Intertwined Paths | Shin Soukoku | BSD AU

II

Chapter two: Strange Encounters
The library
(Continued from last chapter)
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Shaking off my thoughts and releasing I had stopped walking, I started making my way through the streets of Yokohama. On the way home, I decided to stop by a small library. The librarian working there was a friend of mine, so I decided to stop and pay a visit.

Taking in a deep breath, I entered the library, my eyes instantly falling on the librarian there. The woman behind the desk had crimson hair, like autumn leaves caught in perpetual sunlight, dancing with the fiery passion of dawn, much like her personality.
It was styled into two braids with a white flower hair piece on the left. Her bangs were choppy, just like mine, though I doubt it was due to abuse or anything. Maybe she just liked doing her hair like that. Who was I to tell her no?

Her eyes were a striking green, just like how a gemstone of opal would look sitting on someone's ring finger as a reminder of their eternal love.

I made my way over to the desk and stood before her.

“Oh, it's you. What do you want this time?” She asked me, resting her cheek in her palm, pretending like she was annoyed. I sighed.

Great…here we go again…

“Ah..well…”

I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feeling embarrassed for some reason.

“…Actually…my friend recommended me a book. So, I was wondering if you guys had it…”

A lie. A complete lie.

“So…um…”

There it is. My good for nothing personality shining through the way I spoke. I internally cursed at myself.

“Well you see...”
She smiled at me, though I could tell that it was definitely sarcastic.

“I can't tell you if you don't tell me the name, you dumbass!”

“Oh! Right! Right!”

I gave her a sheepish smile, at which she scoffed.

I internally cursed at myself again. How could I be so stupid?! I can't believe I expected her to answer me when I didn't even tell her the name of the book. I took in a deep breath as I tried not to have a mental breakdown over something so minute.

“I should really stop being so weak…”

I thought to myself before quickly snapping out of it when Lucy spoke.

Well? I'm still waiting.”

Right.

“Ah, yeah… the name of the book…it was ‘Beyond the Event Horizon’. Can you please tell me whether you guys have it?”

“..’Beyond the Event Horizon’..? Wait, let me check.”

Lucy typed something into her computer as I waited for an answer. After a few minutes, she spoke again.

“Yeah… we have it…it's in the mystery section. Should probably be on the top shelf."

“Thanks, Lucy.”

I gave her a warm smile, at which she rolled her eyes.

“Don't get too ahead of yourself, this is just my job.”

She said, her tone so sharp that it could easily stab right through me. Though I swear I could see a faint smile on her lips, even if it were for just a second.

I made my way through the library and to the mystery section, scanning all the shelves for the book. I had seen it on social media while I was scrolling mindlessly during lunch.

“It's not here either…”

I thought out loud, scanning the middle shelf. I had already looked everywhere on the top shelf, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe she made a mistake or something...?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair in disappointment. But then, my eyes caught sight of something. There was a gap between the rows of books on the top shelf, large enough to fit another book.

"Wait, maybe someone else is checking it out or something..."

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw a pale hand reach over and put a book in the empty spot of the top shelf. It was the book I had been looking for, Beyond the Event Horizon!

I turned around to see the owner of the hand, only to be met with a pair of dull grey eyes.