In the After School Library, A Refined Lady's Romantic Comedy Can't Be Compromised - Chapter 4 - Act 2(1)
- Home
- All
- In the After School Library, A Refined Lady's Romantic Comedy Can't Be Compromised
- Chapter 4 - Act 2(1)
Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii
Chapter 4: Lastly, Creating Memories.
Act 2(1)
Lunch break.
“Hey, Makabe. Let’s go to the cafeteria!”
Naoi invited me out.
At first, I was the one calling out to him, but recently, he started calling me out like it was natural. I appreciate it, but unfortunately, there was a reason why I couldn’t go to the cafeteria today.
“Sorry. I have packed lunch today.”
When I replied, he was already at the doorway of the classroom with an indescribable look on his face.
“Go on ahead.”
Naoi told his friends that were waiting and came over to me.
“We haven’t been eating together much lately, is it because I told you to come over here?”
Naoi looked somewhat apologetic. I guess he thought I was trying to distance myself from him because of what he said.
“That has nothing to do with it. I told you I brought a packed lunch, right?”
I played with the bag that had my lunch.
“Really?”
“I am. What? Wanna see it?”
“No, it’s good. If that’s the case… It’s fine.”
Although he had some doubts, he was somewhat convinced.
“Kyouhei-kun, don’t mind him. Listen to what the person is saying, just leave him alone.”
It was one of the group members who had been watching from a little distance. He sounded hostile and irritated.
“Watch your tone.”
When Naoi scolded him, he snorted and disappeared down the hallway.
“Sorry about that, Makabe.”
Naoi smiled bitterly.
“Forget about me inviting you over. You have your own place. But let’s eat together again. Call me at any time.”
“Thanks.”
Naoi then followed his friends out, looking as fresh as ever until the moment he left.
“Now, then―”
I deliberately let out a sound and looked around the classroom. I soon found what I was looking for. I saw Karube had a bag on his hand and headed to Heshikiri-san to have lunch with her. The three of us ate together, a custom that had continued from last year until recently.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had lunch with them.”
I took my own lunch box and went over to the two of them.
The usual arrangement was that Karube sits sideways in the seat in front of Heshikiri-san, and I sit next to him, diagonally from Heshikiri-san’s point of view.
“Naoi seem to like Makabe, but the others don’t think so.”
As soon as I sat down at the table, Karube suddenly started speaking.
“They’re afraid that with Naoi being interested in you, you might join the group.”
“You know, it’s not good to say things like that out loud.”
Since I tend to analyze situations and people’s behavior, I can’t speak for others, but I don’t say it out loud.
But Karube was right.
As I mentioned before, the leader, Naoi Kyouhei, has the generosity to accept anyone. He didn’t set up walls that enclose his group for others to join in. However, that was not the case for his group. They were truly exclusive, that Naoi Kyouhei’s friends were only them. They have this kind of selective thinking that only they can rule at the top of the school caste.
Therefore, I was not pleased that Naoi thought great of me, nor did I have the slightest desire to increase the number of my friends. I was on good terms with Naoi, but there were also others, such as the man I just mentioned, who was outright being hostile to me.
That being said, I had no intention of joining Naoi’s group, so their concern was unfounded.
That story aside – I took my lunch box out of the bag.
“Doesn’t look like a bought lunch.”
Seeing this, Karube sarcastically said, “His lunch was a sandwich he bought in the morning at the convenience store.”
“It’s a lunch box made by my beloved sister, Hasumi-senpai.”
If Naoi really wanted to see it, it could have been bad.
I opened the lid and turned my body towards Karube, holding the lunch box in my hand.
“I’m glad you guys are getting along so well.”
“I don’t know about that.”
I chuckled.
Hasumi-senpai told me that she doesn’t hate me and that I’m innocent because I was just born. However, whether or not she would accept me as family was another matter. This morning, she made me lunch and we had a casual talk, but I think it was more about the bond of living under one roof and her sympathy for the loss of my mother.
“Oh, Heshikiri-san. It’s been a while since you wore those glasses.”
“Eh? Ye-yeah…”
Sensing that my unintentional comment was about to darken the mood, I turned to Heshikiri-san to change the subject.
She has more than one pair of glasses and seemed to change them depending on her mood. I had never seen her wearing the same one two days in a row. The girl who wears glasses like it was an accessory, as I told Hasumi-senpai before, was Heshikiri-san.
However, she doesn’t seem to be the adventurous type, all of them were a classic, standard Wellington-type. The only difference was the color and the thickness of the frames. Even so, Karube was the first to notice, followed by me. I wonder how many people noticed it, since she was not exactly in the limelight.
“Karube, how many days has it been?”
“I haven’t seen it since last Wednesday, so it’s been five days.”
Karibe easily answered, as if he was describing what he had eaten last night, but he had this look of disinterest.
“Gee, you don’t have to remember that kind of thing…”
“I have a good memory, you see.”
Karube said casually as he put the sandwich in his mouth. Heshikiri-san looks at him reproachfully.
And as for me,
“What are you laughing at?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Asked by Karube, I answered.
Of course, I was laughing. Partly because the exchange between Karube and Heshikiri was amusing. But from a larger perspective, I think this atmosphere was probably to my liking.
Until last week, I had been eating with Naoi’s group. With my nature being what it was, I can get along reasonably well with them, but if anything, I prefer to stay in a quiet corner of the classroom with these two.
This was thanks to Hasumi-senpai’s help in making my lunch box, and I guess it means that I have regained a part of my daily life.
Karibe seemed to have lost interest in my deceptive answer and said nothing more. On the other hand, Heshikiri looked like she wanted to say something, but as with Karube, she said nothing.
And so, while shifting the topic to something else, Karube ate the two sandwiches he had bought at the convenience store, then I finished the lunch box made by Hasumi-senpai, and finally Heshikiri-san finished her own lunch box.
“Ah, by the way. Makabe-kun.”
Heshikiri-san then took out a book in place of the lunch box she had tucked away into her bag.
Takahashi Kazumi, Waga Kaitai (わが解体). [T/N I looked online for his books but I can’t find any translation of this book, I can’t do it justice so I’ll just leave it as Romaji, but if you want a rough translation it would be (My Deconstruction)]
It was really a plain hobby.
The book looked very old. Probably not recent, it looked to be brought shortly after its publication. And if you look closely, you can see a barcode with our school’s name on it. It seemed to have been borrowed from the library.
However, since I was the only member of the library committee, I must have been the one who checked out the books. However, I try not to pay attention to the titles of books when I check them out, so it was only natural that I don’t remember them.
“Look here.”
Heshikiri-san opened up a page of the book.
That was all and good but,
“Heshikiri-san, please don’t use sticky notes…”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’ll be careful when I peel it off.”
When I pointed this out to her, she replied with words that sounded like excuses.
“Is it bad? I also do that a lot.”
And Karube said from the side.
“Sticky notes are surprisingly hard to remove, it might tear the page. Especially the ones that have strong adhesive. And if the book is old, like this one, the pages have deteriorated so much that just trying to peel off a regular sticky note will tear it.”
If a student returned a book with a sticky note on it, I basically have them remove it themselves. I can’t tell you how many students accidentally tear the pages off when they’re in a hurry to remove it. Thanks to this, I started doing it myself recently.
Well, if it was Heshikiri-san who loves books, it would probably be fine. On the contrary, Shiiba-senpai would most likely be the one to mess up.
“You too, Karube, be careful.”
“I haven’t paid much attention to it until now. I’ll keep it in mind. Well, I don’t have to worry about that when it comes to my own books, I guess.”
“No, treat it with care.”
Heshikiri-san faced Karube with a sullen face.
“Heard that?”
“…Alright. I’ll be careful with any books.”
As if he was taking an oath, Karube raised his hand and said so.
“So, Henshikiri-san, what’s up with that book?”
“Look, here.”
The book was handed to me, still open.
“Delusional Weirdo Horn Dog.” [T/N I tried.]
The blank space on that page had that written.
I don’t know how to read it correctly, but it must be an insult, perhaps a pun on a person’s name. As for the meaning, well, I can guess. Whatever the case may be, both the person who wrote it and the name who was written were probably not a decent human being.
“Did they write it in pencil?”
“No…”
Heshikiri-san shook her head.
I tried rubbing it with an eraser, but it wouldn’t go away.
“Pen, huh? Alright, I’ll try to sand it off later.”
If it disappears, great. If it doesn’t disappear, well…I’ll just pretend that I didn’t notice it and put it back on the shelf. Besides, I don’t even know if this book would get borrowed again.
I returned the book back to Heshikiri-san.
“Alright, Karube. Let’s go get some coffee.”
“Sure.”
We both stand up.
“Heshikiri.”
Karibe called Heshikiri-san’s name. He was probably asking if she wanted to go with us.
“No, I’m good. I have this after all.”
She showed her water bottle as she declined the offer.