It was such a long day. After a whole day sitting down on a chair and listening to the teacher’s long winding lectures, finally, it was the time of her most favorite part of the day—the club activity. Yumeko did not have any friends as she only did studying and her mom did not like her getting along with kids around her age believing they might affect her daughter's performance at school. Nevertheless, she enjoyed reading alone so she did not really mind.
Skipping on the way not minding what others might say, she arrived at the library, a pile of new books welcomed her at the entrance. The librarian was too busy to see her arrived.
“I came,” she greeted.
“Oh Yumeko, good thing you’re already here! Come and help me with these books," the lady in her seventies groaned for help.
She told Yumeko to help her arrange the new books on the shelves and put the old ones in the storage room. Their school library was just like any other school library. It did not have much space for the new books so they had to remove the old ones and those that were not borrowed for a long while.
Climbing up a small ladder, Yumeko first removed those ones that were on the highest part of the shelf, those that were covered in so many dusts as if they remained untouched ever since they were placed there.
In the middle of it, she came across an intriguing book. It was a very old one that the corners of it were already almost ripped up. It caught her eye. It looked so aged but she felt it was something important at the same time. She then reached for it and wiped the smoky dust covering its front. Caused by so much dust, she coughed for so many times before finally reading the title,
“Taisho…Romance?”
She glided her fingers feeling each and every letter engraved on the cover. She did not understand the familiar feeling and she could not take her eyes off it. It was as if she had found something she had been looking for a very long time.
“I want to read this,” was the only thought she had in mind at that time.
Yumeko called for Mrs. Murakami and asked, “Sensei, can I borrow this book?”
“Oh,” the old lady adjusted her glasses before reading the text on the cover and her eyes dilated as she got a full view of it.
“How come this is here? This is a book written in Taisho Era. I have been looking for it. It was here all along! It is a keepsake I got from my mother!" she said as her brows furrowed in surprise.
“Your mother?” she asked like a curious child.
“Yes. My mother was a survivor of the Great Kanto Earthquake. She said that almost all of its copies were burned but she was able to secure one. It was a very famous book as it talks about unrequited love in Taisho Era. In the past, most of the people then couldn’t choose whom to marry as their families arranged it for them and I think the author of this book wrote it because he was in the same situation. This book is one of the reasons why Taisho is also labeled as one of the most romantic eras of all time! Oh, my old age. I have probably mixed it up with the other books!”
“Wow, I love history but I never knew this book exists! I might know its author though. Who is it?”
“That’s one thing to wonder. Actually, the author’s information weren’t disclosed. If my memory serves me right, my mother never mentioned about the author, too. Even now nobody knows who it is. However, it wasn’t a hindrance to its popularity as it speaks the hearts of the readers. If you are interested, go on and read it but, you have to take good care of it because it is special and might be the last one left.”
As Yumeko’s eyes sparkled with excitement and thrill, Mrs. Murakami handed the old book to her. She had read multiple fine books, but this one gave a heartfelt effect on her. She quickly ended her job and called it a day. She rushed to the shoe box and quickly put on her shoes. She hummed and danced her way outside, cutely murmured,
“Taisho Romance... History and romance, how amazing could it be!”
She then vanished, left no trace, for she quickly sprinted on her way home.
She entered her own home like a spy, she wanted to avoid questions and never-ending reminders from her mom. She was indeed a lucky girl as she was able to peacefully enter her room. A change from school uniform to pajamas happened in a split second. She even put a note outside her door that said:
Do not disturb, I’m diligently studying. - Yumeko
She jumped to her bed, though she forgot to remove her socks, it did not bother her at all.
She got the book then hid inside her cave—a fluffy, cotton blanket with some star designs to add for a dreamy effect as she read books. She consciously looked at the cover and read the title once more.
She then flipped the first page of the book. She was amazed that despite the age of the book. It was beautifully written. As she carefully stared at the words, she felt as if she had seen the same penmanship somewhere.
“It feels weird, but this handwriting looks so familiar to me," she wondered.
She then disregarded the confusion when she thought of what her teacher said—the copies vanished in the disaster and this could be the last one left. She then focused her eyes on the first line that said:
I wanted to see how beautiful the sky was, I opened it, then I saw something lovelier than skies every sunset and sunrise.
Yumeko’s heart started beating fast, as soon as she read the first line.
“Opened? What did he open?” her mind began to ask more questions.
She continued to read. Her curious eyes could not keep up her pace. Time ticked faster for her. It turned night but Yumeko still intensely kept flipping the pages. It turned dawn, her eyes never rested. It was alive. She was captivated by every word she read. Her eyes fixed on most of the lines in every pages.
Your laughter is the only music I wanted to repeatedly hear.
When I knew that someone like you exist, I wanted to breathe only for you.
Every time we climbed down that wall, I knew it was another love tale. Kept only for us.
Let’s not end this tale, for I am certain, we could have a delightful ending. By then, I’ll be the man ready to write the most beautiful story of us.
My love, indeed this world is cruel. It pains me to see you
—with him.
In the cold dawn, a young heart cried, tears fell down on the pages. She was all puzzled,
“Is this how the heartbreak feels like? Was it this scary? How could it be this difficult. When ‘love’ itself is created for happy endings. Should I take back my wish upon the stars? This is unbearable.”
Yumeko tearfully flipped through the next page, it was the second and last chapter. Her confusion intensified.
I gently opened it then——
I caught a sight of you. It was then that sorrowful days never came.
She exclaimed, “Opened? Another one? What’s going on?”
The first chapter surely drained her emotions. Yet, she was not ready for another one.
It was three o’clock. Sleepiness got a hold of this eager young girl. She fell asleep with book as her pillow. She finally took a rest under her dreamy cave.
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