As noticed earlier, the second and third floor are essentially copies of each other.
The problem is that the library's whereabouts are not as easily determined as one would think. The classrooms are marked with signs stating which class they belong to, but then there is a plethora of other, unmarked rooms.
Is the library one of them? Or is it just somewhere down the hallway? I bet on the latter and choose my direction at random.
After I turn around the corner, an unmarked door draws my attention because it's not closed. It's not open either though, just barely ajar so that I can see it's open and nothing else.
It would make sense for the library door to be invitingly open, and while this one is not quite that, it's good enough. At the very least it means that someone is inside and I can ask for directions no matter how embarrassing that is.
I gingerly push on the center of the door with my fingertips, every muscle in my arm ready to pull back at a moment's notice.
The feeling of being an outsider to this school can't be shaken from my mind, so much so that I instinctively fear doing something wrong by entering.
The door slowly creaks as if groaning from a deep sleep.
Leaning over and poking my head ever further inside to gain sight of the room as fast as possible, the meek "Hello...?" on my lips is quickly snatched away.
This is... not what I was expecting.
I mindlessly let the door open to its full extent, taking in the sight of the solitary figure taking center stage in the otherwise abandoned room.
The situation steals my voice, leaving me standing at the doorway staring at the beautiful girl.
Her skin is pale, far paler than I'd expect from a Japanese woman. Her golden-blonde hair flows down her back in a wavy pattern.
Evidently having taken her time to assess the situation, the girl gently puts down her teacup and opens her startlingly blue eyes, but doesn't look at me.
"Hello there. May I help you?"
Staring directly in front of herself, the movements of her lips seem to break the silence rather than the words. Her voice is measured, and quiet, as if she carefully considers every word before speaking.
Not only is she likely the tallest girl I've ever laid eyes on, but even among the foreigners I've met she's strikingly distinct.
"Uh, hi. Sorry for intruding, I was just... kind of lost."
She takes a moment to formulate a response before speaking. Every action she takes feels as if it's carefully choreographed beforehand.
"Care to take a seat?"
...Unexpected, considering that I'm intruding upon her.
"Ummm... sure. Thanks."
I slowly step towards another seat opposite her, the girl resting the teacup and saucer on the wooden table in-between us.
The way she doesn't track my movements with her head is telling... that, and the slight cloudiness to her eyes means she must be at least partially blind, like Kenji.
Come to think of it, her voice doesn't have any detectable accent either, implying that she isn't quite a foreigner. As I take my seat, her composure takes me slightly off-guard. Her air of relaxed confidence makes the silence entirely comfortable.
The calming atmosphere is so very different from the student council office, a far more...excited...place.
"I take it you're a new student to Yamaku?"
"How do you know?" The words, still a half-formed thought, escape my lips before I can restrain them in time.
It elicits a smile from the girl across. "The manner in which you opened the door was very...tentative, as if you were unsure of what was inside. Your footsteps, too, spoke of hesitancy."
Her hearing is sharp, and her mind sharper.
"Well...yes. I just transferred in yesterday."
I get the distinct feeling my speech patterns don't match the formality of hers, accentuated by her restrained bow of greeting. I would do the same, but the action would be rather futile.
"I'm Lilly Satou. Pleased to meet you..." She's waiting for my name.
"Hisao. Hisao Nakai." She gives a nod before gesturing roughly in the direction of her teacup.
"Would you care for a drink?" Measuring the risk of drinking tea I may not like versus the potential offense she might take if I were to refuse...
"Er...sure. Thank you." She gives a kind nod, taking the request in stride.
Without another word, she steps off the chair and prepares a second cup of tea from a collection of supplies laid out along a shelf.
A brush here, a brush there, her left hand often lightly touching the side of whichever container she's pouring into... it seems to be a process she's followed dozens of times before.
I feel slightly guilty about her doing the work, but she seems pleased to be doing so.
"So." Her soft voice brings me out of my silent observance. "Which room were you looking for? It's not often this classroom is visited after school."
Curiouser and curiouser. Her mind versus Shizune's; who would win?
"The school library. Shizune and Misha told me it was on this floor."
She finishes pouring water into the teacup as she nods, a small metallic tapping coming from the teacup indicating it being stirred.
"I'm aware of Miss Hakamichi, as are most students. To be with them means you're in class 3-3, no?" There's the tiniest stress on her name. Interesting.
"That's right. In the science room with Mutou." I reply cautiously.
She gives a small - restrained - giggle before setting down the teaspoon and slowly walking towards the table, teacup and saucer in hand. It's not fake, but not entirely genuine either…refined, certainly.
"He's quite a character. I imagine you'll come to like him; most do." There's a hint of fondness - a story to be told, perhaps?
As she sets down the tea, I gently take it and have a sip. It has a subtle taste, the aroma quite pleasant.
"Thanks, Miss Satou. It tastes really nice." The formality is absurdly awkward coming from my mouth, and we're both painfully aware of this.
She smiles, looking faintly amused, and quickly waves her hand in front of her face.
"Lilly, please. There's no need to be too formal."
She says this in spite of her exceedingly well-bred speech. Oh well. I guess I should try and ask her about herself, as it really does seem as if she's catering to me.
"So which class are you from? I imagine it's one of the third year classes." She gives a slow nod, focused on the cup in her hands.
"Correct, I'm in class 3-2; which is on the third floor, same as yours. It's taught by Miss Miyagi, and is specifically for both blind and partially blind students."
The conversation pauses for a second as Lilly and I both take another sip. To my mild surprise, it does not feel awkward at all, merely...serene.
It's…odd to how easily she says that, like her disability isn't really a big deal at all. I don't mention it, but it unsettles me in a way I can't name.
"Do you come here to drink tea often? It's a really nice place."
Thinking on it, this might be her version of the place behind my school that I liked to have lunch at.
"I come here fairly often during lunch times. My duties as class representative don't leave enough time for an 'official' club, so a friend and I use this room for having tea."
Class representative, huh?
Compared to Shizune, her mannerisms seem to be almost completely opposite. While Shizune's blunt and fiercely driven, Lilly seems relaxed and calm, almost aloof.
But under both personalities lie a deadly sharp intellect.
Hm...time to test my suspicions.
"So you work with Shizune, then?" I ask innocently.
Lilly visibly winces.
"Yes, we're...acquaintanced." I catch the underlying tension, and the hesitance in continuing, and decide not to pursue the topic. There's obviously some kind of ongoing conflict...and one I'm not interested in meddling with.
"Is it compulsory to join a club?" I ask, switching topics.
"It isn't, though it is encouraged." Lilly looks relieved at the topic change.
As I look over to the window over her shoulder, I notice the light coming into the room has a distinctly orange tint.
Even here, time doesn't stand still.
"Huh, the time's gone quickly. It's nearly sunset." I say, for both our benefit.
"Sorry, Hisao. I didn't mean to keep you from the library for so long." I quickly move to allay her concern.
"Ah, no, it's okay. The library's still open, isn't it?"
She pauses, and takes a moment to think on it.
"True. It's open until six-thirty during weekdays." A glance at my watch confirms that I have enough time to get there.
"Hmm, I should get going in that case. It's been nice talking with you, Lilly."
She smiles and gives a deep nod, her hands still neatly folded on the table in front of her.
"It was my pleasure." A pause as I search for my misplaced bag.
"Oh, come to think of it... shall I show you to where the library is?" She offers. I hesitate to accept, not wanting to be a further burden. I mean, I've already crashed her tea party.
"It's all right, I was going to be talking to the librarian there in any case. I could introduce you."
It's a little bit unpleasant to be face-to-face with someone who thinks so many steps ahead of you, but it's unfair to hold that against her, especially with how kind her personality is. I long to face her in a chess match to see how she performs.
"If you're sure, then that'd be great. Thanks." I cave in, though it isn't like I needed much convincing to begin with.
As she stands up to follow me, she takes hold of a straight, retractable cane that had been slipped in the handle of her bag on the floor.
Together we leave the peaceful room and enter the empty hallway on the way to the library.
