I strode through the heavy wooden doors of the library, heading straight for the dusty shelves of the restricted section, the place where the oldest, most obscure texts were kept. As I passed, I heard her footsteps behind me. She was still following. Seriously? Was she planning to narrate my entire research session?
I tried to ignore her, losing myself in the familiar scent of aged paper and quiet contemplation. My fingers brushed against forgotten spines, searching for the tomes that held the secrets I desperately sought. My worn notebook was clutched in my hand, ready to absorb any new insight.
"Looking for something specific, Shou?" Alisha's voice, calm and even, broke the sacred silence of the restricted section. It was like she had a built-in sensor for my exasperation, or perhaps just a remarkable talent for being incessantly present. She peered over my shoulder, far too close for comfort. "You seem quite engrossed. Is it for a new project? A particularly challenging academic pursuit, perhaps, that requires your… unique talents?" Her voice was a playful purr.
I stiffened. She had followed me all the way in here and now she was making polite conversation, practically breathing down my neck. "Just… cross-referencing some data," I mumbled, pulling out a thick, leather-bound book on ancient beast lore. The title, Echoes of the Wild: Unconventional Bonds, seemed to mock my pathetic 1.4%. I could feel her eyes on me, a light, almost imperceptible pressure, but I steadfastly refused to look up. I immersed myself in the brittle pages, scanning for anything that could explain the anomalies, the outliers, the whispered secrets of taming that defied the simple BTP percentages.
The texts spoke of "soul-song" and "heart-tethers," terms dismissed by modern science as poetic nonsense. But what if they weren't? I scrawled furious notes in my notebook: Early tamers – focus on elemental alignment? Lunar cycles influencing temperament? Psychic resonance vs. brute force? My hand ached, but the questions burned brighter.
A soft sigh from beside me. "You know, Shou," Alisha remarked, her voice a gentle hum, her hip brushing lightly against mine as she leaned in, ostensibly to read over my shoulder. "This section is usually utterly deserted. Most people find these books… well, to be perfectly frank, dreadfully tedious. Are you absolutely certain you're having a good time amidst all this ancient dust and forgotten wisdom? Or is it simply that you prefer your intellectual pursuits… undisturbed?" A mischievous glint entered her eyes.
"Most people aren't looking for answers they can't find in textbooks," I retorted, without looking up. The words were sharper than I intended, born of frustration and the ever-present sting of my defect. I expected her to flinch, to get angry, to finally take the hint and leave. Maybe she'd gotten bored of watching me struggle.
Instead, a book slid onto the table beside mine with a soft thud. I glanced up, annoyed. It was The Serpent's Coil: Mythical Beasts and Their Hidden Sensitivities. A rare, first-edition volume. It was on a completely different shelf, one I hadn't even reached yet.
"You might find this useful, Shou," Alisha said, her voice neutral, almost playful. She hadn't even looked at me when she placed it down. Her gaze was already on a nearby shelf, her fingers trailing lightly over the spines, almost caressing them. "It's a rather fascinating read, actually. Delves into some of the more… esoteric aspects of beast interaction. I happened to stumble upon it earlier and thought of you immediately. Do you think it could hold the key to your... unconventional theories? Or perhaps," she leaned in closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper, "the key to our next great breakthrough?"
It was like she knew exactly what I needed without me saying a word. It was infuriatingly helpful. I picked it up, my fingers brushing the cool leather. It was heavy, its pages filled with intricate diagrams and archaic script. "Thanks," I muttered, almost grudgingly. I didn't want to admit she had helped me, let alone with something so specific.
"You're quite welcome, Shou," she replied, a faint, teasing smile playing on her lips, though I still refused to meet her gaze. "I do enjoy a good mystery, and your pursuit of these 'other factors' is truly quite intriguing. Do tell me, what fascinating anomaly are you hoping to debunk next with your brilliant mind? Perhaps I could be your… research assistant? I promise I'm very good at turning pages."
For the next hour, we worked in silence. Or rather, I worked, and her gaze on me was an almost physical presence. I expected her to leave, to find something more "interesting" to do, but she just… stayed. She pulled out a general encyclopedia of fauna and pretended to read it, but I could feel her eyes on me, every few minutes, a quick, almost imperceptible glance. It was like she was glued to my side, a silent, beautiful, and utterly distracting shadow. At one point, I even caught her stifling a yawn, but she quickly covered it with a demure smile, her eyes sparkling with feigned innocence.
"No, it's useless," I stated aloud, slamming The Serpent's Coil shut. I'd gone through it rapidly, my internal knowledge base whirring. I already knew almost all the things that were written in this book. It was another dead end in my desperate search for a breakthrough.
"Oh, dear," Alisha chirped from beside me, closing the encyclopedia she'd been holding. She moved a little closer, her arm brushing mine. "Is the ancient wisdom failing to enlighten our resident genius? What a pity! Was it not cryptic enough? Perhaps it lacked a certain… mystical sparkle for your discerning tastes? Or perhaps," she teased, lowering her voice, "it's simply that you require a more… hands-on approach to your studies?"
As the library announced its closing time with a soft chime echoing through the halls, I packed my notebook. "Leaving already?" she asked, her voice calm as she gathered her things, her gaze already on me. She took a step closer, effectively blocking my path. "But you were just getting into the swing of things! Are you sure you've exhausted every last possibility for tonight? My, my, it seems our dedicated scholar has lost his… spark!"
"Obviously," I replied, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Library's closing." I tried to move around her, but she shifted effortlessly, maintaining her position directly in front of me.
"Oh, but that's merely a suggestion, isn't it?" she countered, her tone almost a playful challenge, her eyes twinkling faintly. Her finger tapped playfully against my chest, right over my heart. "With my position, Shou, I'm sure we could convince them to make an exception. Or perhaps, we could simply 'accidentally' get locked in? Think of the uninterrupted research opportunities! We could stay here all night if you want. Just you, me, and a million dusty secrets. Doesn't that sound absolutely thrilling? We could even share the last remaining crumbs of a forgotten scholar's midnight snack! What do you say?"
A wave of dread washed over me at the thought. The very idea of being trapped in here, alone, with her, for an entire night, was enough to make my skin crawl. "No thanks," I said, my voice clipped, attempting to push past her.
"Are you absolutely certain?" she persisted, falling into step beside me, her voice a theatrical whisper, her arm linking playfully with mine for a moment before I quickly pulled away. "Imagine the adventures! We could uncover ancient curses, discover hidden passages, perhaps even find a secret snack stash! Think of the stories we'd tell! Imagine the intimate conversations we could have, with no one else to interrupt us!"
"I'm going home," I stated, my tone firm, pushing open the heavy library doors.
"Such a shame," she sighed dramatically, stepping out into the cool night air beside me, her hand briefly brushing against mine as she walked. "But I suppose even the most dedicated scholar needs his rest. And perhaps," she added, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur as she walked beside me, her body closer than necessary, "tomorrow, a new book, a new theory, and perhaps… another delightful opportunity for us to share the unparalleled joy of scholarly pursuit? I do hope our paths continue to mysteriously intertwine, Shou. It's been such a… stimulating evening, wouldn't you agree?"
We walked out together, the familiar silence stretching between us once more, punctuated only by her soft, almost imperceptible humming. I just wanted to get home.