2 - A girl shrouded in mysterious secrets

A ladybug got lost on the bottom of my hat’s brim.

“Eek! You surprised me!”

I gently picked it up between two fingers and placed the poor thing on a wayside bush.

“Stay safe, little ladybug.”

Resuming my walk to school, I saw the boy from the library on his bicycle arriving in the opposite direction.

“Ah, there he is.”

My hand covered my mouth in a heartbeat. I couldn’t believe I let words slip out of my mouth again.

It has been a couple of days since I talked to him… and it’s not like I haven’t seen him. He’s been in the library every lunchbreak, but we haven’t talked since the first time. When he doesn’t initiate a conversation, I don’t really see a reason to engage with him. Although I have to admit it makes me happy seeing him read Camarilla Twelve so diligently.

“Good mooorning!”

He seemed to be greeting some classmates as he got off his bicycle, but they all ignored him and hastily made their way through the school gates. I’m afraid it’s in my nature to pity poor things like him.

From underneath the brim of my hat, I made eye contact with him and slightly nodded my head. In the same take, he also subtly disguised a morning greeting.

“No-ri-ko~”

My heart skipped a beat, I felt like a child caught snacking at night.

“Ah, Miori… morning.”

Exasperated sigh and with her legs all wobbly, she crash-landed onto my shoulder. “You don’t have any club activities today, right? Let’s go get revenge for our lack of luck yesterday…”

Yesterday? Oh, right…

* * *

“Are you sure they’re doing the sticker collaboration thing as well? It’s quite a small convenience store after all…” I worried.

“I’m sure, I’m sure! Anyway, who are you hoping for?”

“Kron! He’s been my absolute favourite ever since I picked up the first volume a couple of years ago.”

“Oh yeah, you’re a Camarilla reader. Couldn’t be me,” she stretched her arms high, “I’d fall asleep on the first page. I’m glad they made an adaptation.”

I half-nodded, because I half-agreed, “It’s a nice adaptation for sure, but I still prefer the novels… But don’t mind me, who are you trying to get?”

“Mars! He’s the hottest of the bunch don’t you think? Oh, and Meliph is also an absolute favourite… and Lucie, she’s my sleeper pick and can’t forget about Celiza, she’s definitely one of my favourites as well.”

“Quite the selection,” I chuckled. “I like all of those as well, but I don’t resonate with them as much—just Kron.”

“Strange choice.”

Scornfully, I turned my head her way, “If you’re trying to pick a fight over Kron, I’m down to debate.”

“Well, bring it on!”

We talked about our favourites until we reached the convenience store, bought the snack that has the special collaboration stickers and unpacked those the second we walked out of the sliding doors.

“Argh~ I even forgot his name… So disappointing. Who did you get?”

“Hmmm, oh, Alòr. And you?” I looked over and saw that she had gotten him as well. “Well, better luck next time…”

* * *

“Mhmm, let’s hope we get something better this time around.”

I parted ways with Miori in the hallways, since we’re not in the same class, unfortunately. On the bright side, that gives me more things to talk about on the way home.

Once I entered the classroom, familiar faces from middle school greeted me. I should probably think of them as classmates instead.

“Ishiwata-san, over here! Still got your hat on?” Watanabe asked.

Here she goes again.

I tried to nod as proudly as I could, “Who would I be without it? Haha…”

“Good morning, Nori-chan! Have you thought about your class rep pick?” asked Satou as she made a terrible attempt at winking at Watanabe—who had announced that she wanted to be our representative, which is surely why Satou asked. Either way I was planning to cast a blank vote, so I thought I might as well—

“Want me to vote for you, Watanabe?”

She clasped her hands together, “I’m begging you! Yuma from class A is going to be one and I really, really, really want to get closer to him!”

Satou chipped in, “Speakin’ of love…” a gaze full of expectation was casted my way. “Who are you in for, Nori-chan?” 

I shook my head and waved the idea off, “No one. I could tell you as much about love as a shark could tell you about trees.”

“The heck?” she laughed.

When the classroom doors open, some people in the room might turn their heads. When it’s quiet or when class has started, nearly every head turns. There’s one person in our class that needs no special occasion to have all eyes turn her way.

“Oh, it’s Suzumi-chan.”

“Morning, Suzu-chan!” Satou greeted her, full of energy.

Her lips only slightly formed a smile, yet her eyes sold its sincerity. With hurried steps she walked over to us. My mouth to brain connection disappears when I’m faced with strangers, but she hardly counted as one, being my classmate and the friend of a friend—well, Satou was everyone's friend.

“Morning! What’s gotten you so full of energy this early?”

“We’re talking about love. Nori-chan is keeping her love life a secret—”

“No, hehee…” End me.

“Watanabe is really, really, really into Yuma and I’m just waiting on a handsome boy to confess to me,” with closed eyes, she flexed her biceps for some reason.

“I see, I see. I’m all up to speed now, thanks,” she giggled with her fist covering her mouth.
“So…” Satou let her voice linger. “Who do you have your eyes on?”

“Let me guess, the creep?”

All three of them laughed at different volumes. I laughed along to avoid the attention turning my way.

Once the laughter faded out, Satou asked again, “I’m really curious, though… Is there anyone?”

She took a step or two towards the window and let her gaze reach the clouds, “I think there was someone like that…”

Is he dead?

“…But nowadays, I don’t know. I might still be interested, but I might just be confused.”

“So there is someone, huh?” She made eye contact with Watanabe, “That’s kind of surprising.”
In turn, Watanabe looked at me, “Detective! Let’s sniff out who it is!”

“I’m not a detective, you know.”

Her face instantly lost the playful spark. “Oh, right. You’re going to make a movie. How’s that going?”

The words she spoke felt more like a jab at me rather than genuine curiosity. Perhaps I should’ve just laughed when she called me a detective.

“It’s a dream of mine, but I haven’t really, you know…” Mouth and mind are losing connection, “Uh, I haven’t made any progress.”

Suzumi-chan turned away from the window, “Really? You want to make your own movie? How wonderful~”

Not a single soul seemed to ignore her soft-spoken words, even people on the opposite side of the classroom were staring. I nodded, since it wasn’t really a secret. I mentioned it during the self-introductions after all, although that doesn’t make it any less embarrassing to admit.

“Yeah,” Satou confirmed, “Nori-chan said that during the self-introductions, remember?”

Watanabe suddenly sparkled, “Ishiwata-san! You should totally give me the lead role and make Yuma-kun the male lead! Ah~ that could really end up as the greatest movie ever.”

Before I had the chance to come up with a reply, our teacher walked in and hurried everyone to their seats. When I sat down, I failed to contain my exasperated sigh.

“Psst, Ishiwata-san,” Suzumi-chan suddenly whispered from my right side. “They can be a little overwhelming at times, right? I’m still getting used to it,” she softly giggled.

“Mhmm, me too.”

* * *

“—and they wouldn’t believe me when I said I didn’t have a love life going on.”

I filled Miori in on our way home.

“You do look like a girl shrouded in mysterious secrets.”

“I don’t.”

“Instant deflection, huh.” Somehow she found amusement in our conversation. “The more you deny it, the more you confirm it. Hmmm, on the other hand, you’ve never really been into dating and stuff.”

“Neither have you—” As I finished my sentence, I realised, “Wait, I’m deflecting again.”

Her laughter echoed through the street.

Luckily her teasing came to an end at the convenience store. As soon as the automatic doors closed behind us, we opened the packages of our snacks.

“Sticker, sticker, sticker.”

“It’s like you’re casting a spell,” I laughed as I took mine out—

“—Mars!!” I yelled, loud to the point that people across the street turned their heads.

“No way! Are you for real?!” She took a look at hers, “Noooo! I got Alòr again!”

The adrenaline rush from unpacking such a popular character didn’t fade this soon, but I couldn’t just sit on one of her favourites.

“Here, you can have him if you want.”

“No way! Are you for real?” She said in a much more excited tone.

“Yup! But you can keep your Alòr…”

When we separated ways I began to wonder who the library boy would end up liking the most.