AN- Look I need to stare at a wall for a good long while after seeing the end of the game but also I need for everyone to be happy and okay so here have that bookstore date Natsuki and Yuri were talking about in the good end. - Joltik


Mirror of you, mirror of me

by Twilight Joltik

Yuri considered the local bookstore a second home to her. She knew this place so well that she often had dreams that took place there, even if they had nothing to do with books. If they had job openings, she'd apply for a position there in a heartbeat. She loved this place more than she loved most of her family.

But, in all her many years going there, there was but a single shelf she'd never perused: the manga section. In a way, she was excited to finally have a reason to go there and look and read there, even better that it was with Natsuki.

"So, what would you recommend?", she asked her friend, who was already furiously scanning the books' spines.

After a moment of looking, Natsuki stopped and grabbed one. She held the book out to Yuri- well, more like forced it into her hands. "This one!", she exclaimed. "I want you to read it!"

Yuri took the manga; a colorful volume with a girl and a boy on it and the title spelled out in colorful bubbles. "Toradora?", she read. "It looks interesting, what is it about?"

Her friend looked away, trying to cover her face. "I-it's good! Trust me!"

"Romance usually isn't my genre of choice," she muttered, more to herself than anyone. Upon seeing Natsuki's pout, she quickly amended her statement. "But, if you think it's good, I'm sure I'll enjoy it!"

"You'll love it for sure!", Natsuki exclaimed. "Now, what book do you want me to read?"

Oh, right! Yuri had thought long and hard about what book she should buy for Natsuki. Something not too heavy or long, but something that would speak to her. Really, there was only one choice, in Yuri's eyes.

She led Natsuki to the classics section and plucked out an old favorite of hers. They'd had to read it for an assignment in a book club she'd joined online, with members from all over the world. But, Natsuki's writing had always reminded her of it. Gracefully, she picked the book off the shelf and handed it to her friend.

"Animal Farm?", Natsuki read. "Geeze, Yuri, I'm not that dumb…"

"No, it's not a book for little kids!", Yuri insisted. "It seems like a silly story at first, but I think you'll find it has a lot more meaning than it looks like it does! It reminds me of your writing!"

Natsuki turned bright red. "M-my writing? W-wow, uh… th-thank you… I'm glad you, like, notice stuff like that..."

"Of course I do!", Yuri exclaimed. "Your writing is unique and clever, just like you!"

"Y-you better like the book I got for you…", Natsuki stammered out. "I-It's about a girl who's kinda lonely and smaller than she should be, so she lashes out a lot so she can feel tougher… She falls in love with someone way out of her league, a-a-and… she's really loveable!"

That sounded an awful lot like someone Yuri already knew. She giggled a bit. "I'm sure I'll adore her," she assured Natsuki. "She sounds lovely."

Suddenly, Yuri found herself in a tight hug. Natsuki seemed to be shaking a bit, but gripped her tightly. "I'm gonna love the shit out of the book you picked out for me too," she muttered into Yuri's shoulder.