As he perused the various literary works on the bookstore’s shelves, Takami’s eyes were drawn towards you as you stood a few feet away, deeply engrossed in the pages of a romance novel. His gaze couldn’t help but linger on you, captivated by her personality, appearance, and style. He shifted his attention back to the books, worried that you might think he was a creep or stalker.

Takami continued browsing through the myriad of titles before his eyes, the selection seemingly endless in the massive bookstore. He took a deep breath, looking over at you again. He saw you were still at the shelf, looking down at a book, a thoughtful expression on your face as you seemed to take it in. His curiosity was further whetted, and he wondered what that book was and why it had captured your imagination. However, he didn’t want to disrupt you, so he continued looking for something that interested him, trying to ignore the burning questions that had taken root in his mind.

Suddenly, the floorboard beneath him began to creak, and he froze with apprehension, feeling like a mischievous child about to be caught by his mother. When the creaking noise didn’t repeat, however, Takami relaxed slightly. His interest had been piqued beyond recovery by then, so he snuck a glance in your direction. You had not moved an inch but continued to peruse the book before you. Takami felt his curiosity increasing, wondering if you had been aware of him the whole time.

Suddenly, the floorboard beneath him began to creak, and he froze with apprehension, feeling like a mischievous child about to be caught by his mother. When the creaking noise didn’t repeat, however, Takami relaxed slightly. His interest had been piqued beyond recovery by then, so he snuck a glance in your direction. You had not moved an inch but continued to peruse the book before you. Takami felt his curiosity increasing, wondering if you had been aware of him the whole time.

However, the game had started to become a little bit of a struggle, as Takami’s attention kept straying from the books to where you were. The tension in the room was palpable, and he knew that every moment this continued, the harder it would be for him to break the ice and speak to you. Yet there we were, both of us still stuck in our positions: you, staring at that book, and Takami, staring at you. The stalemate could not continue. Someone had to make a move.

The young maiden didn’t know how to get his attention but was an avid movie watcher. What if she were to follow the examples in some of her favorite movies? Perhaps taking a bit of a misstep to purposely trip so that her beloved could catch her in his strong arms.

The words on the page of the book you read stood out to you. What if you follow the heroine’s example in the romance novel and take a bit of a misstep? Suppressing your smile, you took a few steps forward as if you had to leave but were too invested in the book and couldn’t take your eyes away from the pages. You purposely placed your foot down awkwardly so that you lost your balance. Now, all you had to do was wait and watch, hoping the handsome stranger would catch you in his arms. 

Takami’s heart was pounding, his mind desperately trying to keep up with the sudden acceleration in events. As quickly as he could, he darted forward and caught you in his arms before you could fall to the ground. It all happened so fast that a part of him wasn’t even sure it was actually real. You blushed at the contact, though there was also a slight hint of a smile on your face. You had succeeded in capturing Takami’s attention.

You could sense the heat building in Takami’s fingertips as they brushed across your slender arm. It hadn’t escaped you that he had moved quickly to catch you instead of letting you fall. You tried to hide your admiration for him, but the smile playing on your lips betrayed you. Your heart fluttered at the thought that the strong stranger might be just as enamored with you as he was with the books on the shelves around you. You wondered where this chance encounter would take the two of you. The possibilities were endless as you felt the spark of attraction between you ignite.

As Takami looked down at you, still supporting you in his arms, a slight smirk tugged on his lips. 

“The young maiden didn’t know how to get his attention, but she was an avid movie watcher. What if she were to follow the examples in some of her favorite movies? Perhaps taking a bit of a misstep to purposely trip so that her beloved could catch her in his strong arms.” 

He repeated the words in the book you were reading verbatim, which caused your eyes to widen. The handsome stranger knew exactly what you were doing, yet he still chose to wait for you to carry out your actions. 

The realization made your heart skip a beat. Takami had known all along what you had been up to, but he had let you play your little game anyway. Despite his calm exterior, you could see a flash of excitement in his eyes as he stared down at you. Takami placed you slowly back on your feet but did not release his hold on you. As you took in his handsome features, there was no mistaking the heat in his gaze. Your lips parted in a soft gasp as he slowly began to lean down towards you.

As Takami’s lips pressed against yours, you felt the electricity of the moment pulsing through your body. You forgot everything else around you; the world seemed to stop moving as if it were just you and him. You parted your lips to match his passionate kiss, melting against his toned physique as your hands ran through his soft hair. Your lips lingered together for a few moments before reluctantly parting, your breaths coming out in short gasps as you looked at one another. A smile crept onto your face, and you knew this was nothing like the romance novels you used to read.

Takami gave a teasing smile, surprised that you accepted his kiss without objection or hesitation, but that was all the satisfaction he planned to give you today. With a slight nod, he turned on his heels and began to walk away, leaving you in a daze. To your surprise, he stopped momentarily and glanced at you with amusement. 

“Takami. A pleasure to meet you.” 

He didn’t wait for your reply or for you to tell him his name. Takami simply walked out of the bookstore, blending into the darkness of the night. 

Your gaze followed him as he disappeared, your heart pounding in your ears. What had just happened? Was this a dream? Surely, not even the most talented romance novelist could have imagined what you had just been through. As the realization of the encounter fully sank in, you wondered whether you would ever come across Takami again. For now, you were left with a thousand unanswered questions, a memory of a passionate kiss on your soft lips, and the lingering scent of a mysterious stranger’s cologne. Maybe someday you would cross paths again, or perhaps this night would always remain a sweet memory.