IA let go abruptly. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate of me.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr13afokx6
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkhROHqGTz
IA tapped her fingers rapidly against the steering wheel. She looked down at her lap with drooping eyes and sighed.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwiUdwU2Np
“Are you okay?” Yukari asked.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyyB8KXmnJ
IA’s eyes grew and she lifted her head, putting on a smile.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoABMiYfaH9
“Of course I am. You’re here, aren’t you?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgng7V0cv3
This comment sent the warmth from Yukari’s skin to her heart. She smiled and turned her head, covering her mouth.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe0kjbXAon
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYYW5TfjYZ
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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6GF0IwsOy
Yukari’s smile grew bigger.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C4xxyEaH9
At the apartment, IA wiggled her fingers for a while before taking a book off her shelf.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaGVKfjNhE
She immediately returned it to the shelf. Then she took it out again.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqtnk8gI6q
“Okay, this one’s… Don’t judge me.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtj9aYCrLUj
She handed it to Yukari while turning her head with her closed eyes scrunched up.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqC1Itwqen
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvl8I7kX69
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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiwWF4rN3t
Yukari’s chest began to hurt from her heart pounding too hard. She nodded and held the book against her chest.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgu3HjwdF7
“I’ll give it a go. I’m eighteen, so I think I can handle it.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZit2trO0h
“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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYLZ4kljPR
“I said it’s fine.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApwkccDh8u
The two fell silent, just standing there and looking away from each other. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7BOKI3o1Q
IA gulped loudly. “Okay. I hope you enjoy reading it.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUByUDeolZ
Yukari nodded and bowed before leaving the apartment. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMt2cCOVmo
As she headed home she passed Roro’s house and frowned. Her own eyebrows furrowed with guilt, but she continued walking.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI4VR1567u
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡre2QrlsRZq
‘Would it be wrong for her to date me?’597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJVAnpW7mF
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. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi7YLYlY0u
She remembered what IA said.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwAogMM7OI
"That was inappropriate of me.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TXcyAlLOt
Yukari sighed as Roro’s face popped into her head. Was that breakup all for nothing? 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89fZ8PcjZ0
She shook her head. He wouldn’t deserve to be led on like that. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouYpoCVxhz
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. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MCAj54aJX
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m0IJn18U2
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1PFiXynTF
As soon as she woke up, she read some more before her mother yelled at her to have breakfast and go to school.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlBTCs9kuS
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. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWnkAsmPJ2
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. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIfDs6D7NX
She managed to get near the end. She was so close, and the answer to the mystery was only a few pages away-597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZJpOTD36B
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92CSZ6f6qu
“Show me what you’ve got.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMp0klNoqUQ
Yukari groaned but complied, her hands shaking as she held the book up. The teacher raised an eyebrow. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkM9vsmNMX
“Come with me to the Principal’s office.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fuk6lH9sN
“I-It’s not what you think! It’s a mystery novel!”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vwf2c4Syi
“Nice try.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwDtRxOVx6
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRdXBwT6Ij
“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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YU3PtgIkA
Yukari cried, “They don’t know! Please don’t tell them!”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LwQljDNKI
The Principal shook his head. “This is very concerning. Now, where did you get this book?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIamaOOlULo
“That’s…” IA’s pearly white smile jumped into her mind. “I bought it.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFVuXHk1oM
“And you brought this book here because…”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SfDiPIiPZ
Yukari turned her head and scrunched up her eyes. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PRWju8di5
“I wanted to get answers to the mystery in the book. It’s a murder mystery. Look at the magnifying glass on the cover.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonxLpAn7No
The Principal stared at the cover, trying to keep himself from smiling.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrSfF2T8r8
“I’ll have to confiscate this.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNEN1lGLPx
“For how long?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQAwQthH6S
“I don’t think a girl like you should be reading something like this.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgf8jrxNda
“But… please…. I’m really sorry. I won’t bring it in again.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppfYF1luxz
“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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fsR1PVxUk
Yukari bowed and left. She headed to the library, finishing her food on the way.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIpukmGPc3
“IA, can I talk to you about the book?” 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDj8GJH9qA2
IA nodded, leading her to the librarian’s office. Yukari took a deep breath and bowed again.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqAuydWxLC
“I’m really sorry.” She explained what happened.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0FihyeykJ
IA’s eyebrows were furrowed as she rubbed the back of her neck.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzpQGs0pp2
“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. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57YQ526P7a
Yukari raised a trembling hand up to IA’s cheek.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsX11m5wbq
“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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZU15oeFKv
IA turned away and took a book off the shelf, her breaths ragged. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWhj1Pd0Gy
“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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccjVZmyOJ6
“I like you. Could we maybe, I don’t know, go out for coffee sometime?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbX5CAymjo
IA dropped the book and whipped her head around.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq1UnaZgPi
“Could you… repeat that?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI6SxmIjNr
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?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp24PrtzaK
IA grinned and giggled, her eyes welling up with tears. She wrapped her arms around Yukari and started to cry on her shoulder.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0bcUiO8Mg
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7bkU2efZu
Yukari patted her head before stroking her hair.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNfReLg8Uf
“I-Is that a yes?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYc52cx3xEW
“It has to be secret, though. Are you sure you want to worry about keeping secrets?”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL6p8emmfO
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.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqChl6WJwN9
IA frowned and let go. “I… I guess. No one else, though. Not even your parents.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywaEsYQj0V
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzDgRtwkH0
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.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOmvKEIbL6
IA winked. “We have to keep this a secret, right? Don’t want to arouse suspicion around me taking you to my office.”597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2vWk1it7D
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.
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