How could one’s chin and lips be such a beautiful art piece? One couldn’t help but silently watch even his small habits.

“I suppose we have to first be honest with each other.”

But I can’t be any more honest than I already am? As Ray finished his sentence and neatly dropped off, Vivian couldn’t help but swallow in slight disappointment.

But in those few moments she dropped her guard, his hand approached her left hand and quickly overlapped their hands. He had merely covered her hand, yet it was big enough that she could not see her own.

He circled the silver ring that sat on her ring finger with fingers rough with calluses. Then, he spoke.

“I think I’ll be busy for a while. I will tell you the rest at the library soon.”

Ray turned formal as though he was chased by a number of important things and checked his pocket watch. Vivian reflexively responded with I’ll see you at the library and almost unconsciously extended her arm for a handshake as if to seal a deal.

…..So what exactly was the conversation we just had?

As she still swam in confusion, he added onto his previous statement.

“Just the two of us. Secretly.”

Ray, who whispered quietly, softly took her hand and his fingers slipped onto the weak skin on the inside of her wrist and stroked it. Vivian gripped her fist. It was only a little bit of skinship, but sparks ran throughout her arm and her body.

Vivian couldn’t help but to nod blankly.

***

“Hm…….”

There was nothing.

Vivian had started to search through the counter, but she couldn’t find anything even similar to a notebook. She even reached down and grabbed at the floor, but all that she could find was dust.

Marie, who had quietly watched over her actions, walked over and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Amongst the daytime librarians, she was the most friendly with Vivian.

“Is there anything like a notebook around here?”

“If there was, I would have put it aside.”

If it was neither at her house nor the library, then the only place that was left was the publishing company. But if the notebook isn’t at the publishing company either, what will happen then?

Vivian rubbed her frown, which grew increasingly distinguished, with a finger. After she had worked through her memories, Vivian’s instincts told her very strongly that the notebook was not at the publishing company.

I have a feeling that the last place I saw it was at the library…….

Vivian evened her breathing and attempted to act calm with much difficulty – and yet grew increasingly nervous. It was all because of the possibility that either someone had accidentally picked up the notebook or someone read the contents of the notebook, realized her identity, and stole the notebook.

She hurriedly skimmed through her memories. No matter which angle she thought about it, she had the notebook in her possession around the time she had accidentally shown Perdi’s Sensuality Inside of Vagueness to Ray.

I definitely left it on the counter.

Just then Marie opened her mouth with an expression filled with hesitation, “To be honest, when I came in for work today, I did see a scholar in a black hood standing in front of the counter.”

No way.

Vivian slowly turned around to face Marie. Screee, the sound of an iron that hadn’t been oiled properly came from the joints of her neck.

Marie was the type of person who was very bad at lying. Should she ever lie, it would be easily discovered. What she had said just now was the truth. Besides, there was no reason for her to lie in the first place.

Ray?

Vivian thought of the silhouette that would haunt her dreams. She recalled that smooth chin line and the soft shape of his red lips. Though he had a slightly mischievous side to him, he was a person who knew how to speak nice words.

He knew how to look at the good points of a person’s character and didn’t hesitate with his compliments. Though his method of showing concern was rather aggressive, he had never raised his voice –  even in anger. He was a warm person.