The Great Book

"What... hello?" Lina leaned closer to the book.

"You are too close. And yes, I'm the book right in front of you."

Lina focused on the book. "So, what are you exactly? A cursed object? A trapped spirit? Some kind of enchanted diary?"

The book let out an exaggerated sigh. "Listen, I'd love to give you my life story, but I'd prefer to do it outside this stuffy shelf, where I've been stuck for years."

"Alright, just be quiet for a moment. We're not leaving yet—we have things to do here for a few hours," Hikaru replied.

"What? Why!?"

"We're here with our friends to read some literature," Lina added.

Sakura and Risa sat at a table, each with a stack of books in front of them as they quietly read.

"Where are Hikaru and Lina?" Risa asked, flipping a page.

"Hmm, I don't know…" Sakura murmured, still focused on her book.

Risa hesitated before leaning in slightly. "Hey, Sakura…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you feel jealous?"

Sakura nearly choked. "J-Jealous!?"

"Shhh!" Several people around them shushed them for being too loud.

Sakura quickly bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry." Then she turned back to Risa, whispering, "What? No! Jealous of what?"

Risa gave her a knowing look. "Hikaru and Lina… they seem close. Doesn't that bother you?"

Sakura stared at her for a moment before looking away. "...I mean, Hikaru and I are just classmates… just friends…"

Risa rested her chin on her hand, watching Sakura with an amused expression. "Mhm. Just friends."

Sakura frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me," Risa teased. "Are you sure you don't feel anything? Not even a tiny bit of annoyance when you see them together?"

Sakura pursed her lips, flipping a page in her book with a little too much force. "I don't care what he does. Hikaru can hang out with whoever he wants."

Risa smirked. "That wasn't a no."

Before Sakura could respond, Hikaru and Lina finally walked over to where they were sitting.

"Hey guys, I just found a book I need," Hikaru said, holding it up.

Lina took a seat beside Risa, while Hikaru sat down next to Sakura.

Risa glanced at Lina. "What book did you get?"

Lina looked at the old, worn book in front of her the one that only she and Hikaru could hear and placed it on the table.

"This old thing," she said casually.

Sakura glanced at the book, tilting her head. "Looks ancient. What's it about?"

Hikaru and Lina exchanged a quick look before Hikaru cleared his throat. "Uh, history, I think? Something about… old forgotten legends."

The book scoffed, though only Hikaru and Lina could hear it. "Wow. Way to sell it, kid. I have centuries of knowledge, and you reduce me to 'old forgotten legends'?"

Even though both of them heard the book's grumbling, they chose to ignore it. The four of them settled into silence, each focused on their own reading.

Sakura placed her book on the table with a small thud. Hikaru glanced at it, then at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh… what's this for?" he asked.

Sakura stretched her arms before folding them neatly on the table. "We're supposed to write about the books we read and explain what they're about. That's the whole reason we're here, remember?"

Hikaru blinked. "Wait, we actually have to do work?"

Lina sighed, already flipping open a notebook. "Obviously."

Risa chuckled. "What, did you think we came here just to wander around?"

"I mean… I remember you saying this was a lesson… well, yeah, okay," Hikaru admitted, leaning back in his chair.

The four of them settled into a quiet rhythm, each flipping through their respective books while jotting down notes. The air was filled with the occasional sound of pages turning, pens scratching against paper, and Hikaru sighing dramatically every few minutes.

Sakura was deeply engrossed in a historical account of ancient literature, her handwriting neat and organized as she took notes. Lina, on the other hand, was reading a philosophy book, occasionally tapping her pen against her notebook as she processed the dense material.

Risa, flipping through a novel, leaned her chin on her hand. "This actually isn't so bad," she murmured.

The four of them settled into a quiet rhythm, each flipping through their respective books while jotting down notes. The air was filled with the occasional sound of pages turning, pens scratching against paper, and Hikaru sighing dramatically every few minutes.

Sakura was deeply engrossed in a historical account of ancient literature, her handwriting neat and organized as she took notes. Lina, on the other hand, was reading a philosophy book, occasionally tapping her pen against her notebook as she processed the dense material.

Risa, flipping through a novel, leaned her chin on her hand. "This actually isn't so bad," she murmured.

The late afternoon sun bathed the city in golden light as the four of them stepped out of the library. The air had cooled, and the distant chatter of people heading home filled the streets. They stood together for a moment, stretching after hours of sitting and reading.

"Well," Risa said, rolling her shoulders, "that wasn't as boring as I thought it'd be."

"Right?" Sakura beamed. "Libraries are great."

Then Risa turned to Hikaru with a curious look. "You heading home with Lina?"

Hikaru hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Uh… why?"

"Because you two walked together this morning," Risa said, raising an eyebrow.

Sakura, who had been fiddling with her bag's strap, suddenly perked up. "Wait, what?" She turned to them. "You two walked to school together?"

Lina and Hikaru both froze for half a second before playing it off with identical shrugs.

"Just a coincidence," Hikaru said.

"Not really," Lina added.

Risa stretched her arms with a lazy grin. "Well, whatever happened, not my problem~ Anyway, thanks, guys! See you tomorrow!"

She waved before casually strolling off, leaving the rest of them standing there.

Sakura watched her go, then turned to Hikaru and Lina. "Then... I'll head out too."

Sakura gave them a small wave before walking off in the opposite direction. Hikaru watched her for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. Something about the way she left felt… off.

Lina glanced at him. "What?"

"Nothing," he muttered, shaking his head. "Guess we should go too."

They started walking, the streets growing quieter as the evening settled in. Hikaru occasionally glanced at the bag slung over his shoulder, where the mysterious talking book was tucked away.

"So," the book's voice suddenly whispered, just loud enough for Hikaru and Lina to hear, "when do I get my fresh air, huh? You promised."

Lina sighed. "We're not opening you in the middle of the street."

"I feel suffocated in here," the book whined. "This bag smells like teenage boy."

"Excuse you," Hikaru scoffed. "I smell great."

Lina barely held back a laugh.

"What? Do I smell bad?"

"No, it's just... your shampoo. It always has this weird scent."

"Hey, tea-scented shampoo is refined," he huffed. "It's classy."

"Alright, alright! Now, how about I finally introduce myself? I haven't even told you who I am yet!"

Hikaru and Lina exchanged a glance, then looked down at the bag.

"Alright, go on," Hikaru said, adjusting the strap on his shoulder. "Who are you, oh wise and all-knowing talking book?"

The book huffed. "Finally! A little respect. Listen up, because this is important my name is Senzai. I was once a renowned scholar, an expert in forgotten histories and powerful magic. That is, until some incredibly rude individuals decided to seal me inside this book. And now, I've been gathering dust on that library shelf for years."

Lina raised an eyebrow. "A scholar, huh? And you somehow got yourself locked inside a book? Sounds like you messed up."

Senzai let out an offended gasp. "Excuse you, young lady, I did not 'mess up.' I was betrayed. Trapped. Unjustly imprisoned!"

To Be Continue.