My legs carried me through Louis's apartment on autopilot, my trembling hands trying to return everything exactly as I'd found it. The manga volumes, his notes, my student file—I arranged them precisely, desperately hoping he wouldn't notice they'd been disturbed. My vision kept blurring, spots dancing before my eyes as I fumbled with the closet door.

The journey home passed in fragments. One moment I was rushing down the emergency stairs, my heart threatening to burst. The next, I was stumbling through my bedroom door, collapsing onto my bed.

"No, no, no," I muttered, launching myself toward my bookshelf. Manga volumes flew everywhere as I searched frantically. There—Twilight Blossom. My hands shook as I flipped through the pages, scanning every scene with the transfer student. Years of manga analysis kicked in, even through my panic.

"This doesn't make sense," I whispered, staring at the panels. The transfer student was just a plot device, a second lead meant to create drama. Everyone knew the protagonist would end up with her childhood friend—that's how these stories always worked. Why would Louis choose this manga of all things? There were so many better options if he wanted to roleplay a transfer student romance.

I grabbed my unused math notebook and started writing what I knew. Louis had a collection of transfer student manga. He was fixated on Twilight Blossom, though it was pretty average. His apartment was incredible—the view, the vinyl records, that amazing shower... Focus, Shizuka! He somehow had student files, matching us all to manga characters like some weird casting director.

The files suggested three possibilities, each more outlandish than the last. Could he be a serial killer? A vampire building his immortal harem? Though the fact that he had guys in his files too made that less likely. Unless... vampires weren't picky? Or maybe—and this seemed most likely—he was just a rich otaku living out his manga fantasies in real life. I could understand that. I'd gladly become a sophisticated Parisian girl, sneaking into jazz clubs with my leather-clad boyfriend.

But tomorrow I'd have to watch him carefully. Being invisible had its advantages. As I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion hit me. "So much for my perfect romance," I muttered. "This is way more adventure than I bargained for."

As sleep claimed me, one question remained: if Louis proved dangerous, could I bear to give up my chance at romance?

I tried my best to act normal the next morning in class, but my poker face was worse than a visual novel protagonist's. At least no one ever noticed me anyway. Well, almost no one—I caught Louis staring in my direction. He smiled at me, my heart doing that familiar flutter.

No, stop it! I scolded myself. Remember the manga collection, the files, the weird notes. But his smile was so perfect, like something straight out of a shoujo manga...

The morning dragged on painfully. Every time a teacher called on me, I nearly jumped out of my skin. My hands trembled so much I could barely write, and I kept dropping my pencil. When lunch break finally arrived, I gathered my things, ready to bolt.

"So, spill it," Rika's voice cut through the classroom chatter. "How was your date with Louis?"

I froze mid-step, pretending to check my bag for something while I listened.

"Well," Mayumi drawled, her trademark smirk in place. " We went to check out the shops downtown but everyone kept staring at us, so we ran to his place for privacy." She flipped her hair dramatically. "He couldn't keep his hands off me, but I decided to play hard to get. My end game is marriage and a fancy life in Paris after graduation. Can't make it too easy for him."

A laugh burst out of me before I could stop it. The image of Mayumi bolting from Louis's apartment like a scared rabbit was too much to contain.

"What's so funny, country pumpkin?" Mayumi snapped.

I met her gaze, still giggling. "Nothing, nothing at all." Then I ran out of the classroom, lunch in hand, leaving behind three very angry-looking girls.

I headed for the rooftop, then stopped. What if Louis was there again? After what I discovered in his apartment, I needed somewhere quiet to think. The emergency stairs would work—nobody ever went there.

I pushed open the door and froze. There he was, Louis Devereux himself, sitting on the steps eating lunch and enjoying the view.

"Oh hi Shizuka." His voice was casual, like seeing me here was the most natural thing.

Of course he's here. How cliché can this get?

As if reading my thoughts, he said, "Of course you would also come here. I keep ruining all your favorite spots. I am the worst, aren't I?" His eyes locked onto mine with that last part.

I trembled. The worst? Him? And how would I—we barely know each other, or at least he's supposed to think that...

He shifted down a few steps. "Would you mind sharing your special place with me?" He gestured to the spot next to him, a few steps above where he sat.

"Oh, yes," I mumbled, carefully settling onto the step.

We sat in silence for a while, the autumn breeze drifting through the window. Then he spoke. "You know I'm kinda disappointed."

My heart stopped. Disappointed at what ? at me ? why? does he know i broke into his apartment.

"I thought life in Japan would be a lot different, like in manga and anime, you know, but it's all hardcore classes, exams, quizzes, duties, clean-ups and so on. People are super friendly but also seem distant in a way. It's probably just the difference in culture—in France, since it's not expected from anyone to be nice or friendly, they're only that way with you if they actually like you." He turned to face me, his expression melancholic and vulnerable—a look I knew all too well.

My heart raced as I watched his melancholic expression. It was the same look I'd seen in my mirror countless times—that yearning for something more, something different from the mundane reality we lived in.

"I understand how you feel," I said softly, my fingers fidgeting with my skirt hem. "I think the reason high school is often used as the setting for manga and anime is that most mangaka used to be weebs who really didn't fit in, so they looked back at everything they thought they missed and tried to relive it through their art."

As I spoke, my nervousness faded. My voice grew steadier, more confident. "But not having lived it, they don't really know what it feels like. That's why it's usually so over-the-top and one-sided. No one is like that in real life, especially not here."

Louis's eyes widened, a smile spreading across his face. He looked... illuminated, like he'd found something he'd been searching for. My confidence crumbled under his gaze.

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"I'm sorry for rambling," I mumbled, shrinking back into myself.

His smile grew even wider. "I'm very happy there's someone like you at this school."

My face burned hot. Words failed me completely. I buried my face in my store-bought bento, managing to squeak out, "Lunch break is nearly over, we should eat."

"I know, you're right," he replied, his voice filled with joy. He glanced around at our surroundings, looking as excited as a kid on Christmas morning.

Looking at him now, all my theories from last night seemed ridiculous. Serial killer? Vampire? No way. I still had no idea why he was doing this or what his plan was, all I knew was that I wanted to talk to him more, to spend more time with him. That was the only thing I was sure about.

The golden afternoon light slanted through the classroom windows, casting long shadows across our desks as the final period dragged on. I couldn't help stealing glances at Louis, watching how the sunlight caught his profile, turning his hair almost bronze. My heart felt lighter after our lunch break conversation. Even knowing he was hiding something, even after finding those manga and files in his apartment, I didn't care anymore. Whatever his secret was, whatever game he was playing, I wanted to be part of it.

A movement caught my eye - Mayumi had noticed me staring. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she tapped her pen against her desk with increasing force.

The bell finally rang, and before anyone could move, Mayumi's voice cut through the shuffle of papers and bags. "Louis! Let's go to karaoke tonight!"

Louis shifted in his chair, adjusting his collar. "Actually, I've never been to a Japanese karaoke before."

"What?" Ishida jumped up, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "You have to come! It's amazing!"

Rika bounced over to Ishida, poking his shoulder. "Yeah, even though this guy sings like a drowning cat!"

"Why don't we make it a class thing?" Nami chimed in, her usually bored expression lighting up.

Suddenly everyone was talking at once. Plans were being made, people were getting excited. The popular kids started pulling in their friends, and soon nearly the whole class was going. I sat there, my heart sinking lower with each passing moment. Nobody looked my way, not even Louis. I'd hoped... well, with the whole class going, maybe...

But he didn't even glance in my direction.

I grabbed my bag and practically ran out of the classroom, my chest tight with disappointment.

I dragged my feet along the bustling sidewalk, trying to ignore the groups of students heading to karaoke. Their excited chatter about song choices and who might sing duets with whom felt like salt in my wounds. A couple of girls from my class walked past, not even noticing me as they debated whether Louis could sing.

Maybe he has a beautiful voice. Maybe he'll sing a romantic French song. And I'll never know.

I shook my head, trying to clear these thoughts. My feet had already carried me to my sanctuary - Mandarake, my favorite manga shop. The familiar smell of paper and ink hit me as I pushed open the door, the little bell chiming above.

"Welcome!" called out Suzuki-san, the clerk who always remembered my name and taste in manga. He was reorganizing some shelves but turned to greet me properly.

"Um, Suzuki-san," I fidgeted with my bag strap, "has there been any news about Twilight Blossom? Maybe a one-shot conclusion or something?"

His face fell slightly. "Sorry, Tanaka-san. The author hasn't published anything since. It's definitely cancelled for good."

My shoulders slumped. "Oh... I see."

"Were you hoping to find out how the transfer student plot ended?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.

I nodded, though that wasn't entirely true anymore. Now I was more interested in why Louis had chosen this particular manga to recreate. What was so special about this unfinished story?

I wandered through the familiar aisles of the store, my fingers trailing along the spines of manga volumes. Maybe if I found the same series I'd seen at Louis' apartment, I could piece together what he was planning. The shop's familiar scent of paper and ink usually calmed me, but today my heart raced with nervous energy.

Lost in thought, I rounded a corner and crashed right into someone, sending their stack of manga scattering across the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I dropped to my knees, frantically gathering the fallen books. My hands froze mid-reach as I looked up – there was Louis, kneeling right in front of me.

I panicked, trying to hide the titles I was holding, terrified he'd recognize them from his collection. He just laughed, a warm sound that made my chest tighten. "We have to stop meeting like this, you know," he said, taking his manga from my trembling hands with a smile.

I jumped to my feet, tugging anxiously at my bag strap. "Oh... yeah I know... haha, I didn't expect to see you here or anyone from class for that matter."

"You don't think I'm cool enough to read manga?" His smile was gentle, teasing.

My face burned. "No not at all it's not that, I just thought everyone from our class went to karaoke that's all."

"Oh yeah I think most of them did, but big groups aren't really my thing. You can't really enjoy everyone's company at once so you end up splitting in groups with the people you know the most and since I'm the new guy I'd probably be left out you know, so I passed," he explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

My heart soared. So that's why he hadn't invited me – he wasn't going either! Take that, Mayumi!

"So is this also one of your secret spots?" he asked.

"Oh... well..." I fidgeted with a manga volume's corner, "I'm not really one of the popular kids and I actually prefer it like that, I'm not one for groups too hehe." The lie tasted bitter. I would have loved going to karaoke with everyone.

He laughed softly. "I'd say this whole popularity thing seems like a scam to me. There's real value in being alone, a sort of comfort. It's a vibe you know? But in my opinion the best is when you have someone that you can enjoy being alone with."

I pictured us in his apartment, jazz playing on his record player, each absorbed in our own books but sharing the same peaceful silence, the city lights twinkling below. "Yes I can imagine," I breathed.

His face lit up. "I'm glad," he said, holding my gaze for a moment before adding, "Well I'll leave you to it then."

I wandered through the aisles, pretending to browse while secretly watching Louis through gaps in the shelving. His long fingers traced the spines of books with such care, such reverence. He'd pull one out, study the cover, then carefully read the back before either returning it or adding it to his growing stack.

At one point, we both reached for the same volume, our hands nearly brushed, and we both pulled back with awkward laughs. My heart fluttered as I caught his eye through the shelf. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, the silence between us felt... right. Like we were sharing something special without needing words.

For the next hour, we kept almost-bumping into each other. I'd catch glimpses of his profile as he browsed, or hear his soft footsteps in the next aisle. It was like a delicate dance - each of us doing our own thing, but hyperaware of the other's presence. The usual anxiety I felt around others melted away. For the first time, I felt completely at peace just... existing in the same space as someone else.

When I finally headed to checkout, he appeared behind me in line. I felt his gaze on my stack of manga as he leaned forward slightly.

"Did you find anything interesting? He asked.

I tilted my head back. "Yes... yes I did." I replied, wondering if he'd noticed how similar my selections were to his collection at home.

"I think I overdid it actually," he chuckled, holding up his impressive stack of about ten books.

After paying, we stood outside the store together. The setting sun painted everything in warm oranges and pinks, its gentle light washing over us.

"It was fun, thank you... see you tomorrow Devereux-kun," I said, unable to stop smiling.

He looked at me with soft eyes. "I had fun too, thank you. Also, you can call me Louis. I've been using your first name myself after all, Shizuka."

My heart soared. "Okay Louis Devereux. See you tomorrow."

I floated home hugging my manga close to my heart. "Louis," I whispered again, loving how naturally his name rolled off my tongue now. The memory of him browsing through the manga shelves, his long fingers carefully tracing book spines, kept replaying in my mind. For once, I hadn't felt like the awkward background character - we'd shared something real between those quiet aisles.

"Louis... Louis..." The sound of his name made me giggle as I fumbled with my keys, still riding high on cloud nine. Who would've thought the mysterious transfer student and I would end up having such a perfect afternoon together? Maybe manga scenarios weren't so far-fetched after all.

My happy bubble burst the moment I pushed open my door. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight before me. Photos. Dozens of them. All of me. Breaking into Louis' apartment. Climbing the stairs. Hiding behind his couch. Going through his closet. Each image more damning than the last.

The manga slipped from my trembling hands, scattering across the floor. My legs turned to jelly as I spun around to run, only to find myself face to face with Louis. The warm, gentle expression I'd swooned over at the bookstore was gone, replaced by something cold and empty. His tall frame blocked the entire doorway, leaving me nowhere to escape.

Oh god. He knows.