Chapter 48: Secret Room

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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“The library… i-it’s just me there.”

Her expression says it all.

She must've struggled to get those words out.

“You can come in if you want.”

“…Really?”

She nods, her head bobbing slightly.

As I said earlier, the library isn't supposed to be open at this time.

…Really?

---

“Is it… really okay for me to be here?”

“….”

She opens the secret door to the library (it's behind the reception desk), revealing a small room about the size of five tatami mats.

And right in front of me, there's a sofa.

It's about the length of my height.

And what's this used for?

Sleeping, of course.

“Go… go ahead.”

“…Is it really okay?”

How many times am I going to say that?

If this were a running joke, I'd be choking on how many times I've repeated it by now.

…Is it really okay? (Now we're at five times.)

“You said you didn't sleep… so…”

“For real? Thanks…”

I lie down. Heaven was right here.

This isn't just luck—it's like the universe just dropped a bed from the sky for me (a miracle).

“I'll wake you… when it's time.”

“Please do…”

…Sleeping at school gives me an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Even so, I couldn't sleep on the train, so I quickly succumb to drowsiness.

It feels like I'm doing something pretty risky, but her kindness washes away any resistance I have—

---

“…I slept so well (feeling refreshed).”

I glance at the clock—it's already 8 a.m.

It seems I'd been sleeping on that sofa for about an hour.

Homeroom starts at 8:30, so… the timing couldn't be better.

In fact, no teachers came by during that time either.

Though I guess she wouldn't have brought me here if there was any risk of that.

Who'd they think is the suspicious character anyway?

“Where's Momiji—”

She's gone.

She's probably at the front desk, managing the book lending.

If I remember right, the library opens at 8 a.m.

Since I've got some time, I'll do some cleaning to show my thanks.

There's a lot of stuff lying around anyway.

“Alright, let's do this! (I've got plenty of energy now).”

I don't want to move anything important, so I just pick up papers and trash scattered on the floor and throw them away.

Then I put the loose record sheets back in their files, tidying things up a bit.

Finally, I get an idea and start writing a note when—

“—!”

“Oh, good morning.”

As I'm busying myself, she opens the door and appears.

“Ah…”

She looks surprised.

Well, I did just sleep in front of her.

“…”

“Hm?”

Momiji looks down, pointing a finger in my direction.

No, she's pointing at… my head? My hair?

I'm not sure what she means.

Then, she quickly hands me the note she wrote.

“You have bedhead.”

“Oh.”

I reach up and feel my hair—it's sticking up in places.

How embarrassing…

This isn't bedhead, it's a rainbow sensor! (That makes no sense.)

“…Heh.”

She stifles a small laugh.

It's the first time I've seen Momiji laugh. She's like a small animal—adorable (getting arrested now).

“That couch was way too comfortable.”

“Glad to hear that.”

“I didn't know this kind of place even existed.”

“Only library committee members like me come here.”

“I'm not a library committee member, though.”

“That's… a special exception.”

We converse—me with my voice, her with paper. To an outsider, we probably look pretty strange.

But this method must be easier for her. Either way, I feel bad about wasting paper.

Well, it's her paper, so I won't say anything. Though, instead of paper… no, it doesn't feel right to give her that now.

…Honestly though.

This is kinda fun.

It's a bit like chatting on a forum, though not anonymous this time.

I'm actually talking to someone, a classmate, first thing in the morning.

This practically makes me a social butterfly, right? (Delusions intensifying.)

“Feel free to come back anytime.”

“…Isn't that kind of risky?”

“It might be.”

“Haha, well, that means it definitely is.”

“…Kukuku.”

She laughed this time, not just on paper.

Well, it'd be confusing if she wrote “(laugh)” on a memo (laugh).

If she wrote “(wry smile),” I'd probably die (RIP).

Her laughter is simply adorable and makes me flustered.

It’s bad for my heart, really bad.

Introverts are weak against women's smiles (according to the Introvert Alliance).

“Ah! I feel so refreshed and full of energy after sleeping.”

“!”

“I've been worrying about a lot of things, but I've cleared my head. I'm going to properly talk to that ‘friend’ I mentioned this morning. I'll face them head-on!”

“—”

It seems like she reacted a bit, maybe startled.

She wrote one memo.

And after thinking a bit more, she wrote another.

— “Good luck.”

“…Thank you.”

I took the memo into my hands.

Her kindness almost made me tear up.

I didn't know she could be so kind. Who said she was similar to me (←)? There's a world of difference. She's so kind, it almost feels like a trick (or something?).

She let me sleep and even gave me a push forward.

I want to give her some good news. That's what I think.

“I'll do a bit of work before heading to the classroom. You can go ahead. The exit is over there.”

“Got it. Really, thank you.”

Ahead of me is the secret door (the second one).

It seems that if I go through it, I'll end up in the hallway. So that door was connected here.

“…See you later.”

“！ See you in the classroom.”

It's refreshing to say goodbye in the morning.

With my heart feeling much lighter, I dashed out.

I put the message she gave me into my pocket and headed toward the classroom.

…Oh, by the way. Where did I put that thing I wanted to give Momiji?

Well, it's fine. I'll do it next time.

For now—I need to think about how to talk to Hatsune-san.

---

[Momiji Side]

In the now quiet office next to the library, the small girl remained with a single memo in her hand—sitting on the sofa.

The sofa seemed out of place, probably a teacher's personal item brought in.

This place is only for library committee members, so only they can sit on it.

But today, it was lent to the boy with rainbow hair.

“Ugh…”

Seeing him previously, with dark circles and a gloomy expression, she invited him without thinking.

Now, as she sits in the same spot, her cheeks flush red once more.

Surrounded by his scent, reminiscent of a grand tree, she closes her eyes and recalls.

[— “Thank you for listening” —]

[— “Thank you, Momiji” —]

[— “Got it. Really, thank you” —]

Her heart warms gently.

His voice and his expression.

Just recalling them fills her heart.

But she wishes for—

“…”

The memo still clutched in her hand.

Beautifully written with the following message:

— “Would you be willing to be friends with me too?”

It seems that this message unfortunately wasn't delivered.

He's likely to get along with the “friend” he mentioned and eventually drift away from her.

She's trapped in such negative thoughts.

“Ugh…”

She looks down.

But then, her gaze falls on a piece of paper that had fallen on the floor.

[Here's my LINE ID.]

“Eh…?”

She picks it up and finds a string of English letters along with the message.

She turns on her unfamiliar smartphone and opens the app where she had only friends and family registered.

Then she inputs the ID.

In no time—

[Friends List]

[Hajime Toumachi]

The contact is added.

— Ping!

A notification sound.

“—!!”

[Nice to meet you. Did you happen to drop a memo?]

[I thought it'd be a shame if we couldn't talk if the paper was lost, so I thought using LINE might be good.]

[…Oh, if it's creepy, feel free to delete it. Sorry for the multiple messages (I know it's late).]

A message arrives almost immediately.

(…Toumachi-kun)