𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙚 | ᴋᴜʀᴀᴘɪᴋᴀ ᴋᴜʀᴛᴀ

Shelf Ladders Are So Shaky

Journal Entry No. 40

So today I talked with my girls about my plan. I wanted to try something. I told them what I talked about with Leorio, Gon, and Killua before.

Pakunoda asked me what I would even do at the library. I didn't know what to answer to that. Shizuku suggested I could choose a book and read it beside him. Machi said that'd be too boring.

Truly, I didn't really know how to attract Kurapika's attention.

My initial plan was:

I was gonna fake being sick. Like a stomachache. Unlike Kurapika, our third period in the afternoon isn't a free period. It's home economics for us.

Our home economics teacher isn't that strict. She's pretty laid-back, but was efficient at teaching us. She's a cool teacher.

I told my girls about it and they said they'd help me with it. Okay, so they agreed. But the question was, what would I do when I get to the library?

Machi suggested that I should fake an accident right next to Kurapika, so we'd have a little bit of a skinship or interaction. He'd maybe help me up or something.

Pakunoda was kinda against the plan. Shizuku was hesitant about it. But Machi was so into it, she started telling me details about her plan.

Of course, I'm a dumb bitch so I went with it. And who knows? It might work, y'know?

And I guess it did work.

When third period came for us, I went up to my teacher and told her my stomach was aching badly. I don't know if God was being merciful, but my teacher told me that it's alright and that I shouldn't worry about missing a thing because they'll just watch a movie. Call me the luckiest woman in the world!

Or not.

Anyway, I went to the library. I was excited and nervous. As soon as I opened the door, he was there standing by the shelf looking for some book. He was at the literature section. 

I immediately started looking for a shelf ladder. Time to put the plan into action.

I quietly went to the literature section. I greeted Kurapika and he greeted me back. The same poker, serious face. He was so handsome!

The shelf ladder was on the last divider of the shelf and I had to grab it and push it all the way near Kurapika. But not too near, that it'd touch him. Just near enough for him to be able to reach me.

He looked at me, probably curious about what I was going to do, and looked back to what he was reading.

I climbed up the shelf ladder and started looking for an imaginary book. Machi said I should slowly and quietly shake the ladder, then abruptly shake it really hard so I'd fall and also make it look like it was not done on purpose.

Quite a plan there, huh?

Well, I did what was told. But I shook it a little too hard, I actually lost real balance. I was too shocked to even speak. It seemed like the world stopped.

Then, I felt arms embrace me tightly. Kurapika caught me. 

HE. CAUGHT. ME.

I looked at him with my eyes wide open. I thought he wasn't gonna catch me. That was scary.

I guess he was a really nice guy after all.

He then put me down and helped me gain enough strength to be able to stand. I was pretty shaky from the fall.

He asked me if I was alright. I told him that I was okay. He asked me what I was looking for.

My brain froze because I didn't think about this through.

Then, I made up something. I told him I was looking for a Shakespeare book because I was gonna paint something inspired by it and that Pakunoda told me it was at the top shelf.

Pakunoda didn't tell me anything.

He said that the Shakespeare books were at the end of the book shelf. That it was right where the shelf ladder was initially placed. I awkwardly laughed it off saying I must've not been able to notice it.

Who am I kidding? I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM, NOT FOR A DEAD POET!

I went to get the Shakespeare book and pulled out the Cleopatra-something. When I turned around, he was gone. I panicked for a while.

I got out of the section and saw him already sitting at an empty table. I went and sat beside him.

I asked him why he was reading the book he was reading. He said it was for an essay.

The conversation cut short. Then, I pretended to read the book that I pretended to choose.

I didn't really know what to say or talk to him about. 

I asked him what he would be doing after this, and he said he was gonna be returning to the classroom.

The convo got cut short again.

I asked him a series of questions, but not simultaneously. I counted 60 seconds between pauses, and another set of 60 seconds before I asked him a question.

Then, I did it. I invited him for a vanilla sundae treat after school. This was my second time inviting him.

He sighed a little loudly.

He said no.

He told me he's got after-school practice. I told him that it was fine and I'd wait for him. That it was my treat after all.

But he rejected my offer, yet again, and told me he's got personal affairs to attend to after practice.

I didn't know how to respond after that.

I only heard myself saying, "I understand", then went on pretentiously reading the book.

I have to admit it's a little hard to get him to say yes. I don't know if Gon lied to me about cracking his eggs or something. Was that just pity? Was Killua and Leorio right after all?

After school, I went to watch him practice and went home with him like the usual. He nodded at me like the usual. 

I went home rejected. Like the usual.

This day isn't very successful as I thought it'd be, but... I got to be carried by him bridal style for quite a moment. So a small win is still a win, right?