A/N: I'm writing this instead of finishing my NaNoWriMo, but I'm not regretting it. There'll be a doujin on the next HaruEru day on delivery, as we speak. XD

My country actually have banned access to FFN, which made my fanfic mood dropped by 3500%. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Also, the last scene of chapter 3 has been edited to make sense. Please read it if you have time.

I present this to all of you new and old followers alike, I hope you're still around. And yup, I haven't moved on from Valvrave either. Enjoy!

ハルエル

"Er... L-elf?"

Tap tap. L-elf continued stacking the books to his left, writing down on the file cards, inputting the same information into the computer. Twice the work, but this library made a point of keeping data both online and on paper for security issues.

"L-elf...? I..."

He didn't see any books left in front of him. Sighing, he inwardly thought of being too quick for his own good. At this rate, any job would seem to lack challenge and drive him into boredom anytime.

"...L-elf..."

This time, L-elf finally decided that the ignoring part was enough. He smiled rigidly to the customer in front of him. "How may I help you?" he asked. "Is there any book you'd like to borrow?"

Tokishima Haruto looked pathetic today. Not quite on the verge of tears, but definitely wasn't composed either. When L-elf finally spoke to him, the latter seemed a little relieved, but immediately looked like a kicked dog (puppy would be too cutesy) after hearing the impersonal tone L-elf used on him. For some moments, L-elf only waited for his reaction, whereas Tokishima seemed to be reluctant to let out anymore words than this. This brought silence for both of them, neither seemed willing to break it.

L-elf surprised himself to find that he felt some degree of accomplishment for inciting such reaction in Tokishima.

On a more serious note, Tokishima obviously should have brought some books to borrow or return if he had wanted L-elf to talk to him since the moment he first walked in today. (Not that L-elf actually wanted to talk to Tokishima.)

After pointedly ignoring Tokishima Haruto on Saturday, the other walked home way earlier than usual. L-elf didn't know what to think then. It was definitely not yet the time of that Sashinami girl finishing her cram school. Maybe they had gotten into some agreement on Thursday after L-elf went home earlier than them from the sushi place in their neighborhood.

Not that he cared.

"And what would be your business?" he asked, finally making the first conversation, simply because he wanted to prove that he did not care. But it actually had the undesired effect; Tokishima Haruto now looked hopeful.

"No, I... uhm. I brought youkan again," Tokishima said, rummaging through his backpack to take out a bento box full of just youkan. "Do you want some?" It must be Sashinami Shoko's handmade red bean jelly again, and even though L-elf ate three pieces of those the last time Tokishima brought that to the library, he felt obliged to refuse eating them now, for himself. For whatever reason his petty self might have had.

...

Petty, huh?

When had L-elf started thinking of himself as such? He glared at Tokishima Haruto. "No, keep them to yourself," he said. This whole thing was totally Tokishima's fault. So, even if the other looked way more dejected than usual, L-elf wouldn't think of taking his words back.

"Ah... haha, ha. Yeah, I figured. Uh... I made these myself, but maybe you'd prefer Shoko's, huh? Does it smell different?" Tokishima asked, and L-elf blinked. So it was Tokishima's handmade? Tokishima went to sniff the bento box, but ended up closing them. L-elf felt bad about it. However, there was no way he could ask for some after refusing, just because he came to know that the brunet made them himself.

L-elf felt like stomping his feet to the ground. Why was this whole thing so frustrating?! He didn't even understand why he felt this way, and what exactly was this thing that refused to let him go back to his usual self.

Tokishima put his bento box to his bag again, and walked away from the counter. Instead of walking towards his usual spot, the male began to make his way out. The sun hadn't even set, why would he need to go home so early?

"Tokishima Haruto," L-elf called, but not too loud. Strangely enough, Tokishima's head snapped around as if L-elf was yelling his name. His eyes were wide, and before L-elf could be more uncomfortable, he already spoke again, "Why are you not reading anything?"

"Oh-" Tokishima looked guilty where he stood, but he came to smile sheepishly. "I think I lost my member card. I'm going to look for them at school tomorrow," he said.

"You could just read here. Aren't you going to pass time to wait for Sashinami Shoko?"

"Eh?" Tokishima gaped, then he looked panicked. His arms moved as if he wanted to express something. The words didn't quite come out, and in the end, his right hand settled to palm his face. "No, uh, Shoko made me promise not to. She wants to get someone to take her home, and me coming to pick her up just make things difficult for them to have a chance... Or so she said."

"Eh?" L-elf made the same sound.

"Huh?"

Tokishima blinked. Neither of them expected L-elf to be so caught off guard. For some reason, L-elf felt it was difficult to keep a straight face. If anything, he wanted to mirror Tokishima and facepalm himself as well. Instead, his left hand ran through his hair. Tokishima blinked looking at him acted as such and made his way back, returning to the counter of the library. L-elf wanted to snap and get him out of this place, but he would be scolded for regarding a customer like that, and L-elf didn't want to lose his job.

"Why are you surprised?" he heard Tokishima asked.

Simple, really, L-elf had had assumptions that Sashinami was Tokishima's girl. However, he would rather be buried alive than saying that to the brunet. The context would appear too suspicious, as if it mattered that Tokishima had a relationship with that girl or not. It didn't. Not for L-elf.

"Let me taste them," L-elf said, still refusing to look at Tokishima.

"Huh?"

"Your youkan. I always think you'd make a lousy cook, let me taste them."

"Hey, that's rude! My cookings are okay, you know?" Tokishima said, while taking out the bento box once again. "What, L-elf? If you want it you shouldn't refuse them in the first place, I know you love youkan," he said while grinning.

L-elf grumbled. What he would give to erase that smug grin. "One more word, and I'm no longer taking any of your offer," he said.

"Okay, okay!" Tokishima said, then opened the box for him.

Tokishima looked a little giddy then; he had a nervous smile on his face, for the third time that he had shown today, and for L-elf, the fact that Tokishima-or anyone, for that matter-could be read so easily was too embarrassing. Like, as a fellow human being.

At the very least, this topic distraction had allowed him to dodge Tokishima's question. L-elf took a cut, then noticing even by fingers, the consistency was different than before. It was denser, coarser. Pointedly ignoring Tokishima's expectant eyes following his every move, L-elf took a bite, and he cringed. "Too sweet," he said. Rather than the subtle flavor, there were additional layer of sweetness the more he bit into it.

"Ahahaha, I guess so, huh?" Tokishima said, but he was still grinning like he didn't mind the disheartening response at all. If looks could kill, L-elf had punched that face to death just now.

But he still took another cut.

In the end, Tokishima Haruto went home still earlier than usual. L-elf sighed, there were other customers that day, but he kept getting distracted by the other male who still didn't stop grinning even as he walked away from the library. If L-elf did anything to cause that smugness, he didn't want to know. He just wanted the other to stop being embarrassing.

"Uhm, pardon me?"

"Ah, yes, how may I help you?" L-elf coughed to hide his thoughts, attending the customer right away. She merely returned several books, and L-elf watched her as she went out of the building, when he noticed another girl entering his vision.

And this one, he was familiar of.

Or rather, he felt the familiar irritation that he associated with someone who could only be that loud and cheerful even in the dead of night. Which currently wasn't, if he were to be honest.

"L-elf Karlstein, good evening!"

"Sashinami Shoko," L-elf replied as he bowed slightly, merely addressing her. He didn't feel like putting up a sociable act, so he went straight to, "What business brings you here?"

"No business at all, really. This place is really close to my cram school. I've been curious to visit, but whenever Haruto pick me up we always go straight home," Sashinami said while making a stroll around the bookshelf nearest to the counter. It was the counter of the latest books, unsorted, and Sashinami picked a few titles that had been adapted into a movie. So typical. Again, L-elf didn't necessarily like the way she flaunted Haruto-Tokishima-in a light manner. It was the bubbly-ness which made L-elf cannot figure whether Sashinami was being serious or teasing. And if it was teasing, what would the reason be?

"And here you are, did the curiosity kill you yet?" he asked rather rudely. It was deliberate, L-elf told himself, to test what kind of reaction Sashinami would have. And if it made her offended enough not to come here again, just all the better.

However, Sashinami laughed. And to his surprise, the laughter was elegant, small and lady like. For a brief second, his mind wandered back to her name, her father, the politician.

"I can be as oblivious as you want, L-elf-kun," she said, eyes twinkling with secret. A small smile was still plastered on her face as she leaned on the counter. "But if you want to do the dance, I'm more than proficient at it."

L-elf blinked. He had no idea what her references were for those terms, but he had a good guess. Still, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

For the second time, Sashinami didn't directly answer him. "You know, I remembered you last week because he showed you when you first worked here. There's no one who have your hair around here, and the good look to go with it too," she said, effectively changing the topic.

"I've been told that before," L-elf answered, reminded of the love confessions that his past self received. Or rejected, to be exact.

"Cocky, aren't you?" L-elf merely shrugged to that answer. "You shouldn't be so guarded. He genuinely wants to be close to you, and if he thinks so, then I want to be your friend too," Sashinami said. And again, L-elf was at loss of what to say.

This was why he didn't like Sashinami at all. Tokishima was an open book, but Sashinami was the pen, writing down everything without reserve, having her thoughts blatant in the open, but she did it in the way that made people unable to read her unless they knew the whole story. And like a sword, it went on an offense. L-elf didn't have any interest to know it. Not her.

Yet Tokishima was the same. He went in and suddenly everything was a comfortable habit for L-elf; but one day he made L-elf realize that he didn't know a single thing about him, except for L-elf's own observations. He was an open book, but only for the pages that he showed. Whereas L-elf, beneath the insults and sardonic words, only ever answered him truthfully. Tokishima knew his home, the childhood in the orphanage, the school and his discomfort. L-elf had let on a lot more than he needed to.

"Just who's the guarded one here?" L-elf snapped, letting on more thorns than he meant to. Because he wasn't insulting someone; he was revealing his own emotions there, but this was a weakness he couldn't afford. "Your friend never told me anything of importance either."

Sashinami was wide-eyed, but L-elf didn't budge. Her head hanged down, then, shoulders shaking. She clearly muffled her laughter. "You should just ask," she mumbled, but L-elf could hear her clearly. "Well, you know he's kind, he's gullible but earnest. You know his relationship with me, we're practically family. You know he'd go miles to go for something he's set his sight on. You also do know that he asked me to teach him how to make youkan for you, right?"

"That-!"

"Isn't my business. I know. But still, you should know that those things are the ones of importance to him right now, and if you want to know more, you should just drop your unnecessary pride and ask," Sashinami finished. She straightened her posture, and exhaled relaxedly. "Well, I didn't get to have him walk me home, so I'm going back now. See you again."

L-elf stood still as he realized this wasn't the last time Sashinami was going to involve herself in his life. Sighing, he wondered what he ever did to call these people to his life. He seriously didn't need it.

ハルエル

A/N: There's not much going on in this chapter, but here you go. I'll directly write the next chapter after posting this so... maybe this is for the better. I'll go back later, but for now, it has established a premise of what I need.

As far as Shoko's concerned, I hate her canon ending, but she has a lot of potential to be a best friend. Her and I shared a lot of common personalities, so I'm giving her depths that might not be canon at all. Sorry. I'm not interested in making her a true love rival in AU either hahaha.

I know how this is going to end for Haruto and L-elf, but I still need to pick up some ideas of the events leading to that. Not a fan of cliched drama, but... ah, we'll see.

I really appreciate reviews, so please drop a line or two of your thoughts!