Yukari walked out of the library and placed the pile of books onto the desk.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjMdgLH4L1
“Thanks for your help, Miss Yuzuki,” IA said with a wink. Yukari gave her a deadpan stare, hoping no one noticed IA’s obvious facial gesture. IA wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to her. It was her number.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5oIzkgyfG
The school bell rang. Yukari bowed and headed to class.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q35P2UZPo
The class was boring, so she kept staring at Roro as if doing so would send him a telepathic message to stop ignoring her. It naturally didn’t work.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Msn7smVhH
When school finished, she waited outside the Principal’s office for her parents.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmg8QhF8vUM
Her father didn’t show up, but her mother stormed into the room and dug her nails into her arm as she grabbed it.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvMgdKjfW4
“What did you do? What did you do?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkBftfFcpV
Yukari said nothing, suddenly very interested in the patterns on the wooden floor. She tucked her lips in to prevent herself from crying.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61qgnlsRQI
“Speak to your mother. Are you listening to me?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZc570K3LL
Still nothing. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEav3KvHib7
Her mother sat down with a huff. She let go of Yukari, cleaned her glasses with her turtleneck and crossed her arms and legs, tapping the air with her foot.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2piX1fIom2
The Principal opened the door, tightening his loose tie and pushing his toupee into place, and welcomed the two in. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWWsmdIVdX
The book was open and a few pages had creases on the corners. Yukari couldn’t help but glare at the Principal.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ501GvyjQ4H
He shut the book and pushed it towards Yukari’s mother, who had one eyebrow up.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NB06797Q5
“Your daughter was caught reading this in school.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1zanUNl4v
Her mother looked at her, the book and finally the Principal.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgOBNcMTqV
“You must be joking. Why would my daughter bring something like this? She’s a good child.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNbUdOwEo7
The Principal shrugged. “Maybe you should ask your daughter.”
Yukari’s mother glared at her. Yukari bowed her head. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZenhxPoPZ
“I… I heard it was a good book and…”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFgSYfhS7p
Her mother turned her gaze from Yukari to the Principal.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8QsqyLCZu
“Will there be any punishment for this?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllvU1UoaSf
The Principal shook his head. “I hesitate to give a first-time offender a punishment aside from confiscation, so long as their parents are able to discipline them. I’ll leave it up to you for now.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZB5UBzksdm
Both Yukari and her mother stood up and bowed. As expected, Yukari’s mother dragged her out of the building and to the car. However, she didn’t start the car and simply sat, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She took off her glasses and stared into them as if an explanation would materialise in the lenses.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUx24OvyFOO
She spoke in a haunting quiet voice. “I’m glad you’re reading but I don’t understand what appeal that book would have to you. You’re not a… homosexual. I don’t know how you could look at a cover like that and decide that book’s worth your time.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJa6Ysx5gX
Yukari snivelled as tears started creeping out of her eyes. She rubbed her eyes but that only made the crying worse. Her mother grabbed her arm and pushed it down.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFLMZsE6WD
“Are you going to explain it to me?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEGkCrlo2n
Yukari cried louder. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it. I didn’t want you to know.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWEsW2jGkr
Her mother leaned backwards. “Know what? Are you trying to tell me… I don’t remember raising a homosexual. And what about your boyfriend? What’s his name?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgGf139rhE
“I’m not a ‘homosexual’. I’m… I-I’m… Oh God, I didn’t want to tell you this. I’m… bisexual. I… broke up with Roro because I...liked another girl.” She murmured the last part but her mother seemed to hear it.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgtUkmBaUr
He mother put her hands on the steering wheel with a tight grip. She licked her teeth with her mouth closed.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1Ms84TBIp
“Don’t go… telling other people, okay? I’m not against homosexuals but… it’s not exactly something you need to parade around. Does anyone else know?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEIpjEtwkx
“Roro.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuyisHDyTX
Her mother’s face went lily-white. “I see.” The two were silent on the way home. Yukari looked out the window, saw a speed limit sign and noticed how slow the car was moving. She almost missed the speed at which IA drove.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yA7KQXJtW
At home, Yukari lied down in bed and rubbed her runny nose. After getting some tissues, she took out her phone and the piece of paper.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8hOLnxBGw
She was about to name the contact number ‘IA’ but remembered what IA said.
“It has to be secret, though.”
619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNEzkZQC1S
It has to be secret.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKBVWClegQ
619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRnB2JMMOS
Secret.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89y73orfoX
She decided to name the contact ‘Ichiko’. She was the first girl she fell for and the name started with ‘I’.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8TUPPFCa7
She spent almost five minutes thinking of what her first message should be.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3gn4N3Ze6
Eventually, she settled on something simple.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bK7Dzmxkg
Hey, it’s Yukari. Can’t wait to see you.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRguUMwu0L
Yukari hugged her pillow to contain her giddiness. This feeling quickly gave way to worry. Did she sound too desperate?619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLXB4mJcr2
IA responded later that night.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAsH6PZQ7w
Hey, beautiful. Same here. Btw, I just bought ‘ANOTHER’ lesbian romance novel and so far it’s ‘AMAZING’. I’ll lend it to you when I’m done with it. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Jqo2FBzU1
Yukari chuckled at the way IA used quotation marks. The couple chatted about books until Yukari felt her eyelids start to get heavier.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TowMVroa5
As the next day appeared, Yukari stood by Roro’s desk while waiting for him to arrive. No one else had entered the classroom yet.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9Ob1ghlYh
When he did, he ignored her and sat down.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHnSI7B5oV
“Um… Roro, can we talk?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2npFipYHl0
“What’s there to talk about?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4vaNX1p85
Yukari put her hand on his shoulder. “I want to be friends. You know, like we used to be.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxRA1nKl89
Roro said nothing, circling a dent in his desk with his finger. Yukari bit the inside of her cheek in thought.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXkBck2gsb
“I’m really sorry. I just thought It would have hurt more if I led you on and pretended to still like you.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeuh3pE7pV
“You did lead me on, though. Do you know how it feels to know that someone you really like was thinking about someone else behind your back?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9ilDRLOU4
Yukari let go of him and looked at her hands as if they had blood on them.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTd3CytsWY
“I… didn’t think about it that way. Is there any way you can forgive me?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ661BLYkMlS
Roro rubbed his face up and down repeatedly from his cheek to the side of his eye. He looked at Yukari’s frown and felt his heart twist.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBuGUUp0Wl
“Let me think about it. Just give me some time to grieve.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8x1FvD3cu
Yukari gave him a soft smile before sitting in her own seat.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjABMDj7M0
When Yukari told IA after school about Roro, a grin on her face, IA’s own smile was tiny. Deep lines appeared between her eyebrows, which were close together.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv3ioshCly
“Oh. Good. Great. Congratulations. Wonderful.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rC7qvILpL
Yukari’s smile dropped but she didn’t question those words.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC240Zw9KQU
IA immediately snapped out of her mood and gave Yukari a hug. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNf278oFtV
“IA, remember…” Yukari hissed. IA let go and blushed.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMle1IRLee
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I just couldn’t wait to see you.” She raised her voice to her normal volume. “Help me out with these books.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTZ0CHqPas
Thankfully, IA didn’t wink this time. Yukari followed her into the office.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9IkiQEJ4B
IA grabbed her hand. “So what do you want to do after I close the library?” She brushed her hand with her thumb. Yukari looked at their intertwining fingers with pink cheeks. The corners of her mouth rose.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdLwwPSYlM
“Can we just hang out at your place? I like your apartment. It smells of books.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmhnfZKlhX
“Um… okay.” IA couldn’t help but giggle at the request. “We can watch TV. Uh, what time do you need to be back?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH5VHHdNFv
“If I’m home by 7, I should be fine.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJHDfzO2rT
IA looked at her watch and nodded. She moved her hand from Yukari’s hand to Yukari’s cheek, stroking it with her thumb. She only did this for a second before stepping back and pulling out several books for Yukari to carry.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9yPrLT47S
At IA’s apartment, the couple sat on the couch and watched a few episodes of a TV show. Yukari couldn’t tell what the show was about. She was too busy feeling her skin heat up when IA grabbed her hand and rested her head on her shoulder.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJ3HWixSnn
A large part of Yukari’s mind screamed, ‘Kiss me!’ She almost kissed IA herself but the rest of her mind was reminded of a rule she read in a magazine when she was around 10.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5uZHkrCBo
If you try to kiss on the first date, you’re likely to scare your date off.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUjjcKwLDU
As Yukari stared at the bookshelves rather than the television, a question popped into her head.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYXdLt627Z
“IA, what made you decide to be a librarian?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRsB0o0uDX
IA rolled her shoulders back as if she was using them to turn back time or at least remember her past.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaqkhHQiLb
“Well, I always wanted to own my own little bookshop. It would be called ‘Cloudrider Book Emporium’. You know, since reading books is like entering a dream world.” She laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. “I was a stupid kid. I wanted it to focus on fantasy and science fiction books since those take you to another world,”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ516CHgDM5G
“Why didn’t you?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tl5d246nL
“Do you really think I’m the kind of person who could handle a business? I chose the next best option, which was being a librarian. So, what do you want to do when you leave school?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHELIgRKVL
Yukari shrugged. She figured her parents would tell her which university they wanted her to attend. And what course she would study. And what job she would have.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQolfyTESr
“I’m sure a smart girl like you’ll be able to get a job you want,” IA said, nuzzling her head into Yukari’s shoulder.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDvNRSiqm8
“Well, I’m sure if you found the right assistant, you could make your business a reality. It sounds really cute.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZig9A3D3ZT
IA giggled again but, judging by her red cheeks, this was more out of embarrassment than amusement. Yukari tilted her head until it was touching IA’s. They watched the rest of the episode in comfortable silence.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18QfYCPctc
IA and Yukari made a routine out of this, watching television after school every day. Sometimes IA would put some popcorn in the microwave and put way too much salt in the bag. Whenever she did this, she would tell Yukari about her ideas for new popcorn flavours, ranging from steak to eggplant. Yukari always found herself laughing at each new idea.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5du0lLfAPP
Two weeks later, Roro shuffled up to Yukari. With a closed mouth he licked down the inside of his cheek for a second, his eyes not meeting hers. He then sighed.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJmkjZrziX
“Look, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. It would be nice to go back to how things were. Is it too late for us to be friends?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9V6oiiepWn
Yukari shook her head and reached to give him a big hug, almost pouncing on him. He stepped back in shock.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACWG3UqpEb
“Um, since when do you initiate a hug like that?” he asked in a voice that made it seem like he was about to laugh.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO8i9THxfZ
Yukari’s eyes became the size of records. IA’s response to the question about her speeding habit played through her mind.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DyTG04V34
She could come up with no reply for Roro. She just stood there, dumbfounded and with the colour pink splashed onto her cheeks.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnMAFGUaPG
Roro chuckled. “Geez, you see a ghost or something?” He noticed her cheeks. “Was it a sexy ghost?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN0LDfxQDf
Yukari snapped out of her surprised state and lightly slapped him on the arm. The two joked around until class started.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1AT1AyVIQ
A week later, Yukari brought Roro to the library, telling him about her new relationship along the way.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCUzsorTk2
Roro’s stance was a little tenser than before, but he put on a smile. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1nxB1mb6T
So did IA when Yukari introduced her to Roro. Her eyebrows were furrowed, but a smile was technically on her face.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBpTxVjvRo
“Um… nice to meet you, Mister Yuma.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1yN5EOiND
Yukari patted Roro’s back. “I need to find a book for class. I’ll be back.” She left the two, who stared at each other in silence. IA eventually dropped the smile.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxi7MSomS7
“So you’re the guy who made her cry, huh?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1mUivxCBt
Roro took a step back and averted her stone-cold gaze. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6X61BMroR
“You don’t think I cried too?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeTHGSzYv9
“Oh, I’m not saying you didn’t. It’s great that you finally came around and became her friend again.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36yzAMPPbK
Roro looked like he just ate a lemon. “Yes. I ‘finally’ did.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlEcMSEp1K
“Are you over her yet?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qu1qZ2rSl
“I… don’t see how that’s important.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraaRNz1ESA
IA saw Yukari turn around and wave. She put the smile back on.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JZHZTBPio
“Well, you seem like a nice guy. I’d hate for you to live with unrequited feelings. I know how that feels.” As she continued speaking, she took a few books from the returns box and slammed them on top of each other to create a stack. “Just… don’t do anything to make her cry again, okay? I’m sure you’re smart enough to not make the same mistake twice.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyuJFaG7qt
Roro finally allowed himself to look at her, and he did so with flames in his eyes. Their gazes were fierce enough to make it seem like there should be a spark of lightning worthy of scaring Zeus appearing between them.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnOMkbiltP
“Well, since you’re a librarian, I’m guessing you’re smart enough to learn from others’ mistakes.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVGYoEMIxR
Yukari headed back to them. Before she could greet them again, Roro stormed out of the library. Yukari looked at the IA, then the door, then IA again.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSt8sbBYP4
IA sat by her desk and began scanning students’ borrowed books, forgetting to muster up a smile. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes were narrow as they looked down.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwdtMhMt27
“I-IA?” was all Yukari could say. Who was this person in front of her?619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlAjNphsxH
IA was back to normal that night and every night for the next few weeks. One night, IA asked Yukari what her parents were like. It took a while for Yukari to figure out the answer.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L19AuCpRC
“Well, they’re the kind of parents who are around you when they want you to do well in school but don’t care about anything else so they leave you to do whatever you want outside of study time. I don’t really talk to them much.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3FKwRQyBu
IA instinctively gave her a hug. Yukari didn’t cry, but a big grin crept onto her face as she heard IA’s heartbeat speed up.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79sJMR2jUN
The two looked at each other and inched closer. IA caressed Yukari’s cheek.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qr7bVMSTm
“Can I… kiss you?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Q1Kik1lm2
Yukari nodded and closed her eyes. IA’s lips were as soft as feathers, almost tickling Yukari’s own lips.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe04N5BOL4F
The couple chuckled. “That was our first kiss, wasn’t it?” IA asked. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMUIcxv4M3
A later night, Yukari asked if they could hang out with Roro one day. IA nodded her head with creased eyes and the smile of a lemon sucker.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXxSlqMYH1
Roro grimaced at the offer but agreed to join them, and the three went to a park on a Sunday afternoon. IA brought a picnic basket and a blanket, or rather she bought a picnic basket and blanket for the occasion. Roro brought three store-bought bento boxes.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5jvxud3Pd
Together they chatted and ate like there was no animosity between them. However, when Yukari left the blanket to pat a dog, the glares returned.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfS9iCxexQU
“She’s changed since dating you,” Roro remarked.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiK4AHcNTH0
IA ripped the tail off a fried prawn. “Is that a bad thing?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5H9UT5ibE
“Not bad. Just… different.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEfTBBCzMs
Silence.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rwEwAOw63
Roro eventually continued. “You didn’t try to change her, did you?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLnnyYEm2V
IA dropped her prawn and curled her hands into fists.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq1o6ON1I0
“Why would I want to do that? She’s wonderful. As much as I’d like to grow alongside her, I still want the core of her to remain. A good relationship won’t completely alter you, only improve you.” She picked up her prawn again and took a bite. “But that’s something adults figure out, so it’s not surprising if you don’t know that yet,” she said with the food still in her mouth.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrQlOB36c4
Roro stood up. “If you’re so much more mature than me, then you’re clearly too mature for Yukari.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVAW6eI0Uo
IA stood up as well. “She’s certainly more mature than you. What’s your problem?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRA8ebMmUd
“What’s your problem?” Roro shouted.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFi45sKSYqC
Yukari ran back after hearing this. “What’s going on?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvixrkYxb0k
The other two ignored her. “Well sorry for thinking it’s a little strange that my girlfriend wants to spend time with both me and her ex!”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOy9RVsjAc
“Well sorry for being ‘mature’ enough to stay friends with people after a breakup!”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPxQVH1pq5
“So you can worm your way back into her heart.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDJKcmapNN
“You’re pathetic. Calm your tits before throwing around accusations!”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNawXZmd5T7
“Enough!” Yukari yelled. She turned to IA. “I thought you trusted me.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtKQi0A9kZ
IA gestured to Roro. “How can I trust you around this guy when I know you’re bisexual?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYL9xkmSZ9
That last word caused a few people in the park to stare at them, including a teacher from Yukari’s school. Yukari froze, her eyes wide and her mouth open.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKcKzZNFgn
She eventually closed her eyes as they started to spit out tear after tear. IA felt as if someone had grabbed her heart and treated it like playdough, but before she could apologise, Yukari picked up her handbag and ran away.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjSSOgGlMr
IA tried to apologise over text that night but Yukari refused to reply, instead choosing to cry into her pillow.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWpS18IRuM
The next day, the teacher from the park told IA that the Principal wanted to speak to her.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaZHwvWgz8
The Principal showed her security footage showing her taking Yukari to her car. She was told to pack her things. That night she ended up staining her pillow with tears as well.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj7znqBQiI
However, the image of Yukari’s smile made her feel bittersweet, which she considered an improvement over the soul-crushing sadness of the situation. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9jKrdJ2eP
She abruptly sat up. Yukari’s words played over and over.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4Ueb4Lnjo
“You could make your business a reality.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1x5MlrVaj
The next morning she headed to a bookstore and headed to the economics section.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnrFz0sBIo
Yukari still hung out with Roro, but it just wasn’t the same as before. The jokes started becoming less and less frequent. It remained this way until exams.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwtwkEziDp
Just before the final exams, IA spotted Roro heading home from school and stopped her car, rolling down the window a little.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BRDkUQ2Qg
“Mister Yuma, can I speak to you for a sec?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKm5GDGcFO
Roro continued walking for a bit and IA followed him. “Please. You deserve an apology.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7kul2Vscr
Roro stopped and glared at her. “And what about Yukari?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNFuhDJxnY
“I just haven’t built up the courage for that yet.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nXv1rP8fN
“So I’m supposed to be your guinea pig so you can know how to get her back on your side?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNU1XGGzUW
IA looked down at the concrete next to the car, her hand folded over the top of the remaining glass window. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6Mosky4g1
“I don’t think she’s going to be on my side. I don’t think she’s going to forgive me and even if she did, she probably won’t forget. If I can make myself say sorry and let her know how much I mean that apology, that’s enough.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAqUXoq6Vq
Roro saw IA’s expression and felt as if a hole in his heart has been patched up. He felt freed from some mysterious force as soon as he realised that he would not have worn that expression if he was in her shoes.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeqqcxWs8j
“So I noticed you’re not in the library anymore,” Roro said. “What happened?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEz7wYsOPw
“Oh, I’m making plans for a bookstore business I want to create.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWEYama8HO
“How’s that going for you?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOp4NZYo8D
IA laughed. “Not super great, to be honest. I really need some people to help me since I hardly know anything about budgeting or planning. I don’t have any employers. I want to make an international online store but my English is a little rusty.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfznH8iVivN
Roro stroked his chin. “Huh. Have you thought about hiring some people who are good at different languages?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseK29YeL4Z
IA rubbed the back of her neck. “I didn’t think to do that. Thanks for the tip. Um, goodbye, and once again I’m sorry.” She drove off. When Roro arrived home, instead of procrastinating like he expected to do he went straight into studying for the exams.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dGfWefrMQ
Graduation rolled around, and after the ceremony, Yukari and her parents passed a building available for lease. IA was standing in front of it and tapping her chin. When she saw Yukari she beamed at her.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcASvnB6Eej
“Yukari! Can I speak to you?”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6bonvhzWl
Yukari continued walking. Her mother asked her who it was and Yukari didn’t answer.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQtM5MZoG1
“I won’t ask for anything, I just think you deserve to hear me say sorry,” IA pleaded her.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTvPo9SvZx
Yukari stopped and turned around. She told her parents to wait there as she walked back to IA.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcunBsh1WBq
She crossed her arms. “I must say it was unexpected. That day it was like you were a completely different person.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNTiT3Yrjx
“It was the same me, just a crappy side of me. I was just…” IA began to tear up. “I was so scared that you’d leave me for someone else like you did to Roro.” She shook her head. “No, I shouldn’t give excuses. I was an insecure idiot and I ruined everything. I love you and someone who’s in love with someone shouldn’t treat the other person like that. So, um, goodbye. I hope you find someone wonderful who doesn’t have a terrible side to them.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7ScisJ3uP
Yukari rubbed her lips together in thought. IA waited patiently for Yukari to return to her parents. Yukari remembered a message she received before exams.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLCV3sprAc
The other day IA apologised to me. Has she said sorry to you yet? She said she was going to- Roro row your boat619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Bl4IKQdDL
She grabbed IA’s hand, causing her to stare at her like she’d grown a second head.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ar7gk7Chx
“I doubt anyone is perfect and has no terrible side to them. They just learn to keep it in check. Just… don’t use my sexuality as an insult ever again.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwhMACH5mZ
“Roger that. I’m such as idiot.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOj7wjZEnw
“I’ll… I’ll message you tonight. You have one more shot. No third strikes. I’m only giving you two.”619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxUtdLjyMN
IA nodded. “I look forward to redeeming myself.” She almost gave her a kiss but then she remembered that Yukari’s parents were standing there.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCPu2mME7j
Yukari managed to get into university and, with the permission of her parents, changed her course to Business. IA had told her about the bookstore and Yukari jumped at the idea.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKRnCFyEoR
Roro got a high score in English for the first time in a while and used that knowledge to help with the building of the bookstore website.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54csHIhlpM
IA still felt jealous whenever Yukari was hanging out with someone else, but she learned to control her feelings by reminding herself that Yukari loved her. The store took a while to gain customers, so IA was by herself a lot of the time and she used that time to reflect on her previous mistakes.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJvrt70GDg
About a month into Yukari’s first year at university, she introduced IA to her parents. They were a little worried until they saw the way IA’s eyes sparkled whenever she talked about their daughter.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNaLsx9qNm
After classes, Yukari helped out at the store, so sometimes it wasn’t just IA and the books. Sometimes it was her, the books and the adorable bookworm she fell in love with.
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