East of Alexandria [Hara/Yumeko]

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see Select Fantasia. Situated in an old Western-Style mansion on a mountainside at the edge of the Fukui City, it housed room upon room of books of from all corners of the world, forming a collection that spanned hundreds of languages and formats. Besides books, there were various tablets, scrolls, audiobooks, and most importantly for Yumeko, Braille books. It was the only brick and mortar place where Yumeko could get books that she could read, and one that was made difficult to reach due to the bus transfers needed to reach it. But today Yumeko had someone to help her lead the way. Indeed, she could have asked either of the two family members to escort her, but neither of them were rather literary-inclined. Not that they wouldn't help if asked, but Yumeko would have felt guilty for dragging someone who wasn't a literature fanatic with her. But after a chance encounter in the library, a short story time in the music building, and a few chats over text message, Yumeko had a fellow bibliophile to escort her: Hara Kitakami. Nervously, Yumeko waited at the bus stop near the school's front gate. Winter's grip held fast, forcing the tiny author to bundle up as best she could. A woolen black coat with various silver bits hand-stitched by friends and families was the cover over a rather frilly blouse and frilled dress skirt in a similar colour. Fashionable, but not enough to really stick out, or so Yumeko thought. In her hands was the black-and-silver metal cane held very gingerly by gloved hands. Yumeko had debated whether the bring the metal cane she had grown fond of, or the more practical and traditional collapsable plastic one, before realizing there was little to stop her from bringing both. Standing still, Yumeko bided her time and listened for the familiar pattern of footsteps that would have signaled Hara's arrival. So far, most of the footsteps were unrecognizable, though in the end a few of the author's classmates did seem to greet her once they noticed her. Seconds turned to minutes, and with her free hand Yumeko manipulated the phone in her pocket. The earpiece repeated Hara's last message, confirming the time and place for their rendezvous, when echoed the current time. The temptation to try and send another text message grew until that familiar series of footsteps reached Yumeko's ears. "Hara-san?" Yumeko called out, turnined and looking towards Hara's direction with a bright smile. Hara Kitakami | 425 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Going to a bookstore wasn't usually a major occasion for people.  Even if that trip entailed a couple of transfers and some walking in a small area you'd never been to before, it wasn't a major event typically.  What company you had along the way was what could make it that much more important an event.  Such was easily the main reason which this day's venture into the unknown had been circled on the calendar the moment it'd been made and awaited anxiously by the performing arts' prince.  Other outings had occurred in the past alongside other girls, even groups of girls, but this was her first time to go out with a particular girl.  Something was inherently different about the feeling of going out to look for books with an author than just going to a movie or shopping center.  This author had quite an affect on Hara that she didn't really have words to quantify other than to say the thought of seeing her was enough to raise quite a lot of excitement in her.

Their last meeting in person had been spent over a book with Yumeko nodding off and adorably resting her head on Hara's shoulder.  Remembering the feeling of closeness and trust the gesture indicated, Hara's cheeks got warm and she couldn't help but smile.  Still it had been a shame that Yumeko had been so worn out by the time that they had gotten to reading.  Being one of the first people she could open up to about her less princely interests, it would be all the more special if they had time to discuss books while both were at full strength.  If she were being totally honest with herself the excitement over this trip was more out of the company than any prized books she might find.  Just a glimpse of that smile would be enough to power the prince forward for a good while.  Hearing the quips Yumeko might make about various topics was equally motivating as she looked forward to the day.

Now that it'd come she was up, dressed and out the door in record time.  She had set out the outfit for today the night before so that she wouldn't spend too much time fussing over what would be good for a trip like this.  Keep it sharp, keep it simple.  Those guiding words in mind she'd put together a pair of jeans, long sleeved knit top, navy colored sweater, long khaki jacket with faux fur trim along the hood and a scarf of varying shades of blue.  All bundled up for the colder temperatures with a pair of short boots to protect her feet, the dancer was out the door and headed to the bus stop near the school gates.

When she'd seen her fellow traveler she felt her cheeks get warm again.  Yumeko was wearing quite the fancy ensemble for just a trip to the bookstore with a foreigner who stuck out like a sore thumb.  Then again she also felt under dressed herself seeing how nicely Yumeko had dressed for the occasion.  No matter though - today was about enjoying each others' company, not stressing over clothes.  Confident again she strode forward just as that smile resurfaced - goodness it was pretty!  Yumeko really ought to smile as much as possible, and Hara hoped to make it very possible today.

"Indeed, I hath arrived to accompany you, my fair author," she teased with a princely bow just before stepping up next to Yumeko, "And good morning!  It's nice to see you again.. I hope you enjoy today!"

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see Yumeko laughed softly at Hara's overflowing introduction. Normally she would have been put off by such a display, but she was more than happy to hear it from Hara. There was something rather familiar and comforting to it now. With a gracious bow, Yumeko took a few steps back and returned the greeting. "Well, now that you are here, I am sure that we shall have a good day," Yumeko said in an attempt to match Hara's grandiose manner. With a soft sigh she stood up and stood next to Hara. "I just hope I will be more of enjoyable company than a burden to you today." Yumeko turned her head a bit as a distance rumble caught her attention, but soon its source, an ordinary car whizzed past, Yumeko relaxed and sighed. There was a sense of frustration and fatigue in the way she was standing and breathing. "To be quite frank, it's been a rather frustrating and embarrassing issue just listening for the buses. I have to rely on the PA systems to hear which one they are, and some of the ones that pass by...did not maintain their PA systems well, and I had to ask what bus they were." The author shook her head and sighed again, frowning as her clouded grey eyes closed as she pulled through her memories. "It was...a rather embarrassing interaction, since the driver took quite a while to realize that I'm not exactly able to read the sign on the side, no matter how bright or large it is painted." A soft growl escaped Yumeko's throat in a momentary lapse of composure, in which Yumeko shook her head and looked up to Hara with a face asking for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, I'm just really losing my temper a lot lately. I'm looking forward to seeing this bookstore again, but..." Yumeko paused, summoning the courage to say the most embarrassing thing in her life. "Do you mind if I rely on you a little bit today? "I'm sorry. As much as I hate to admit it, it's a lot easier for me to do...pretty much anything with someone helping me. I can do it all on my own but...yeah." Hara Kitakami | 381 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Hara was pleasantly surprised by the way that Yumeko made efforts to match her own fanciness in greetings.  It wasn't as if she were a fellow prince or even the sort of girl who enjoyed regular grandiose displays.  There was definitely part of Hara that enjoyed performing them as a way to help girls feel better about themselves, and to lighten the mood as need be.  Something about being dashing really made her feel good, even if it was all just kind of silly and inconsequential. Her company for this bus trek was still being quite open with her, too, admitted troubles with the buses.  Had Yumeko not mentioned it Hara might not have even considered the girl having trouble figuring out which bus she was to take.  Such things being taken for granted by those with vision, she didn't stop to give them thought. Really it was wonderful that Yumeko felt comfortable enough around her to explain her difficulties, rather than trying too hard to be self reliant.  

"That sounds like a real hassle.  It's annoying that some people don't realize that not everyone is as capable of seeing the signs as they are.  I guess it's just kind of second nature for people to assume that everyone else has the same capabilities as they do, so it's a little surprising to encounter someone different.  Not that being different is a bad thing at all, mind you," Hara replied as she gently reached over to pat Yumeko on the shoulder.  She'd thought about a head pat, but thought better of it since that might be a little too personal to do without permission.  Smiling down at the other girl she added, "I don't mind helping you out at all.  There's nothing wrong with working together to get things done, after all.  Just leave this part to me!  If you want to pay me back.. how about we just chat?  It's been a little while since we read the Time Machine together, so I'd love to hear how you've been!"

Navigating the bus systems normally was one thing but making the right connections to get to this book shop was quite another in its own right.  Select Fantasia had a suitably fantastical name for a place that was distant from their location and difficult to reach without a motor vehicle of one's own.  It was definitely a bit of a long ride all together to get from their school's closest bus stand to the one at the store.  However, good company could provide not only excellent directions but also a wonderful way to pass the time.  A bit of light chatter - a lot of it from Hara, who found herself talking cheerfully about bookish things - between them made it seem like no time at all had passed.  At last they stepped off the last bus and stood before a brick and mortar book store bearing the name Select Fantasia.  After opening the door for Yumeko to step in before her, Hara entered as well.  It was magical!  Books and other materials on old fashioned looking shelves, an interior that seemed more like an aristocrat's study than a book store.. and reading materials as far as the eye could see!  

"Whoa, this is a really cozy store.. I feel like a treasure hunter discovering a lost library!" she remarked, tone indicating she was quite impressed, "So any suggestions on where to start?"

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see The warmth on Yumeko's shoulder was more than welcome, and it was a familiar warmth, one that seemed to impel her to tilt her head a little so that her cheek could feel it too. But the impulse faded quickly as she heard the terms of Hara's deal. Assistance for a day in exchange for a little chit-chat? That was quite a steal. With a smile, Yumeko nodded, saying, "That is an acceptable proposition." In due time, the bus arrived, complete with scratchy PA system. But with Hara's help, Yumeko found it much easier to find a seat and get comfortable. The author could never really bring herself to fault her classmate for being poor conversationalists, but with Hara, it seemed like Yumeko was full of things to talk about, from books she had read to the little silly thigns in the day by day. And with enjoyable conversation, the long trip to the other side of the city seemed to be done instantaneously. The feel of the grounds beneath her feet and the sound it made was familiar to Yumeko as she stepped off the bus. And so was the musty burst of air that greeted her as she walked through the front door of the mansion. There was a grin on the writer's face as she listened to Hara describe the bookstore in her own words. "Well, I'm not surprised that you are better equipped to enjoy this place. And for better or worse, the sorting system here is...inconsistent," Yumeko sighed, though she seemed to be both frustrated (as she tends to be), but amused. "Generally, the books are by...original language, genre, then author. Though famous enough authors have their own shelves. And if a book has different formats, such as language, or audio recording, or braille, then usually, the key word is usually, they're next to each other. Then whatever other hard to categorize books are...somewhere." With a sort of devious chuckle, Yumeko looked up to Hara, walking slowly and trying to reach for the New Zealander's hand. "So that means, whatever you have in mind that you are looking for, it's going to be a bit of an adventure. So where to start...well, let's see if they have managed to get a copy of that new book you told me of earlier on the bus." Hara Kitakami | 402 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Well there was no concrete method of locating a particular book you wanted to find in this store.  Even should you happen to know every last detail of the edition and type you wanted, there was no surefire shelving system in place for the uninitiated.  Given Yumeko's description of the basic organizational methods, if you could call them that, some people might have given up and tried to hunt down the staff.  Hara was not some people.  This was an adventure for both of them!  They'd come so far on the bus and it'd be quite a shame to give up now when they were so close to finding hidden literary gems.  Part of the fun of this was going to be just walking through the store and seeing what they could locate on the shelves - new titles were bound to jump out at you when you just took your time and had no particular destination in mind.

"You're in luck, Yumeko-san, because it just so happens that 'Adventure' is my middle name!  Unofficially of course, but I'm sure you don't mind such.. technicalities, right?" Hara teased as she reached down and took the author's hand in hers, "Let's work together and see just what hidden gems we can unearth together.  Let me know if you'd like to stop and investigate any titles further while we're searching."

The New Zealander gave Yumeko's hand a little squeeze of reassurance before she set off toward the shelves most likely to have the first prize they sought.  So original language in this case was going to be English - which meant that she had to delve deeper into the store in order to find authors whose works had first been penned in that language.  This required several turns around shelves and corners, during which Hara was sure to mention the direction they were headed.  Finally they arrived in what seemed to be the right general area, complete with a bust of Shakespeare on one shelf.. and Ray Bradbury on another?  Fascinating!  Hara slowly worked her way toward the science fiction area, or what she assumed must be it.  Once there she just stood and let her eyes do a search for what authors were represented by the store's stock.

"There's actually quite a lot here!  I wasn't sure that'd be the case at all.. it doesn't seem like that many readers in Japan are into science fiction," Hara remarked before smiling at her companion, "How're you holding up so far?  You.. don't mind me holding your hand do you?"

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet," was Yumeko's reply to Hara's teasing. A strange sense of tranquility seemed to wash over as Yumeko felt Hara take her hand. "If anything comes to mind, I'll be sure to tell." Despite being a returning customer, Yumeko figured that her knowledge of the store's layout was just as useful as Hara's, and with the additional issue of not being able to make use of most of the signage that did hang in the most strange of places. And so, she happily followed where ever Hara went, using one hand to keep hold of Hara while using the other to reach out, cane in hand still, and brush her fingers along the spines of books that were nearby, hoping to catch a bit of Braille so that she could confirm where they were. Based on what Hara was saying, the layout had not shifted too drastically the last time the author had visited, but it was clear that some things had moved. Once the reached the Science Fiction section, Yumeko stopped with Hara, looking to her as she replied. "I'm doing well, Hara-san, for the most part. And don't worry, I asked you to help me earlier before we got onto the bus, so I really don't mind." A slight blush and an embarrassed smile slipped through as Yumeko squeezed Hara's hand again before switching the subject back to books. "Well, most of our generation is still rather hooked on romance and fantasy things. Even with all the mecha stuff and virtual reality stuff, it really doesn't follow the classical guidelines for what Sci-fi typically is characterized by. Anyways, do you want to look together or do you want to see if we can burn the candle at both ends and split u-....up?" As Yumeko spoke, she was trying to get a bearing of where she was relative to the shelves. At first, it was letting her metal cane rest against herself while a hand slowly reached out, but when her fingers felt nothing, she started to move her arm around. But when even flailing her arm comically gained no results, Yumeko let her cane slide along the wooden floors in a slow but wide arc until the obvious lack of anything to stop was enough to derail her train of thought. "Did...did they move the shelves?" Yumeko asked, somewhat incredulous. The books, the novelist knew, would move, but from the novelist's memory the shelves didn't and were more or less nailed-down. "H-hara-san...? The shelf to my right...how far is it? Is there still a shelf?" Hara Kitakami | 457 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Given that the last occasion on which the two had spent time had seen Yumeko tired from overwork, it was nice that she was feeling better today.  A part of Hara wanted this to be as full a day as possible without stopping for anything.  Making the most of the time that they had together with books was paramount to ensuring enjoyment.  At the same time she absolutely did not want to push the author any farther than she was comfortable going.  Books were wonderful friends but Yumeko's well being meant that much more to Hara.  Their trip hadn't tired her out too much and she was even offering her opinion on genres which were currently en vogue with people their age.  A smile crossed the dancer's face as Yumeko continued speaking - the passion she had for the written word was undeniable!

"I do appreciate a bit of romance in my science fiction, of course, but there gets to be a point where it overpowers the narrative.  You know - it becomes far more about the love story than the intriguing science and brave new world around it.  Might as well not have the story take place in space or the future at all if it's going to be that predictable, right?" Hara remarked with a wry tone while she scoped out the shelf nearby for the particular book they'd talked about. 

She turned to point something out (verbally of course) to Yumeko, only to see that the girl was having some difficulty.  Though it started as searching for a bookshelf with her cane it quickly became a desperate search for something.  The desperation with which Yumeko reached about in the air for whatever her quarry was seemed to indicate that it ought to have been where she was reaching out.  Hara was fast to move to the girl's side, just in case she accidentally took a tumble or something.  If it weren't odd enough with its unique shelving system it seemed like the store might have rearranged its shelving too.  Even as Yumeko asked her question the dancer placed her hand on the author's shoulder gently.

"There is a shelf but it's about a foot away from where you're reaching.  Here, let me show you," Hara explained as she gently guided the girl over to the mysterious bookshelf that hadn't been in the expected place, "There it is.. oh.. sorry about that, I just kind of jumped in there didn't I?  Don't be afraid to swat my hand away if I try to do too much for you."

She then looked at the nearby shelves and tapped her chin, "Now the book we're looking for ought to be in the next couple of shelves if my understanding of the system is accurate.  Since that's the case let's work together to try and find it.  I think your help will be invaluable, Yumeko-san."

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see It was that warm and comforting feeling of Hara's hand on her shoulder again, and Yumeko paused her arm flailing let the dancer guide her to the bookshelf. It was nowhere near the first time a shelf had been moved on Yumeko, but having someone help made things so much easier. "Baka, I told you, it's okay. I asked for your help, remember? If anything I should apologize for slowing you down." Yumeko said as she felt her hand reach something solid. "Good grief, Hara-san. This is quite rare for you to sound so apologetic. I'm actually starting to worry about you." Using what she could hear from Hara's movment, she tried to give the New Zealander a rare relaxed smile. Yumeko made sure to be careful with her steps so that they did not overpower the sound of Hara's. Other than perhaps a string tied to her finger, it was the only way to keep track of her friend. Carefully, Yumeko's fingers traced along the spines of the books, feeling for the tell-tale bumps of Braille. A few books yield their literary identity, but those were far and few between. Thankfully, there was still some semblence of alphabetical order. "Hm...I'm not finding any Braille copies of what we're looking for, and I'm not so sure if there was one to begin with. But if there is a normal print copy it would be somewhere between here..." The author's voice trailed off as she tapped the spine of one book and walked in a straight line to another nearby shelf. "And here. Wait a moment" Based on what Yumeko understood was the topography around her, the two book ends she found encompassed a range between three bookshelves arranged in a semicircle shape. The metal cane made soft grinding sounds against the bottom of the bookcases as Yumeko confirmed the arrangement around her. "Well, those were the few Braille copies of anything I could find even remotely close to the author's name, so if there's any sense of logic left in the shelves here...I'm guessing this would be the range." Yumeko sighed and shook her head, then turned her head to listen for Hara. "I'm sorry, I may need to rely on you for the last leg of this search." Hara Kitakami | 397 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Taking care of Yumeko without doing too much for her was actually quite more of a challenge than the New Zealander had anticipated upon their entrance into the store.  It was true what the author had said - she'd asked for Hara's help, so it wasn't out of the question to lend assistance.  She reminded Hara of this fact in such a friendly tone that the taller girl couldn't help but grin herself.  Of course it was fine to help.  At the same time she didn't want to come off as pushy, as if she knew better what Yumeko needed than even Yumeko herself.  Becoming close to the girl beside her had been such a wonderful turn of events that she didn't want to risk doing something that was disrespectful to Yumeko.  

Her eyes followed Yumeko's fingers as they explored the shelves for any indication of their quarry.  Even though she could well have explored the shelving herself, Hara found it more exciting to follow along with Yumeko as she looked.  As she did so the dancer was hovering, a bit tense as she prepared herself to physically support the author should she need it.  There wasn't even anything all that treacherous about how she was going about it either but Hara still stuck really close.. maybe just to be close to the girl.  That thought crossed her mind and instantly caused the dancer to blush a bit, uncertain what had brought it on or what it meant.  Wonderfully, though, she had the important search for their book to conduct rather than focusing on what feelings she had or why she had them.

"We have a general area to search, that's more than we had before.. now it's time for the Prince of the Performing Arts to complete the quest for the hidden science fiction novel!  Please leave it to me, dear author," Hara replied to Yumeko as she crouched down a bit to get to eye level with the shelf. 

After a bit of skimming through names that were close but not quite the one they were looking for, she was starting to have their doubts.  It wasn't really an overly popular author but still they ought to have had something resembling that name!  Just as she was about to give up hope of finding it, something caught her eye.  Down a shelf lower than anticipated was a well-worn paperback which didn't stand out on its own due to how absurdly plain the spine was.  Yet there was no mistaking the author's name - there it was!  Hara knelt down and gently tugged the book off the shelf, smiling triumphantly at the find.  Without thinking much about the action she reached over and put a hand on Yumeko's, feeling the calming warmth radiate into her own.

"I found it!  Not too far off from where you thought it'd be, and it's the only copy they seem to have in stock.  We make a great team at this - no book can escape our paired minds!" she joked, clearly exuberant over finding the book, "So shall we look for a few other things that weren't on the list for today?  It'd be a shame to not enjoy this place to its fullest."

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see "Very well then, my good Prince, go forth on thy quest! I shall await your triumphant return!" Yumeko replied, trying to match Hara's humorously anachronistic speech. She stood tall with her cane, trying her best to look as dignified as possible with her stature. It wasn't a bad feeling, to be playing along like this. And that started to confuse Yumeko. Normally she'd be mad at how superfluous it all was, but it was comforting. Hara wasn't trying to impress or be flirty, as least as far as Yumeko knew, just trying to keep the mood lively, which Yumeko could appreciate too. Besides, she knew that Hara was a far different, much more mindful person, perhaps a little too mindful given how nervous she seemed while trying to help. In a way, it was unavoidable, and Yumeko forgave Hara for all of it, content to listen to the New Zealander's footsteps as she searched. There were no other footsteps as far as the author could hear, which meant that she had Hara all to hersel- Yumeko shook her head vigorously. Where were her thoughts going? She was happy that Hara was a close friend, a fellow bibliphile, and really the closest she had at Fukui. Suddenly, Yumeko felt a warmth suddenly on top of her hand. This was nice. Very nice. She could get used to thi- Yumeko blinked and was brought back to Earth. Just focus, just focus. Thankfully, Hara's voice pulled the writer's attention and the sound of good news put a smile on her face. "Ah, thank you, Hara." Yumeko said, not daring to move the hand atop of her own. "I wish I could have been more precise, but I am loathe to say that the conditions were not so favoriable. But at least we were able to secure a copy before it was too late. Speaking of which..." Not wanting, for some reason, to move the warmed up hand, Yumeko rested her again against her leg as she reached into her pocket and tapped her phone. The earpiece, in its usual droll tone, echoed the time. "Sorry, without a watch, my phone is what I use to tell time..." Yumeko explained with a sigh. "But we have a lot of time still. I think we can keep looking around, and then maybe try and get some lunch?" Hara Kitakami | 399 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

For a brief couple of moments Hara wasn't sure what would be up next on the itinerary for their outing.  They'd already ostensibly accomplished their mission by locating the book which Hara had suggested searching for.  It would, however, be quite the shame if they were to simply turn around and head back down to Fukui after paying for this one book.  The amount of time involved in simply traveling up to the hilly locale of this store demanded that they take full advantage of their time in the area.  Hara would've been lying if she denied a desire to linger in whatever place she could to maximize the time she had with Yumeko today.  Just glancing over at the author helped the New Zealander feel grounded and content in a way that she couldn't rightly explain in full.  

Even as the girl checked her phone for the time, those feelings were in full force for the ballet dancer in a way that puzzled her.  There had been a number of girls she'd spent time with at Fukui, mostly accompaniment or something resembling friendship.  Whatever this was, it was definitively different from those past outings and those other girls.  Yumeko's more playful side had emerged rather unexpectedly during their past couple of meetings, and it was actually rather endearing.  Not just her willingness to play along with the princely behavior Hara sometimes undertook, but also how much more open and candid she was.  If anything, Hara thought, the girl worried too much about how she was being perceived in this kind of situation.  

"Whatever assistance you are able to provide is quite appreciated, I can assure you of that.  A singular person can't do everything alone, and you are more the expert on this shop than I," Hara remarked with a light pat of Yumeko's shoulder, "Don't worry about the phone, either, I understand.  But you're right that we have plenty of time and that we really ought to make the most of what we have."

Hara scanned the shelves again, but she came to reason that she'd found the only science fiction book she needed today.  In that case... she smiled as she stepped closer to Yumeko, "We found my book, so let's explore a section that interests you!  Just tell me what general area to head for and I'll blaze a path for us."

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see Yumeko sighed in relief. It was one thing to be disdainful of the measures Yumeko needed to keep up, and another to be coddling as if Yumeko couldn't do anything. Hara was neither, and Yumeko appreciated it immensely. She hadn't been this relaxed since...her last trip to Hino, where she stayed with her cousins. No...this was a different feeling. As an author, it stung Yumeko's literary pride that she found herself grasping for words. But that was a matter for another time. "Well, I'm afraid I have to fall back onto my roots a mystery writer," Yumeko said with a disappointed sigh. "Maybe there are a few new arrivals. Usually I just run my hand along the spines of the books to see if there's anything new. It's not the most efficient system, I suppose, and I can only find what I can reach. Usually I am able to get a stool though. Hopefully, they haven't moved the section." A sudden idea came to Yumeko's mind. "Oh...if you don't mind...could you read out the titles of the books out of my reach? Ah...y-you don't have to." To hide her embarrassment, Yumeko started to walk forward, forgetting that she did not need to due to Hara's offer to lead. "Well, I'll lead the way i-if you don't mind." Once she was far enough away, she felt the warmth on her should slip off. Suddenly she turned around, trying to reach for Hara's hand, almost in a panic. "Hara-san..?" Yumeko asked, trying to get her friend's position. Hara Kitakami | 287 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND

Hara's smile slightly grew at the corner when she noticed Yumeko starting to take a step forward.  It surely seemed like the author was so used to taking the lead herself that doing so came instinctively, even when someone else was offering to do so.  While she wanted to help however she could, Hara didn't want to push herself on Yumeko too much.  Better to be there for the girl when she needed it and be ready to offer help if that need arose unexpectedly.  The request was a rather simple one that the dancer didn't mind whatsoever - she was taller anyhow, so reading titles or pulling books down wasn't at all a chore for her.  Might be a little harder when the person she'd be reading them for was moving ahead of her, soon leaving Hara's hand off of her shoulder.  

"Don't worry Yumeko-san, I'm here," she called out as she rushed forward to the author's side.  The way in which the girl had asked for her had spurred the New Zealander into such rapid action that her brain only caught up to her body a couple of moments later.  When she'd already taken Yumeko's hand in her own without so much as asking if that was okay; she'd just instinctively assumed it must be with the way Yumeko was reaching for her.  Hara blushed a bit and cast her eyes up to the top shelf of the the nearest display of books.

"It's no problem whatsoever, my dear!  Regaling you with the reading of literary titles would be quite the privilege," Hara announced in an overly flowery and knightly manner before listing off a series of novels available on the shelf.  Nothing that leaped out to her but perhaps Yumeko would have heard of some of the new releases herself.  As she stepped aside to let Yumeko move in and read the lower shelves for herself, the taller girl gave their clasped hands a gentle swing, feeling a little playfulness might mask her embarrassment.

"That's the top shelf anyway, the rest of the books are lower down.. but would you like me to read them to you anyway?  I'd be happy to do so, but I don't want to assume.. you know," Hara squeezed Yumeko's hand a little before giggling, "Or I could read them in English if you like, it's your choice.. I'm just happy to be here looking at books with you."

Kindness is the  language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see The feeling of Hara taking her hand and her voice calling out to her reassuringly calmed down Yumeko immensely, though it did bring a small blush to the author's face. And the addition of 'dear' surprisingly dazed her. For a moment, she was caught up in wondering why it affected it her so much. But there was no time to comtemplate further as a list of title were being read out to her. A lot of the titles she recognized but she had either read them or had already known their quality beforehand. Bit by bit, her earlier cheer was replaced by disappointment, and it showed as her face went back to it's resting frown. As Hara finished, Yumeko could hear her step aside, taking the silent cue to see what was on the lower shelves. With her free hand, she reached out to feel the spines of the books. Most of them did not have braille on them, and the ones that did were titles that Yumeko had passed over in the past. At first she sighed in frustrated disappointment but smiled again as Hara spoke up. "I think the ones the need to be read at the top shelf, and the..." Yumeko trailed off as she tried to reach the higher shelves. "If I remember correctly, these bookshelves have five levels. And if I am counting correctly, this..." She jumped up to tap the bottom of a shelf. "That's the fifth, right? I think I can quickly go through the middle two shelves on my own, so I'll only need a moment...." Taking a deep breath, Yumeko started to run her hands against the spines of the books, shuffling sideways. There wasn't much braille to reach again, and what little there was could be easily read, in part because Yumeko had browsed that section so often that the order and the location the books were in were predictable. And the entire time the author shook her head, finally taking a taking a few steps back. "...they haven't gotten anything that's both new and of any quality...I'm sorry..." Yumeko frowned bitterly as she looked at the ground. "I'm sorry...there isn't really anything interesting...at least as far as I can, well...see. If there's a title you think you recognize though...I wouldn't mind that." Hara Kitakami | 400 | NOTES:

KAI'K @ WICKED WONDERLAND