Followers II

Meanwhile, at the high school, Hikaru sat in class, eating his bento. He chewed absently, staring straight ahead. Across from him, Lina sat watching him.

"Why are you sitting so close to me now?" he asked.

"I just feel like it. I can't?" she replied casually.

He leaned in slightly. "Aren't we supposed to not be close?"

She sighed, exhaling slowly, then glanced at Sakura, who was sitting beside them, still focused on writing something in her notebook. "Sakura, do you want to eat with us?"

"Eh…? Ah, well, yeah, I'm just still writing," Sakura mumbled without looking up.

"What are you even writing?" Lina asked.

"Oh, it's the assignment. I forgot about it earlier."

"Come sit closer and eat," Lina said.

"Ah… I suppose the assignment can wait a few minutes."

Sakura hesitated for a moment before finally closing her notebook and scooting closer. She pulled out her lunch, glancing between Hikaru and Lina as if sensing some kind of unspoken tension.

"So," she said, unwrapping her sandwich, "what were you two talking about before I joined?"

"Nothing," Hikaru and Lina said at the same time.

Sakura smiled awkwardly. "Oh, Lina-san..."

"Yes?"

"I heard that the sports club is planning to invite you. Are you going to join?"

"...I didn't hear about that. I guess not? I have other things to do."

Sakura tilted her head. "Other things? Like what?"

Lina shrugged, poking at her food with her chopsticks. "Just... things."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Wow, so mysterious. Let me guess, top-secret student council business? Or are you actually a spy?"

Lina shot him a flat look. "Yes, Hikaru. I'm a spy. My mission is to tolerate your nonsense on a daily basis."

Sakura giggled while Hikaru smirked. "You're doing a great job, by the way. Very professional."

Lina rolled her eyes and took a bite of her food.

Still curious, Sakura leaned in slightly. "But really, why won't you join? You're good at sports, aren't you?"

"I guess. But I don't have time for it," Lina said, glancing toward the window. "Besides, I don't really see the point."

Hikaru turned to Sakura. "Aren't you in a club?"

"Ah, yeah. I joined the book club... kinda against my will, though. They just needed an extra member and said it was fine if I didn't actually do anything."

Sakura suddenly perked up, as if remembering something important. She quickly pulled out her phone, scrolling through her messages.

"Wait, wait, hold on. I just remembered—I have something."

Hikaru and Lina exchanged a glance. "Something...?" Hikaru asked.

Sakura nodded, still focused on her screen. "Yeah, one of the seniors from the book club gave me an extra ticket. They said I should bring at least two friends to this special lesson at the library."

Lina raised an eyebrow. "A lesson? At the library? Sounds... thrilling."

Hikaru leaned back, crossing his arms. "Yeah, what kind of 'lesson' are we talking about here? Because if it involves memorizing ancient poetry, I might have to suddenly remember I have plans."

Sakura pouted. "Come on, it's not that bad. I think it's about rare books or something? They didn't really explain much, just that it's supposed to be interesting."

Lina tapped her chopsticks against her bento. "And this 'lesson'… when is it?"

Sakura hesitated. "Uhh… today. After school."

Hikaru groaned. "Of course it is."

"Look, I just need two people, and you guys are right here, so…" She gave them her best pleading look. "Please?"

Lina sighed, already sensing she was going to regret this. "So, let me get this straight. You need at least two people?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, minimum two. But… I think I'm going to invite Risa too!"

The afternoon sun cast long shadows as the four of them stood in front of the massive library. The towering glass windows reflected the sky, and intricate stone carvings lined the entrance, giving the building an almost regal presence. There was a quiet, almost intimidating air about the place.

Hikaru let out a low whistle. "Wow. Fancy."

"I didn't think libraries could be this… intense," Risa muttered, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Sakura beamed. "Right? It's amazing! They have original manuscripts, rare books, and even private study rooms. This isn't just a library, it's an archive of knowledge!"

Lina sighed. "You sound way too excited about this."

"Well, excuse me for appreciating literature," Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. "Anyway, come on. The lesson is inside."

They stepped through the massive doors, greeted by the scent of aged paper and polished wood. Rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched into the distance, and despite the library's vast size, an eerie silence hung in the air.

Hikaru glanced around. "Okay, but real question—does this place have a snack corner? Because I'm already hungry."

Lina smacked his arm lightly. "You just ate."

"That was like two hours ago."

Sakura ignored them, checking her phone. "There's one of the great novels here too! Come on, guys, let's walk around!"

The four of them wandered deeper into the library, each of them exploring different sections. The air was thick with the scent of old books and the quiet hum of knowledge, making it easy to lose track of time as they scanned through endless shelves.

Hikaru, walking slowly, ran his fingers along the spines of various books. His eyes caught one particular title, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Lina, come here," he called out.

Lina, who had been browsing nearby, raised an eyebrow and made her way over. "What?"

Hikaru pointed at a book with a mischievous grin. "Look at this."

Lina blinked and looked down at the cover. The title read, "Lina the Little Dog."

Her face immediately turned blank, and she stared at the book in disbelief. "What...?"

She grabbed the book, flipping it open to the first page, half-expecting it to be some sort of joke. But the book appeared to be an actual children's storybook, complete with illustrations of a small, fluffy dog named Lina on various adventures.

"Okay, who put this here?" she muttered, looking over at Hikaru, who was clearly trying to hold back laughter.

"Guess they had you in mind," Hikaru teased.

Lina smirked, her eyebrow twitching. "Very funny."

Sakura, who had been wandering nearby, overheard and came over to see what was going on. "What's that?"

Hikaru just grinned. "Oh, nothing much. Just Lina's new memoir."

The group continued wandering through the towering shelves, each of them drawn to different sections of the library. Eventually, they spread out, exploring on their own.

Hikaru strolled between the bookshelves, his fingers casually grazing the spines as he walked. The air was still, the only sound being the faint rustle of pages from distant readers.

Then—

"Pssst."

Hikaru stopped. He blinked and glanced around.

Nothing.

Shrugging, he took another step forward.

"Psssst! Over here!"

His head snapped to the side, scanning the shelves. Still, no one was there.

He frowned. Okay… either I'm losing it, or someone's messing with me.

Just as he was about to move on—

"It's me! The book! Can you hear me? Hello?"

Hikaru stiffened. Slowly, cautiously, he turned toward the source of the voice. His eyes landed on a single book, wedged between two thicker tomes. It didn't look special—just an old, leather-bound volume with no title on the spine.

But it was definitely the one talking to him.

"...What," Hikaru muttered under his breath.

The book wiggled slightly on the shelf. "Ah, good! You can hear me!"

Hikaru took a slow step back. "Oh no. Nope. Absolutely not. I did not come here to have a conversation with a book."

"But you are talking to me," the book pointed out.

Hikaru groaned, running a hand down his face. "Why is my life like this?"

Hikaru stared at the book, his brain struggling to process what was happening.

"Hey, kid, just bring me outside! Buy me!" the book pleaded. "No human can hear me except you! Oh my god, I'm gonna start crying here!"

Hikaru blinked. "Books don't cry."

"I will find a way!" the book snapped. "Now hurry up!"

He crossed his arms. "What are you… a spirit?"

"Yes!"

Hikaru frowned, glancing around to make sure no one was watching him talk to an inanimate object. "Why are you stuck in a book?"

"Long story. Buy me, and I'll tell you!"

He sighed, already regretting every decision that had led him to this moment. "...You better not be cursed."

"No! I swear! Just please, I need to breathe fresh air!"

Hikaru narrowed his eyes. "You don't even have lungs."

"That is NOT the point!"

He let out a deep sigh. "Alright, fine, I'll take you, but... wait here."

The book made a noise of frustration. "H-Hey! Kid! Come on!"

But Hikaru was already running off.

The book let out an exaggerated sigh. "What am I even doing with my life? Stuck here, unable to move… This is humiliating."

Just then, Hikaru came rushing back, dragging Lina behind him.

"Come here! Like I said, I'm not crazy. The book is talking. It's a spirit!"

Lina adjusted her glasses, looking at the book with mild curiosity. "A spirit book? That's rare. They're hard to find."

Hikaru and Lina stood in front of the shelf, staring at the supposedly haunted book. Hikaru crossed his arms and gave it a pointed look.

"Alright, talk," he said. "Prove to her you're real."

Lina watched with mild skepticism, arms folded. "If this is some kind of elaborate joke, Hikaru, I'm going to hit you with that book."

The book huffed—or at least, made a sound that felt like a huff. "Oh, now you want me to talk? A second ago, you were running off like a lunatic!"

Hikaru smirked. "See? Told you."

To Be Continue.