Profile Melted in the Setting Sun

I had been frequenting the neighborhood library. I went to avoid the intense afternoon sun and to struggle with my summer homework. No, in truth, I just wanted to forget reality.

The heat slipping in through the gap in the automatic doors tangled with the air conditioning, clinging to my feet. Amidst the silence that smelled of ink, the sound of cicadas echoed in my empty heart.

And then, I met them. The classmate my friend had a crush on. Even though I had secretly been interested in them, I was too considerate of others, and only time had passed.

A voice that had melted into the humid summer reached my ears.
"Long time no see. Are you studying here?"
The cold air of the library stopped for just a moment. A beautiful standing figure, wrapped in an atmosphere like colorful Japanese paper. Their voice had a core, was clear, and carried well. Yet, it had a strange resonance that felt just a little bit artificial. A sense of discomfort and attraction pierced my chest at the same time. I answered awkwardly.
"Yeah. Homework, right? Let's do our best."

From that day on, every time I went to the library, I looked for that profile. Every day, my eyes were captivated by their serious expression, and though I wanted to talk to them, I was bound by a sense of distance I didn't want to break. I felt that if I spoke, this peaceful time would crumble. Because of the sticky heat that made my shirt cling to my skin with sweat, I couldn't move at all.

When the evening sun dyed the windows, my classmate would quietly disappear. Thinking that tomorrow would be the day, I ended up doing nothing, and the last week of summer vacation passed by.

The new semester. The classmate I met in the classroom said "Good morning" in the same voice as that day. That smile was a perfect one directed at everyone. That was why it felt somewhat artificial, yet, it was still colorful and dazzling. Would I be disillusioned if I got to know them? That profile melted into the setting sun and did not disappear for a while.