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Yanami looked at her and explained specifically, her smile still innocent.
The three of them walked into the library.
The warm afternoon sun streamed through the library's floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled light on the dark brown floor.
Rustle, rustle—the soft sound of turning pages filled the air.
They went to the second floor and found a spot. This was a public library; not only did it have wrap-around seating like a university classroom, but there were also plenty of four-person and eight-person tables, with dividers on both sides to provide ample privacy. Unless one deliberately leaned in close, they wouldn't be able to hear conversations.
After Yakishio Lemon led them to claim a four-person seat by the window, Kiyono finally asked the question that had been puzzling him for a long time.
"Why choose a library for this?"
For discussing relationship topics, wouldn't a park or a restaurant be more suitable?
Hearing this, Yakishio Lemon tilted her head and hummed, "Because it makes us seem smarter? And we can get familiar with the environment at the same time!"
"I understand you, Lemon!"
Yanami beside her nodded seriously, looking very much in agreement.
"The fact that you even thought of that means you're already an idiot…"
Kiyono sighed heavily.
Yanami and Yakishio Lemon naturally sat opposite him. Then the blue-haired girl placed her tote bag on the table and pulled out new snacks—hey, this is a library! Your first action in a library isn't to get a book but to get snacks? You're not a middle schooler anymore!
However, these two really weren't here to read. Kiyono took a candy that wouldn't get his hands dirty, unwrapped it, put it in his mouth, and shifted his gaze to Yakishio Lemon's face.
"So, what's your progress now?"
These past few days should have been enough for her to finish two books and learn a lot of related knowledge—at least enough to create a good atmosphere, right?
The usually cheerful girl reached out and fiddled with her hair, avoiding his gaze, and said hesitantly:
"This… I've finished the books; they were really interesting! I accidentally stayed up until two or three in the morning reading them, but… I haven't had a chance to talk to Mitsuki about them yet."
In other words, you haven't taken any action!
Kiyono was speechless for a moment—it's one thing for you to be indecisive and procrastinate normally, but now you have an almost invincible Asahi Emperor in front of you! If I had a love rival like you, I'd wake up laughing in the middle of the night!
It just goes to show that there's a reason for being a loser.
"I—I can't help it! Mitsuki and I aren't in the same class, and as soon as school ends, we both rush off to cram school. There's no time for casual chats!"
Yakishio Lemon seemed to read his mind and was eager to defend herself, but after a moment, she slumped her shoulders in defeat and mumbled:
"I… I'm scared. I don't know why, but lately, whenever I'm alone with Mitsuki, I get nervous, my mind isn't as sharp as usual, and I easily say the wrong things for no reason, becoming unlike my usual self…"
Her soft words carried the unique innocence, purity, and beauty of a young girl.
"I understand!" Yanami cried out, wiping away tears.
—When there were three of them, she seemed less hesitant to talk about her childhood friend.
"So!"
Lemon's shout brought their attention back. Under their gaze, the bold, athletic beauty leaned her hands on the table, faced Kiyono directly, took a deep breath, and then spoke.
"Kiyono, help me simulate a conversation! Once I've practiced, I should be able to talk about this topic smoothly!"
She looked at Kiyono expectantly.
Both of them were stunned simultaneously.
Someone with a crush asking another person of the opposite sex to practice their dating strategy… What kind of School Days development is this! Is the classic "developing feelings while practicing" scene next?! No, this absolutely cannot happen!
Kiyono, determined to protect pure love, was about to refuse without thinking.
But someone was faster than him.
"This guy isn't familiar with Ayano-kun, and he doesn't understand how childhood friends interact at all. Asking him to be a practice partner is a complete mistake, so Lemon-chan, I'll practice with you!"
Yanami put down her snack and seriously held Lemon's hand—good! Let's nip this dangerous situation in the bud!
I didn't expect you to be somewhat useful!
Kiyono gave the blue-haired girl an appreciative look, then stood up and walked toward the bookshelf, preparing to grab a book to lighten the mood.
"I'll find a thick one…"
That way, he could hide his expression. Kiyono circled around to the natural science section of the bookshelf, his gaze sweeping over the books, finally stopping on a book titled Introduction to Volcanology—this one's thick enough!
His fingertips hovered over the spine, but then another pair of hands also rested on the book.
"Kiyono likes volcanoes?"
The girl's voice made him instinctively pull back his hand, and in that instant, their fingertips overlapped on the book cover—a fleeting warm touch. Yanami's newly painted nails gleamed with a pearly luster in the sunlight, more dazzling than stars.
Wait… Yanami painted her nails?
Why is she suddenly interested in this?
Kiyono was a bit puzzled, his gaze fixed on the hands in front of him—five fingers long and slender like jade, skin delicate and smooth, with beautiful, starry patterns on the nails. But Yanami usually works part-time; wouldn't doing her nails be a pure waste?
He looked closer and realized these weren't professional nails as he'd imagined, but disposable nail stickers—and the kind elementary schoolers love most!
Yanami, as if showing off her new nails, stood on tiptoe, her beautiful hand tracing the cover. The curve of her waist, revealed as she stood on tiptoe, shimmered like a crescent moon in the light and shadow.
Kiyono couldn't help but narrow his eyes. This girl eats so much—how does she still have such a slender figure?
The next second, the girl suddenly pulled back her hand, her eyes wide, exclaiming, "Eh! Kiyono, be careful, a book is about to fall!"
This made Kiyono instinctively dodge to the side, even pulling the girl's wrist—the scent of citrus shampoo rushed over him. But the imagined scene of a book falling to the ground didn't happen. He looked up, puzzled, and saw that all the books were neatly arranged on the shelf, with no sign of falling.
"Hmph hmph hmph, what an idiot! This is a library. Such a romantic-comedy scene—which only happens in school libraries—can't possibly occur here!"
Yanami let go of his hand, put one hand on her hip, and brushed her hair back with the other, smiling smugly, making Kiyono's temple throb with the urge to punch her.
"But… Kiyono's hand is trembling."
She took Kiyono's stiff fingers again, lowered her head, and whispered, her palm warm and smooth.
"Nonsense. Anyone would be nervous if that happened suddenly," Kiyono snorted, rudely shaking off her hand.
Yanami's eyes curved into a smile, and she took a step forward. "Want to measure it?"
"Measure what?"
Kiyono calmed his rapidly beating heart, pulled out the book on volcanoes, and asked along.
The spring light streamed through the glass, casting colorful shadows on the natural science section's bookshelf. The blue-haired girl stood in the sunlight, blinked, and gave him a playful, bright smile.
"It's the heart-rate earthquake caused by me, Little Senior."
At this moment, Kiyono felt as if his throat had been stuffed with a melting mint. The scent of lemongrass from the girl and the unique smell of ink from the books wafted over together, and the sunlight cast her shadow on the title page.
This should just be an accidental coincidence… How could that loser possibly pull off such an astonishing move! He almost thought he was facing Takagi-san just now!
Kiyono hugged the book to his chest, forcing himself to calm down. He refused to admit that his heartbeat would cause a cardiac earthquake because of an otter!
Yanami acted as if she hadn't noticed anything, casually pulling a book from the shelf, her voice light.
"Let's go back!"
Once they returned to their seats, Yakishio Lemon immediately focused her gaze on the blue-haired girl's face, her small face serious. "Are you ready, Anna?"
"Ready to start anytime!"
Yanami—who knows where she found them—put on a pair of plain glasses, adjusted her hair, and adopted the demeanor of a literary girl. Hmm, today she's also playing the role of a cute manga heroine.
Kiyono pretended to be reading, but his eyes were constantly observing the two losers.
Yakishio Lemon took a deep breath, and the expression on her pretty face changed accordingly, becoming cheerful with a hint of joy—this was her usual state when interacting with her childhood friend.
"Hey, Mitsuki, have you read the light novel Thirty-One Syllable Poem of Near Love… recently?"
Oh oh! Not bad acting!
And Yanami…
Kiyono shifted his gaze to the left. The blue-haired girl, with three parts intellect, three parts smile, and one part indulgence, said, "Hmm, I've read it too, it's very interesting. The feelings between the male and female protagonists are very touching."
—Identified as a pretty boy who only knows how to show off and act cool.
"Then, Mitsuki, which tanka do you like best in it?" Lemon's dialogue was very smooth, clearly showing she had secretly practiced.
"Hmm, hmm… it's…"
Yanami's gaze drifted; she couldn't answer. What the heck did she know about tanka and novels!
Seeing the atmosphere turn gloomy, Kiyono—half his face hidden by a thick book—coughed twice and, in a muffled voice, prompted, "My heart can be forgiven, if not for deep meaning; ten thousand words of deep affection, all residing within—only then will my heart be won."
Yakishio Lemon's gaze instantly shifted over, her eyes sparkling, her voice joyful.
"I like that line the most too! Although it was just a tanka that casually appeared in the prologue at first, as their feelings gradually deepened, this passage also became more beautiful—especially when it reappeared at the end of the first volume…"
—Doesn't look like acting.
Although Yakishio Lemon's initial reason for reading the books was to create common topics, after reading the entire series, she genuinely fell in love with these two light novels, and so she also wanted to share that emotional experience with someone.
Yanami watched the two interacting across the table, her mouth twitching imperceptibly—how is this guy so good at dealing with girls!
If she didn't have 85% trust in Kiyono's pure heart, she would have suspected that Kiyono was secretly trying to win Lemon over, deliberately introducing this book to her!
"Speaking of which."
Yanami proactively interjected into the lively conversation. Under Lemon's gaze, she tilted her head curiously. "What does that sentence mean?"
Kiyono still didn't look up, pretending to read. "I will give you my approval, but on the condition that you pour an intensity of feeling into it comparable to ten thousand words."
"And then the heroine really…"
Yakishio Lemon excitedly leaned closer to Yanami, explaining to her.
The blue-haired girl watched the two of them talking about things she didn't understand and decided to buy a copy to read later.
The light-novel topic came to an end.
Next, the practice moved to the second stage.
"Mitsuki, can I ask you a question?"
"Anything I know, I can tell you," Yanami played the role of the warm guy.
"Is that so? That's wonderful. May I ask, what is your relationship with that woman?"
Yakishio Lemon smiled at Yanami. Although she was smiling, Yanami inexplicably felt a chill in her heart, shivered, and hid in the corner like a little rabbit.
"She is… she is…"
Yanami didn't dare to say the answer in her heart, casting a pleading look at Kiyono opposite her.
Facing the athletic beauty who had fallen into a strange state, Kiyono bit the bullet and replied, "She's a friend, I guess…"
"It's a friend after all! Since she's a friend, who's more important—her or me?" She clasped her hands together, smiling brightly at Kiyono.
It's over!
Lemon / The loser is broken!
They exchanged glances, and the next second, Yanami shoved two candies into her mouth, while Kiyono pushed a drink bottle in front of her. The two of them tacitly shut her up.
"Mmm, mmm mmm…"
The words of the athletic loser were once again buried deep in her heart.