Boarding School Juliet: Requiem — Lovers After the War
The night before the prefect election, a threatening letter arrives: *Cancel the election, or there will be blood. — Child of War.*
For a year, Inudzuka Romio, head prefect of the Black Dog dormitory, has fought to bridge the bitter divide between East and West at Dahlia Academy. And at the heart of that fight lies his secret—Juliet Persia, head prefect of the White Cat dormitory, the girl he loves and can meet only in the shadows of the library.
But as shattered windows and red-painted warnin
Boarding School Juliet: Requiem — Lovers After the War - Secret Meeting in the Library — A Strategy Meeting for Just the Two of Them —
The afternoon library was steeped in a silence that seemed to crawl across the floor. Brass lamps suspended from the high ceiling cast a dim orange glow over air thick with the smell of old paper and leather. Outside the windows, wind sweeping down from the Kiriha Mountains stirred the still-stiff branches of early spring.
Inudzuka Romio stood deep in the library's recesses, in the shadow of a bookshelf few ever approached. He straightened the collar of his Black Dog dormitory uniform. His short black hair was slightly mussed as always, and the scar over his left eyebrow carved a dark shadow in the half-light. A red hair ribbon was wound around his right wrist, just as it always was.
Three days since that morning of the threatening letter.
The memory of the blood-red characters slammed onto the Black Dog dormitory cafeteria table still throbbed raw deep in Romio's chest. *Expel the White Cats.* Every time he recalled those crimson letters, the pit of his stomach went cold.
(Nothing has happened since. But it's too quiet.)
Silence, sometimes, was the herald of a storm.
Romio traced his finger along the spines of the books as he waited. The rough grain of old paper passed into his fingertips. Before long, small but certain footsteps approached from beyond the shelf.
He turned.
Juliet Persia emerged from the shadow of the bookcase.
Her long blonde hair was carefully braided as always. In the library's dim light, it shone softly, like melted honey. Her clear sky-blue eyes looked straight up at Romio. The White Cat dormitory uniform, combined with her straight-backed posture, lent her the grace of a nobleman's daughter.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Her voice was hushed so as not to echo. Even so, it reached Romio's ears more clearly than any other sound.
"No, I just got here too."
Romio's voice softened of its own accord. Juliet stared at his face for a moment, then let her brows droop just slightly.
"...It arrived at the White Cat dormitory too. The same threatening letter, word for word."
Romio's chest constricted as if doused in cold water.
So it was true.
"Where?"
"On the dormitory bulletin board, and... under my door."
Romio ground his back teeth. Harassment targeting the prefects personally. This was no mere prankster. The culprit was clearly aiming at the central figures of the election.
"You're not hurt, are you?"
"Yes, I'm fine. But..."
Juliet lowered her gaze. Her braid slipped from her shoulder, hiding her pale cheek.
"The girls in the dorm are frightened. Wondering what will happen next. Especially the younger ones."
Her voice trembled faintly.
Romio took Juliet's hand. A white, small, slightly cold hand. Romio's large hand enveloped it.
"Don't worry about a thing. I'll put an end to this mess, no matter what."
Juliet's fingertips stirred faintly within Romio's hand.
"...Hey, Inudzuka. You met with my brother, didn't you?"
Romio's shoulders stiffened slightly.
"Yeah. My brother came to the academy."
"I can guess what he told you. ...That our love isn't enough to move a nation."
The library's stillness pressed down heavily for a moment.
Romio couldn't say anything. His brother Airu's words were still lodged in his chest like a splinter. They were right, logically. He understood that in his head. But he didn't want to accept it.
Juliet slowly raised her face. Her sky-blue eyes wavered behind a thin film of tears.
"I started thinking. That maybe by being at your side, I'm putting your position in more and more danger. You're the head prefect of the Black Dog dormitory, the second son of a Touwa political family... and you're with me, from the White Cat dormitory. Just that alone makes you enemies. Like my brother said, maybe my existence is holding you back."
A tear traced down her pale cheek.
Deep in Romio's chest, something pulsed violently. No. You're wrong.
"Persia."
Romio gripped both of Juliet's shoulders firmly. Her body gave a small start.
"It's not your fault. Absolutely not."
Romio's voice was low, but it carried an undeniable force.
"I'm the head prefect because I want to be. Because I want to build a world where I can be with you. Because you're here, I can become stronger. If you weren't here, I'd have given up long ago. ...You're not holding me back. You're pushing me forward."
Juliet's eyes flew wide.
"I'm going to make this election succeed, no matter what. I'll show whoever sent that letter. Together with you, I'll build the reconciliation between the Black Dogs and White Cats with my own hands. So..."
Romio squeezed Juliet's hand once more, firmly.
"So stop blaming yourself. I don't want to see you sad."
Juliet's lips trembled.
"...Inudzuka."
She gently pressed her forehead against Romio's chest. Her tears soaked into his uniform. Romio wrapped his arms around her back. A slender, warm body. He would not let anyone take this warmth from him.
"...Thank you. Hearing your words, I feel a little lighter."
Wiping her tears, Juliet lifted her face. Unease still lingered in her eyes. But the desperate darkness from before had thinned.
"Hey, Persia. I've been thinking."
Romio lowered his voice.
"What if the two of us run the election jointly? The Black Dog and White Cat prefects joining hands to push the election forward. And on the day the election is announced, we give a speech together, both our names on it, appealing for reconciliation."
Juliet blinked.
"Jointly... a speech?"
"Yeah. The Black Dog head prefect and the White Cat prefect standing on the same platform, saying the same words. That alone should change something in the dorm students. We'll show them we're serious about reconciliation."
Heat filled Romio's voice. Juliet gazed steadily at his face.
"...You're right. That's just like you — straightforward."
A small, soft smile rose to Juliet's lips.
"I agree. As the White Cat dormitory prefect, I want to make this election the first step toward reconciliation. ...If there's anything I can do, I'll do it."
"Then it's settled."
Romio clenched his fist.
The two of them huddled in the shadow of the bookshelf and began to work out a concrete plan. Juliet would draft the speech introducing the culture and history of the West. Romio would take on the role of gathering the raw voices of the Black Dog dormitory students — their anxieties, their hopes — and reflecting them in the speech.
"If we're introducing Western culture, we can't leave out the spring festival. The one where the whole town is decorated with flowers. I think the Touwa students would enjoy it too."
"Yeah, that's good. And I think the Black Dog crowd would want to hear about Touwa food. At the last exchange event, some of the White Cats were apparently interested in Touwa dango."
Their voices naturally grew lively. But now and then, a shadow crossed Juliet's expression.
(Is this really all right?)
Juliet wanted to respond to Romio's enthusiasm. But deep in her heart, a small thorn still ached.
(Just by standing beside him, I might hurt him. Even so...)
She stared at the red hair ribbon wound around Romio's right wrist. The ribbon she had given him. He wore it always.
(Even so, I want to be with him.)
Juliet clenched a small fist in front of her chest.
That was when it happened.
Beyond the bookshelf, there was a faint sound. A small rustle, like paper brushing together.
Romio instinctively braced himself and shielded Juliet behind his back. Someone was watching them through the gap in the shelves. Romio's muscles went taut with tension.
"Who's there?"
A low, sharp voice.
A woman emerged from the shadow of the bookshelf.
Mira Nott. The library's librarian. In her thirties, she wore a plain-colored cardigan and glasses. A stack of thick books was cradled in her arms.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I startle you?"
She smiled apologetically. But her eyes rested on the two of them quietly, yet unmistakably.
"...No, I'm the one who should apologize. Meeting in a place like this, away from prying eyes."
Juliet hurriedly stepped away from Romio's back.
Mira shook her head.
"No, it's quite all right. This is a place where one can read in peace, undisturbed. ...Whatever the two of you were discussing, I saw nothing and heard nothing."
She said this and readjusted her stack of books.
"But if you'd like, please have these. They'll go cold otherwise."
Mira took a small package from her cardigan pocket. When she opened it, a faint sweet fragrance drifted out. Baked sweets.
"This is..."
"I made them myself. I sometimes bring treats to the students who spend long hours in the library. I baked a little extra today. Please, help yourselves."
Mira held the package out to Romio.
Romio and Juliet exchanged a glance.
"...Thank you."
Juliet accepted the package. Mira nodded with satisfaction, readjusted her books, and disappeared beyond the bookshelf.
Her footsteps receded into the distance.
"...She noticed us."
"Yeah. But she doesn't seem to mean us any harm. If anything, it's like she's watching over us."
Romio gazed in the direction Mira had gone. There was nothing prying or unpleasant in her manner. Just a quiet acknowledgment of their presence. That was the impression she gave.
"...What a kind person."
Juliet hugged the package to her chest. The warmth of the baked sweets passed into her fingertips.
The two of them drew close in the shadow of the bookshelf once more.
"So, about the content of the speech..."
Romio continued. But in a corner of his mind, Mira's quiet gaze lingered.
(I wonder what she thinks of us.)
No answer came. But she was no enemy. At least, not now.
By the time they had finished hammering out the details of the plan, the light outside the windows had slanted fully.
"Then let's call it here for today. I'm looking forward to the draft of the speech."
"Yes, leave it to me. ...Inudzuka."
Juliet gently caught Romio's sleeve.
"Thank you, truly. Talking with you, I felt like I could keep trying."
Her sky-blue eyes looked straight up at Romio.
Deep in Romio's chest, a warmth spread slowly.
"...Yeah. I'm glad I got to talk with you too. It's far better than carrying it all alone."
Romio said it a little roughly, as if to hide his embarrassment. Juliet's cheeks flushed faintly red.
The two of them reluctantly let go of each other's hands.
Juliet stepped out from the shadow of the bookshelf first. Her blonde hair swayed softly one last time in the dim library.
Romio remained alone in the shadow of the bookshelf.
One deep breath. The smell of old paper filled the depths of his lungs.
(All right. Let's do this.)
Romio clenched his fist and headed for the library exit.
Outside the library, the air was cold and clear. Dusk was approaching, and the sky was beginning to stain crimson. The ridgeline of the Kiriha Mountains rose in a dark silhouette.
Romio started down the stone-paved path toward the Black Dog dormitory.
That was when it happened.
"Yo, Inudzuka."
A low voice came from the shade of a tree beside the path.
Romio stopped in his tracks.
Maru Chizuru stood with his back against a tree trunk. His slicked-back black hair was set with wax, and his narrow, sharp eyes glared at Romio. He wore his Black Dog uniform loosely, and the silver piercings in both ears caught the dusk light.
"...Maru."
Romio met Maru's eyes straight on.
Maru pushed off from the tree and slowly approached Romio.
"What were you whispering about in the library with the White Cat prefect?"
Romio's heart gave a small leap.
He'd been noticed.
"None of your business."
"It is my business. Our Black Dog head prefect meeting secretly with the White Cat prefect. That alone is enough to make us radicals keep our mouths shut — and we won't."
Maru's voice grew low and intimidating.
"I'm acting for reconciliation. You're free to oppose me, but I won't let you get in my way."
"Reconciliation? Don't make me laugh. Have you forgotten what the White Cats have done to
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