Shared Library/Transcript

My first impression was right; the library is surprisingly big.

Ambling down the narrow aisles, I study the spines of the books in random order, occasionally sliding one out to read the blurb, taking it with me if it looks good.

In a few moments I have a respectable stack of books in my arms.

I guess I'll never be stuck for choice in here.

The normality of the library sinks in. Sure, there are large-print and Braille books scattered throughout, but it is what it is: a library.

It's as if the calm mood from the room I had tea with Lilly in snuck with us in here, unless it was here to begin with.

Something about that puts me at ease, just like before.

I reach the end of the aisle and find a collection of desks, set up for study or personal reading. Going a little further, though, I discover a nice quiet corner at the back.

While the rest of the library has the odd student sitting at a desk either reading or stealthily sleeping, the back is pretty much deserted.

As I glance around, I see someone who I recognize sitting on one of several beanbags.

It's the dark-haired girl from my class. The one who snuck out of the classroom earlier.

She's reading a book, keeping it close to her face which makes her look like she's really into it.

From the way she was acting today, I had her pegged as more of a delinquent than a bookworm. In fact, her mysterious disappearance from the class raises all sorts of whys in my head.

Intrigue floats slowly but surely towards the surface, and before I know it I'm walking towards the mysterious long-haired girl.

I guess there's no harm in introducing myself as I would with anyone else. She's a classmate after all.

Walking over to another beanbag, I take a seat and lay my books besides it.

The girl starts, looking scaredly up at me from underneath her fringe.

This is the first time I've seen her this close. Underneath her long, dense bangs, I can see that part of her face, at least a third if not a half, is pretty badly scarred.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the scars, subconsciously peeking past her hair until they meet her own eyes.

For a second, I am shocked, and divert my eyes to the book in her hands, before I realize that looking away probably only makes it worse.

It takes too many seconds to collect myself and remember what I walked up to her for.

> I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.

Hisao "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Purple-haired girl "It... it's okay."

The girl certainly doesn't look like it's okay, but I let it slide.

Hisao "So, umm... do you mind if I sit here?"

She seems to be very uncertain whether it's okay or not for me to sit, but finally she nods, just a little.

Purple-haired girl "O... okay."

I take the seat next to her, and she hides herself behind her book.

"Life of Pi"... Never heard of it.

Hisao "So, errr... sorry again for startling you. I'm Hisao."

She looks up from her book, stalling a little before replying.

Purple-haired girl "I... know."

Purple-haired girl "We... are in the same... same class."

Her speech is stilted and so quiet that it is barely audible even in the still library.

Somehow I think that my "delinquent" impression of her was wrong.

Purple-haired girl "H-H-Hanako. I'm... Hanako."

...

I resist the urge to say "that's a nice name" just to have something to say, but really, it's the only thing that I can think of.

I feel like an idiot. Everyone here must be used to being different to each other, and here I am being all bothered and fussed about that kind of thing.

Hisao "Don't let me interrupt your reading. I'll... just check these books if you don't mind."

She nods a little, and sighs a little sigh of relief.

...

So I try to read the covers and the introductions of the books I picked up and she buries her face in her book.

Uncomfortable silence consumes us.

My eyes still wander to her direction, and I sneak peeks at her flowing hair and the scar it's hiding.

After a while I realize that she's doing the same, and only pretending to immerse in "Life of Pi."

Her gaze is not inquisitive at all though, it darts around like a scared rabbit.

When our gazes finally meet, the chain reaction is unstoppable.

She stands up forcefully from the beanbag and takes a deep breath.

Hanako "I..."

Hanako "I... I..."

Hisao "I...?"

Hanako "Ivegottogodosomething!"

Without warning, PARDO BURSTED THROUGH THE DOOR AND SAID

"I WAS BORN WITH THICK SKIN"

THEN HE SHOT HISAO WHO TURNED OUT TO BE THE INFAMOUS MIAMI MUTILATOR

HAPPY ENDING