KakuSaku Month 2018, Week 2: A Book-Related Friendship?
Kakashi is a college student and book lover encountering a library in his hometown for the first time. There, he meets Sakura, a feisty classmate who works in the library. She gives him a tour and piques his interest. Alternate universe. Written for Week 2, Day 1 of KakuSakuMonth 2018
Kakashi looked at the building, then at the directions on his phone, then at the building again, mildly surprised. He had lived his entire life in Konoha, and yet he was surprised that the city had a library. He’s never heard of it at all, despite being a voracious reader and constantly looking for new books to read. On top of his surprise at the existence of the library, he was impressed by the building itself.
It had old pillars and stained-glass windows, and the building had to be at least four stories tall and over a hundred years old. It had ivy growing over the pillars, but was trimmed back from the windows, allowing for a gorgeous green-leafed frame around each window. Kakashi was in awe. After a moment, he parked his motorcycle, pulling off his helmet and leather gloves. He put the gloves in the helmet and tucked it under his arm, climbing up the steps into the library.
Kakashi looked around once he got inside. Despite the age of the building, the library itself had all the modern amenities a college town library like Konoha would want: computers, charging stations, and even a couple of self-checkout stations. He also saw rows and rows of bookshelves, stacked high with newer-looking, pristine books (they probably put most of the new stuff on the main floor to attract young readers, he supposed), and an elevator beyond the computers.
Directly in front of the doors he had walked through was a long counter, with computers, stampers, some cups with pencils, and a couple boxes of tissues. Behind the counter sat a girl with pink hair, someone Kakashi recognized from his first aid seminar, but couldn’t recall her name.
She was focused on a large medical text of some kind on the counter in front of her, and he noticed a notebook under her hand, which was busily moving across the page.
“That’s a lot of notes… or are you just transcribing the whole book?” He asked, a little too loudly for a library. He ignored the hushing noises from the people at the computers and leaned on the counter as green eyes met his. She looked irritated.
“I intend to pass my classes, thank you,” she said, closing her book and sitting up on the stool she occupied. “How can I help you?”
“Um… my name is Kakashi. I think we had a class together?”
“Yeah, you were twenty minutes late, which pissed off the teacher, who decided we all needed a lecture on lateness, which made me late for work here. Now, how can I help you?”
“I was late because my bike broke down,” Kakashi protested, starting to get irritated. Who did this girl think she was?
“Yeah, I know that was the excuse you gave the teacher. Look, let me just help you so I can get back to studying, please.”
“Okay, fine. I’ve never been here and I need a library card and stuff.”
“Okay, let me get the paperwork for the card and then I’ll give you a quick tour of the library—”
“I thought you said you had to get back to studying.”
Green eyes flared in impatience, almost to anger. “I still need to do my job. Can you let me get on with it?”
They glared at one another for a moment, and she turned away to get the paperwork, returning quickly.
“Put your name, birthday, address, and all that information in the boxes it is supposed to go in. This pamphlet tells you about due dates, fines, days the library is closed, and all that other important stuff you need to know as a patron. You can expect your official card to be mailed to you in ten days, and in the meantime, you get a temporary card.”
Kakashi filled out the information, and she put the paperwork on her book, the information down. She then pulled a small plastic card from a drawer and walked around the counter, coming into his view. She was short, but slender, and wore simple black slacks, heels, and a nice blouse. Despite his irritation with the pink-haired girl, Kakashi noticed her curves and soft, creamy looking skin. She looked him up and down, and he suddenly felt odd in his blue jeans and leather bomber jacket.
“Even with the air conditioning, you might be a bit warm in that. You can leave your jacket and helmet with my stuff until we get back from the tour if you want,” she said.
“Thanks.” He took off the jacket, and despite her frostiness, she smiled at the shiba inu print on the front of his shirt.
“We have a nice section on pets and animals, if you’re curious.”
“Thanks. Do you have a section on veterinary care? I’m in the veterinary program.”
“Oh, yeah! Come on, I’ll show you the library and where everything you need to know about the library is. I’m Sakura, by the way.”
Sakura led Kakashi on a quick but thorough tour of the library, explaining everything from how to log in and use the computers and printers, to where the bathrooms were. She showed him all four floors of the library and explained how the books and other materials were organized, and showed him the media section in the basement of the library, where the CDs and movies were. She surprised him by showing him the microfiche and explained how to work the machine. She even showed him where the bathrooms and the drinking fountain was.
At the end of the tour, the pair ended up back at the counter. Kakashi had a couple of books from the veterinary care section, and a book from the romance section (Sakura had rolled her eyes when he picked it up, but didn’t say anything). She checked out the books for him and put his information in the computer on the counter, and gently but firmly reminded him of when the books were due. When they finished, Kakashi stood awkwardly, jacket and helmet in hand, books under his arm.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Yeah, actually. I need to borrow any notes you took from that first aid class. With being late and all, I forgot my notebook and couldn’t take any.”
Sakura sighed. “Let me make a copy of them for you, and give them to you later tonight. I’ll text you my address so you can pick them up.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
“Why are you taking a first aid class, anyway? It’s not in the veterinary care group, is it?”
“No, but its useful information. I hate the idea of standing by while someone chokes to death or something.”
Sakura beamed at him. “That is exactly why I wanna be a doctor!”
Kakashi nodded, wrote down her address on a slip of paper, then stood there awkwardly again. Sakura smirked.
“Well, I don’t really want to go home… I love books, and this library is amazing.”
Sakura giggled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I feel the same way. You don’t have to leave, you know. You can stick around.”
With that, Kakashi drifted back towards the elevator, wondering what other books he would find, and wondering if his new acquaintance would turn into a friendship. After all, anyone could see that Sakura was a book lover, too.
