The next day, Ayano spent all of her spare time watching her Senpai. She noticed that a missing poster for Musume had gone up, but she really couldn't care less about that. What she did care about was how handsome Taro looked as he sat and read his book at the edge of the fountain. She snapped several pictures of him for later, and noted the apple he took out. She already had several of his apple cores at home, but why not one more? In the back of her head, she reminded herself that she needed to go into town to get him another gift for the week.

At the end of the day, Ayano absently wondered what she should get her Senpai this time. She didn't want to give him a plush animal, since teenage boys didn't like those. She didn't want to give him chocolates again, because that would make her seem unimaginative.

As she thought it over, she pulled out her phone to look at her photos of him. She looked through them as though inspiration were hiding inside them somewhere. Turns out it wasn't hiding, as it was in plain view. Her Senpai was always reading a book, so it would make sense to give him one. This in mind, Ayano left Akademi to go get her Senpai a book he would like.

In Buraza Town, Ayano searched for a bookstore. She soon found one and entered, wondering what kind of book her Senpai would appreciate. She paused at this thought. Did she even know what kind of books her Senpai read? Ayano began to panic. She didn't know what her Senpai liked to read! How was she going to get him a good book if she didn't even know that?

As the young Aishi woman began berating herself for not paying close enough attention to such a detail, she was broken out of her thoughts by another person's voice.

"Are you okay?" Ayano's head snapped up to meet the gaze of someone who only could've been an employee of the store.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," she replied unsteadily.

"Really? You looked like you were having a panic attack there."

"I'm alright," Ayano insisted. "I just don't know what book to buy for this person I like."

"Oh? The boy you like is a reader?" the employee grinned. "Maybe I can help. Who is he? He might be one of our customers."

Ayano decided that this person wasn't a threat. "His name is Taro Yamada, and he spends most of his spare time reading."

"Oh, Taro! He comes in here pretty often," the employee led Ayano to another part of the store and brought down a book. "He's been aiming to catch this book for a while now, but he hasn't been able to since it sells out so fast, even though we get weekly shipments of it."

Ayano looked the book over. "A romance novel?" she muttered.

"Yeah, he usually buys this kind of literature, so he'll appreciate it."

"Thank you very much," Ayano said with a smile. "Just do me a favor? Don't tell him I bought him this book, okay?"

The employee made a zipping motion across his lips. "You have my word."

With that, Ayano purchased the book and ran home to wrap her newest gift to her beloved Senpai.

Line Break

Friday morning saw Ayano walking towards her Senpai's classroom again. This time, she would be leaving a gift instead of a vermin carcass. She placed the wrapped box atop his desk with the customary note she usually left with it. "From your secret admirer." Sure, it was clichéd, but it got her message across, and she hadn't seen him throw out her gifts even once. Her task complete, Ayano left the classroom in a rush.

Classes went by in a haze for Ayano, and she could barely concentrate on her schoolwork. This earned her a reprimand, but the young Aishi couldn't really care about that. At last, it was the end of the day, and Ayano went to see how her Senpai was doing. She found him in the courtyard, as always, but this time, he was reading the book she had gotten him. Ayano's heart skipped a beat, then she gave a little squeal of joy before she ran off.

Ayano's flight took her to the locker room, where she came to a stop in front of her Senpai's locker. The yandere stared at it for a while, then brought out the note she always kept on her person. It was a note telling the receiver to meet by the sakura tree on the hill behind the school.

The yandere deliberated with herself over whether or not she would put it in the locker this time. She would walk up to the locker, on the verge of putting the note inside, then move away again and continue pacing. This went on until a number of students began to trickle in to change their shoes and leave school.

Ayano Aishi sighed and put the note back in her pocket. She couldn't do it this time. She was disappointed with herself for being unable to work up the nerve to confess her love for a guy. As she changed her own shoes, she settled for stalking her Senpai again. Maybe she'd be brave enough next week.