Chapter 11: The Story Wasn’t Supposed to Go Like This…

Xiao Chun Miura had thought that after such a smooth day, she could make some progress in her interactions with Kanzaki Sou in the afternoon.

She originally planned to use the excuse of “learning from the front desk teacher that the book she wanted to borrow was checked out by Kanzaki Sou and not yet returned” to approach him again.

This way, she could explain why she suddenly went to see Kanzaki Sou yesterday, and at the same time, deepen her impression in his eyes a little.

……But, she still underestimated the power of Kondo Haruka.

That girl with reddish-brown curls simply used the most direct and straightforward method to block her little schemes.

——When she saw her, she dragged Kanzaki Sou away to another place, making up some random reason like “the homeroom teacher asked us to go to the office together yesterday”, and forcibly pulled Kanzaki Sou out of her sight.

“Yesterday?!”

Kanzaki Sou could naturally tell how nonsensical this excuse was, but Kondo Haruka just narrowed her eyes and stiffly took away her childhood friend.

Before leaving, she even turned her head, stuck out her tongue at Xiao Chun Miura with narrowed eyes.

It was like saying, “I won’t let you have him, are you mad?”, such a taunt.

Leaving Xiao Chun Miura standing there in a daze, unable to say the words she had prepared.

Very soon, under the direct stares of the other Class 1 (（1）班) students around, Xiao Chun Miura’s face turned red and she immediately fled the scene.

……Xiao Chun Miura, defeated!

***

Under Kondo Haruka’s strict defense, the result was that Xiao Chun Miura didn’t get to talk to Kanzaki Sou all afternoon.

Just like that, time slipped by, and it was after school.

“I can only go to my part-time job first…… Kondo Haruka, you’re so troublesome.”

She sighed helplessly.

With nothing achieved all afternoon, Xiao Chun Miura took her Work Badge and headed to the Library.

***

The orange glow of dusk streamed through the Library’s floor-to-ceiling windows, casting mottled shadows on the floor.

Xiao Chun Miura inhaled the scent of books and ink in the air and walked toward Sakura-sensei, who was sitting behind the front desk.

When Xiao Chun Miura arrived, Sakura-sensei stood up with a bright smile, giving up her seat and moving to a plastic chair in a more secluded spot, continuing to read the 《Modern Literature Selected Readings》 in her hands.

After greeting her nervously, Xiao Chun Miura sat behind the lending desk and began her first day of her Part-time Job.

The work was easier than she had imagined.

There weren’t many students coming to the Library after school; the few who did either borrowed books or studied in silence, so quiet they felt like part of the Background CG.

It really was just like the Library’s background CG in a game.

Looking at the students buried in their studies in the Self-study Area, Xiao Chun Miura sighed in her heart.

How long had it been since she had spent time earnestly in a place like this?

After graduating, she worked at an unsatisfying job, with not enough time to do her own things. Her whole life felt like a Spinning Top being pulled this way and that…

How long had it been since she had experienced such a youthful and peaceful scene?

Xiao Chun Miura thought silently.

——Until that person appeared and disrupted her thoughts.

“Excuse me, is the Library still hiring Librarians?”

A gentle male voice came from the side.

Xiao Chun Miura instinctively turned her head—and instantly froze.

The visitor had short, clean hair, clear eyes, and a gentle, handsome face.

Kanzaki Sou was standing at her side, looking toward the back of the front desk, his gaze calm and polite.

The book in Xiao Chun Miura’s hand fell to the floor with a “pa” sound.

“Ah, sorry!”

She hurriedly bent down to pick it up, her heart pounding wildly as if gripped by an invisible hand.

——Why is he here?!

Isn’t it only the second afternoon?!

……In the game storyline, Kanzaki Sou was supposed to go home with Kondo Haruka this afternoon, talking about midterm exams and such, nothing significant…

He hadn’t come to the Library!

And the matter of asking about the Part-time Librarian position was supposed to happen after this!

What kind of mistake happened… No, is it even a mistake?

Not going home with Kondo Haruka should be a good thing for me, right?

“Are you alright?”

As Xiao Chun Miura was in chaos, a gentle voice came from outside the counter.

She picked up the book and looked up.

Kanzaki Sou was watching her, a hint of concern in his voice.

“I-I’m fine!”

Xiao Chun Miura slowly straightened up.

“Are you here to… apply for the Librarian position?”

She tried to make her voice sound normal, but the tremor at the end betrayed her shaken state.

Kanzaki Sou nodded slightly.

“Yes. I heard they were short-handed here recently, so I came to ask.”

“Because the teacher over there seems to be asleep.”

He pointed beside Xiao Chun Miura.

The girl looked over—sure enough, Sakura was sleeping.

She had completely forgotten there was a teacher next to her!

“……Miura-san, right?”

Startled, Xiao Chun Miura turned back.

Kanzaki Sou was looking at her Work Badge.

“Y-Yes! I’m Xiao Chun Miura!”

She almost reflexively stood at attention, answering so loudly it startled even herself.

Kanzaki Sou seemed amused by her reaction, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

“No need to be nervous. I’m just asking.”

Only then did Xiao Chun Miura realize she had overreacted.

Her cheeks immediately burned.

“Sakura-sensei, um…”

She tried to calm herself.

“I should wake her up first…”

“Ah, no need, Miura-san.”

Kanzaki Sou said.

“……It’s fine to ask you some things.”

His gaze lingered on Xiao Chun Miura’s face.

“Did you just start working here?”

“Y-Yes! Today is my first day…”

“How do you feel about it?”

“It’s… not bad…”

She lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes.

“I see…”

As if making mental notes about the Part-time Job, Kanzaki Sou nodded thoughtfully.

Help, what is this sudden casual chat event?!

This scene wasn’t even in the game!

Kanzaki Sou shouldn’t be here right now!

But the “person who shouldn’t be here” seemed to have no intention of leaving.

He walked toward the bookshelves, randomly pulling out a book to flip through, his side profile particularly clear in the orange light of dusk.

Xiao Chun Miura stood there, not knowing what to do with her hands and feet.

She secretly summoned the System Interface—the Goodwill between Kanzaki Sou and Kondo Haruka was still 50, unchanged.

…Good, good.

But she hadn’t expected to meet him so early in the Library.

The original plan was to wait until he came after school one day, by which time she would already be “proficient at her job” and could naturally strike up a conversation.

Now… it’s a complete unexpected development!

“Miura-san.”

Kanzaki Sou suddenly spoke.

“Y-Yes!”

He closed the book and turned to her.

“You seem a bit nervous. Am I making you uncomfortable by being here?”

“No, not at all!”

Xiao Chun Miura waved her hands.

“I’m just… not used to talking to people…”

It was the truth.

Whether as Huang Yang or Xiao Chun Miura, she was never the social type.

Kanzaki Sou nodded thoughtfully.

“Sorry, I was being inconsiderate. I won’t disturb your work anymore.”

He said, heading toward the door.

Xiao Chun Miura immediately breathed a sigh of relief—yet also felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

However, just as he was about to push the door open and leave, he suddenly stopped, turned back, and asked:

“Miura-san, did we meet yesterday?”

Xiao Chun Miura’s mind completely crashed.