Hiyoko sighed. This dusty old bookstore, tucked in a place where you had to look to find it, didn't get much action. Still, she got paid, and that's all that really mattered.
The bell jingled, much to her surprise. She had been working here for a week already, and that bell had only jingled once, to announce the arrival of a middle aged woman who smelled of cat food.
The boy who walked in took one look at her, and then hastened behind a bookshelf before Hiyoko could even utter a welcome. After a few minutes, she felt obliged to go and ask him if he needed help. She walked out from behind the counter, and stepped over to him, a smile on her face.
"Hey," she said cheerfully. "Do you need any help finding something?" He looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a particularly frightening car. He shook his head, and then turned back to the books. She noticed a a large stack of books by his feet.
"Oh," she said. "I guess I'll help you carry-" in a truly impressive display of strength, the boy picked up the stack and started towards the cash register. Hiyoko stood, dumbstruck for a moment, then shook herself and raced after him. She rang up the books, took the money, and started putting them in a bag.
"You know, I never caught your name," she said, trying to fit five books into the small bag. "Mine's Tosaka Hiyoko."
He opened his mouth, and then softly said," I'm Fujishiro Nageki." She handed him the bag.
"Nice to meet you!" She said cheerfully. He nodded, and then hurried out the door. Hiyoko turned to find Ryouta standing with his mouth hanging open.
"Y-you..." He sputtered. "How'd you do that?" He asked, grabbing her shoulders. She started to tidy up the counter.
"What do you mean?" She asked, returning a pen to its proper place. Ryouta helped her. "In the whole year I've worked here, I've never heard him utter a word!" Ryouta exclaimed. Hiyoko shrugged.
"Who knows?" She said with a smile.
He came in the next week too. This time, he brought only one book to the counter. It had a red velvet cover, with a golden title. Hiyoko leaned forward.
"How are you doing?" She asked brightly. He blinked.
"I'm…okay," he said quietly. She put the book in a bag, glimpsing the clock on the wall as she did so.
"Oh!" She cried. "Quitting time!" Turning to him, she handed the bag over.
"You know," she said. "I'm going to get tea at the cafe. Want to join me?" He seemed puzzled. "Why?" He asked. She pulled on her coat.
"I like you," she said. "You seem nice." And a little lonely, but Hiyoko didn't say that. She called out that she was leaving, and then walked out the door. He hadn't answered, but she heard footsteps behind her, so she assumed he decided to join her.
She pushed through the crowd of people, and then glanced behind her to see Nageki being pulled away. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the sea of bodies. He blushed, and Hiyoko dropped his hand, and then stepped into the cafe.
He stuck to her like a burr, holding his new book to his chest, looking nervous. She stepped up to the clerk, and ordered two teas, since Nageki didn't seem like he would be able to summon the nerve to speak.
They found a little table in the corner and sat down. As soon as they did so, Nageki pulled the book from its bag and shoved his face in it, seemingly not wanting to talk. Hiyoko didn't mind, though. She sipped her tea and looked at the window, watching the people walk by. She felt the usual pang jealousy when she saw a family, and Nageki, who was peeking over the top of his book shyly, noticed that she looked a little wistful. They parted with a wave on Hiyoko's part, and a quiet goodbye from Nageki.
Normally, Hiyoko avoided the library. It wasn't that she disliked books; it was just that she saw enough of them by working at a bookstore, so she didn't really see any need to go there. However today, she was willing to make an exception. Yuuya had her in his sights, and was approaching swiftly. Yuuya wasn't a bad guy, not really. A little flirtatious for her liking, but okay. Today however, she wasn't in the mood for it. So, she ducked into the library. It was quiet, as any good library should be, with a nice selection.
Hiyoko was looking around in admiration when she spotted a familiar head over the top of a book.
"Nageki?" She cried. A chorus of irritated whispers echoed from the few people who were there, including the boy in question. He stood, closing his book, and then walked over to her.
"Hello, Hiyoko," he murmured. She was shocked.
"You go to my high school?" She whispered. Nageki nodded.
"I'm in here a lot," he said softly. "And when I'm not, I tend to fade into the background." She felt a little guilty that she hadn't noticed him, but that was the problem with quiet people. They were so...quiet! She was just about to say something else, when a hand dropped down on her shoulder. Hiyoko jumped, and glanced back to see Yuuya.
"My dear Hiyoko," he said. "Why did you run from me?"
She sighed.
"I didn't run from you, Yuuya," she said, resigned. Nageki was staring at her, holding his book like a shield. Yuuya finally spotted him.
"Oh, silent one," he said. "Could it be you and Hiyoko are...?" He lifted an eyebrow suggestively. Hiyoko gave him a look.
"Don't be like that," she scolded gently. Nageki, whose face was red, had retreated back to his table. Hiyoko walked out, ignoring Yuuya behind her.
Much to Nageki's distress, Hiyoko forced him to join her and Ryouta in eating lunch.
"You don't eat enough," she said, piling some of her food onto his plate. "You're too skinny." Ryouta just stared at him with wonder, as if Negeki was some kind of mythical creature that would disappear any moment. Hiyoko soon found her plate empty.
"Well," she said brightly. "Guess I'll go get more!" She was walking back, pudding and other less interesting things piled high, when she ran right into none other than Sakuya Le Bel Shirogane. He said something in French when he saw that the pudding was all over him, and then smacked her right on the face. The whole cafeteria hushed. Ryouta jumped to his feet, eager to defend his friend. Nageki, however, was faster. He raced past him, eyes blazing. He stood in front of a shocked Hiyoko and said, "What kind of a man would hit a girl, you bastard!"
Sakuya's eyes gleamed with anger, and he jumped on him.
The fight was a vicious one, with much punching and clawing at eyes. In the end, Sakuya was victorious, knocking poor Nageki unconscious right before they were pulled apart. Hiyoko watched with worry as he was carried to the Infirmary, eyes filled with guilt.
When she was finally allowed to see him, Hiyoko burst into the Infirmary with a great bang as the door hit the wall. She raced to his bed, took one look at the many bruises on his face, and fell to her knees.
"I'm sorry!" She cried, gripping the edge of the bed he lay in. "It's all my fault!" Nageki closed his book.
"No, that's not true," he said softly. She touched the largest bruise on his forehead gently.
"You fought well," she said quietly. He blushed and looked down.
"I didn't win, though," he murmured. She smiled.
"Sakuya doesn't look so hot himself," she said. "You gave as good as you got." They stood and stared at each other for a while, and they found their lips close to touching when the doctor sighed irritably from his desk.
"Please," he said. "Not in here. I beg you." Hiyoko and Nageki were both blushing, now.
"And so they lived happily ever after," Hiyoko finished, closing the book. She sat in the library, softly reading a book to Nageki. He smiled.
"That's the best part," he said in that quiet way of his. Hiyoko smiled. "Indeed," she whispered. Then they kissed. Quietly, of course.
Author's Note: Though I wrote this with their pseudo human counterparts in mind, feel free to think of them as birds if you wish. I hope you enjoyed the fic.