Everyone needs it in their lives.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC0DKh96z7
She mentally kicked herself.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWvQ2cSE4q
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?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKawZo76zl
“I haven’t really listened to it. Why?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6z3UQqOAOZ
“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?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi439nnttLe
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5AOeWAuKe
Yukari bit her lip. “What’s my boyfriend got to do with it?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErksLgKh39
IA scratched the back of her ear and looked away, frowning. “Never mind.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFbWJcWKCu
“I’m fine with reading that sort of stuff. Recommend away.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSkIlpXgkD
IA beamed at Yukari, who, under her powerful gaze, started fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9qGDzIiY4
Yukari asked, “Do you like jazz?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCIOsHWf9Z
“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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpH4SWPK6n
The sky turned indigo and IA locked up the library, once again taking Yukari to her car. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3iXMYtvFj
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpcwd3ODM3
IA turned on a CD player in the room. The notes of a trombone and double bass filled the room.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgETD4uTrgw
“Do you have anywhere to be? Would you like to read here for a bit?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnWLKnLQzs
“What are you going to do?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ688GozAL1s
IA picked a book from one of the piles called ‘Club Majesty’. “This will do for me.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQTxv4U189
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnrbRsuMeM
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWXtjnSE1h
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97E487tO6y
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpxUxJATq8
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlFs73NO7F
IA said nothing, turning the page. It took her only half a minute before she turned the page again. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgFwpROvcH
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-678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LTuWBjBDt
IA turned the page. “Hey, it was just getting good,” Yukari blurted out. She held her head down. “Um… sorry.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPUOW6hzdE
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.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz76yxsoshV
Yukari smiled. She took a few moments to gain the courage to poke IA’s foot.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFD8rtjnmmk
IA kicked the air, cackling like a middle-aged woman after one too many glasses of Syrah. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU4aszY1Wt
She dropped her book and pounced on Yukari, tickling the underarms. This developed into a bonafide tickle match.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQQopa4IUL
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdshg5EuavD
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98kKphVQw5
IA’s eyes grew before she shut them and backed away.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF2rVGMYVl
“Um, sorry, I… uh… you should go back to… whatshisname… your boyfriend.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnUN0jT6B8
Yukari stood up and bowed. She grabbed her book and gave IA one last small smile before leaving the apartment.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi07i4cPje
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPwgo4RolO
Her phone buzzed and she frowned when she saw the message.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSB2V5AFtbe
How’re you doing, beautiful? Wanna hang out?- Roro row your boat678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eeOBGZUp6
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Zr5H8VhsM
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlinymGDceq
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr1jfVV8GA
She hadn’t done any homework.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BS6MRlwrZ
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dBCl7xDwc
“Are you okay?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVedIKEwWb
Yukari nodded and looked away from him.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVMsX2Rnwi
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSh3oKXOpK
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6z1bEaIwN5
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNp8w5dziI
After those three weeks, Roro took her aside after class and brought her to the empty music room.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE18GbYX4IG
He coughed an ‘ahem’. “Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you something. What the hell is going on with you?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclPYwTCK26
Yukari looked at the door behind her and stepped backwards but Roro grabbed her arm. His grip was gentle. 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB36W48lwHD
“Please… whatever’s going on, please let me know. Did I do something wrong?” Yukari gulped, saying nothing. “Please, just talk to me.” 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vISa3xNQY
Yukari rubbed her eyes with her forearm. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b9fxkMdZV
“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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA12AZN7XfW
Yukari took her arm away from her face and allowed tears to just fall down freely.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18M9bZMAS5
“It’s something I have to figure out on my own.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0WXRpwLbX
“But I can-”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozp9cJVek8
“Not when the problem’s got to do with you!”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pinE5FcBS
“But you just said it’s not my-”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYmtTiDmxG
“It’s my fault. If only I wasn’t so selfish.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGhCQoE6IV
“What’s going on with y-”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7DBdnrfpG
“I like someone else!” 678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC2U9OkQl4
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0rXnu6Lj3
“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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWtgmpmPRS
“It’s… a girl. You know the new librarian?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJliuY4hlW
Roro took his hand off her hair, recoiling from shock.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwUpwdZqrV
“Wait, so did you… I don’t know… pretend to like me so you don’t have to admit you like girls or something?”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgK4ti3JGky
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzBNj4plA9
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGuHnngHyF
“I… never pegged you for one of those girls. It doesn’t seem like the type of thing you’d be into.”678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewsQR6xy00
Yukari looked up and saw Roro silently leaving the room.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDBVzSnohG
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMquXDIUDIM
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.678Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZN0Fh5xTC
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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