Heather continues to yell until she saw Asher and Mercer. She comes closer to them and asked,
"Hey, boys! What do you think? No bruises, black eyes, or anything."
"Well, we're glad you didn't sustain any injuries," Mercer replied.
"Yeah, now we won't have to buy bandages when we go back home," Asher added.
"Ha! Asher you're hilarious as ever, still writing action stories?" She asked.
"That's for me to decide." Esther interrupts.
"You... You are..?" Heather asked.
Mercer told her, "That's Esther Violette, Asher's teacher for story writing."
"You're the acting librarian who beat up an entire gang. I'm Heather Westergard, it's a pleasure to meet a fellow woman who knows how to dominate men." Heather offers a handshake.
Esther shakes her hand, "The feeling's mutual. You have impressive fighting skills, good to see someone who can put up a fight."
"I hope my cousin Asher is being a good boy to you."
"No worries, Asher's the most obedient person I've ever known since yesterday."
"That's what his family always says about him. Though we just hope that he doesn't carry the family airhead lover inheritance."
"Airhead lover inheritance? What's that?"
"I'll tell you more but right now, let's get out of here before the cops come."
They went back to the library just as soon as it gets dark.
"Parker, look how tall you've grown." Heather complimented.
Parker replies, "Yeah, glad someone was able to notice."
"So Heather, what's was that airhead inheritance that you were saying?" Esther asked.
Heather answered, "Oh right, I almost forgot about that. Right the family airhead lover inheritance, it's a case that the men in our family are totally oblivious when it comes to love."
"Sounds interesting... What else?"
"Unknown where it started, and unknown how it still existed, but mom said she had difficulty in making our dad fall in love with him. Asher's mom had the same problem."
"Go on..."
"There are signs of it. One, the denseness. Two, the cluelessness. Three, the obliviousness. When you fall in love with guys like him, the difficulty is completely brutal."
"I see... If any of us-- I mean, any of them were ever to fall in love with Asher whose density levels are off the charts, it's going to be difficult. But what I've seen lately, he's not really dense but more focused on work."
"Hmm... That may be the case since he's such a workaholic person. The farm always got a good harvest when he's around."
"What about this Mercer?"
"This Mercer? Is she serious?" Mercer thought.
"Mercer? I don't know, he's more of a fantasy geek."
"And I'm proud of it." Mercer interrupted.
Asher told Heather, "I'm still not convinced that the whole airhead inheritance is a real thing."
"It's a real thing alright, and you won't even notice because it exists to make you not notice that someone likes you."
"We better head home Heather, mom might be calling. Asher see ya later." Mercer said as he and Heather leave the library.
Asher asked Esther and Parker, "Please don't tell me you bought that airhead nonsense."
"It might be possible." They answered in unison.
"You got to be kidding me." He mumbled.
After they went home, Parker used her phone to call Esther.
"Parker? What do you want?"
"Hey, Esther... I've been thinking..."
"You like Asher?"
"No! What are you talking about!?"
"Don't yell, what do you want to talk about?"
"About Asher's airhead thing."
"So you do like him?"
"Quit it. Don't even try."
"Fine. What about the airhead thing?"
"I think it's already happening."
"You mean the part where he rejected all the love confessions including that witch's."
"Exactly!"
"That's not enough evidence."
"Not enough? You mean we need more evidence?"
"Maybe. For now, we shouldn't tell Asher for it to work."
"Okay. But... Esther, have you by any very little chance that you also--"
Esther ended the call.
"This girl." Parker pouts.
Esther silently puts her face on the pillow and told herself, "DO. NOT. EVEN. ASK. ME. THAT. EVER. There's no way I would like that... Darn it, I can't point out his flaws because he's made of perfection..."
"Who is made of perfection miss?" The maid suddenly enters.
"I assume that you might be eavesdropping at the last minute."
"Miss, I've been at the door since Miss Langstaff called you."
"How honest of you. Did my mother put you into this?"
"..... No?"
"I'll take that as a yes."
The next day in the library.
Parker whispers to Esther, "Let's see if Asher is dense."
"You go," Esther suggested.
"Me? Why?"
"You're cuter and he might like bite-sized."
"You're joking, right? Because you're making it sound like Asher is some pervert who likes ten-year-olds!"
"Which is what you are, now go."
"Sometimes I really hate you."
Parker walks up to Asher who was segregating books by genre.
She greeted, "Good morning Asher!"
"Hey, Parker." Asher responded, "You seem to be in a good mood today, what's happening?"
"Oh, nothing much just want you to know how lucky you are to be here, you know?"
"Yeah... I know."
Parker gets closer, "You know Asher, I've thought... What kind of girl do you like?"
"Is there such a thing?"
"W-What do you mean? There's such a thing."
"Oh really? Sorry, I've been so busy at something like this. So I don't really have time to think about stuff like that."
"Really... That's a shame..."
Parker goes back to Esther's hiding place.
"Well? How was it?" Esther asks.
Parker sighs, "He even prioritizes work over girls. He's not human."
"Maybe he doesn't like bite-sized..."
"Shut up. There's only one thing left to do."
"That's right. We'll make another plan that includes you flirting with him."
"Yes-- Wait, what!? What about you!?"
"I'm making plans, that's the most tiring work of all."
"THAT'S THE MOST EASIEST WORK OF ALL!"
"Shh! This is a library."
"Hmph!"
They made multiple attempts to flirt with Asher although Parker is doing all the flirting, yet nothing works.
Parker became irritated, "How is that guy living without any love in his life!?"
Esther theorized, "Based on my observation. He's so industriously busy that he does not want his work to go astray. But I can't just say he's dense because of work."
"You got the guts to tell me of what you observe when you actually have done nothing at all!"
"Alright, you big baby. It's now my turn, and I have a plan coming up."
"Finally..."
"But on one condition. You manage the library."
"Why?"
"My plan includes outside."
"Fine! Make sure you get him to say something!"
"Don't worry. I'll succeed in my first try."
"Now you're just showing off."
Esther went to Asher who was checking if the books are in order.
She called him, "Asher, do you have a moment?"
"Sure."
"Are you almost done?"
"I think so.."
"Maybe you should leave that to Parker."
"It's kinda high for her."
"Let's go don't underestimate, her she might shrink due to stress."
"But where are we going?"
"I have a question, where do you go to take a break?"
"To the open field."
"Crowded."
"No, the secret open field."
"There's a secret open field?"
"Yeah, I just found it a few months ago."
"Does it take long to get there?"
"No just a few minutes."
"Well let's go."
They went outside and gone to the open field. In the forest past the open field, they followed a river to an open field that no one else has gone before and jumped on the other side of the river to the open field.
Both of them felt the light breeze of the wind, the soft grass, and sat down beside a tree.
"You know, they call this a glade instead of an open field." Esther corrected.
"Sorry. Not an English major."
"It's alright. By the way, it's Geology."
"I forgot, sorry again.
"It's alright, again." She rests her head on Asher's shoulder.
"What are you--"
"Shh... Please just let me."
"Okay... I wish I could see them again."
"See who again?"
"My parents."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, at least I got my aunt, my uncle, my cousins, and my friends."
"... And me."
"What?"
"Nothing." She slides from his shoulder to his lap.
"What about you? I mean... If you want to."
"My father died years ago, and my mother is still stressed out about it."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Now we're even." She giggled.
"I never seen you smile before."
"Get used to it, you'll never find one just like it."
"You're right."
"I want to sleep here."
"Are you sure?"
"But for now, let's go back."
"I agree, and I wonder if Parker's alright."
"She can handle it."
They stood up and looked around once more.
Esther whispered, "I want to return here... With you..."
"What did you say?" Asher asked.
"I said let's go."
Esther and Asher went back to the library with a refreshed mood. They saw Parker was getting busy checking out books.