Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330655556357602/episodes/16817330657027678453
“Shhh……Asahi san, be quiet in the library.”
The student council treasurer, Natsume Nagisa, tapped me on the shoulder.
“S-sorry….”
Perhaps because I didn’t usually use the library, I had a strange sense of tension, so I ended up exaggerating my reaction more than necessary.
It’s quite embarrassing to hear my voice echoing in the quiet library……
Trying to cover up my blushing cheeks, I ask Nagisa senpai.
“N-Nagisa senpai, do you often come to the library?”
“Yes. My goal is to read all the books by the time I graduate.”
“All of them? …..How many books are there……”
I don’t know about other schools, but I think our school library is quite spacious.
At least it was much larger than the library when I was in elementary and middle school.
Nagisa senpai is a bookworm, as I had imagined, but her love of reading far exceeded my imagination. A bookworm is the perfect description.
“By the way, what brings Asahi san to the library?”
“Ah, well, we decided to do an original play for the cultural festival.”
“An original play? That sounds like fun.”
“Yeah, and I became a scriptwriter, so I thought there might be a book that could be used as a reference material.”
When I said that, Nagisa senpai put her finger on her chin in admiration, adding a little color to her usual expressionless face.
“Hee, so Asahi san wrote the script. I’d love to see the play.”
“I don’t know if mine will be accepted, though. I don’t usually read books at all…….”
I don’t even have a decent idea of what kind of story I want to tell, and to be honest……I don’t have much confidence in it at this point.
Then it suddenly occurred to me.
“Ah, that’s right. Do you have any recommended novels, Nagisa senpai? I wanted to use it as a reference for my script.”
“Y-yes ! I’ve got a lot of those…..!”
Nagisa senpai, who is usually expressionless, was unusually excited.
Although her expression is weak as usual, her eyes are sparkling.
I’ve never seen Senpai like this before…..
“Well, I can recommend it to people who don’t usually read many books…..ah, how about this one? In a word, it’s a “[story about your oshi becoming the target of an Internet pitchfork mob] but it’s a pretty easy read, so I recommend it.”
“I’ve been curious about this one.”
Certainly, it should have been quite a topic for the work that won the Akutagawa Prize.
Furthermore, Nagisa senpai picks up several books from the bookshelf and hands them out.
“In addition, this work is also quite popular and I recommend it.”
“Ah, I’ve seen this in a movie ! The last scene is really good.”
“I recommend it even more. I think you will enjoy it even more because it depicts the detailed changes in the hearts and minds of the characters that were not apparent in the movie.”
“Hee, I’ll read it !”
After that, Nagisa-senpai introduced me to several recommended works, but she suddenly found a title that caught her attention, and stopped her finger from sliding on the spine of the bookshelf.
Then She picked up the novel and whispered.
“This novel, don’t you remember it….?”
“Couple of killifish? I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
Nagisa senpai picked up a novel titled “Couple of Killifish”. It is probably a children’s literature.
But I had never heard of the title, nor did I remember reading it.
–Don’t you remember it……?
Suddenly, Nagisa senpai’s phrase bothered me and I turned my head.
I had the same uncomfortable feeling as when I was talking with Futaba senpai the other day.
It was as if we had something in common in my unconscious mind……
However, I knew Nagisa senpai and Futaba senpai only after I entered high school.
What in the world is this sense of discomfort……
“Nagisa senpai. By any chance, have we met before?”
“Eh……”
“Ah, well, I’m curious about your words earlier when you ask me if I remember it……”
Nagisa senpai was silent for a while, her eyes widening in surprise.
Could it be that I said something strange again…..just when I started to get worried, Nagisa senpai suddenly smiled.
“…… No, I just thought that since this ‘Couple of Killifish’ was so popular in elementary school, maybe Asahi san has read it before.”
“Ah, so that’s what you mean……. I’m sorry, that was a weird thing to say.”
Nagisa senpai laughs modestly.
Her gaze was dropped on the novel in her hand.
“I’ll read this book too.”
“Eh?”
“Nagisa senpai, you like this novel, don’t you? I felt like it has a lot of memories.”
her hand that holds the novel moves with a twitch.
“I-is that so?”
“Yes. I’m curious about your favorite novel too.”
“…………”
“Hm, am I wrong?”
I thought for sure that “Coupleof Killifish” was Nagisa senpai’s favorite work…….
Nagisa senpai was silent for a while, but eventually she raised her head.
There was a soft smile that I had seen before.
“–No, I love it.”
I couldn’t help but feel a throb in my heart at those endlessly honest words.
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