Beyond The Table Thus The Boundary

Chapter 2: Encounter

It has unconsciously passed one month after her entrance. Even so, Tsubasa would always deny the fact that she was eighteen years old. She still considered herself a high schooler, almost forgetting the big examination she has had during her final semester. She obtained excellent result and she successfully applied a prestigious local college. English Literature was her current course.

            Tsubasa did not really hate the fact. She just hated being labelled as ‘mature’, ‘grown-up’, ‘adult’, and so on. She did not think she was fully fledged as one; since she never planned on living as an adult even after reaching her 20s. She still paid the best attention on whatever she liked, and based on the course she has taken, it was clearly shown that she was into languages, novels, and fictions. Eighteen was just an age, and no one - not even herself, could stop the ongoing time. However, she was not ready to change her own mind set.

            “I should get going.” Tsubasa slapped her own face, as if she has not woken up from her beauty sleep, and continued walking through the corridor. She had a morning class on that day, but her roommate did not seem to bother waking her up much earlier. She was just as lucky because she got up at the right time.

            It was totally a glimpse. Tsubasa passed by a big door, which she never paid attention to all these while. She stopped when she realized she was at the wrong block, turned to her right and noticed the presence. There was dusty but it was still a large signage entitled ‘Library’. She gaped in disbelief; having such a big library in the college was out of her mind - At least, only her mind.

            “This is awesome!” Tsubasa could not help but to shriek in happiness. She jumped up and down, completely abandoned every single mocking eyes on her. She stared at the whole door, contemplating on entering or leaving. While she was patrolling the surrounding, two students (she guessed) exited the library, all smiles and talkative.

            No one knew how Tsubasa got the idea; when she saw those students, she thought they might enjoy the time they spent inside. It enthralled her more to the point she ambushed the library without thinking any longer. She was fortunate that she did not bump into anyone while entering.

            “Welcome to The Library of Amethyst College,” A woman, surely the librarian, accosted her. She bowed a little and pasted a very sincere smile. Tsubasa even had the chance to catch a glimpse of her name. It was Mayumi. “How can I help you?”

            “I feel so bad for not knowing the existence of this library since day one!” Tsubasa clapped her hands in excitement, “This is my very first time coming here! I was attracted to go in when I saw the door! Oh, I’m so loud! I’m sorry but I can’t really hold my eagerness!” it was obvious that there were some of the visitors ogled at her for being too flamboyant.

            “Thank you for your spirit, miss!” even Mayumi clenched her teeth and resisted from shouting. “This library is the best place if you look for somewhere quiet and calming. You can also stay here as long as you want because we open from early in the morning up to 12 am.”

            “Wow, you guys are so diligent! Surely you guys are many in numbers!” Tsubasa pumped her fist in the air, “I’m going to walk around, and I will come back again!”

            “As you wish.”

            Tsubasa made her first step through the book shelves. There were signs attached on the ceiling, pointing to the direction according to the sections. The books were arranged neatly, as if neither of them were taken by anyone compared to bookstores she has ever stepped in all these while. She liked how the sections were located; the staffs even provided lists of books available based on which tier they were put. Most of the books were quite old, but their condition was like a brand-new. She could not hide her dramatic when she acknowledged a comic section.

            “The best library I’ve ever seen!” Tsubasa’s nostrils expanded. She handed Mayumi four English novels as she wished to borrow them for the first time, “Gosh! I forgot that I’ve class!” she gaped as she just realized that fact. Right after Mayumi has keyed in her data alongside the information of the book to her student record, she swept the novels into her backpack and rushed out without looking back.

            She was determined enough to come again on the next day.

            “Miss Tsubasa, am I right?”

            Tsubasa has just arrived at the entrance of the library when a librarian – this time she wore a nametag with ‘Akiko’ written – accosted her. She blinked in confuse as she never met face-to-face with other librarians beside Mayumi the day before. How did this Akiko girl discover her name?

            “This is your student matric card,” as if she was answering Tsubasa’s question, Akiko passed a smooth card to her. She was right; the matric card clearly had ‘Tsubasa’ as the name, and the picture was also Tsubasa’s. That was why Akiko could recognise her.

            “Thank you very much!” Tsubasa happily received the matric card. It was hers to begin with. She did not acknowledge that she has lost the card since she did not really take a very good care of it. A student matric card was very useful in multiple matters, and borrowing books was one of its importance. One might get penalized for losing it.

            There was a word portraying this kind of person – careless.

            “You are surely my saviour!” Tsubasa hugged Akiko quite tightly until she unconsciously choked her, “I’m sorry! I was too loud again.” She broke the hug.

            “It wasn’t me, to be honest,” Akiko cleared her throat. She was almost killed by Tsubasa (This sounded too excessive though). “There was a young man found it yesterday. He gave it to us since he spotted it outside the library.”

            “For real?” Tsubasa ogled at Akiko, causing the latter to feel a little uncomfortable. It was unsure whether Tsubasa was not seeing the reaction or she really had thick skull – however the people would see her, she would definitely ignore them. “Do you know which young man you talked about-“

            Yes, this time Akiko portrayed her uneasiness very well. She abruptly pointed at one direction. Tsubasa trailed the course which led to a boy sitting alone at a table. Tsubasa raised her brows, demanding more detailed explanation, however Akiko did not seem to entertain her anymore. Tsubasa chuckled a little and made her way to the table where the boy landed.

            He did seem as a fine young man, but he seemed too young. He was more as a boy. Everything about him was quite worrying. The limbs were quite skinny. He did not have wide shoulders and chest, and his complexion was not that good. He was more like a NEET, plus his outfit was oversize – or probably he became thin? Tsubasa wavered to even approach him.

            There was a way! Tsubasa dashed to the chair opposite to the man. She settled down and put her books on the table. She arranged them carefully – or perhaps she just wanted to allure the man. Her eyes really fixated at the man’s whole head. The hairstyle was gratefully neat and natural coloured. He was cute after a proper gaze, really like a little brother. He was untiringly writing an essay on a piece of paper, completely shut the world from his point of view. Even the presence of the clumsy and mischievous Tsubasa did not move him. He was immersed into his own diversity while writing an unknown essay.

            “Uhm,” Tsubasa attempted on breaking the awkward silence between them. She came to him just to thank him for ‘saving her life’ once, but the tension was squeezing her quite much to the point she might run away. All these actions – including the books she took out from her bag – were totally an act. She tried creating a very natural surrounding for both of them, yet he did not seem to even lift his head up.

            Tsubasa did something ridiculous. She peeped on the paper – the one right under the man’s hand. She tried reading what he wrote from the opposite direction. The man across the table did not flinch even though she was transparently reading his essay. Only then she discovered.

            This young man was writing a novel. From what she peeked on, the man has written a few chapters ahead before the current page. Just how many pages, or chapters, has he produced? Tsubasa could not mask her astonishment. No wonder he turned to deaf ear when she was coming; he chose not to pay attention off his job for the sake of his novel. He could be working hard to reach the targeted dateline.

            “There’s still time.”

            Tsubasa repositioned herself on the chair as comfortable as she was supposed to be. She cleared her throat and pretended that nothing has occurred and she happened to be there as a visitor. She took one of her books and flipped the front cover. She began reading the first page and eventually releasing her stressful mind.

            Her classmates did not cope well with her because to them, she was too weird to befriend with. She was not that bizarre; she preferred being alone and disciplined rather than doing last minute jobs. As much as how her classmates disliked her attitude, she disliked them, probably as much as they did too.  However, she has begun seeing the result of her slumber. They were very difficult to deal with, as if that Tsubasa girl was an alien to be afraid of. They were avoiding her massively, and it was a big fat lie for her to deny all those hurtful feeling. She was only doing her task as a mere student – fulfilling an assignment was what a common student does. But not on her side. If only she could find someone who understood her well, she would not have to brave this horrendous period. College life was supposed to be fun and it would be super boring if one missed the chance of having blissful moment with friends.

            Tap! Her book fell on the spine. She startled and almost pushed her stacked up books towards the man across the table. She cursed herself for being dreamy while she had one important matter needed to be done – even if it was not an urgency, she should not drag the time. Displaying gratitude is a must, especially when someone else saved your almost-f****d up day. She breathed in, composing her own heart beat and looking directly at the man. She was about to voice out when the man suddenly rose. His matric card hanging from his nape swayed by his action, and it was lucky for Tsubasa as she could acknowledge his name.

            It was Takato.