Ellie didn't mind when William was like this, let alone focused on delving into cool, ancient novels originating from China.

  “It was a sorry question, William. You have been going at these novels for a while, haven't you? Does the reality of the upper floors not entertain you enough? Unlike these, they are much more alive and wonderful, or... well, they are awful but in different matters because our reality is not a fiction.”

  “Oh, I wish it were fiction any day of the week, " he answered nonchalantly, pushed the book close, and straightened his ass on the sofa.

  “Really? Then, guess what? That would lead to many plot holes. I mean, time is gone, and what else would be here? What about the nations or history? Would we be even alive? I haven't seen you much lately, and this is how you spend your day? Maybe I should've said something to Mi-Yung about this, hm?” Giggling, Ellie was in a surprisingly good mood.

  She stood before him, both close, yet still far, and both hands were hidden behind her back.

  William dropped his book aside and wondered what she was about to say next. He remembered the morning, while her current appearance was elegant, expectant, if not forced, and very tense. Her smile might be present, but her eyes and steps showed restraint. The fact that he was reading so much into it showed his intrigue.

  William wondered why or when he had begun to observe her like that, or how he had even noticed these details. He didn't even do it before with Dann or anyone around him. Was it the change that came with Mi-Yung, this library, or... Ellie alone?

  Their eyes connected. Ellie wore a flattering white and elegant dress, with strips around her shoulders that revealed her neck and arms. It went rather nicely with her blond hair that was completely free and without any pins or ties.

  Like in the past, William noticed it and swore she had a different dress every freaking morning. Was it special? Could people even own so many clothes?

  Maybe the words elegance and dress came off as odd, or maybe Ellie or Mi-Yung had their preferences about elegance, or looking great?

  Nah. That was a bit different because William had never seen Mi-Yung in a dress. It was still not equal; she had a different style, body, and thinking.

  It was Ellie who showed no restraints, and William was out of it. “Where is Celeste?” he asked as he glanced around.

  “Why? Do you want her for something?”

  “It is rather early. I thought you were her precious teacher, so no... this is surprising.”

  “Not a teacher.”

  “Then what?”

  “A guide!” Ellie said importantly.

  “What's the difference?”

  “That I am not teaching her. I am giving her the life she needs and words and mind and attention that should be good and not wrong. Circumstances vary, and no one should stop a young girl from growing or doing better. She does it more than well, by the way. Thanks to me, of course.”

  “Sounds forceful when you put it like that.”

  Ellie frowned and swallowed some words. Clutching her fists behind her back, she was still keeping her morale at a bare minimum. “Does... it? It's not as if what I am trying to do for her is bad or forceful. She lacked her life before, but not as if that life was wrong. It's just not normal, but to her, normalcy and living are different from my perspective. She could have been fine without me,” Ellie explained, and supposed she spoke too much.

  “Oh, sorry. I misspoke. You do a great job that not many would do. I am sure of it.” William excused himself and wondered if this dress would look better on Celeste or Mi-Yung.

  Then, he remembered Mi-Yung, who preferred not to wear revealing clothes on some occasions, while on others, she would wear overly revealing clothes. Considering her Emblem was in a rather intriguing place, William lowered his head and wondered what was wrong with him today.

  Ellie looked different; her voice hid unknown intentions, and she might have thought of something else. Also, it went as he expected. She found him on the sofa.

  “Yeah... You look different today. Has something happened?” William mumbled a sharp question. He wasn't that proficient in compliments, but he knew what to say to adults. Dann made sure of that, but pursuing girls or flirting was not a thing outside, much to Ellie's disappointment.

  “What happened? Nothing at all. What are you reading?” Ellie shifted her legs, trying to sound casual and without worries.

  “You have seen that from the cover, haven't you?”

  “I did. Of course. It was a wonderful question, and you hid that book from me, so I ask.” She chuckled in an even stranger manner as if she should wait for more, or... just go along with it.

  “Did something happen with Celeste or your... position? Is it a promotion or a demotion? You don't act like yourself.”

  “Well,” Ellie grimaced, girled up, and figured his thinking was frustratingly cute. But hey, he pretty much said he worried about her, and looking different was like a compliment, right? “Mi-Yung told me your birthday is coming up, sooooo...”

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  Standing like a scarecrow, her eyes shifted left and right as her breath and mouth dropped.

  “Birthday? Again, that thing. You asked me about it, and... wait, Mi-Yung told you? She also told me about it, but I overlooked it and... you...” Then, it hit him. A guilt. Curiosity. Awkwardness is like petting the wrong cat.

  “Yep.” Ellie calmed her nerves and pulled a small paper box from behind her back. “A gift. I hope it will fit you.”

  Seeing a sudden box shouldn't be a trap, let alone the worst item, but William had no idea what to say in this situation. Was refusal even possible?

  “S-should I be thankful?” he panicked, hands remaining over that book. Her face changed, her body relaxed, and maybe this was what she had wanted to do for a long time?

  “I knew you would be like this, but don't worry. Take it already. It is a small gift.” Ellie insisted with her firm tone, and a huge weight dropped from her heart. Unfortunately, this wasn't everything, and the weight might return very soon. A staring contest ensued, with the box still being in her hands, and the winner was clearly Ellie.

  Taking her box, William looked inside and savored a simple hat. It wasn't a cowboy hat, which he took with massive relief. This one had a one-sided, curved panel that extended above the eyes, shielding them from the sun.

  William knew very little about this style of attire and had never owned one before because he had never had a problem with it. Summers weren't ever an issue in the North, but again... he fucking hated suns in the monrings.

  Here was something different. Summers might get hot, the sun might be ugly, and it was possible that this thing concealed part of the face, so that was nice. A fine gift should be suitable, and it was also true that summer times at farms--when one would work beneath the sun for a prolonged period of time--were more hectic than one would think.

  “Try it,” Ellie ordered.

  When he put it on, it fit his head just about right, so William wondered when she got the chance to size his head. It pushed on his hair, making his head and face appear rather prominent. From certain angles, his eyes were not visible at all.

  “Looks good. I am glad.” Ellie said, nodding in confirmation to her guesses.

  “I don't know what to say,” William said, staring and sitting and being examined by her stare, which left him quite more stressed out than he was willing to admit.

  “Say what you want. Look at yourself. I know birthdays are not all that important to Outsiders, but I like them. Making a single day a year special isn't the worst thing we can do in this age.”

  “What's worse?”

  “Can you guess it?” Ellie said in half entertainment and excitement.

  “I can't, but still... this hat.”

  “It is a gift. If you wear it or not, it doesn't matter to me. You have it. Against the weather, you know. This climate has very intense sun, so... wear it for me or yourself.”

  Behind Ellie, aside an unassuming corner and shelves, William noticed poking head of Celeste, who couldn't quench her curiosity over this situation and had to be sneaky.

  She wished to go closer, though Ellie told her to keep the distance, and if things went wrong, she would scold her, not read her tomorrow, and so on. That was not cool, but fairness aside, any gesture to get close was OK, and so far...

  What the hell was a gesture? Celeste was curious and learned quickly about many things, yet she still didn't understand what Ellie meant. Either way, Ellie seemed happy and lighter, so Celeste observed her and wondered what she was watching.

  Dreadus often said that seeing stuff was good, and she was good at this sort of stuff. It was not rocky, nor was there a rabbit to hunt. Instead, there were a whole lot of people who wondered what a girl without shoes was doing sneaking up in the library.

  Pulling the hat out of his head, William examined its quality and how it might've been made. Sun protection made sense, and since he never needed it, it didn't mean it would never be useless. It was a thoughtful gift that Ellie came up with after dozens of trials and ideas.

  Out of stubbornness and her pride, she never even asked anyone what would be good. She bet Mi-Yung would have better answers, but she was the last person Ellie wanted to ask about a gift for William.

  Proudly examining the examiner, Ellie wondered what else she was missing. That watch was nothing; he bought it himself, for himself, so that was why.

  Opposite her, William was struggling and didn't know how to appreciate gifts. From her, of all people... She didn't help his struggling words, which Celeste needed much more. This was different from getting hundreds of credits or a lunch.

  He couldn't even guess the price or quality. It felt good on his head, with pressure pushing on his scalp, which wasn't pleasing or comforting. It was tight, made of tough textile, and reinforced with some sort of exoskeleton. There might be round leather, firm pieces of paper, or wood.

  Angling it forward, he noticed a logo of the Federation right above the platform against the sun, and there was even a little library logo.

  “So?” Ellie asked.

  “Thank you, Ellie, but I do...”

  “...don't care,” she shot down his bare-bones attempt to refute her. “I am not hearing a thing from you today. Take it or toss it to my face. It could be useful in whatever choice you are about to make within the Examination. Make it a memento, if you may. After a few weeks, you will be a Walker and this library won't be for you, nor... me, perhaps? There are perhapses, you know. Mine are mine, but yours are Walker-yours. Maybe you will end up in the Federation, choose a Division that might put you out of here, in settlements, or you might go out to Africa, Mexico, California, Utah, and who knows where else. Sun is everywhere, you see,”

  William was unable to deny her valid points. Sitting like a duck, he accepted what this was about, and no tactical retreat was possible.

  Trying it again, William looked at his watch as well.

  “Doesn't look that bad,” she argued again.

  “Perhaps. How much was it?”

  “Something something credits. Anyway, I will not take thanks as a prize. How about going out tonight? It isn't that late.” Ellie found perfect words and pulled them off. She also grabbed a watch from somewhere on her dress, indicating it had a convenient pocket, which was another shocking discovery that William noticed right away.

  “Um... I wanted to eat, and I bet you want to show me around the Federation again, right? Have you not shown me enough?” William asked Ellie like a moron. His mind was always focused and full of differences, and he couldn't even figure out that a girl was interested in him.

  Fortunately, Ellie had been prepared for this a long time ago, and her heart had had enough. Weeks came for this moment, and there was no way she would butcher it. Her plans were moving smoothly so far.

  In fact, Ellie didn't even mind being this trying and persevering. It was somewhat enjoyable for her, but hiding her frustration and questionable emotions was less fun.

  Ellie cleared her throat. “I actually have a ticket for a journey across the Federation's northern section in a private boat. Assemble Island is close to this sailing route. You've never seen it like that, have you not?” Ellie pulled little papers from her pocket and kissed them.

  “Tickets? Are they not expensive?”

  Sometimes, Ellie wondered if words could be as painful as slaps to the face.