Usagi's POV
"Ahh!! Finally, the first day of college is over!" Mei stretched her arms with a satisfied sigh.
Hina, with her usual calm expression, sighed. "Why are you so exhausted? All you did was eat in the cafeteria and sleep through three lectures in a row."
"Hehe, food coma~" Mei grinned shamelessly.
I chuckled. "Mei, Hina, let's explore the college a bit more. Is that okay?"
"Yay! Let's go!" Mei cheered excitedly, while Hina simply nodded in agreement.
"Where should we go first?" Mei asked eagerly.
Hina, ever the calm one, answered, "How about the library?"
"Yes! Let's check ou—" Just as I was about to agree, Mei cut me off with a dramatic groan. "You two are such mood killers!!"
"Come on, Mei-chan!" I pleaded. "I heard our college library has more than 80,000 books! We have to check it out! Pleaseee!"
Mei dramatically put both hands in front of her face. "Ahhh, those sparkle-throwing eyes!! Kawaiiii! Fine, fine! Let's go!"
As we entered the library, I was amazed by how huge it was. Students sat silently, studying seriously, completely immersed in their books. The space was so vast that many students could use it without feeling crowded.
"Hina-chan, this is totally your type of place, I guess," Mei said with a smirk.
Hina nodded, her expression as calm as ever. "Yeah, it's quiet and peaceful—perfect for my self-study time."
"Ahh, I wanna check out the new magazines!" Mei announced excitedly before heading to the magazine section.
Hina glanced at me. "Let's explore books related to our fields of interest too," she suggested before walking toward another section.
Nodding, I also started searching for the Management Studies section. As I walked past the Literature section, my eyes landed on —Okami-kun. He stood there, holding seven or eight books in his arms, still scanning the shelves as if searching for more.
Without realizing it, my feet moved on their own, drawn toward him out of curiosity. This time, his dead eyes held something different—just a hint of excitement? Maybe he is in the Literature Department?
As I got closer, I noticed he was trying to take out a book—The Tale of the Heike—but his hands were already full of books. Before he could struggle any further, I instinctively reached out and took the book for him.
That was the moment our eyes met for the first time.
I simply smiled, holding the book out to him. "Is this what you wanted? The Tale of the Heike? Hehe."
His expression didn't change, but his eyes did—shocked? Surprised? The way he looked at me… it was like he never expected anyone to speak to him.
He took a step back, quickly regaining his composure. For a brief moment, I saw something real in his eyes—but then, as if on instinct, he tried to put on a cold expression.
But I could tell.
That wasn't his true nature.
"Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you." I handed him the book with a gentle smile. "The Tale of the Heike—it's a good one. A classic of medieval samurai fiction, full of romance and war. Hehe, I read it a long time ago."
I tilted my head slightly, curious. "Are you from the Literature Department?"
He didn't answer.
It wasn't hesitation—it felt more like avoidance. Like he didn't want to engage in conversation at all.
"Ah, sorry! I didn't introduce myself first," I said, trying again with a warm smile. "Takahashi Usagi, from the Department of Management Studies! It's nice to meet you—"
I paused, waiting for him to say his name.
But he didn't.
Instead, he simply looked away, avoiding eye contact, then muttered a quiet, "Thanks," before turning and walking toward the librarian's counter.
I watched his retreating figure, my fingers still hovering where I had held the book.
Just what kind of life has he been living…?
"Usagi-chan, Usagi-chan…!" A sudden whisper from Mei-chan snapped me out of my thoughts.
She leaned in closer, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Oi, Usagi, did you really just talk to that cold guy?"
Before I could answer, thwack!
Hina lightly chopped Mei's head, sighing. "Did you forget? Usagi told you in the cafeteria not to judge anyone without knowing them first."
Mei pouted, rubbing her head. "I know, I know! But still… he gives off that 'don't talk to me' vibe! You saw how he just walked away, right?"
I glanced back toward the counter where he stood, handing his books to the librarian. His posture was stiff, his expression unreadable.
"Maybe he's just not used to people talking to him," I murmured.
Mei crossed her arms. "Or maybe he just doesn't want to talk to anyone."
Hina sighed. "Either way, we shouldn't assume things."
I smiled at them both. "I don't think he's as cold as people say. Just… closed off."
For some reason, I couldn't shake the thought that there was more to Okami-kun than what people assumed.