The Librarian's Daughter (Ryuji Suguro x Reader)

10) SHE CONCEALS

𝒮𝐻𝐸 𝒞𝒪𝒩𝒞𝐸𝒜𝐿𝒮

It was an exhausting first month of public schooling for (Name). She wasn't fully used to the big piles of homework - or burdens like the other ones liked to call it - and the first 2 weeks she had a hard time concentrating with full potential. So much the more she was glad Ryuji helped her to keep up with the class as best as he could. She was really grateful for that.

It's a quiet weekend day and the timid girl sat in the library as usual. She'd already started to miss the moldy smell and the cool atmosphere every day in class and longed for the white marble walls to embrace her again, even with the bad memories she could link with that place. But she wouldn't, for her own sake. Rough working sounds halled through the rooms, so anyone who stepped into the Underground Library would immediately know the librarian's daughter was at work once again.

(Name) was not to deep in thought for this piece of art as she thought of all the things she experienced in the outside world so far. She smiled to herself as she cut away a piece of the linoleum print plate and continued thinking to herself.

"You must have had very good tutoring or else you wouldn't be able to understand this stuff so quickly, (Name)," Ryuji spoke with a small smile on his face as he put his finger on one of the many math exercises he and (Name) had solved so far. The girl chuckled shyly as she shook her head. "I'm not that good at math, Ryuji. You wouldn't have to help me if I could do it myself."

Said boy rolled his eyes at this answer and they began working in silence again, each of them noting down several equations.

The girl's smile grew a little bit bigger as she remembered them studying together not long ago. The boy was really kind to her.

In fact, it was the first time someone else than Lewin or her mother had genuinely been kind to her. So, it was such a shame she had to go into the attempt executor's chamber of darkness again.

✧ ✧* . . ✧ *✧ ✧

True Cross Academy's campus was not as full as on a normal week's day today, Bon noticed as he strolled over the green spaces, passing a fountain on his way. For a few nights his eyes laid wide open as he tried to finally come to a conclusion regarding his newest female friend. He wouldn't want to admit he's concerned for her (as he was still too pride to express his feelings fully at some point), but he also couldn't just sit and watch the girl become more exhausted from week to week.

Lewin's license that made Ryuji get access to the library got expanded recently as he made it clear he wouldn't neglect their friendship because of something bureaucratic like that. The guards didn't deign to look at the boy as he eyed the upper foyer with the same amazement as always. The architects working for the exorcism field truly are something.

Bon stepped into the familiar elevator and made his way down to the lower floors. To the lowest, to be exactly, since the elevator didn't go any further at this point. He cleared his throat as he walked towards his desired destination, the floating candles giving the library an even more eery feeling today as usual.

Since when had the atmosphere been so dark?

Bon swallowed the thick lump in his throat as he saw (Name)'s usual spot wasn't occupied today. That never occured.

Confused, he got closer to the table and inspected everything he saw on there. There was a linoleum print showing something like a lake, a tall silhouette hovering above that empty space in the lower area of the plate. Dark blue ink was splattered across the table and the girl's common chair was moved back.

'So she hasn't been gone for long', Ryuji thought as he eyed the utensils suspiciously. After staring at her empty seat for a few more seconds, he decided to search for her. 'Maybe she just got up to look for a certain book or something.'

Clatter. Clatter.

Suguro spun around and immediately went towards the sound of someone's shoes meeting the ground. He speeded up his pace as the footsteps came closer more and more, until-

... (Name) walked out of an unilluminated aisle of the back side of the library. Ryuji's eyes immediately widened at the sight of the girl - she looked even worse than usual (health speaking, that is) and under her askew bandages some spots of blood could be seen.

"(Name), what the hell happened to you?," Bon shouted as he run towards the girl. Taking her surprised reaction, she mustn't have noticed him before and stared at him in pure confusion. "Ryuji, what are you doing here?" She was speaking quieter than usual.

"What got you so injured?" The boy took hold of both her shoulders instinctively as if he were able to protect her from all harm by doing so. The female was very hesitant to answer until she pushed away one of his hands, shaking her head.

"There's no need for you to be concerned, oka-"

"I have every right to be concerned seeing you like that, (Name)." Ryuji almost hissed these words, anger filling his body. The girl in front of him furrowed her eyebrows. Is she afraid?

"Er, I...," she tried to look everywhere but him, "you don't have to be worried. It's a normal thing for me, really." She forced a smile. It was a really unpleasent sight, especially in this context.

Suguro retreated his other hand from her shoulder and stared at her in disbelief. His fists were shaking as he asked the next question. "What's a normal thing for you?"

(Name) sighed out loudly and it was clear she was very exhausted of whatever. "Look, I'm not feeling like... telling you right now, okay?" The tired emphasis she put on okay made Ryuji's body feel a strange wave of guilt. "I... I better get new bandages now." The girl passed Bon's frozen body and the sound of her retreating footsteps decreased more and more before she turned around for a last time.

"I'm sorry Ryuji, but I can't tell you. See you next week in school."

And with that, it was the first time someone different than this special girl was left in the library all alone and confused.