Chapter 139: Chapter 138 - Minami And Yui
Minami had known something was off only when Kuro said it.
The duo was currently outside the medical book section of library.
Yui had been inside.
Still sleeping.
Still buried in books.
Still looking at anyone as though they hadn’t.
Kuro was calm when he had spoken.
"I found her."
That should have ended the situation.
Unfortunately, that was not the case as Minami had gone utterly still.
"... You found her?"
Nodding, the other male had replied.
"In the medical book section of library."
Silence had settled over the hallway before Minami had lowered her gaze.
"Not angry?"
"No," the other answered immediately.
"He knows?"
"Yes."
Again, Minami had paused before speaking.
"But you didn’t tell she was here anyone, did you?"
A brief silence had followed.
He can read her moods pretty well.
Silence again, followed by a shake of head.
"I hope she didn’t tell anyone."
Kuro hadn’t responded immediately.
This was the first time Minami had ever hesitated in such a way.
---
Flashback
Years ago.
Before exams.
Before failures.
Before any expectations became pressure instead of support.
Minami hadn’t been "Sensei" yet.
She had been merely a senior student.
But Yui had already been called a genius.
There wasn’t much doubt about it.
Yui got things faster than most.
Solved questions in ways teachers weren’t expecting.
Completed mock tests early.
Corrected professors’ statements casually without intending to.
Everyone said she would become a doctor for sure.
Nobody questioned it.
Not even Minami.
---
One evening, Minami had caught sight of Yui alone in a study room.
Buried in notes.
Stuffing snacks into her mouth like nothing in the world bothered her.
Minami had laughed.
"You’re gonna make everyone look like a fool, you know that?"
And Yui had grinned.
"Then they should study harder."
That was exactly her.
Confident.
Casual in a manner that looked like free-spiritedness.
---
The first exam changed everything.
Yui had failed it.
Not badly.
But still enough to shock everyone.
The room where results were being announced had seemed unusually quiet.
Nobody knew what to say.
Neither did Minami.
Yui had stared at the slip for quite some time.
Then laughed.
"It’s alright. I’ll do better next time."
---
But she didn’t.
---
She had failed again during the second attempt.
---
It stung more than the first time because everyone expected her to be able to bounce back.
To recover and prove herself.
Because she was ’a genius’, after all.
And that was what she did.
Smiled.
Talked.
Laughed.
As though failing hadn’t affected her in any way.
Minami was certain it had.
The eyes had started to look different.
Not abruptly.
Slowly.
Each time Yui had failed to pass her exams.
---
Present Time
Minami’s voice had broken through those thoughts.
"I was angry."
Raising his gaze, Kuro had asked.
"...Angry?"
And Minami had nodded.
Looking anywhere but at Kuro.
"I trusted her."
A pause.
Then quieter.
"But when she failed... I didn’t know where to put that trust anymore."
Another silence.
The hallways had started to seem particularly oppressive at that point.
Minami had breathed out slowly.
"I shouldn’t have put so much pressure on her."
And Kuro had answered quietly.
"You didn’t."
Shaking her head, Minami had said.
"That’s not how expectations work."
The answer had hung in the air for quite some time.
---
Back inside the Library
Through the glass windows of the library, Minami had seen Yui shift in her sleep.
Unaware of the conversation going on outside the doors.
Unaware of how long she’d been talked about.
Unaware that her failures were becoming more than just failures.
They’d become a symbol for everything wrong.
---
Eventually, Minami had spoken again.
"I was hoping she would come back stronger."
The woman had sounded tense when saying it.
"But she just stopped showing it."
Glancing at Yui, Kuro had looked at Minami again.
"She still wants it."
Minami had given a small, uncertain laugh.
"That is precisely the problem."
---
Taking a step forward, Minami had stopped before reaching the door.
"I’ll talk to her."
Kuro had nodded.
Just before entering the library, Minami had taken another pause.
But this time, she hadn’t hesitated long.
Instead, she had added quietly.
"If she breaks this time..."
But then she had stopped.
Left the statement unfinished.
And entered the library.
---
A few minutes later, Yui had woken up.
Sleepily.
Confused.
Tired.
Minami had been sitting across from her.
Not as a teacher.
Not as a person older than she was.
Simply as someone who had known her since day one.
Yui had blinked.
"... Minami ?"
Shaking her head, Minami had said.
"No."
Another brief pause.
Then a little quieter.
"Just Minami- chan."
The other girl had remained silent.
Which hadn’t happened often to her.
---
Looking at Yui, Minami had finally said what she had been trying to say for years.
"I was angry because I believed in you."
And Yui hadn’t answered immediately.
Her fingers had clenched around the table’s edge.
For the first time ever, Yui hadn’t had any comeback ready.
Only silence.
Heavy.
Truthful.
Genuine.
---
In that silence, something else had happened.
Finally, Yui had nodded.
"... I’ll do it properly this time."
Her voice had lacked confidence.
But Minami had seen honesty in her eyes.
---
Minami had heard that.
And for a short time at least, it had been enough.
But the silence between them hadn’t disappeared instantly.
Not even after Yui had spoken.
Because the conversation wasn’t over yet.
---
Finally, Yui had broken the silence.
"... You didn’t have to come."
Her voice had been soft.
Not in a defensive way.
Just tired.
Minami had taken a few seconds before answering.
Looking at the books scattered on the table.
The underlines.
Corrections.
Notes that looked as though Yui had tried writing them too many times.
Then Minami had simply said.
"I know."
Making Yui pause.
---
Minami had relaxed in her seat.
"I also know that you wouldn’t have said this even if you’d been falling apart in front of me."
A faint smile had appeared on her lips.
"Haven’t changed."
Looking away, Yui had sighed.
"... That sounds like an insult."
"Nah."
A pause.
Then Minami had added.
"Just you."
---
That comment hadn’t worked on Yui.
The girl’s fingers had started tapping on the edge of the table.
A nervous habit of hers.
Something Yui did when she was lost in thoughts.
Or rather when she was forcing herself to stay out of them.
---
Speaking softer than before, Minami had continued.
"You’ve always acted like you could ignore your failure."
Her eyes had wandered towards Yui.
"And you have," Minami had added quietly.
Yui’s expression had tightened at that point.
Not angry.
Nor hurt.
Only uncomfortably honest.
"... Yeah."
A brief response.
Too short for what had happened to her in the past few months.
---
For a brief moment, Minami had opened her mouth as though intending to say something.
But then had decided against it.
Instead, the woman had gotten to her feet slowly.
Watching her, Yui had tilted her head.
"... Where are you going?"
Picking one of the empty cans of an energy drink, Minami had examined it.
Placed it back onto the table.
Then answered.
"To my apartment."
Pause.
"But I’m not going there because I’m done with you."
Yui had stared at her.
---
Turning slightly at the library’s door, Minami had looked back at her.
"I’m only done pretending you’ll be okay without me."
That single sentence had hurt more than anything else she had said to Yui.
And she had remained silent.
Unable to respond.
Find a comeback.
Anything.
---
Leaving the room, Minami had taken a step.
Before exiting the building completely, she had paused at the threshold.
Looking back at Yui, she’d said without turning completely.
"Eat something other than caffeine."
A beat.
Then adding softly.
"And sleep for more than two hours."
---
The door had shut.
---
And Yui had stayed.
Silent.
Motionless.
It felt differently now.
Not easier.
But emptier.
---
Putting her hand on the nearest notebook, Yui hadn’t opened it.
Hadn’t opened it immediately, at least.
She’d only been staring at the place where Minami had just been sitting.
And said quietly.
"... You haven’t changed either."
Sighing, Yui had breathed out.
Not laughing.
Nor being sarcastic.
More like accepting the inevitable.
The lights inside the library automatically dimmed with the passage of night.
The library had begun to empty even outside of it.
People were going.
Doors were closing.
All of it was returning to its normal state as far as the lives of the students.
However, Yui sat there in the medical section , motionless.
She did not open her books this time.
It was a first time experience.
Awkward.
Inappropriate.
---
Her hand lingered near her notebook for a moment before withdrawing.
She sighed.
"...Seriously."
There was no sound from anyone else, since everyone else left now.
No more spectators.
No Minami.
No Kuro.
Only herself.
---
She leaned back in her seat and gazed at the ceiling.
This time she let the silence sit right without any pressure or expectation.
Not an exam silence.
Not a result silence.
Just...silence.
---
She shut her eyes momentarily.
Then opened them again.
"...I never thought she would remain that mad about it."
A slight pause.
Then she smiled tiredly.
"Or scared."
She spoke as if she did not know which feeling was more unbearable.
---
She stared at the textbooks lying open once again.
Same books.
Same pages.
Same worries that have been plaguing her mind for a long while now.
They seemed different somehow.
Not easy.
Just less definitive.
---
Yui grabbed her book and gently placed it down after closing it.
Another book followed suit.
Not finished.
Just put away.
For the first time in a way she wanted.
---
"...Okay."
She mumbled to herself.
"I will do it seriously."
Not confidently.
Not impressively.
Just a resolution in an empty room.
---
And then she just sat there some more.
Not studying anymore.
Not fleeing anymore.
Just breathing.
