C3 – [Second Library] Encounter ◆ Nekura

I opened the door to the second library.

This second library is just what everyone calls it, but it’s not really a library.

The number of books in the library has been increasing every year, and the library can no longer hold them. This was a place to temporarily store the books until we could decide where to put them. Compared to a properly used library, this place is small and almost no one comes here.

The lock had been broken for several months, but no one had bothered to lock it, so it had been left unattended. Or it is possible that no one even noticed that it was broken. That’s how remote it was. To put it simply, it was a hole in the ground.

The slightly musty smell of the old books on the shelf soothed my soul. I went to the back of the room and crouched down.

Being in class was just a distraction.

I wonder why I’m so popular and yet so unpopular. If I’m so popular, my heart should be in line with it by now, but the reality is only getting worse. Why is it that my mind is always the same as that of someone who is so unattractive?

In the end, I think it’s just self-consciousness.

I don’t have the courage to break the idol that people imagine from my appearance. I also don’t have the dexterity to play the role of the person that people think I am.

For example, if I were to befriend a girl in a place where my face is not visible, would I be able to show myself without pretending to be something I am not?

However, if I think about it calmly, I’m not the kind of guy that people would like for what I am.

If people knew who I was, they would never like me. It would be boring.

However, you can’t even have a conversation with someone while you’re pretending to be something you’re not.

The only way to become popular is to become popular from the inside.

Let’s change our mindset.

If my mindset becomes popular, I can become a completely popular guy, because I am popular, to begin with.

But what does it mean to be popular on the inside? I don’t know.

When I think like this, I always see an imaginary girl in my mind. The girl is made of straw, and her name is Warako-chan. The character for “woman” is written in her eyes. She is a lump of the “girl image” in my head, and she always teaches me what a girl is.

(TN: Warako-chan – Straw girl, literally)

The girl doll in my mind, Warako-chan, says in a light-hearted voice, 

“Girls like people who are kind…”

That’s it.

No doubt.

Kindness. One good deed a day. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Warako-chan is right.

Let’s start from here. A life of popularity.

As I was thinking about this, I heard a slam from the door and my heart jumped.

The sound of their breath, the rhythm of their footsteps. And a faint scent.

There’s no doubt about it!　It’s a girl!　This is bad. I don’t know why it’s bad, but it’s bad if they see me here.

The second library is very small. At any rate, there is only one row of bookshelves. A large wooden bookcase and a cheap pipe at the back. From the entrance, my figure was obscured by the wall of bookshelves.

The girl didn’t seem to notice that I was next to her across the bookshelf, and stretched out in a cute voice, “Mmm”. I shrank back and stifled a gasp.

Then I heard her sigh and spill.

“Ah, I want to eat natto.”

Natto?

That’s what the girl’s voice said.

It’s a kind of soliloquy you don’t hear very often.

Don’t all girls like chocolate, cake, and ice cream?　That’s what Warako-chan said. I’m not saying that I don’t eat natto, but I don’t think natto is something that a girl would want to talk about. What, or am I underestimating natto too much?　I mean, I think the kanji for “natto” and “tofu” is reversed. Oh no. It’s so irrelevant. I need to get back to thinking.

My confused thoughts were interrupted by a monologue.

“Uwaa–, I want a beef bowl!”

Beef bowl, huh?

As my eyes widened in astonishment, a female student was chanting “I want to eat, I want to eat” in a small voice.

I’m confused. I’m so confused.

What’s going on here?　How can a girl want to eat a beef bowl? …… I’m sure girls only say things like “I want to eat a parfait” or “I love pink” when they’re talking to themselves. What is the situation that makes a girl want to eat a beef bowl?

I see. I get it.

“Are you hungry?”

I shouted out in a panic.

At that moment, I felt the presence on the other side gasp and my blood ran cold. I broke out in a sweat.

Why did I speak up? But now that I had spoken to her, there was no turning back.

In my impatience, in order to avoid becoming a suspicious person, I started to speak quickly, as if I was trying to follow up with a kind line.

“Hey, …bread.. you want some bread?”

“Eh, what?”

I heard a very confused voice from the other side, but I was just as or more confused by what I had said. I was trying to be nice, but I felt like I was going crazy.

I stared at the yakisoba bread in my hand, ready to eat it, and threw it at the other side of the bookshelf in desperation. The bookshelf was high and crammed with books, almost to the ceiling, but there was enough space for the bread to pass through.

I heard a light thud as the bread fell to the floor.

What the hell am I doing?

Is this kindness ……?

Answer me!　Warako-chan.!

Warako-chan told me, 『Souji-kun, you’re the creepiest!].

That’s my girl, Warako-chan!　Right?　I can’t even see her face and I suddenly asked if she wants some bread!　That’s not just being nice, that’s an offense!　This is crazy!　I was sweating when I thought about what I said.

That’s the gist of it.

‘Are you hungry?’

‘Want some bread?’

This is exactly what a human would say when encountering a strange, undiscovered creature in the jungle. I felt dizzy.

I heard a voice gushing out from the other side.

“Yaki-soba bread……”

It’s a commercial product!　There’s no pubic hair in it!　I shouted in my mind.

I heard the sound of a faceless person opening the bread packet. The smell of the sauce wafted over to me.

“Thanks. I eat”

She’s eating. I was a little relieved.

The person on the other side of the bookshelf replied in a somewhat uncivilized, monstrous manner and chuckled again.

Then the schoolgirl continued with a surprising reply.

“You …… are a good guy …… So…, I…don’t want to eat …you.”

I understood when she said it in a somewhat low, caged, fake voice.

The game of “unknown creature in the wilderness” has begun.

I don’t know if such a game exists, but that was the joking reply.

I shuddered with emotion. What a nice person you are. You’re a girl who can’t even say anything openly about defecation, and yet you’re willing to play along with my undiscovered monster game.

I definitely did not try to play the undiscovered monster game. However, it was a miracle that it did not turn out to be a dangerous one, which could have killed nine people.

I didn’t become a gentle, popular person, but I did avoid becoming a suspicious person with a pan of yakisoba noodles.

I shook with unspeakable agitation and heard a rattling sound. I felt like I shouldn’t make a sound, so I froze again.

I remained motionless, huffing and puffing with as little noise as possible, listening to the tiny sounds of the girl chewing and gulping down the bread. It was highly perverted, to say the least. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, but I couldn’t leave the door without walking past that girl. I couldn’t move.

Eventually, I heard the sound of empty plastic being folded. It seemed that she had finished her meal. The female student let out a small breath and said, “Fu”.

“It was good. I’ll eat you next.”

“Gehogoho!”

I choked violently. And I heard a female student stand up and say, “Are you okay?”.

“Wait, get away from me!　I’m not tasty!”

I heard a small snort from the girl as I spilled out the worst words I could think of. I can feel her giggling again.

“Human, your …… name, what is it …… bu fu.”

She was laughing a bit as she said it.

What can I say, this girl was in a groove. The details aside, she was helpful.

“Human, name…… Kuku Kuku.”

“Oh, my name?　Let’s see, Saku ………… Saku?　No, I’m a simple, nameless Nekura!　I’m a Nekura guy!…… Don’t come here!”

I didn’t need to yell at her to stay away, although she seemed to stand up, she didn’t seem to be coming towards me. She continued to shout brightly through the bookshelf.

“Nekura ……?　Then I’m ……, the wandering unreal.”

“Eh?”

“Hmm, Hiria!　You can call me Hiria!”

(TN: Nekura means pessimistic/gloomy and Hiria means unreal, or more like something like a mystery)

“Hi.., Hiria? -chan?”

My voice trailed off as I called out the girl’s name, even though it wasn’t her real name by any stretch of the imagination.

The girl student Hiria didn’t care about such a turnabout and said, “Yes!　Isn’t that like a nickname?　You’re Nekura-kun!”. She said happily and giggled happily again.

I and the mysterious girl, Hiria-chan, talked for a little while, using our temporary mysterious handles.

C3 Second Library Encounter NekuraI opened the door to the second library.This second library is just what everyone calls it, but it's not really a library.The number of books in the library has been increasing every year, and the library can no longer hold them. This was a place to temporarily store the books until we could decide where to put them. Compared to a properly used library, this place is small and almost no one comes here.The lock had been broken for several months, but no one had bothered to lock it, so it had been left unattended. Or it is possible that no one even noticed that it was broken. That's how remote it was. To put it simply, it was a hole in the ground.The slightly musty smell of the old books on the shelf soothed my soul. I went to the back of the room and crouched down.Being in class was just a distraction.I wonder why I'm so popular and yet so unpopular. If I'm so popular, my heart should be in line with it by now, but the reality is only getting worse. Why is it that my mind is always the same as that of someone who is so unattractive?In the end, I think it's just self-consciousness.I don't have the courage to break the idol that people imagine from my appearance. I also don't have the dexterity to play the role of the person that people think I am.For example, if I were to befriend a girl in a place where my face is not visible, would I be able to show myself without pretending to be something I am not?However, if I think about it calmly, I'm not the kind of guy that people would like for what I am.If people knew who I was, they would never like me. It would be boring.However, you can't even have a conversation with someone while you're pretending to be something you're not.The only way to become popular is to become popular from the inside.Let's change our mindset.If my mindset becomes popular, I can become a completely popular guy, because I am popular, to begin with.But what does it mean to be popular on the inside? I don't know.When I think like this, I always see an imaginary girl in my mind. The girl is made of straw, and her name is Warako-chan. The character for woman is written in her eyes. She is a lump of the girl image in my head, and she always teaches me what a girl is.TN:Warako-chan Straw girl, literallyThe girl doll in my mind, Warako-chan, says in a light-hearted voice,Girls like people who are kindThat's it.No doubt.Kindness. One good deed a day. There's nothing wrong with that.Warako-chan is right.Let's start from here. A life of popularity.As I was thinking about this, I heard a slam from the door and my heart jumped.The sound of their breath, the rhythm of their footsteps. And a faint scent.There's no doubt about it!It's a girl!This is bad. I don't know why it's bad, but it's bad if they see me here.The second library is very small. At any rate, there is only one row of bookshelves. A large wooden bookcase and a cheap pipe at the back. From the entrance, my figure was obscured by the wall of bookshelves.The girl didn't seem to notice that I was next to her across the bookshelf, and stretched out in a cute voice, Mmm. I shrank back and stifled a gasp.Then I heard her sigh and spill.Ah, I want to eat natto.Natto?That's what the girl's voice said.It's a kind of soliloquy you don't hear very often.Don't all girls like chocolate, cake, and ice cream?That's what Warako-chan said. I'm not saying that I don't eat natto, but I don't think natto is something that a girl would want to talk about. What, or am I underestimating natto too much?I mean, I think the kanji for natto and tofu is reversed. Oh no. It's so irrelevant. I need to get back to thinking.My confused thoughts were interrupted by a monologue.Uwaa, I want a beef bowl!Beef bowl, huh?As my eyes widened in astonishment, a female student was chanting I want to eat, I want to eat in a small voice.I'm confused. I'm so confused.What's going on here?How can a girl want to eat a beef bowl? I'm sure girls only say things like I want to eat a parfait or I love pink when they're talking to themselves. What is the situation that makes a girl want to eat a beef bowl?I see. I get it.Are you hungry?I shouted out in a panic.At that moment, I felt the presence on the other side gasp and my blood ran cold. I broke out in a sweat.Why did I speak up? But now that I had spoken to her, there was no turning back.In my impatience, in order to avoid becoming a suspicious person, I started to speak quickly, as if I was trying to follow up with a kind line.Hey, bread.. you want some bread?Eh, what?I heard a very confused voice from the other side, but I was just as or more confused by what I had said. I was trying to be nice, but I felt like I was going crazy.I stared at the yakisoba bread in my hand, ready to eat it, and threw it at the other side of the bookshelf in desperation. The bookshelf was high and crammed with books, almost to the ceiling, but there was enough space for the bread to pass through.I heard a light thud as the bread fell to the floor.What the hell am I doing?Is this kindness ?Answer me!Warako-chan.!Warako-chan told me, Souji-kun, you're the creepiest!.That's my girl, Warako-chan!Right?I can't even see her face and I suddenly asked if she wants some bread!That's not just being nice, that's an offense!This is crazy!I was sweating when I thought about what I said.That's the gist of it.Are you hungry?'Want some bread?'This is exactly what a human would say when encountering a strange, undiscovered creature in the jungle. I felt dizzy.I heard a voice gushing out from the other side.Yaki-soba breadIt's a commercial product!There's no pubic hair in it!I shouted in my mind.I heard the sound of a faceless person opening the bread packet. The smell of the sauce wafted over to me.Thanks. I eatShe's eating. I was a little relieved.The person on the other side of the bookshelf replied in a somewhat uncivilized, monstrous manner and chuckled again.Then the schoolgirl continued with a surprising reply.You are a good guy So, Idon't want to eat you.I understood when she said it in a somewhat low, caged, fake voice.The game of unknown creature in the wilderness has begun.I don't know if such a game exists, but that was the joking reply.I shuddered with emotion. What a nice person you are. You're a girl who can't even say anything openly about defecation, and yet you're willing to play along with my undiscovered monster game.I definitely did not try to play the undiscovered monster game. However, it was a miracle that it did not turn out to be a dangerous one, which could have killed nine people.I didn't become a gentle, popular person, but I did avoid becoming a suspicious person with a pan of yakisoba noodles.I shook with unspeakable agitation and heard a rattling sound. I felt like I shouldn't make a sound, so I froze again.I remained motionless, huffing and puffing with as little noise as possible, listening to the tiny sounds of the girl chewing and gulping down the bread. It was highly perverted, to say the least. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, but I couldn't leave the door without walking past that girl. I couldn't move.Eventually, I heard the sound of empty plastic being folded. It seemed that she had finished her meal. The female student let out a small breath and said, Fu.It was good. I'll eat you next.Gehogoho!I choked violently. And I heard a female student stand up and say, Are you okay?.Wait, get away from me!I'm not tasty!I heard a small snort from the girl as I spilled out the worst words I could think of. I can feel her giggling again.Human, your name, what is it bu fu.She was laughing a bit as she said it.What can I say, this girl was in a groove. The details aside, she was helpful.Human, name Kuku Kuku.Oh, my name?Let's see, Saku Saku?No, I'm a simple, nameless Nekura!I'm a Nekura guy! Don't come here!I didn't need to yell at her to stay away, although she seemed to stand up, she didn't seem to be coming towards me. She continued to shout brightly through the bookshelf.Nekura ?Then I'm , the wandering unreal.Eh?Hmm, Hiria!You can call me Hiria!TN:Nekura means pessimistic/gloomy and Hiria means unreal, or more like something like a mysteryHi.., Hiria? -chan?My voice trailed off as I called out the girl's name, even though it wasn't her real name by any stretch of the imagination.The girl student Hiria didn't care about such a turnabout and said, Yes!Isn't that like a nickname?You're Nekura-kun!. She said happily and giggled happily again.I and the mysterious girl, Hiria-chan, talked for a little while, using our temporary mysterious handles.