The library was calm and still, the only sound being the rustle of pages and the occasional scratch of pen against paper. Afternoon light streamed through the tall windows, casting long, warm shadows across the rows of wooden shelves.
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji sat at a long table near the back, his eyes skimming the page of a world history textbook. Three of his classmates were seated around him—two boys —frantically scribbling notes and whispering questions.
"Ayanokoji, how do you keep all these dates in your head?" one boy asked.
"You just read," Kiyotaka said, flipping to another page. "And remember."
The boys groaned. "That's not helpful."
Kiyotaka offered no further comment. He didn't particularly care about helping others, but the request had been made politely—and with enough pressure that saying "no" would've stood out. He didn't want attention. Blending in required some cooperation.
Still, his eyes occasionally drifted—not toward the books, but toward the upper balcony that overlooked the main floor.
Someone else was there.
A familiar light-brown ponytail.
Kaoruko Waguri.
She was sitting with a younger student from the girls' campus, explaining something gently in a hushed voice. Her hands moved gracefully as she pointed to sections of the book, occasionally offering a reassuring smile.
She looked... calm.
Not flustered. Not teasing.
Just... herself.
Eventually, the student left, and Waguri remained, flipping through a book of her own.
Kiyotaka kept reading, but his mind wandered.
Twenty Minutes Later
His classmates had finally packed up, thanking him for the help before leaving. The table was quiet again. He closed his book with a soft thud, ready to return it.
As he turned the corner toward the return desk, he paused.
Waguri stood just a few feet away, sliding her book into a shelf. She hadn't noticed him yet.
He waited.
She glanced up—and blinked in surprise.
"Oh—Kiyotaka!"
He nodded slightly. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"I could say the same," she said, her voice gentle. "I was helping one of the first-years. You?"
"Got roped into a group study session."
She smiled. "Ah. You poor thing."
They stood in the aisle between shelves, the quiet of the library cocooning them. Outside the window, the light had turned softer, dipping toward golden hour.
Waguri looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. Her gaze wasn't playful this time. It was... still.
Then, without a word, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
A calm, soft hug.
Kiyotaka didn't move. His arms remained at his sides.
She didn't say anything.
There was no rush. No teasing. No performance.
Just stillness.
The warmth of her body. The softness of her breath near his collarbone. Her heartbeat—gentle, steady.
And time passed.
Ten seconds.
Thirty.
A full minute.
When she finally pulled back, she didn't look embarrassed. Just warm.
"I don't know why," she said softly, "but I just... wanted to."
Kiyotaka met her eyes. "You're not usually this calm."
"I'm not usually with someone who makes me feel safe like this."
His eyes didn't waver. But inside, something shifted—subtle, but undeniable.
"You didn't dislike it, did you?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
He shook his head slowly. "No. Just... unfamiliar."
Waguri smiled—small, content. "Then I'll help you get used to it."
She waved goodbye and walked off quietly, her footsteps soft against the floor.
Kiyotaka stood still in the aisle, one hand brushing lightly against where she'd hugged him. The warmth lingered, subtle but persistent.
That feeling again...
Connection.
A part of me wants to ignore it. Pretend it doesn't exist. But...
Maybe this is what change feels like.