Minamoto mustered her courage and slammed the book shut. Putting it back on the rolling cart, kicking it down the hallway.
Nervously laughing she said,
"We shouldn't be messing with this anymore."
As the others in the group nodded seemingly in shock.
Two of our other friends Dante and Emelia who were playing this new RPG nearby walked over asking about what had just happened.
Dante and Emelia, they were twins. Both tall with silver braided hair and green eyes. The descendants of some Viking king back in the day. Or so they tell us. They both were transfer students from somewhere in Scandinavia, to our school in the first year. They joined this club immediately and found their place here.
Emelia explained,
"I was whooping as-- I mean playing with Dante... Then all of the sudden we saw the lights go off by you guys, we thought it was someone pulling a prank. Then randomly we saw the book slam down on the desk and the words *Consent Given* played through our headphones. Our game sound was muted, so where did it come from?".
I replied,
"Minamoto decided to put the book away since we were all pretty weirded out about what had happened."
Emelia complained,
"Aw! Don't tell me I missed some paranormal shit! Next time you look at it let me know."
I nervously laughed and stood up,
"Right.. Well it's about that time."
It was getting late and we ended the club meeting, it was the last one of the year. Akira, the president of the club, gave one last short speech,
"It's been an amazing year and I'm really happy that you all could join me in this club. Most of us have been around for three years at this point, having reading over a hundred books total! Next time we have a meeting like this, we will all be in our final year. I have a feeling it will be the best yet. It wouldn't be the same without you, and I look forward to seeing every one of your faces here next year. We're a family, so... don't be a stranger over break! The club is officially over for the year. Get home safe."
Everyone but Minamoto said their goodbyes and left. Mina stayed with me, finding first aid at the nurses office to clean my still bleeding finger. It had bled so much when I pricked it on the book.
A lot of blood for just a tiny prick.
She signaled for me to walk over as she took my finger and cleaned it with a disinfectant wipe while dressing it. After getting my hand back it looked like it was a mummy character from a horror flick. My whole hand was now covered in bandages causing Mina to laugh.
I laughed and yelled.
"MINA!"
She grabbed my arm and swung me around to her side as she guided me outside the door of the library.
She asked,
"Want to walk home together?"
For a moment I was mesmerized by her.
Long amber hair, with two amazing features. Her eyes, I mean, totally meant eyes. Golden eyes to be exact. The most innocent yet playful girl you will ever meet. Full of energy meant for the theater. She brought me out of my shell, which for an introvert like myself ,was hard thing to do.
With my face flushed I smiled,
"Sure"
I couldn't stop blushing as we walked down the street arm in arm to the train station, the pouring rain now stopped.
While we weren't dating it was pretty much a given that we were an item. She only had eyes for me and every guy that tried to get close was quickly shut down. Even Akira at one point was shut down by her.
With Mina everything else today just feels unimportant. With her, I'm in heaven. I just wish that we had a longer walk to the station, it is just a few minutes down the main road of the campus.
In this city, there was high speed rails that went around all the most important facilities of the city. This way anyone could get anywhere of importance at the speed of light.
Finally, we arrived at the train station where we were going to part ways.
*Minamoto grabbed my hands and looked at me deeply in the eyes while smiling*
"Yuki, that book stuff was a bit weird but don't overthink it. Weird things happen all the time. This next year is going to be amazing. Even though it will be hard, don't forget that you can count on me. As she looked around realizing the other passengers were already on the train and we were alone. Mina ran up covering my eyes and kissing me. "
The older people looked at us with disdain, public displays of affection were not the norm. Yet nothing about Mina was the norm, she seemingly came out of nowhere throwing all the social norms out the window. Acting as she pleased, when she pleased.
She was so close I could feel the warms of her words on my cheeks, she said with her hand still covering my eyes,
"Don't open your eyes till you count to 10, Ok?
Goodnight Yuki, I love you…"
She loves me?!?
10…9…8…7…
*the sound of the train doors closing"
6…5…4…3…2…1
Before what she said had fully registered, I opened my eyes and the train along with Mina was gone.
That would be the last night of blissful ignorance we would live so close in company. She was a performer, writer, and pursuer of adventure. So interested in the history of the world and wanted a real adventure to figure it all out. I was lucky to be with her, to be honest, I had no idea why she even chose me over Akira.
After she left I made my way back home. I had a home close to campus which made it easy to get to and from the school.
*Sigh*
Another night coming back to my cat. I walked inside the door and saw the giant orange Cheeto wobbling around in the kitchen. Like a giant you could nearly hear his footsteps across the room. I couldn't help but smile, he was truly a chonker covered in orange fur with white horizontal stripes along his back. He even had a white dot on his chest making him look like he was always wearing a tie.
Not the worst thing!
I yelled,
"Sunny! Come here!"
*The sound of pans being knocked over*
This orange cat raced around the corner to greet me as I walked in. Clawing his way up my pants he nearly ripped them with his weight.
I screeched,
"Aaaaa you little shit that hurts!"
I picked him up and sat down on my couch. Where he immediately started running circles around me. Jumping onto my shoulders and messing with my head like there was something wrong with it. He also started scratching at the hand cast Mina had given me.
I gazed at my mummified hand.
Still way too much for a cut but I think It would be funny to show the group tomorrow. Time after time I moved Sunny but he kept coming back to my hand trying to get my cast off. He really must be hungry.
Finally I got up, fed Sunny and got ready for bed. I was exhausted after the night I just had, I didn't feel like eating. While walking my trash out I ran into my neighbor Kizawa. She was my neighbor's daughter, just about my age but in a different class. She was in 1 - B and I was in 1 - A. Sunny busted out the door after me and ran towards Kizawa. Jumping in her arms he started to purr and mess with her long hair that draped over her shoulders looking down at the Cheeto puff.
"Kizawa, you wouldn't believe what happened tonight"
She smiled and responded,
"What did you finally get laid?"
I blushed and retorted while throwing my trash into the large green bin outside,
"No! I was at my club!"
She smirked,
"Oh? An exhibitionist! Sounds like you..... For real though, the literature and gaming club? How do you even keep up with that and TDK? Don't get me wrong it It looked like fun but with Tennis I really don't have any time for other things. How you managed to keep up with Tae Kwon Do for all those years I can never understand."
I shook my head and sighed,
"It wasn't easy, but when something is important to you, you have to make time for it. When I'm competing, I feel like I'm doing what I was meant to be doing. Anyways, listen to this!"
I explained the events of the night, excluding the paranormal stuff and the kiss that Mina gave me.
Kizawa was confused and began to inquire,
"So you guys were reading an old book that took influence from real events? Kind of cool if you ask me! Blending realities of fiction and non. Makes you start to wonder what is real anymore. It is odd though, since when do old books make Isekai references."
She's going to think I'm crazy if I mention the voices and the book doing all those weird things.
I replied with a distant look on my face as I recalled the book lighting up and smashing onto the table on its own,
"Yeah.. I guess you're right. Not really the typical historical book we were expecting. It was almost like a game manual with a bit of lore to go with it. It's been a long night, I think I should call it. Lack of sleep is making me believe in ghosts."
Kizawa was sitting, sunny, in her lap.
"Hey, want our cat back? I don't mind taking him forever if you get bored of him. We did find him together n the fast food restaurants trash bin a few years back. You should bring him to visit more often."
I turned to her as I stopped at the door while walking back inside,
"He's all yours for now, I'll be gone all weekend so you can have him in the meantime. My spare key is under the mat for you to get any supplies he could need. Thanks for taking care of him, I owe you one. You're kind of like his aunt, you're the only one he will interact with other than me. Not even Mina. Goodnight!"
Kizawa forced a smile and looked down at the cat in her arms,
Heh score one for Kizawa...tsk..,,What does Mina have that I don't.
Suddenly an idea popped inside of her head, while harmless in intent. It would have tragic consequences.
She sits in the back of the classroom right?...