I pushed the door open and stepped out into the hallway. The number plate that had dropped earlier was still lying on the floor. As I turned to close the door, something caught my eye.
There was a plate attached to the door of the room next to ours, but it wasn't Room 03 as I had expected. Instead, it had a big, bold number 04 on it.
I then took a step closer to inspect it.
Curiously, I looked around the hallway and noticed something strange. The rooms that were supposed to be odd-numbered were now even-numbered and vice versa. It was like the world had been turned upside down, and I was standing in the middle of it.
Still, it's not really any of my business. I already have a pretty good idea of who's behind all of this, anyway. With that thought in mind, I left the hallway and made my way towards the reception area, ready to head out.
I approached the staff at the front desk of the karaoke bar.
"Do you have any idea where my friend is."
The staff paused, tapping his finger on the table.
"Your friend...?" he repeated. "Oh, her. She left already. Did something happen?"
"Never mind."
I shook my head and turned to leave the karaoke. I ended up wasting some of my time in the karaoke, but it didn't really amount to much since I did manage to get something out of it.
As I left the karaoke, a cacophony of sounds entered my ears. The crowded schoolyard was jam-packed with students milling about, enjoying the weekend. I strolled around the schoolyard for a bit, taking in the sights and sounds, before eventually making my way back to my dorm room.
*
I pushed the door to my dorm room open and stepped inside, greeted by the empty silence of the space. With no concrete plans for the day aside from hanging out with Kinoshita, I figured I might as well pass the time reading books in the library.
But first, my weary body demanded a rest, so I made my way over to the bed and sank down onto its less-than-luxurious mattress, feeling the tiredness wash over me. Though not the most comfortable, the bed would suffice for a brief rest.
I just sat there on my bed - perched on the edge of it, for five whole minutes before I decided to shift and lay down.
I spent the next five minutes just lying there, neither dozing off nor experiencing slumber's respite, for my body simply wasn't fatigued enough to demand it.
I sprang up from the bed, leaving the dormitory behind. The stillness of the hallways gave me the impression that I was the only person there. Swiftly, I made my way to the library, where I planned to spend most of my time.
As I strolled through the schoolyard, a sense of being watched crept over me. It wasn't like someone was tailing me from a distance, but rather I could feel their presence right behind me. Despite this, I didn't turn back to check, thinking maybe it was just a coincidence that we were heading in the same direction. After all, they hadn't made any move to speak to me yet.
After a while, the familiar figure trailing me became more recognizable. The distinct scent of perfume wafted towards me, accompanied by the soft patter of small shoes and the casual hum of a tune.
As I reached the entrance of the library, I extended my right arm to push the door open. Suddenly, a delicate hand clasped my shoulder. I could feel the warmth of her hand on my shoulder, and the faint scent of her perfume filled my nostrils, but I didn't bother to turn around.
"H-Hey!" A soft voice called out to me.
Ignoring her plea, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Only then did I finally turn around to face her.
"Ayato, don't you miss me?"
Fujiharu stood before me, her signature attempt to make our meetings memorable. It was needless, as I remembered all conversations I had, storing them away for future use.
"Not particularly."
She was adorned in a high-waisted pleated midi skirt in a delicate pastel hue, accompanied by a white fitted t-shirt, impeccably tucked in, and an expertly fitted blazer in a complementary shade. Additionally, she donned a pair of ankle strap heels and last but not least accessory, a statement necklace and earrings.
As I observed her outfit, I couldn't help but think about the amount of effort it must have taken to put that all together.
Frankly speaking, it seemed like a lot of hassle. I personally preferred a simple t-shirt and pants combo, which would suffice perfectly. Currently, I was sporting the standard school uniform, but I was content with that.
"Ow."
Yet, the enigma of why she trailed me silently still befuddled my mind.
"..but for sure I do miss you…"
She murmured something under her breath, her words barely audible to my ears.
"So what do you want."
"Isn't that a bit too cold towards a girl?" she replied, tilting her head to one side.
"It's not every day that someone follows me."
"Are you saying that I'm a stalker?"
"If you think so."
I took another step further into the library, not wanting to continue the conversation at the entrance. Without a word, she followed me.
"You do really like books huh?" Fujiharu said, attempting to start a conversation.
"Yes."
"Hee…" she murmured softly.
On a personal level, my feelings towards books are rather ambivalent. While I wouldn't necessarily claim to be an avid bibliophile, I must confess that I find the content contained within to be quite interesting.
It's fascinating to ponder how the intricate musings of an author can be so meticulously transcribed onto paper, creating a vast archive of knowledge and insight that is available for me to explore. After all, there is a wealth of information to be gleaned from books, much of which I was unable to fully digest during my time spent on the Ideal Human Project.
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