Chapter 54: At the library with lovers

After much deliberation, I chose a simple, one-piece dress with subtle frills. I’d been torn between a skirt and blouse combination, but this seemed like the most practical option. And I didn’t want to wear the same outfit as our last outing.

I twirled in front of the mirror, the skirt flaring slightly. ‘…Not bad.’

But… it felt a bit… lacking. “Is it too plain…?”

But it was too warm for anything heavier. This was the best option among my lighter clothes.

And I hadn’t forgotten the makeup. ‘It’s a girl’s prerogative to want to look good.’

A sudden thought struck me. ‘…Am I… meeting Aya as a girl?’

But going out without makeup felt like… going out naked. It was a deeply ingrained feeling, a part of Rina’s identity. Even if I was just meeting a friend, going out barefaced was absolutely forbidden. Even now, with my past life’s memories still so strong, I could feel the strength of that prohibition within Rina.

I finished applying my makeup and stood before the mirror, fully dressed. There, on my vanity table, was the promise ring Aya had given me.

A silver ring with a small sapphire, its elegant design reminiscent of Aya. It wasn’t ostentatious, barely noticeable unless you looked closely, but…

Seeing it made my heart skip a beat.

“Ah…” I slipped it onto my ring finger. Wait… left hand or right hand? I quickly googled it.

‘Hieeeek?!’ Apparently, wearing it on the right hand meant you were single. I quickly switched it to my left hand and looked in the mirror again.

“Wow…” Cute. Adorable. Would Aya like me like this? Even from a girl’s perspective, I looked pretty good. From a boy’s perspective… well, I’d definitely ask for my number.

—Ding! A LINE message from Aya.

Rina: I’m leaving!
Aya: Okay. Where should we meet?
Rina: I’ll come to your house!
Aya: I’m already in front of your house.

Huh… what? I hurried outside, and there she was, Aya, in a flowing white dress, waving and smiling brightly.

It wasn’t the goddess dress she’d worn at the festival, but the one she’d worn that day under the cherry blossoms. And I… was speechless.

“…Aya.” She was beautiful. Her shimmering silver hair, her model-like height, her captivating blue eyes, her perfect features…

“You’re wearing a dress too, Rina?”

“Oh…!” We’d somehow chosen similar outfits. Aya, noticing this, tilted her head and smiled. “You look cute today, Rina.”

Her words made me blush. “N-No…! Y-You too…!”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing! Let’s go!” I said quickly, hurrying away to hide my embarrassment, and Aya chuckled, following me.

And so, we began our first date.

****

The early afternoon sun was warm as we walked side by side, following the shadows along the street, our destination undecided.

“Where do you want to go?” Aya asked.

I looked down at my feet, thinking. Now that we were actually on a date, I couldn’t think of anywhere to go.

‘…A date… it feels so surreal.’ I fidgeted with my cheek, trying to hide my awkwardness, then glanced at Aya. Her hair swayed gently in the breeze, her expression calm, but her gaze was focused on me.

‘Ugh… this is… nice.’ Normally, I’d be blushing furiously, covering my cheeks with my hands. But perhaps I was getting used to being around Aya. My hand instinctively reached for hers.

‘It’s okay to be proactive. Aya was the one who confessed!’ I gently took her hand in mine. She seemed surprised for a moment, then returned the gesture, her hand warm and comforting.

Perhaps because I was walking on her left… I could feel the ring on her left ring finger against my hand.

“Aya…”

“Yes…”

“I’m wearing the ring too.”

“Really? Good.” She smiled, unable to hide her happiness, and her smile… it made my heart flutter.

We walked hand in hand, past Ōizumi, towards our usual route to school.

“Wait, aren’t we walking towards school?” I asked.

“…We are,” Aya replied, her voice soft. “It feels… strange.”

Even though we were walking towards school, it felt different today. And then, it hit me.

‘Midterms are… soon, aren’t they?’ The sudden weight of reality made me sigh. The festival was still ongoing, but it would be over soon, and midterms were fast approaching. I glanced at Aya. “Midterms are soon, right?”

Aya nodded. “Yes.” Her response was calm, peaceful, a stark contrast to my own anxiety.

‘Aya studies consistently, so she doesn’t need to worry…’

I hesitated, then said, “…I need to study.”

Aya looked at me, a thoughtful expression on her face, then said, “Want to go to the library together?”

“…With you?”

She nodded. “It might be easier to focus together, and… less stressful for you.”

I clenched my left hand, feeling the promise ring on my finger. It still felt a little strange, unfamiliar. Would it feel more natural over time?

‘A library date with Aya…’

Normally, it would just be a study session. But today… it was different. We were… a couple.

“Okay,” I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but Aya’s next words, spoken with a playful smile, made my face burn.

“So, it’s a library date, then?”

“…!” ‘Aya…! That’s embarrassing!’

Being around Aya, hearing her say such things so casually… it was too much! I turned away to hide my blush, but she just chuckled and squeezed my hand, resuming our walk.

And so, our first date, as a couple, was set: the library.

****

Instead of the school library, we decided to go somewhere quieter. The school was still bustling with festival activity. And people might ask why I wasn’t wearing my uniform…

Thankfully, the local library was relatively empty, perhaps because of the festival.

‘Perfect! This is a great place to study!’ I took a seat, but then…

‘Wait, this is the first time I’ve been alone with Aya…!’ I had to stay calm. But just sitting next to her, in the quiet stillness of the library, made my heart race.

“I… should have brought my workbook…” I mumbled, rummaging through my bag, needing something to do with my hands to distract myself.

Aya chuckled. “Want to look at mine?”

“Huh…? You brought a workbook?”

“Well, it’s a vocabulary list, but…” She handed me a small, neatly bound English vocabulary notebook, her handwriting precise and organized.

‘…So like Aya…’

“Should we study together?” she asked, opening the notebook and tilting it towards me. I leaned closer, and then…

‘…Too close…’ We were much closer than I’d anticipated. I could smell her faint fragrance, a light, sweet scent.

“…” Too close. So close that… my gaze drifted from the vocabulary list to her face, her long eyelashes, her soft breathing, the way her fingers turned the pages…

“…Rina?” she asked, tilting her head slightly, and our eyes met.

‘…!’ Startled, I instinctively pulled away, the chair scraping against the floor as I stood up. Aya blinked, then chuckled. “…Okay, I’ll be right here.”

I walked away from the table and leaned against a bookshelf, sighing.

‘We were too close…!’ It had just been a natural movement, leaning in to look at the vocabulary list, but the proximity had been too much. Maybe Aya preferred studying at home… the library was too… public.

‘Other couples seem to have no problem studying together in libraries… is this really that difficult…? We should have just gone for a walk in the park…!’ I covered my face with my hands, groaning inwardly, but I still had to study.

My grades would plummet otherwise…