“You’re the girl who almost tripped yesterday, aren’t you?”
Kanzaki Sou’s voice was calm and gentle, without a hint of probing or teasing.
His expression only showed that he was simply curious, asking based on yesterday’s impression.
However, when these words reached Xiao Chun Miura’s ears, her feelings became complicated.
The unspeakable part was that yesterday, she had practically died of social embarrassment when she met Kanzaki Sou.
…She had thought that someone like Kanzaki Sou would forget about a nobody like Xiao Chun Miura after just one encounter—at least, that’s what she hoped!
But as expected, Kanzaki Sou still remembered. Even if they’d only met once, and then met again here by coincidence, he recalled that the girl in front of him was the one who had fallen into his arms yesterday.
…Clearly, by both setting and appearance, she should have been the kind of background character no one remembered. Why did he remember so clearly?
—So embarrassing…
Xiao Chun Miura was filled with shame.
She didn’t want Kanzaki Sou to recognize her, simply because of the shame of dying socially in front of him.
Yet on the other hand, she had to admit that being recognized by Kanzaki Sou was actually a good thing for her.
…Her original plan in working part-time as a Librarian in the Library was to connect with Kanzaki Sou when he came according to the game’s storyline.
If she could achieve her goal now, it would just mean her plan succeeded ahead of schedule—there was no downside for her.
But…
Why was Kanzaki Sou already in the Library?
Xiao Chun Miura still felt quite puzzled about this.
But puzzled or not, she continued the conversation naturally.
She adjusted her glasses subconsciously, trying to hide her flustered eyes.
“Wh-why do you ask?”
Kanzaki Sou tilted his head slightly, as if searching his memory for yesterday’s scene. Through his thin-framed glasses, his clear eyes looked over with nothing impure in them.
“…Because you look familiar.”
He paused, as if choosing his words.
“After all, we did meet once. Meeting again the next day—wouldn’t it be strange not to recognize you?”
“Besides, Miura-san’s appearance is hard to forget right away.”
“…!?”
Xiao Chun Miura’s face flushed red.
What the heck.
What does that mean?
Saying something like that at a time like this?
“I saw those glasses up close, you know.”
Kanzaki Sou smiled.
Ah, the glasses.
Xiao Chun Miura looked at Kanzaki Sou with dull eyes.
If that was the reason, it wasn’t strange at all. She’d fallen into his arms and made eye contact with him, so remembering her glasses made sense.
—Wait, why did he say it was the glasses!
Xiao Chun Miura felt complicated.
Were her glasses more noticeable than her appearance or anything else?
“I-I did go to Class 1 yesterday…”
Lost in thought, Xiao Chun Miura lowered her head and answered softly, “I accidentally bumped into you. I’m very sorry…”
She even used honorific language.
“Ah, so it really was you.”
Kanzaki Sou looked slightly surprised, but his voice remained gentle, with a hint of an unnoticeable smile.
“It’s fine. You don’t have to keep apologizing, Miura-san.”
“I just didn’t expect to see you here again. What a coincidence.”
“Did you go to Class 1 yesterday for something?”
He continued the conversation smoothly.
“I remember before class you said you had something to do, right?”
Xiao Chun Miura’s mouth twitched awkwardly.
“Ah, um…yes—”
What was it again!
She had intended to use the excuse of borrowing a book from the Library to explain her actions yesterday.
But now that she was a Librarian, the excuse of “wanting to borrow a book but finding out Kanzaki Sou had borrowed it so going to ask him” couldn’t really be used…
Hm?
No, maybe it still could—
Realizing this, Xiao Chun Miura quickly spoke up.
“Because the book I wanted to borrow was taken by Kanzaki-san and hadn’t been returned yet, I, as a Temporary Library Assistant, thought I’d come ask about it…”
She modified her prepared excuse slightly, making it fit her current situation and logic even better.
Obviously, this self-consistent explanation fooled Kanzaki Sou.
“So that’s how it is.”
The gentle young man smiled warmly.
“Sorry…I’ve been preparing for the midterm exams lately, so I forgot to return the book to the Library.”
“Ah, it’s fine…I only wanted to borrow it, so I was just concerned…”
Xiao Chun Miura said, relieved inside.
It seemed the situation from yesterday had been explained away.
“I’ll return it to the Library tomorrow. Sorry for the trouble, Miura-san.”
“—No, no, it’s not any trouble…”
Xiao Chun Miura waved her hands repeatedly.
“But it really is a coincidence.”
Kanzaki Sou suddenly said.
“I originally came to ask about part-time Librarian positions in the Library; and you, Miura-san, are working here as a part-timer.”
His gaze stayed on the Work Badge hanging above Xiao Chun Miura’s stomach.
Upon hearing his words, Xiao Chun Miura stood frozen for a while before finally responding.
“—Eh, you also want to work as a Librarian…?”
Isn’t this a good thing?
But isn’t it going a little too smoothly?
Just recovering enough to think straight, Xiao Chun Miura thought.
She had wanted to work for a few days herself, and then, when Kanzaki Sou came to the Library as per the story, guide him to become a Librarian as a senior, subtly leading him.
But now, with Kanzaki Sou already expressing this intention, Xiao Chun Miura felt a bit unprepared.
Of course she had to recruit him as a Librarian…otherwise, if he joined some other club later and she followed, that childhood friend would definitely notice her intentions.
But…
“Uuu—”
As Xiao Chun Miura was conflicted inside, a groggy mumble came from the side.
Both Xiao Chun Miura and Kanzaki Sou turned their heads.
Sakura-sensei had woken up.
“…Hm? What’s going on?”
This irresponsible teacher!
Xiao Chun Miura screamed in her heart.
“Sensei, hello. I want to work as a part-time Librarian. I’m Kanzaki Sou from Class 1-1.”
Before Xiao Chun Miura could speak, Kanzaki Sou had already introduced himself.
“Ah—so that’s how it is.”
Still a bit dazed, Sakura sat up and replied casually.
“That’s great.”
What’s great about it! Be serious! Aren’t you a teacher!
Xiao Chun Miura complained in her heart at Sakura-sensei’s laid-back attitude.
Of course, what bothered her most was that while she was dying of embarrassment, this woman was napping at the side!
“We are short-staffed right now, so I’ll explain the part-time requirements to you first, Kanzaki-san.”
After sitting up straight, Sakura-sensei cleared her throat and returned to work mode.
“This is how you use this…”
“I see…”
“—……”
The teacher was enthusiastically teaching the student, but standing beside them, Xiao Chun Miura only stood there in silence, not hearing a single word.
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