The weather looked overcast, with dark clouds covering the sun to carry out its duties. "Goddamn it, why you have to tell me now?" I snorted with annoyance when I got a chat from the Class Group that today's class was canceled due to the lecturer having a sudden rush. Well, I couldn’t do anything about it. You can't blame the lecturer either because sudden things like that couldn’t be avoided. But just if that thing came earlier, maybe now I'm still sleeping soundly on my bed in a very supportive atmosphere like this.

“A favorable atmosphere…” I muttered under my breath as I raised my head to look at the horizon that was getting darker and bleak than before. I want to go home, but there's a chance I'll get caught in the rain later on. What's more, I didn't bring a raincoat, so I most likely would get soaked when I got to the boarding house later. And it will add to my chores to do this laundry. So in the end, I decided to visit the campus library while waiting for the weather to get better.

"Besides, there's nothing I can do in my boarding house other than sleeping," I thought while walking down the campus hall, which was quite dim due to the lack of lighting. I occasionally looked left, right, and the room where the door was slightly ajar. “Is it usually quite like this?” I didn’t know because I practically never visited the campus library during the two semesters I studied here. So, this is my first time to set foot in the campus library. Arriving at the library, I showed my student identity card to register before finally being allowed to enter.

"Not much different…"

There was no one in the library as far as my eyes could see, except for the librarian. Practically, there was only me in this extraordinarily vast library. "Well, what can I do?" I shrugged my shoulders resignedly, accepting the fact that I'd be spending some time here alone. Even though earlier I thought at least there would be someone I could talk to accompany me in this free time. I walked down each bookshelf with different types and themes. From encyclopedia bookshelves to academic bookshelves, nothing had caught my attention even to touch it.

"Hmm?" When I was confused about which book could catch my attention, my ears accidentally heard a small, soft humming sound. Precisely this managed to attract my attention more than these boring books. With this faint voice, I tried to find out where this hum was coming from. After going through several bookshelves, I managed to find the source of the sound. The voice came from a bobbed-haired girl who was sitting with her back to me with her eyes focused on a book in her hand.

“Hey,” I greeted. But she seemed oblivious to my presence, that's why I tried to call out to her. But when I called her, she shuddered and was surprised. Of course, there is nothing strange if someone was surprised when a stranger called her out. But what confused me was her reaction, which could be considered exaggerated, to the point where she dropped the book in her hand. Her reaction was as if she had never been greeted by someone. "Um, hello?" I greeted her again, but this time softer and trying to be more polite. She slowly turned her face and looked at me from her seat. I looked back at her too, not knowing what to do in this awkward situation.

“……”

"Hah?" She said something, but it was too low to stimulate my ears. “A-ah, no, it's nothing.” But she then quickly dismissed my confusion while smiling faintly at me. I can only grin back at her smile because we’re still covered with this awkward atmosphere. “By the way, what book are you reading?” Not wanting to let this awkward atmosphere envelop us any longer, I tried to take the initiative to start the conversation. "Oh, this book?" She answered while picking up the book that had fallen from her hand. The book was not too thick with a dark gray cover and a black crow-shaped silhouette in the middle, the silhouette's eyes were bright yellow to create a contrast against the predominantly dark background. In the center, there was a title that reads “THE RAVEN, Stories and Poems”, while on the top of the cover was the name of the author, namely “EDGAR ALLAN POE”.

"What kind of book is that?"

"This is kind of a collection of short stories and poetry."

“A collection of short stories and poetry? Does that mean that the book tells a variety of stories?”

"Yup." She gave me a small nod while instructing me to sit in the empty seat beside her. She then shoved the book at me, and I took it from her hand. "I didn't know there was a book like this in the library. I thought all the books here were provided only for learning purposes," I said while observing and flipping through the book. The cover felt slick and hard. While the paper looked thick and rough. "Well, that's probably because I've never been to the library, so I didn't know there was such a book." I handed the book back to her, not the least bit interested in looking at its contents.

“Oh? Is this your first time at the library? No wonder I never saw you here."

"Yeah, because I myself am not a person who likes to read books, so I never thought about going to the library."

"Then, why are you suddenly going to the library now?"

"Actually, there is a class right now, but the lecturer had a sudden rush, so it will be replaced on another day. Unfortunately, I only got the news when I arrived at campus," I said, a little annoyed because I remembered that.

"Why don't you just come back? Is your house far away?"

"Nope, the weather is quite cloudy, and I am afraid it will rain later, so I decided to go to the library while waiting for the weather to get better. Besides, in my boarding house, there's nothing I can do but sleep."

She nodded. "Then, please accompany me here," She said with a smile. "Oh right, earlier you said you've never been to the library, right?" She continued as she put the book away from her hand. I nodded in response. "Then what do you usually do in your free time?"

"Doing errands and homework?" She frowned upon hearing my answer, looked like it wasn't the kind of answer she wanted.

"Besides that."

"Sleep?" She gave me the same response.

“You, really, are unproductive and lazy, huh?” For someone who had just met, her mouth was quite sharp as well. But luckily, I'm not a person who was easily offended because I'm used to being called that by my friends.

"Instead of you sleeping around and being lazy, it's better for you to go to the library later."

"For what?" This time it was my turn to frown.

"Reading books? What else do you do besides reading books?”

"I already told you that I'm not a person who likes to read. What's so interesting about reading books like that anyway?” I said while glancing at the book she gave me earlier.

“You said that because you've never read a book like this before, right?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

I just kept quiet and didn't respond to her. But she instead smiled broadly as if what she said was true, even though I didn't say yes. Despite the fact that what she said wasn't wrong either, I'm just a little embarrassed to admit it.

“What's so interesting about books like this? It's subjective, and you have to try it by yourself, so you know firsthand what 'makes you' interested. As for myself…” She then took back the book that she had put down earlier. “We don't have to read books full of lessons and formulas. In addition, the benefits we get do not have to be in the form of academic knowledge. For me, reading is an attempt to entertain myself and refresh. The things that make a book like this interesting,” she paused, showing me the cover again. “Are what's in it. What is in it? Common sense and common knowledge, untold love, someone's experience, fiction that feels real, life lessons, spiritual journey, and many other things that you won't get if you don't read it.” She stated that firmly and proudly. And it did work to pique my interest a little because what she said had some truth to it.

“Besides, there's nothing wrong with reading books like this. Your lecturer won't give you a minus mark if you read a book like this," she joked. "And certainly, this is more useful for spending free time than sleeping," she quipped, smiling mischievously.

I snorted tiredly. “Okay, I'll try to read books like this. So, do you have any advice for beginners?”

She handed the book back to me. "I'm not saying it's suitable for beginners, but this one is my favorite and I don't think there's anything wrong if you want to start with this book," she said, smiling cheerfully.

"Well, then, fine." I raised my hand and took the book from her grasp.

"Later, if you want to return the book, you can just come to the library, I'll always be here. Even if you have free time tomorrow, don't forget to come to the library too, okay?”

I just nodded because my eyes focused on this book. If you look closely, this cover seemed a bit dark. Did this also reflect what's inside? If so, wasn't it a bit heavy for beginners?

"Oh yeah, by the way, what's your name—" When I turned my eyes back to her, that girl was no longer beside me. The chair she had been sitting on had also disappeared, without a trace, as if it had never been there before. Instantly, the hair on my neck stood up in tension after realizing what had just happened. Now I understand what she said, “I will always be here”.

"Who is she?" I muttered under my breath.

Not wanting to let my hair stand on end any longer, I quickly left the library with the book she had given me earlier. The only thing that didn't disappear with her.