A Silent Name

Sora finally finished reading all the manga on his bookshelf, so he decided to buy some new volumes while he's at the café today. Since he didn't bring with him any mangas to school, he just played with his phone during lunch time, either checking discord, twitter or watching videos on youtube. 

The school bell rings and, as usual, the girl is the first to leave the class, which Sora followed suit. 

Entering into the café, the only greeting he received this time was from the owner. An anomaly in the routine: All seats were empty. Not only was today a break in the routine for Sora, but for the girl as well. Sora stares at the seat where the girl was supposed to be. Nothing in particular came to him, other than maybe a slight curiosity. Wonder where she could be?

While still staring at her usual seat for a moment more, Sora continued walking, not to his usual seat, but instead to the manga section. 

I'll buy the fifth and sixth volumes of "Fight On!". I don't think I'm gonna read them directly, cuz I just finished another action series, which I don't think has a new volume out yet. Maybe I'll also get something different. A different genre, not a heavy action series. Music? Sure, I don't really have much of them. "A Family of Five," I've heard plenty of good things about them in discord. I'll give the first volume a shot. The last manga I was recommended from discord was surprisingly entertaining. First volume was really nice, so, I think I'll buy the remaining volumes. 

Maybe a martial arts sport manga as well?  It's contains action, but, I don't know. Maybe. Oh, this is the romance manga she was reading. "My Place of Comfort" . The summary in the back is not bad, but I'm not feeling romance. 

Oh, the new volume of "The 10th Detective" is out? It was only last month that the first volume was released. The general premise is pretty unique. A serial killer is in a detective killing spree, plotting to murder all of the world's 10 greatest detectives. He succeeded in murdering 9 of them, leaving the 10th and final world class detective, codenamed 'Moonlight', alone. Not until the end of the first volume were we shown the face of the detective, alongside the fact that Moonlight is actually the name of a group of 5 crime investigators.

After that reveal, I just had to continue reading the next volumes. Imagine if the serial killer is a group of criminals. Or maybe even an entire crime syndicate. That would be pretty cool. I think I'm gonna buy it. It's a shame there's onl-. 

Instead of the book, however, Sora's left hand was met with a much softer texture. A softer texture from a soft presence. He looked to his left, and it was the girl.

Slightly shorter than Sora's shoulder's she stands to the left of Sora, her upper body and head slightly turned to Sora's direction after facing the bookshelf. Her black hair, seemingly larger than her entire body, flows down to her waist. Her earphones connecting both her ears to the phone on her left hand, while her half-lid* eyes return the stare Sora gave her.

*see Hanmoku and Jitome eyes

Still seconds of silence as their eyes met. For a moment sound became speechless and space stood still. No words are voiced in this still moment. A still moment resulted from the contact between multiple worlds of silence. 

Both of them retracted their hands at the same time and unsure of what to do next the still moment grew even stiller.

"Go ahead," Sora offered as he lowered the volume of his music.  

No response. The girl just kept looking up at him. It's hard to tell if she is observing him or if she's contemplating something. Is she waiting for me to take the book first? Maybe she didn't hear me, cuz she's listening to music.

Breaking the stillness, Sora grabs the book and hands it over to the girl. Finally showing signs of response, she moves both her hands slowly and pleasantly to hold the book. She tilts her head down and blankly stare at the book on her hands. 

After giving it to her, Sora grabs the same manga from the shelf, inviting another gaze from the girl. 

These mangas should last me a while. Having a hold of all the mangas he wants to purchase, he begins walking towards the cashier, where the owner is stationed at. However, as Sora was just passing by the girl, he felt a tug on the side of his clothes. Sora turns his upper body slightly, only to see the girl intently staring at him with her half-lid eyes, her eyes seemingly begging for something. 

Sora stops and turn to completely face her once again. The girl releases her grip on Sora's uniform and holds in front of her chest the manga Sora handed over to her, her entire body gesture indicating that she's asking for something in relation to the book. 

Does she want me to pay for the manga?

"Do you want me to pay for you...?" 

The girl gestures with a small shake of her head and without a word spoken maintains her position.

Um... what could she possibly want? She's showing me the manga but that could mean a lot of things. She's holding the book close to her chest, maybe that means that is her book? I don't think that makes sense though... That's her book? Oh, is she telling me she owns the book. I know she has read the book before. Wait, is she telling me she likes the manga?

"You like the manga?"

As if Sora's words were a magical incantation the eyes of the girl glowed slightly.

"I also find it pretty interesting. The entire story was a mystery since the beginning, both around the protagonist and the antagonist. The mangaka is also pretty merciless with the gore scenes. I like the serious atmosphere so far."

When you think her eyes couldn't get even more purple, they do. And simultaneously as her eyes illuminated her posture slightly straightened up. Her half-lid eyes might say otherwise, but her entire body and her glistening eyes made it clear that she's excited after hearing what Sora has said about the manga. 

"The ending was also real nice. It was a massive reveal. It might have been too early, but, it was still pretty exciting."

The girl keeps staring attentively at Sora the whole time Sora was expressing his opinion. She was completely in awe like this was a first for her. 

It was a nice small talk and Sora enjoyed it, but he felt it was enough, considering he just met her. The entire encounter might have only lasted a few minutes, but a few minutes with whom the both of them can deeply resonate with. 

While holding the mangas he took from the shelves he proceeds towards the cashier. But only after a few steps, a thought came to him and he stops. He then turns his body back towards the girl.

"Sora. Sora Shinomiya"

Not used to talking to other people she feels uncertain how she should response. But, after a slight pause, while still feeling slightly shy, she softly speaks, "..u ... no"

She was certain Sora didn't hear her clearly, so she tried once again with her gentle voice.

"Ruu Hino"