Sumire and I wander around the school building once again.
This time, we are just walking around with no real destination. According to Sumire, her original choice was behind the gym earlier.
“Why is there nowhere to kiss at school?”
“Of course, there isn’t. What kind of place do you think this is?”
In the end, she started complaining.
She should have just done it in the restroom earlier, then. Seeing as she still has no intention of going back there, she apparently isn’t a fan of the restroom.
There were a few rooms that looked like empty classrooms in the special classroom building. But they were all locked and looked impossible to enter.
As we walked past them, Sumire tried opening doors and jiggling doorknobs like a total suspicious person.
“Hello~”
Yet, when she happened to pass by a teacher, she greeted them like a model student.
Following it up with a whispered “That was close~” comes as a set.
“Oh, the library…”
At the corner deep in the second floor, Sumire suddenly stopped walking.
If we keep going this way, it’s the library. If we turn, it’s the connecting hallway.
Sumire’s feet pointed straight ahead.
“Should we drop by for a bit?”
She had a somewhat implied tone to her voice.
There was not a single hint of wanting to suddenly read a book. I have a bad feeling about this.
The library was less crowded than I thought.
I have the impression that a lot of people study here after school, but during lunch break, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
There are a few students reading books at their tables.
They are scattered around sparsely, and there are plenty of empty seats.
There are no groups making a weird ruckus. The room inside was as quiet as could be.
Sumire looks around restlessly and walks into the bookshelf area.
Even deeper between the shelves. She stopped in a corner along the wall lined with heavy encyclopedias and field guides.
Sumire turned back to look at me with a naughty smile.
Her face practically said, “How about right here?” My bad feeling was spot on.
The shelves are as tall as our height, completely hiding us from view.
You definitely cannot see us from the counter where people are.
There is no sign of anyone in the nearby bookshelves either.
I had my doubts at first, but honestly, it really seems doable.
“…Are we doing it?”
I muttered in a voice that barely reached Sumire.
Sumire shifted her gaze to the left and right to check her surroundings, then closed the distance and whispered into my ear.
“…This is bad.”
“What is?”
“I’m getting nervous.”
Even though there is no one close by, sounds can still be heard.
Like the sound of pages turning. Or small whispering voices.
That kind of atmosphere is different from what she expected, apparently.
“…I mean, isn’t this bad? There are people over there, you know?”
“Did you just realize that now?”
Wasn’t she the one who came here knowing that?
Sumire, suddenly starting to fidget, pulled out a book close at hand and started flipping through the pages.
The cover features flashy phrases like “Amazing! Easy-to-Understand Love Psychology.”
“Are you going to check that out?”
“What? Did you come here to borrow books?”
“No, I thought maybe Aoi needs it.”
“That’s you, right?”
Borrowing a book like that feels like it has a pretty high hurdle to clear.
Sumire seems to be getting cold feet and trying to brush off the kiss.
“I mean, it looks totally doable though…”
When you see someone else panicking, it somehow makes you calm down instead.
Well, I’m not actually calm either, but I have some breathing room or maybe I’m still hung up on that “Aoi’s loss” comment from earlier.
“Come on, if we’re going to do it, hurry up.”
“Don’t rush me like that. Think about the mood more.”
“Should we open that book and hide behind it to do it?”
“What is that cliché thing they do in shoujo manga?”
Why is she knocking it when I went out of my way to suggest it? That is the exact definition of having a mood.
Sumire put the book back in its place, then brought her face close with a determined look, as if making up her mind.
“Are you not closing your eyes?”
When I asked, Sumire closed her eyes just as told.
But if the person doing it closes their eyes, won’t they not be able to see? Or does she think I am the one doing it? Wasn’t it Sumire’s turn this time?
This girl is definitely nervous.
She seems completely mixed up.
Sumire is waiting with her eyes closed. She is completely on the receiving end.
Still, trying to make me do it here is unfair.
I remember how much she teased me back in the restroom.
Suddenly getting an idea, I poked her lips with my index finger. Sumire’s shoulder gave a start.
“Ah, you just flinched~.”
Sumire’s eyes snapped open and she glared at me.
“What? Just returning the favor from earlier.”
When I answered, Sumire suddenly opened her mouth and popped my finger right inside.
“Ah!”
I let out a pretty loud voice. Oh no.
When I hurriedly pulled my finger back, Sumire made a “Shh” gesture. With a somewhat smug look on her face.
“You idiot.”
I gave Sumire’s head a light chop, then immediately did an about-face and headed back.
“Well, I guess this round is a tie?”
Sumire caught up to me and was saying something.
Tie or no tie, it’s just a nuisance behavior. Sorry for making noise.
I left the library, pulling my body inward slightly.