CHAPTER FIVE – When girl meet book

As sunlight suddenly landed right on top of me, it became unbearable and I opened my eyes. And it`s the only thing existing in this empty room. I leave the empty classroom. Unconcerned, I went down the stairway. By the end of the corridor, I see a sliding door. It was the library.There`s a written note saying "Closed."But if you look closely, the door was a little open. I feel anxious for some reason.

I opened the sliding door and went inside. There were tall bookshelves and reading tables all lined up. There`s a little wind coming in, mixing the scent of paper and dust. The floating curtain is swaying back and forth as if it`s breathing. And over there at the window was a person`s shadow. Wearing child-like hair ornaments, a schoolgirl which seemed like the quiet type. The color of her badge is the same as mine, that of a third year. For some reason, she`s sitting on the floor.... is she feeling sick?

Moving closer, I realized that she`s reading a book with enthusiasm .Is she skipping class? And I thought Sunohara and I were the only people who won`t be found in a classroom in such a time. Without noticing me, the girl continued reading the book. Then, she stops on a page .It seems like she found something.For some odd reason, she took out a pair of scissors. Holding the edge of the page, she stops for some seconds. It looks like she`s thinking about something. And then...Snip, snip, snip.Without hesitation, she started cutting the book...

"Hey! Wait a second!" I rushed over to her without thinking.

"?" Her hand stops as she gazes up at my face. Somehow, the girl is barefooted. Her indoor shoes and socks are placed on the floor.And around her is a pouch handbag and tons ofbooks that seem to belong to her... If you look even further, you`ll see that sheeven had a cushion. She looks serious and calm, as if she`s at home, but it was kind of unbalanced.

"That`s a library book, right?"

"??"She thinks of something.Snip, snip, snip.

"Yes." She cuts anew the corner of the cut off page, she then presented it to me.

"The tip is delicious." She said that as though it was like sponge cake or roast pork.

"Do you eat this?" I ask while thrusting the piece of paper she cut out of the book in front of her.

"I don`t, it`s not mutton."

"That`s right."

"Do you want to eat paper?"

"I don`t want to eat paper either."

"You`re not hungry?"

"No, I`m about to become hungry."

"I`ve also become hungry."

"..."It seems I`m engaging to some conversation with her but, it feels like we`re slipping awayfrom the basics.

"Anyway... I don`t think you should cut pages out of school books." This is unlike me but I try to preach to her.

Snip, snip…. She`s not even listening...

"?"

"No, nothing, do what you like." She put the cut-off piece of the book on the floor. During that, I look at the books placed around her.

Written on the front of the thickest book is "Astrophysics ~The History and Prospects~" Even if I read that book, I probably wouldn`t get its meaning in one go. At least it`s something that would be inappropriate to this library, as they`re all high-priced technical books. If you look pretty closely, you`ll see the stamp "Prefectural Library Book Collection".

"..." Moreover, it wasn`t even a book from this school.

"Hey..." I scratched my head.

"Didn`t your parents tell you to take care of everyones` belongings when you where little?"

"??" She`s thinking of something again.She takes out something like a box from her pouch handbag and opens the lid.

"Boxed lunch."

"..."

"A very delicious boxed lunch." Not listening again...

"I made it myself. Today`s menu is egg roll in a soup, meat and potato stew with spinach and cooked beans. I`m especially confident in this one." She points inside the Tupperware.

"It certainly looks good..." I have a feeling that eating food is prohibited in the library. And to top that off, I also realized that lessons are still taking place.

"Won`t you eat?"

"No, that`s not what I mean..."

"It`s not clay today..."

"... do you usually eat boxed lunch madeof clay?"

"I don`t. I`ll get indigestion."

"Do you want to eat clay?"

"I don`t want to eat paper either."

"You`re not hungry?"

"No, I`m about to become hungry."

"I`ve also become hungry." I just realized that it seems our conversation doesn`t connect, and is in a loop.

"Wait a minute, you see I..."

"Won`t you eat?" She looks straight into my eyes and asks again.

"Won`t you eat...?" Her voice sounds somewhat lonely. The wind blowing from the window flutters her childlike hair. For some reason, I feel a little guilty, so I eat some.

"I guess I`ll take some." The girl nods as if she was relieved.

"Shall we eat then? Let`s eat." She joined her hands together and bows down.

"Say `Ahh.`"

"Ahh.... geh! As if I`d do such embarrassing things when we`ve only just met!"

"???" It seems she doesn`t have any idea what embarrassing is.

"Sigh..." I can feel that I`m not just an ordinary person in the distant lonely world of this girl.

"Well... But there is only one pair of chopsticks. What should we do..." I took a piece of meat out with my finger and put it inside my mouth. And chew it well. It was a little cold, but it`s really tasty. If she made this, then I can say that she`s really good at cooking.

"Oh..." She said something and looked at my face again.

"Is it delicious?"

"Well, kind of." She showed me a faint smile.

"Do you want to eat some more?" At that moment, the bell starting lunch break rings. Another fifteen minutes, and this place will also be full of students preparing for lessons. I shouldn`t take any more of her inadequate boxed lunch.

"Sorry for bothering you." I said only that while facing her.

"Well..." It seems she wants to say something, but I can see that she`s hesitating.

"See you again tomorrow." That`s the only thing I heard. I raised my left hand just over my shoulder, and then leave the library.