Chapter III. Library

Aito and Sorako stood in front of the library, their gazes drawn up to the towering structure that loomed above them. The building was a magnificent three-story, its facade adorned with countless windows that shimmered in the sunlight.

"What a sight." Sorako murmured, her eyes wide with wonder. "You really do like things on the tall side."

Aito nodded. "Well, the taller the building, the more space there is to put things."

Sorako tilted her head, contemplating his words. "Then this library must be packed with knowledge of the past."

As Aito stepped inside, the door slid smoothly to the left, opening automatically. Sorako watched, captivated.

"What kind of magic is this?" she breathed, approaching the door with intrigue. She reached out, inspecting the mechanism with curiosity. "Look, look, it opens when I step towards it!" she exclaimed, bouncing back and forth as the door opened and closed in response to her movements. Panic began to ripple through the library's interior.

"The door's opening and closing on its own!" gasped one patron.

"My husband has come back from the grave to get me for forgetting his birthday!" cried another.

Aito facepalmed, exasperated by the chaos that was unfolding. Sorako dashed up to him, her excitement barely contained. "How do those doors move on their own? I am very intrigued!"

With a sigh, Aito pointed at the sensor mounted above the door. Sorako followed his cue with wide eyes. "When someone's nearby, it opens for them." he explained, hoping to quell her fascination.

Sorako's mouth formed an 'o' as understanding washed over her. "I see. What a handy device!"

Aito shot her a tired look. "You get side-tracked so easily."

She blinked, a blush creeping across her cheeks as she cleared her throat. "Well then, let us find those books." she declared with renewed determination.

Together, they made their way to the reception area, Aito walking purposefully to the front desk where a woman was diligently typing away. Sorako's gaze swept across the library, taking in the vast expanse of knowledge housed within.

"Three floors of knowledge." she remarked, awe creeping into her voice. "Back home is nothing like this. We really are living in different times."

The woman behind the reception desk looked up as Aito reached the counter, her brow raised in inquiry.

"How may I help you?" she asked, her fingers pausing over the keyboard.

Aito hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Well..." he began, ready to dive into the wonders of the library.

***

Sorako and Aito settled into a quiet table at the back of the library. Three books lay before them, dusty yet in immaculate condition, suggesting they been hidden for centuries.

Aito, ever curious, picked up the top book and placed it in front of him, his fingers brushing the cover before he cracked it open.

"So, these are all your people have on the origins of this island?" Sorako asked, skepticism lacing her words. "So few..."

Aito chuckled softly, flipping through the pages. "I'm surprised there's even one." he replied, his eyes scanning the text. Sorako moved her chair closer, the sound of wood scraping against wood echoes through the silent building.

She leaned in, peering intently at the book's contents, while Aito's gaze drifted to the empty chair beside her. "So how does moving a chair look to everyone else?" he mused aloud, genuinely curious.

Sorako shot him a look, raising her brows in playful admonishment. "I presume it's the same as the automatic door—They will see it move, but no one is there."

Aito cringed, the corners of his mouth lifting in a wry smile. "You're going to be the library's legendary ghost."

Sorako pouted, her attention momentarily diverted to the pages before her. She began scanning through them. "Let us see what information we can gather from these texts." she remarked, focused and determined.

A while later, Aito watched her with an air of boredom, resting his arm on the table and propping his chin in his hand. "Find anything useful?" he asked, his eyes drifting around the library.

The soft whispers of patrons reached his ears, and he noticed a pair of individuals pointing at the book in front of him.

"It's the wind, right? It HAS to be the wind..." One of them murmured.

"But there's no windows open..." the other replied, exchanging a bewildered glance.

They hurried away, leaving Aito with a sigh. His eyes returned to Sorako, whose concentration remained unbroken as she traced the words on the page with her finger. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the soft sounds of the library wash over him.

"Without the Maiden, the spirit's energy dwindles, and slowly they will become a colourless, powerless entity which lacks control...?" Sorako read aloud, her brow furrowing in confusion.

She turned her attention to Aito, finding him with his eyes closed. A frown crossed her face as she poked him gently in the forehead, prompting him to open his eyes.

"Sounds like a link." Aito murmured, stretching and yawning. He reached for the book and read the words himself, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Without recognition, a spirit cannot take form, and thus its colour will become bleak and colourless. Makes sense to me."

Sorako continued to ponder, her voice barely above a whisper. "So this 'incident' has something to do with the Maiden?"

Aito cocked his head, intrigued. "What even is the Maiden?"

Sorako paused mid-page turn, glancing over at him. "The Maiden... is the one who is contracted to the Greater Spirit Fish." she explained thoughtfully. "I suppose you could say she is the symbol of our people."

"She?" Aito inquired, trying to connect the dots.

"Only a female can be the Maiden." Sorako answered, dismissing the thought with a wave of her hand. A sudden urgency took over as she grabbed the next book hastily. "Anyway, that is that and this is this. We must keep on reading."

She opened the book, her face an unreadable mask as she stared down at the text. Aito leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself, "So much for not touching anything."

Unfazed, Sorako waved her wrists at him as she poured over the pages, her focus unwavering. Aito glanced at the book again, a question lingering in the air. "You have no idea what this incident is, do you?"

Sorako didn't lift her gaze from the book, lost in the mystery that lay within the pages. The air between them buzzed with unanswered questions, as if the library itself was holding its breath in anticipation of what they might uncover.

"The older generation will not speak of the past." Sorako explains, not taking her eyes off of the book that lay in front.

Across from her, Aito drummed his fingers absentmindedly on the tabletop, his expression shifting from curiosity to frustration. "From what you're saying," he remarked, his tone a mix of incredulity and disdain, "they're ignorant fools."

Sorako looked up, her gaze locking onto Aito. "I raised this concern, but they insist it has nothing to do with the past." She leaned forward, letting the pages of her book flutter in the draft. "I do not believe them so I have decided to take matters into my own hands."

Aito grimaced at her determination, but before he could respond, Sorako returned to her reading, her finger meticulously tracing the lines of text. "There must be a way for us to know what happened..." she muttered to herself, her voice soft yet filled with urgency.

Aito rested his chin on his hand, glancing around the library that felt both familiar and stifling. "If only there was someone we could ask." He replied, his voice trailing off as he pondered the possibilities.

Sorako sighed, a sound laden with hope and frustration. She shut her eyes, immersing herself in thought; Koi perched precariously on her shoulder. Aito, sensing the moment, hummed absently, his gaze falling to the page before him.

"What if I went back with you?" He suggested suddenly, breaking the stillness.

Sorako opened her eyes, surprise etched on her face. "To my home?"

Aito nodded, a determined gleam in his eye. "I'm an unknown factor. Maybe they'll reveal what's going on if they see me, a Wasureta."

Sorako tilted her head, contemplating his words as her fingers tapped against the table. "I suppose that's one method we could try. You ARE an irregular."

With determination, Aito stood up, placing his hands on the table as Sorako gazed up at him, a glimmer of admiration in her eyes. "Well then, can you fly the both of us up to the island?" He asked.

Sorako's expression shifted. She tapped her fingers nervously on the table and then looked away. "I regret to inform you, my control over the spirits' power is somewhat... lacking."

Aito shot her an incredulous look, glancing at her tattered clothing and the way she avoided his gaze. "Ah right, you pretty much fell through the sky, huh?"

Sorako opened her mouth to protest but then closed it again, huffing in mild embarrassment. "You try flying 5,000 feet down and coming out unscathed." She muttered, a pout forming on her lips.

Aito slumped back into his chair, the weight of the situation sinking in. "I guess now we gotta find a way for you to get home." He said, resignation lining his tone.

A moment of silence enveloped them as Sorako stared at her hands, a sad yet soft look on her face. "My mother once told me of a shrine that is the bridge between both islands. If we can find that place, we should be able to get back." She glanced at the books laid out before them. "There might be something about the shrine in one of these books."

Aito frowned in confusion. "There's a secret passage even though it's forbidden to come down here?"

Sorako shook her head, a small, mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "A secret passage for two."

Aito tilted his head, confusion evident on his face. Before he could reply, Sorako opened one of the thick books with a resolute determination. As she began to read, Aito felt a presence around them.

He glanced around and noticed that others, hidden behind bookshelves, were peeking out, their eyes wide, whispering furtively amongst themselves.

"The library is haunted!" one of them exclaimed, their voice barely above a whisper.

Aito, sensing the atmosphere shifting, rested his head on his arms, closing his eyes. The world around them seemed to fade away as time passed by.