Food Fantasy (Chapter 1)

 

 

[ Location: Library ]

Tsumugi: Mm... This is a history related book so it should be placed on this shelf.

Let's see here. The few books remaining are language related, I'll put them back over on that shelf later. Then I'd be done with the arrangement work for today.

Sigh. This workload was really heavy to the point I wasn't aware that I've been arranging the books until this hour.

Maybe it's because more students are actually reading nowadays, leading to the increasing need of arranging books.

Or maybe it could be because of my inefficiency, hmm. 

If my first deduction is the reasoning, then it's satisfying to know. Anyway, I gotta finish returning  the rest of these books back onto their shelves immediately.

< Some noise can be heard from afar >

Tsumugi: Eh? What's that noise?

Am I just hearing things? No.. There actually seems to be some noise coming from over there.

Maybe it's rats? If so, I gotta finish this up immediately then. Otherwise it'd be bad if the rats were to chew up the books.

Maybe I should check it out.

EH?! Did some shadow figure just run across there?!

Perhaps it's a ghost?

Nonono, how could it be? Ghosts don't even exist in this world.

Even though there are records of supernatural creatures in books, its contents seem fake to me.

Even if they're real, such things wouldn't happen to me right....

Mm, or maybe I was dazzled for a second there. Besides, I have my lucky charm on me today. I should be safe.. should be safe...

Hmm, the sound should have come from around here.

Seems like nothing's amiss, and there's no traces of rat footprints. However, there are  some books still left open on the table.. they're probably left there by students who finished reading, but never bothered returning the books back to the shelves.

???: He~he~

Tsumugi: W-Who is it? SHOW YOURSELF NOW!

???: He~he~he~

Tsumugi: S-Stop pretending.. Things like gh-ghosts don't even exist.

Ritsu: WUAH!

You've summoned me, so I've emerged~

Tsumugi: GHOST! STAY AWAY FROM ME!

Ritsu: Aoba Onii-chan, it's me. I'm Ritsu.

Hahaha. Sorry, sorry. I've scared you. Come come, let me help Aoba nii-chan up.

Aoba Onii-chan's interestin' though. Says he doesn't believe in ghosts but ends up screamin' "GHOST". Hahaha, pretendin'  to be a ghost is really fun.

Also, don't be too invested in the supernatural, Aoba Onii-chan. Accordin' to horror movies, these kinds of people are generally the first ones to be harmed.

Tsumugi: Oof. I've really been frightened by you to the point my heart almost stopped beating.

Ritsu, don't get too invested in this little "ghost roleplay". Startling people can be dangerous at times.

For example, a startled person is in the middle of attempting to escape from you and then they carelessly run into something hard, injuring themselves in the end.

Ritsu: Yes yes, I understand. 

However, why hasn't Aoba Onii-chan gone home yet? Isn't it getting pretty late now?

Tsumugi: Mm, it's because I still have some library books I have yet to organise, so I haven't gone home.

Ritsu: Has the work been dragged because of Aoba Onii-chan's slowness..

Tsumugi: Hahaha, maybe that's the case. 

Besides, why are you still at the library though?

Ritsu: I've got some motivation to make new snacks, so I'm here to read up on books regarding them. I wish to make amendments to my own snacks after reading.

 

Tsumugi: Making snacks huh? Makes me expectant~

Can I sample Ritsu's snacks by any chance?

Ritsu: Of course~ since Aoba Onii-chan's always taking care of me~

I'll give Aoba Onii-chan my snacks when I make some in the future.

Tsumugi: Thank you in advance, Ritsu~

Ah, shouldn't you be heading home at this hour , Ritsu? I still have some stuff to handle back at home, so I'll be heading home right after everything's done.

Ritsu: Just go home then, Aoba Onii-chan. I still want to stay here for a bit longer, so let me help organize the rest of the books.

Tsumugi: Are you cut out for this job? This is a job for the library committee.

Ritsu: It's no problem~. Based on Aoba Onii-chan's character, you'd take a long time to arrange these books. Furthermore, seeing that Aoba Onii-chan has some things to take care of at home,  you should get home immediately then.

Tsumugi: I'll leave it to you and be heading home first then, Ritsu. You should go home as soon as possible too, or else your family would be worried about you.

Ritsu: Mm, I know I know~

Food Fantasy (Chapter 2)

 [ Location: Library ]

Tsumugi: The problems at home have been managed, all thanks to Ritsu.

Even though Ritsu promised to help me sort out the remaining books in the library, I still came back to the library because I was kind of worried.

Ritsu: Zzz~ Zzz~

Tsumugi: Eh? Isn't that Ritsu?

His phone's torchlight is still left on.. Does this mean Ritsu has been here for the entire night reading books?

Ritsu, Ritsu.. Wake up. You'll get cold if you continue sleeping here.

Ritsu: Fuwah~

Oh, it's Aoba Onii-chan~. Good mornin'.

Tsumugi: Eh, did you... sleep here overnight?

Ritsu: Mm... My memory's a bit blurry since I just woke up. Let me try to recall.

I remember finding some interesting books aside from the dessert books. Oh, and I managed to brainstorm more ideas for desserts after flipping through the contents of those books~.

I even drew some designs for the deserts based off of the ideas. After that, I unknowingly laid down and fell asleep right on this table.

Mm~ I feel that my back is sore due to how uncomfortable it is to lie down and sleep in such a position.

Tsumugi: Haha, let me give you a massage.

Look, I bought you your favorite juice to freshen your mind.

It's against the rules to drink in the library, but there's barely anybody here now as it is morning. As such, I'll make an exception just this once, so do drink up.

Ritsu: Aoba Onii-chan is such a great caretaker~

Tsumugi: Take this as a token of my gratitude for helping me arrange the books last night.

Frankly speaking, I was able to return home on time to sort things out smoothly. And this is all thanks to your help.

However, it is almost time for classes. Please don't forget to attend them.

Ritsu: Mm, got it.

It honestly feels refreshing to have Aoba Onii-chan to wake me up this once, since it has always been Maa-kun who would be the one waking me up to go to class together with.

Mao: Ritsu!

Ah, Aoba-senpai is here as well. Good morning to you.

Tsumugi: Mm, speak of the devil. Good morning, Isara. Are you here to look for Ritsu?

Mao: Mhm, because I found out that Ritsu wasn't home when I went over to his place to find him this morning.

A family member of Ritsu's then told me that he had informed them that he was in school to look for books, or something like that.

I initially thought that he wouldn't just stay at the library and that I should check the classrooms first, so I went there first. And then I found out that he really wasn't in class.

Well, Ritsu. Seeing that you're still here in the library, did you spend the entire night here? Did you get cold?

Ritsu: It's no problem, Maa-kun. I won't get cold that easily.

Besides, I feel pretty energetic due to Aoba Onii-san's care and concern towards me, yes~

Tsumugi: Erm.. I'm sorry for interrupting, but it's almost time to go to class. You both might be marked late if you don't start making your way there now.

Mao: Ah, we were too busy chatting to the point we really forgot about the time. Let's go now, Ritsu.

Ritsu: Okay. Give me a moment to put these books back first though.

Tsumugi: Just leave these to me. I should be able to put these few books back quickly.

Ritsu: Mm, thank you then, Aoba Onii-san. Don't be late though.

Mao: We'll be heading off first then. Goodbye now, Aoba-senpai.

Tsumugi: These childhood friends are able to happily walk to school together. Such a friendship makes one feel rather envious.¹

I can't waste anymore time daydreaming. I really need to sort the library out and get to class immediately.

These two books about dessert recipes...

Mm? Isn't this book about Cthulhu Mythos²? I see, this is the 'interesting book' Ritsu was referring to.

So long as there is no harm in looking into such books..

Mm? There's a piece of paper under this book. Mm.. The writing here reads "Cthulhu Dessert Recipe #1"³..?

Wah!! What even is this drawing...?!

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Translation notes:

¹ - the literal line reads "Youth's friendship really makes one envious. Since they're able to go to school together while holding hands.", however, it'd sound weird in this context so I had to write an alternative tl.

² - Cthulhu Mythos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu_Mythos

Ritsu has picked out a book from the Cthulhu Mythos anthology; it is a type of short story collection which involves stories written in, or related to, the Cthulhu Mythos (fantasy, horror) genre of horror fiction - which helped popularize this genre.

³ - i literally have no idea what this is.