Wingman ⌠Cell Phone Novel⌡

library boy

⌠ 1 ⌡

But.

Maybe she's different.

If it's her...

"Hey, Sakai." Her voice cuts through my thoughts.

"You're that guy from the library, right?"

I finally look up.

She's peering into my eyes.

Or has she been staring this entire time?

She sounds cheerful, but her voice is still soft, measured.

"You... recognize me?" I say.

"Of course I do."

"I'm just surprised. Most people tell me I've got a forgettable face."

"Guess I'm not most people then, hm?"

Her small grin is almost infectious.

⌠ 2 ⌡

"You know, I was waiting for you to say something but I couldn't stand the silence anymore!"

"Ah, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a while."

"Is that how you usually are on a date? That's no good."

"You consider this a date?"

"What else would it be?! Look at those two up there."

I look ahead of us to where she's pointing.

Takeshi... that guy. Already, his arm around Sugawa.

"Even though I'm only here because Eri said she was nervous..." Akiyama grumbles.

"So, we were both forced to show up."

"Pretty much." 

"But..." She leans closer to me. "I'm glad I came anyway."

I feel my pulse quicken. She smells faintly of strawberries. "W-why say that?"

"Hmm," she says and leans away. 

She quickens her pace a bit, until I'm in her shadow.

"Do you really need a girl to spell it out for you? That's so mean."

"Look, I was just flustered, alright?" I speed up to match her pace.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Fine, I'll let it slide just this once." She laughs and turns around.

Her brown eyes locked on mine.

The deep sunset glow

highlighting her entire figure.

"Mr. Sakai, you know? I've been dying to talk to you."

"Um..."

"It's just- your books always looked so interesting!"

"Aren't they just boring?"

"No really. I even tried to sneak peeks when you weren't looking." 

"Why didn't you just ask me about them?"

"...Wow. For some reason I never thought of that."

Was she an airhead?

But...

I kind of understand her.

Those dreary afternoons

together

were almost like a 

peaceful dream.

A pocket of the world,

hidden from everything else.

Maybe she didn't want to break the illusion.

⌠ 3 ⌡

I smile and shake my head. 

"Well, I can't blame you. I was always curious about your books too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They always looked... Hm, is strange the right word?"

"Eh? What was that?"

"N-nothing."

"Right. It must have just been the wind," she says in a scary tone.

"Thank you for your leniency, ohime-sama."

The awkwardness has already been washed away like a new canvas

and our laughter rings through the spring air.

We'd fallen behind the other two, but I didn't notice at all.

It was the first time

I wanted the moment to last.

Or maybe that was just my delusion.

The sunset spreads like a fire in the sky.

No rainclouds on the horizon.

And we are walking,

side by side

rain girl
and
library boy.