I Accidentally Triggered The Sociophobic Bookworm Route! (Part 6)

She returns my smile with one of her own, and we share a peaceful moment…

…a moment, that doesn’t last very long.

I watch her gaze drift to my side, her expression shifting to shock.

I turn—

And see Yuka standing right behind me.

Sniffling, eyes red and watery, like she’s been holding it in for a while.

She drops to her knees and crawls forward, grabbing onto Komori and looking up at her as she breaks into sobs.

“I’m so sorry Komori! I didn’t know things were so hard for youuu…You’re such a sweet girl, I’m sorryyy…I should never have helped the others find you guuuys! I’m so sorryyy—!”

Yuka shakes her head, sobbing even harder.

“Please don’t hate me! I just want to be your frieeend! Please, I’ll do anythinggg!”

Baffled, I start to ask:

“How did you—?”

“You accidentally…added me…to the chat,” she manages between sobs.

Komori looks up at me in a panic—

Only to find me laughing.

“I’m sorry, Komori, but you have to admit, it’s kind of funny.” I exhale. “Does that really sound like someone who would judge you or turn down a request to be friends?”

With a determined look, she shakes her head and starts typing on her phone.

< “Weep not, Madam Yuki, for thou hast a most noble soul. It would be mine honor, to ride into battle with a maiden as valiant as thee.” >

Another wave of tears hit Yuka.

“Oh Komori, I want to fight with you too!”

“Gapaaa!”

Komori flinches at Yuka’s sudden declaration of combat.

< “Madam Yuki, I fear I may misunderstand thy words. Dost thou mean to wage war against me? Or form an alliance?” >

“An alliance, an alliance!” Yuka sobs. “I won’t let anybody hurt you! I’ll kill anybody you want, Komori—just give me the wooord!”

Komori looks up at me, startled, before looking back down at her.

< “Such wanton violence! Truly terrifying! And thy tears, they rage like the fiercest rapids of the great Yoshino River!” >

She gently pats Yuka’s head.

< “Tis not necessary, Madam Yuki. Sheathe thy sword, dry thy tears! This humble samurai would be most honored to walk the path of companionship with thee!” >

“Okay, let’s get you up.”

I step in and lift Yuka off Komori.

Yuka tries to calm herself down, pulling a big transparent package of sweets from her bag—despite eating being strictly forbidden in the library. Inside are little gummy candies shaped like various vegetables.

She starts plowing through them, then holds one out to Komori.

“Candy?”

< “I shall accept thy tribute most graciously, Madam Yuki.” >

I keep gathering my things, giving the two of them some space.

To my surprise, conversation comes easily to them—I even hear a few giggles.

I open the door to the study room to pick up the last of my stuff.

Upon picking up the book I dropped, I can’t help but ask:

“Hey, Komori—when Haruki met you, he said you reminded him of Rapunzel too. Was your hair always this long?”

She turns to me, switching back to direct text-to-speech.

[ “It was long, but definitely not like this. The book really struck a chord with me. It felt like if I grew it out, it might bring me a little closer to that kind of comfortable world. That maybe, one day, it could even bring a prince to come rescue me…just like in the story.” ]

“Oh, interesting! I guess it’s kind of funny how things worked out, then, huh?”

[ “What do you mean?” ]

“I mean, I only found you here because your hair was long enough to escape out the door—I mean, tower. Maybe I could be your prince? Haha.”

Komori drops her phone.

“Oops.”

I crouch down and pick it up—no cracks.

“Here you go.”

I hand it back with a smile.

She doesn’t say anything—just presses it into her chest.

Seeing Yuka has finally calmed down, I pull out a tissue and wipe her face.

“Blow.”

I do my best to avoid getting any snot on my hands.

Taking care of her really feels like taking care of a child sometimes.

“Come on, you too,” I say to Komori, pulling out another tissue. “Let’s wipe those eyes of yours—”

As I brush her bangs aside, I feel a sense of déjà vu again.

There’s an intensity in her eyes…not unlike the look Yuka had after our big talk a couple days ago.

But the thought vanishes just as quickly—

The moment I see how stunning they are.

Akin to two sparkling emeralds—

No, even that doesn’t quite capture it.

They’re…mesmerizing. Like staring into a star-filled sky.

And seeing her full face like this…

She’s genuinely adorable.

So much so that it somehow puts even Yuka to shame.

“Wow, Komori…your eyes are amazing. It’s kind of a shame they’re always hidden—I can’t even imagine how many people you’d make smile just by showing them.”

At first, she blushes.

But then her expression—uncertain, conflicted.

Her grip tightens around her phone.

Suddenly, she ducks down and starts rummaging through my bag.

“...Huh?”

She stands back up—

Holding a pair of scissors.

Blade pointed toward me.

Her expression serious.

She takes a step forward.

Oh crap.

Was it something I said?

Did I misread her this whole time?

I thought she was a dandere—

Was she actually a yandere?

Is this really where my story ends?

I shut my eyes and brace myself as she lunges—

—and just like that, everything goes cold…

…well.

In my hand, at least.

I glance down.

She’s placed the scissors in it.

I look up to see her miming scissors with her fingers—snip, snip—then dragging them across her bangs.

“You want me to…cut your hair? Here?”

She nods.

“Uh…I’m not exactly a professional. Are you sure you don’t want to go to, like, a hair stylist or something?”

She shakes her head; eyes fixed on me.

“I-I—”

< “I must be stout of heart, and face my opponents head on!” >

Well…guess that’s her answer.

Raising my phone, switching the camera so she can see herself, I have her position the scissors for me.

“Okay…ready?”

She gives a small nod.

I start cutting.

Slowly. Carefully.

Trying very hard not to mess this up.

Strands of hair drift down to the floor.

Bit by bit, her bangs shorten—

Until, just like that, her face comes fully into view.

She stares at herself through the screen.

Quiet. Uncertain.

“I think it looks really pretty,” I say.

She glances away, fidgeting, a faint blush spreading across her face.

“So, those opponents you wanted to face?”

< “I shall dye the earth crimson with their blood!” >

“Gapaaa!”

She gasps, startled by how violently her words were interpreted, and hurriedly switches modes.

[ “Forgiveness! I meant forgiveness! I want to ask them to forgive me. I want to fix the trouble I caused. As your friend, I want to make things right.” ]

“Well speaking of—now that we’re at three friends, I’m pretty sure there are others who’d want to be your friend too. Maybe after the apology, we could try for that?”

[ “Yes! I would like that very much.” ]

“You ready?”

She nods, then grabs onto my sleeve.

“r–r-ready.”