I hadn't even touched the book yet when I heard a familiar voice next to me:
"You came here too?"
I turned around.
It was Celestine.
She was standing not far from me, wearing an elaborate dress with lace trims and classic patterns, looking as if she had just stepped out of a European fashion magazine. Her light blonde hair was neatly tied back, and her sharp blue eyes were gazing at me with the calm expression she often wore.
"Yeah... I just came to check out some books," I replied, trying to keep my voice normal.
"I see," she nodded slightly and then glanced at the book I was about to pick up.
"Romance genre? I didn't think you'd like stuff like that."
I smiled faintly. "Sometimes you need a little inspiration for writing. Plus, it's just out of curiosity."
Celestine raised an eyebrow. "That's surprising. I thought you'd go for those dry detective novels."
"Well, sometimes it's one thing, sometimes it's another."
She gave a slight smirk and then looked around the bookstore.
"I come here every weekend. It's quiet, with few people, and the books are well-organized."
"Really? I didn't think you'd choose such a simple place."
"Not everything needs to be extravagant," she said indifferently. "I come to read, not to be looked at."
We exchanged a few more words, mostly about books, and occasionally about school. For some reason, even though she always seemed aloof, when Celestine talked about books, her voice softened, as if she allowed herself to relax a bit in the world of paper and ink.
I couldn't help but think that maybe everyone at this academy had their own little peaceful corner, one we had never seen before. Celestine was no exception.
After saying goodbye to Celestine, I left the bookstore, with a few vague ideas still floating in my mind. The sky had started to darken. I stopped by a nearby convenience store to pick up some miscellaneous items. To my surprise, as soon as I walked in, I spotted a familiar figure standing by the drink counter.
It was Shun.
I sure seemed to be running into a lot of people today. Even though the atmosphere between Shun and me had been a bit awkward yesterday, I wasn't planning on avoiding him. So I walked over and gave a small nod.
"Hey."
Shun turned, a little surprised to see me, but quickly smiled.
"Oh, Hiro. Are you here to buy something too?"
I nodded. "Yeah, just stocking up for a lazy Sunday."
My eyes briefly glanced at his outfit: a white shirt buttoned all the way up, black dress pants neatly pressed, his hair combed tidily, looking far more polished than yesterday.
"Changed your style?" I asked, half-joking. "You look like you're about to give a private lesson."
Shun laughed lightly, seeming unbothered. "Yeah, I thought I looked a bit sloppy yesterday. My mom nags me about my clothes, so I decided to dress up a bit today."
I nodded and chuckled along. The tension between us seemed to have faded, and the atmosphere felt much more relaxed than yesterday.
After leaving the convenience store, I headed home. The sky had turned dark. I ate a quick dinner and sat down to watch a variety show on TV, but my mind wasn't really focused.
As I absentmindedly watched the hosts on screen trying to make jokes, my phone buzzed.
It was a message from Sumire.
[Sumire: Sorry to bother you at this time. Tomorrow… if you're not busy, could you come over to my place for a bit? I need help moving a few things from my room. It's a bit hard to do it alone... ୧(＾〰＾)୨]
I stared at the message for a moment, a bit surprised. This was the first time Sumire had asked me for something so personal. And she was as polite and gentle as ever in her message.
I thought for a moment and quickly replied.
[Hiro: No problem. I'm free tomorrow. What time works for you?]
Her reply came almost immediately.
[Sumire: How about 10 AM? I'll prepare some tea. Thank you so much…]
I chuckled softly at the image of Sumire carefully preparing tea before asking someone to help her carry things. That was just like her.
---
The next morning, right on time, I arrived at Sumire's house. It was a small house located in a quiet area with trees rustling gently in the wind. I rang the doorbell, my heart beating lightly as I felt a bit nervous for some reason.
A moment later, the door opened.
Sumire stepped out wearing a simple yet neatly put-together outfit: a white long-sleeve shirt tucked neatly into a light blue A-line skirt that reached her knees. Her dark hair was still styled the same as usual, but today it looked particularly gentle. She looked both neat and unexpectedly cute.
"Sorry to trouble you..." She said, holding her shirt hem slightly, her voice as soft as usual.
"It's fine," I smiled. "Anyway, I'm free for the whole day today."
Sumire bowed her head slightly, then gently stepped aside to invite me in. I took off my shoes and followed her into the living room, which was bright, tidy, and smelled faintly of tea.
"Please wait for a bit, I'll brew the tea and then we can start..." She said, walking into the kitchen.
I sat down on the chair, glancing around the room. A bookshelf in the corner of the room was neatly arranged, filled with literary works and a few classic novels. There were a few small handmade items on the table, probably crafted by her.
Sumire returned with two steaming cups of tea, placing them gently on the table.
We started chatting, at first about trivial small talk, but gradually the conversation became more natural. The atmosphere was so peaceful, a stark contrast to the usual bustle of school.
"By the way… is your sister not home?" I asked, noticing the house's quietness.
"Ah… my sister is out with a friend," Sumire replied, pouring tea for me with a small smile. "She'll be back in the evening."
I nodded, and then we both got up to start moving things. The room Sumire was organizing was a small room next door, which seemed to be a mix of a library and reading space.
She pointed to a large cardboard box. "Could you help me move these books downstairs... Be careful, some of them are heavy."
"I'm fine," I replied, a little confidently. But just as I was about to lift the box... crash! A pile of books unexpectedly fell off the top shelf next to me, nearly hitting my head.
"Ah! Sorry!" Sumire exclaimed, rushing over. "I forgot to mention that shelf is a bit loose..."
I chuckled. "I think these books just jumped down on their own."
"They're not at fault..." she bit her lip, looking a bit embarrassed. "It's my fault."
We both sat down to reorganize the books, and as I was doing so, I discovered a novel with a hand-drawn cover, quite old. "What's this?"
Sumire hesitated for a moment, then blushed slightly. "Um… that's a story I wrote back in middle school..."
I widened my eyes. "Really? Can I read it?"
"Noooo..." She grabbed the book and hid it behind her back. "I've never shown it to anyone..."
I chuckled. "Then let me be the first."
Sumire shot me a glare, but her eyes sparkled, as if hiding a small joy.
Later, when I was carrying a box of books outside, a handkerchief suddenly fell out of Sumire's shirt pocket. I picked it up and was about to hand it back when I saw the small embroidered words in the corner: "Sumire & Kaori – a dream to publish together."
I paused for a moment before handing it back to her. "This... looks like a keepsake."
Sumire took it, smiling softly. "Yeah… Kaori gave it to me. At that time, we dreamed of publishing a book together."
I was silent for a few seconds before softly saying, "I think… you can still make that happen."
Sumire's gaze lingered on me, gentle yet a bit surprised. "Thank you."
Things went on like this until near the evening, and we had finished by then. We worked, took breaks, drank tea, and talked about a few old books we found, so it wasn't too tiring. Even though it was a simple day, the atmosphere was incredibly pleasant.
When I placed the last box of books down, Sumire turned to look at me, hesitating a little.
"Would you… stay for dinner before you leave?"
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and shook my head lightly. "No need, I don't want to trouble you more."
She lowered her head, her voice soft again. "But… I'm really grateful for your help. I want to repay you..."
The last words were a little shaky, carrying a sadness she couldn't hide. Seeing that look in her eyes, I immediately changed my mind.
"...Alright. If you insist, I'll stay." I smiled a little. "But don't make anything too fancy."
Sumire looked up, and a smile began to bloom on her face. "Mm. I only planned to make something simple. Is there anything you don't like to eat?"
"I'm not picky," I said, then followed her to the kitchen.