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Tucked between a coffee shop and an antique store was a bookstore that went unnoticed by most passersby, its facade was discreet, a dusty window veiled by linen curtains and a wooden sign with letters slightly worn by time, yet, once customers stepped through the door, the bustle of Yokohama seemed to melt away, the place was known as The Agency, with a slogan that always promised to help visitors find exactly what they were looking for.
The air inside was saturated with the scent of paper and dry ink, the bookshelves, tall and made of dark wood, creaked gently whenever a book was placed or removed. A warm light bathed the space, and at the back, a small spiral staircase led to a narrow mezzanine filled with books for borrowing and cozy corners for reading, near the entrance, on the counter, sat the cash register, there, when there were no customers or books to sort, Atsushi would usually spend his time reading.
One day, as he was finishing labeling a newly arrived box of books, the doorbell rang, a young man with pale skin and dark hair walked in, it was the first time Atsushi had seen him, he greeted him, but the boy said nothing and continued toward the shelves, after browsing for a few minutes, he selected a book on study materials, brought it to the register, paid, and left silent, just as he had entered.
The following week, on the same day and at the same time, he returned, this time, he bought a math workbook, a week later, he came back for a Japanese-English dictionary.
After analyzing his purchases, Atsushi concluded the young man must be a student, he was one too, working part-time at the bookstore, still, he had no way to confirm his theory, since conversation didn't seem to be something the mysterious boy allowed himself, he would arrive once a week, take what he needed, pay, and leave, their interactions were brief and mechanical, Atsushi didn’t feel a desperate need to talk to him, but he was the kind of employee who at least asked if customers had found what they were looking for and it was awkward to wait for a reply that never came, met only with an indifferent glance.
The first time their interaction wasn't one-sided was when the young man couldn’t reach a book on the top shelf, even then, he refused to ask for help, Atsushi watched him, amused, for a few moments before approaching with a step stool and handing him the book he was trying to reach.
“Thank you,” said the customer.
“My pleasure,” Atsushi replied, smiling.
That interaction had been brief and seemingly unimportant, but Atsushi saw it as a small victory after weeks of enduring the boy’s indifference, still, nothing changed during his subsequent visits until a new incident occurred, this time, it was the customer who approached him, after checking the computer where all the books were cataloged, titles, codes, and shelf locations, the young man walked straight to the counter.
“The record is wrong,” he said bluntly.
No greeting, no “excuse me.” Just a direct statement, it felt like an indirect accusation, Atsushi was in charge of organizing the shelves, after all, still, without losing his polite smile, he walked over to the computer with him to check the supposed error, a quick glance was all it took to realize it wasn’t actually his mistake.
“I see what’s going on,” Atsushi said with a relieved sigh.
“Section 27 only has romance books. The one I’m looking for is history.”
“That book is in Section 27-B,” Atsushi corrected gently, offering a small smile. “That section is for loan only and it’s upstairs.”
Satisfied with what he saw as his second small victory, Atsushi led the young man to the correct section and handed him the book, the boy nodded in gratitude, since the book was not for sale, he headed to one of the desks on the mezzanine and spent a couple of hours reading before leaving.
That week, he came back twice more, on both occasions, he climbed the stairs in silence and stayed there reading for a long time, Atsushi, who couldn’t help but glance at him occasionally with curiosity, made up his mind: next time, he’d try to talk to him, he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but he already had a vague idea of what might be going on, besides, he liked offering good service to regulars and by now, this silent young man definitely was one. When the boy was about to leave after his third consecutive visit, Atsushi intercepted him at the door with a friendly smile.
“Would you like to apply for a membership card?” he asked politely.
“Membership card?” the young man repeated, visibly confused.
The membership card worked like a public library card, allowing holders to borrow books for a few days, however, since The Agency was a private bookstore, it wasn’t something offered to just anyone, usually only employees or their relatives had that privilege, still, Atsushi wanted to make an exception for this boy who, despite his silence, had piqued his interest.
After filling out a simple form and providing some basic information, the young man, whom Atsushi now knew was named Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, left the store with a shiny new membership card and the book he had been slowly reading in the corner over the past few visits.
From that day on, the interactions between the two began to feel less cold, Atsushi continued to greet every ring of the doorbell with his usual cheerful “Welcome!”, but he no longer received just indifference in return, Akutagawa, though still silent, gave a small bow as he entered before heading off to find new books, his visits returned to their weekly rhythm, but now, each time he borrowed a book, there was a brief, knowing glance exchanged between them.
A couple of weeks later, Akutagawa stood in front of the shelves holding two books, one in each hand, he studied them carefully, a concentrated frown on his face, from behind the counter, Atsushi could almost imagine steam rising from his head as he mentally weighed the pros and cons of each.
“I think that one’s better,” Atsushi said, pointing to the book in Akutagawa’s right hand.
“Why?” the other asked, eyes still scanning the pages.
“It’s more accurate,” Atsushi replied with quiet confidence.
“Why?” Akutagawa repeated, almost like he was testing him.
Smiling, Atsushi walked over and began to explain. He talked about how the authors had gathered their data, which studies their arguments were based on, and which sources they cited. He pointed out small but significant details—things that, to him, marked the difference between a good book and an excellent one.
“Both are solid,” he concluded, still indicating the one in Akutagawa’s right hand, “but this one’s more well-founded.”
Akutagawa paused for a few seconds, considering, then he returned the other book to its place and walked to the counter with the one Atsushi had recommended, truth be told, he was a little surprised by the explanation, for the first time since he’d started coming to the bookstore, he felt a genuine interest in the boy who always welcomed him with such kindness, he glanced down at the small name pin on his chest.
"Attending you: Nakajima A."
“Then… Nakajima,” Akutagawa said as he placed the book on the counter, “do you earn commission for selling me this, or do you just have to be a bookworm to work here?”
The comment didn’t sound particularly friendly, anyone else might have heard a passive-aggressive edge in his tone, but Atsushi didn’t take it that way, he had the feeling that, in his own way, Akutagawa was trying to make conversation.
“I used that one for a school assignment,” Atsushi said with a smile. “But yeah, I read a lot in my free time so I guess that makes me a bookworm.”
“I see.”
“And you?” Atsushi asked as he rang up the purchase. “I’ve only seen you reading academic stuff. Do you know science fiction?”
“I had to work for a couple of years, for personal reasons,” Akutagawa replied as he took out his wallet. “Now I’m trying to go back to university.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. But that’s admirable. And if there’s anything we can do to help, the whole bookstore staff would be happy to support you,” Atsushi said sincerely, sliding the book into a paper bag.
“This was help enough,” Akutagawa said, showing his membership card before giving a small bow and stepping out of the shop.
Akutagawa’s expression was serene, but Atsushi could almost see the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he left the bookstore, from that day on, conversations between them became a regular thing, whenever there were no customers, Akutagawa would approach the counter and although their talks remained strictly about books, both of them felt they were slowly beginning to understand each other, even without discussing anything personal.
The only time they strayed from literary topics was when Atsushi, genuinely curious, asked when his university re-entry exam would take place, after learning the date, Atsushi went the extra mile, he requested a study guide from the supplier with college-level questions, when it arrived, he gave it to Akutagawa as a gift.
Akutagawa stood frozen, surprised, he didn’t know how to react, for years, it had been just him and his sister against the world, and receiving something from a stranger felt out of place, he tried to politely decline, when Atsushi insisted, he tried to pay for it, but again, Atsushi refused. Finally, the young bookseller playfully tossed the book at him and, with a grin, said:
“You can’t be that stubborn and refuse a gift from a friend.”
The word friend silenced Akutagawa, he stared at the book in his hands, and, almost in a whisper, muttered a quiet, “Thank you,” before leaving, that night, he sat down to study, his mind drifted between equations, elements of the periodic table and Atsushi’s smile, every time he answered a question from the guide, a warm feeling spread through his chest.
As the exam date approached, his visits to the bookstore became more frequent, the second floor was filled with useful books, yes, but that was no longer the only reason he came, Atsushi’s presence gave him a sense of calm, even if his heart beat a little faster every time he saw him.
On the day of the exam, Akutagawa gave it his all, half-jokingly, he thought that spending weeks locked in a bookstore talking to a bookworm should earn him some extra credit, he had completed his goal, now all that was left was to wait for the results, it was the perfect time to rest, however, when the usual hour came, he found himself getting ready to leave.
“Are you going out?” Gin asked, leaning out of her room.
“I’m going to the bookstore,” Akutagawa replied as he slipped on his shoes.
“Why?” she asked, genuinely curious.
The question made him pause. Why, indeed? He had no reason to go back, he’d returned all the books, he’d taken the exam, maybe, if he passed, he’d need to consult a book if the university library didn’t have it, but for now, there was no real reason to return, even so, his body kept moving, almost out of habit, in his mind, he pictured Atsushi waiting for him, eager to hear how it had gone, that image alone was reason enough.
“I have to pay for something I left pending,” he said, using it as an excuse.
“I’m coming with you!” Gin said brightly.
“You don’t have to—”
But she had already ignored him. She ran to put on her shoes, fortunately, she’d just returned from an outing with her friends and was still wearing a light white dress. Her long black hair danced in the breeze as they walked, Gin wasn’t naïve, she knew her brother never left debts unpaid, something was pulling him back to that bookstore and if that “something” had a name and surname, she fully intended to find out.
They walked side by side through the streets of Yokohama, when they arrived, the bell above the door chimed, and Atsushi’s familiar voice greeted them cheerfully:“Welcome!” But when he looked up and saw who had entered alongside Akutagawa his smile vanished, he had spent all day waiting to hear how the exam had gone, but the last thing he expected was to see Akutagawa walk in with a pretty girl at his side, moving through the shop with casual ease.
“So this is where you’ve been spending your time these past few months?” Gin asked, glancing at the shelves with interest.
Akutagawa wanted to talk to Atsushi, but he felt uncomfortable doing so in front of his sister, so instead of heading to the counter, he simply followed her as she wandered around the bookstore with curiosity, Atsushi watched them pass, without so much as a glance from Akutagawa, a faint sting shot through his chest, he stayed in place, pretending to be busy, though he couldn’t help sneaking glances at them from the corner of his eye.
Minutes passed, the siblings had already toured the entire bookstore when Gin, with a mischievous smile, reminded her brother that they’d come to “settle a debt,” Akutagawa knew there was no debt, but said nothing, he took a slow breath and walked toward the counter, before Atsushi could greet him or smile in that familiar way, Akutagawa spoke first.
“About the study guide, I need to pay you.”
“But I—” Atsushi blinked, caught off guard.
“I don’t need charity. I’m going to pay for it,” Akutagawa said, his tone clipped.
The words hit Atsushi, he swallowed hard, without meeting Akutagawa’s eyes, he quickly named a price not even half the guide’s real value he hadn’t bought it through the store’s inventory, he’d ordered it himself, directly from the supplier, not out of pity, but for…
He wasn’t ready to admit the reason, not now, not like this, and especially not after such distant behavior, he figured it must have something to do with the girl, his girlfriend, maybe? But even if she was they hadn’t done anything wrong, they were just friends. Weren’t they?
With quiet resignation, Atsushi kept his gaze low focused on the register, or the spines of the books stacked behind the counter, he didn’t even react when Gin stepped forward kindly and asked for his name, unlike her brother, she was warm and polite. she even smiled at him, Akutagawa didn’t miss it.
As soon as they left the store, he brought it up.
“You looked very happy in there,” he said in a neutral tone though it was anything but empty.
“It’s a lovely place,” Gin replied, unfazed. “And Atsushi seems really nice.”
“You’re calling him by name already? Just like that?”
“You don’t?” she asked, surprised. “I shouldn’t be shocked. You were so stiff with him. I’ll be mad at you if you scare him away.”
You? Akutagawa frowned. “Did you like him?”
Gin blinked at him, then burst out laughing.
“For God’s sake, no! He’s nice, yes, but… wasn’t he the reason you kept coming back?”
“What makes you think that?” Akutagawa looked away.
“I don’t know.” Gin gave him a sly smile, as if she knew everything already. “I just… noticed some tension. A moment ago.”
After listening to his sister, Akutagawa silently cursed himself for how he had behaved, if Gin could accept Atsushi so naturally, then what more approval did he need? He wanted to go back to the bookstore, to clear up the misunderstanding but it was too late to let Gin walk home alone, he told himself he’d go the next day.
The next day, when he entered the bookstore, he was greeted by Atsushi’s usual warm voice. But before he could reach the counter, Atsushi stepped away and motioned for another employee to take over.
“Can I help you with anything?” asked Tanizaki, now standing behind the register.
“I need to talk to Atsushi.”
“He stepped out for his break. But if it’s about something in the store, I’d be happy to help.”
“I’ll come back later,” Akutagawa replied, frowning slightly as he turned to leave.
He kept his word, he returned a couple more times, but Atsushi was never in sight, frustrated, he decided to take another approach, he went upstairs to the mezzanine, pulled an academic book from the loan section, and sat down to read, the exam results had already been released he had passed, School hadn’t started yet, and for once, he had time to spare, about half an hour later, Atsushi finally reappeared, the moment he spotted him, Akutagawa closed his book and stood to approach but before he could speak, Atsushi cut him off:
“If you want to talk, come back later. I’ve got a lot of work right now,” he said, lifting boxes toward the back room.
Before, that had never been a barrier between them, but this time, Atsushi’s tone was different.
“I can wait,” Akutagawa said quietly.
Atsushi fully expected him to leave, but he didn’t, hours passed, when Atsushi’s shift finally ended, Akutagawa was still there, seated upstairs, reading in silence, there were no more excuses,leaving without speaking would’ve been rude and cowardly, maybe Akutagawa deserved his coldness after what he’d said the day before, but letting it end like this would only build more distance, with a sigh, Atsushi climbed the stairs.
“If you were going to wait that long, you could’ve at least picked something more fun to read,” he said, appearing behind him. “You’ve been studying all summer.”
“You’re not wearing the uniform,” Akutagawa replied, calmly closing the book.
“My shift’s over,” Atsushi explained.
“About the other day…”
“Don’t worry about it,” Atsushi interrupted, forcing a smile. “Let’s just forget it happened. I shouldn’t have overstepped. I’m sorry.”
Akutagawa pressed his lips into a thin line.
“I never said I didn’t appreciate it,” he said, struggling with the words. “It helped me a lot. It’s just that that day I came with Gin, and she’s usually ...I didn’t want to…”
He trailed off, clearly frustrated, he, who was normally blunt who never lost composure or ramble now couldn’t find the words, he didn’t know how to explain that he’d been embarrassed because his sister had noticed his interest in Atsushi and instead of just saying something simple, like "Gin is my sister," he had stayed quiet and that silence had created yet another misunderstanding, without context, Atsushi had assumed Gin was his girlfriend. That maybe she was upset about the time Akutagawa spent in the bookstore or even jealous of who he spent that time with.
“Like I said, let’s just forget it,” Atsushi sighed as he walked over to a bookshelf. He picked up a book, flipped through it for a few seconds, and held it out to Akutagawa.
“What’s this?” Akutagawa asked, eyeing it warily.
“Studying’s important, but if you only read academic texts, you’re going to fry your brain. Take this and read it at home. A change of pace might do you good.”
After that, things seemed to return to normal between them, but the misunderstanding still lingered, while Atsushi resigned himself to the idea that they were just a bookseller and a customer, Akutagawa stood there with a copy of H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine in hand, silently berating himself for everything he hadn’t said, whenever he was in front of Atsushi, the words simply vanished.
He went home, the book tucked under his arm, thinking about what he should do, once school started, he’d run out of real excuses to come back, the university library had all the academic materials he needed. There would be no more guides, no more reason to visit the shop, with a sigh, he sat down in his room and opened the book.
Then he thought of something so obvious, he almost laughed, he didn’t need to go to the bookstore just for study materials, the place was filled with books of every genre, and who better to give him recommendations than Atsushi? Motivated by this revelation, he used all his free time to devour the novel, he returned to the store in record time, so quickly, in fact, that Atsushi almost gave him a quiz to make sure he’d really read it, but he was even more surprised when Akutagawa asked for another recommendation.
As a bookseller and a self-proclaimed bookworm, Atsushi lit up instantly, he started listing genres and authors, his eyes bright with excitement, Akutagawa, for his part, stood quietly, watching him, trying to keep his face neutral, but something inside him softened with every new title Atsushi mentioned.
Over the following weeks, their visits became something like a private book club, they’d pick a book on Monday, and by Friday, they’d meet again to discuss it, even when they started classes, they found time to read, clinging to the small ritual they’d built together.
One night, as Akutagawa sat reading in his room, the door opened.
“Reading again at this hour?” Gin leaned against the frame, arms crossed. “It’s almost midnight. You need to sleep.”
“Just one more chapter,” he replied, eyes still on the page.
“Is that book really that good or do you just want an excuse to go talk to Atsushi?”
“Both,” Akutagawa said flatly, flipping the page of his copy of Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island.
“And you can’t just ask him out like a normal person?” Gin raised an eyebrow.
“No.”
The answer was so honest that Gin simply let out a soft laugh before leaving him alone with his reading.
Friday arrived, and Akutagawa stepped into the bookstore with the book he was about to return tucked under his arm. Before entering, he paused by the window and looked inside. Atsushi was at the counter, carefully arranging a stack of books. Gin’s voice echoed in his mind: Can’t you just ask him out like a normal person?
He started gathering the courage to do it, a café, a fast food place, a walk in the park, any option would do, he just needed to take a small step, but the moment he pushed open the door and the bell above rang, all that courage seemed to scatter into the air, Atsushi looked up and greeted him with his usual cheerful “Welcome!” And just like that, they fell into their familiar routine.
After discussing the book, a customer walked in, Atsushi excused himself to help, leaving Akutagawa alone at the counter, as if the universe was giving him a sign, he glanced down and noticed the books Atsushi had been organizing, it was a romance series, young adult, judging by the pastel covers and the close-up of two intertwined hands on the front, he stared at it until Atsushi returned.
“I didn’t think you were the type to be interested in teen romance novels,” he said dryly.
“I’m not. I just thought maybe Gin would like it,” Akutagawa replied, using his sister as an excuse. “I don’t know if you remember her.”
The mention of Gin made something flicker in Atsushi’s eyes, a quiet reminder that, whatever he might’ve once imagined could happen between them, probably wasn’t going to happen.
“Oh, the pretty girl you brought with you the day you threw a tantrum? Yeah, I remember her,” Atsushi said with a teasing smirk.
“Pretty?” Akutagawa asked, frowning.
“No... well, yes,” Atsushi stammered. “She is. But that’s not... I mean, I’m not interested...”
“Do you like her?”
“No! No!” Atsushi said quickly, waving his hands. “I’m not really into girls, but I can tell when someone’s cute.”
The confession slipped out almost casually, Akutagawa blinked, Atsushi didn’t seem to realize the weight of what he’d just said, but to Akutagawa it was a revelation, an involuntary “Oh” escaped his lips, suddenly, the idea of asking him out didn’t sound quite so absurd, the odds, which once had felt like zero, were now... not zero. His heart had already started moving forward. But the words? They were still caught somewhere between his chest and his throat.
“Maybe you’d like to—”
“If you have time—”
They both spoke at the same time, their eyes met, and for a moment, they just stood there, awkwardly suspended in the pause, then Akutagawa gave Atsushi the floor with a subtle nod.
“Maybe you’d like a romance recommendation,” Atsushi said with a small smile, gesturing slightly toward the stairs. “There are a few good ones in the loan section, you and Gin could read it over the weekend.”
“Oh, yeah... I guess. Thanks,” Akutagawa muttered.
“And you?” Atsushi asked. “What were you going to say?”
“I forgot,” Akutagawa lied quietly.
They browsed the shelves until Atsushi handed him a well-kept copy of Pride and Prejudice.
“I’m not sure what kind of books Gin likes,” he said, “but this one’s a classic. She might at least find it interesting.”
Atsushi imagined them reading together, shoulder to shoulder, sharing pages and quiet moments, something tightened in his chest at the thought, but he smiled anyway, he had already accepted the circumstances, and if friendship was all he could have, he would still stay by his side.
That night, Akutagawa started reading the book, he didn’t want to admit it, but it annoyed him, more than once, why couldn’t the main characters just say what they felt? Why overthink something so obvious? When he returned to the bookstore the following week, he dove into a passionate analysis of the story, questioning the characters’ decisions, criticizing the misunderstandings, and complaining about the slow pace, Atsushi listened with amusement, smiling the whole time.
“Did Gin like it?” he asked when Akutagawa finally paused for breath.
“She didn’t want to read it,” Akutagawa lied, he didn’t even show it to her.
“Oh… I see. Maybe we can pick something else, then,” Atsushi said, standing up and walking toward the romance section.
Akutagawa followed him silently, watching as Atsushi ran his index finger along the spines of the books, as if each one held a possibility waiting to be lived, then something caught Akutagawa’s eye. A self-published book with a plain but bold cover, on a soft pastel background, the title read in cursive: Let’s Go on a Date.
“This one,” Akutagawa said, mustering the courage to take it from the shelf and hand it to Atsushi.
Atsushi looked at the book, then at him. He read the title, smiled lightly, and said, “I’m surprised you’re interested in self-published romance. I don’t usually read them much myself, but it’s good to give them a chance.”
Akutagawa’s eyes widened slightly, disbelieving, maybe the hint had been too subtle, so the next week, he tried again.
“Which one do you think is better?” he asked, holding out two romance novels. One was titled I Fell in Love With You, and the other, Do You Feel the Same?
Atsushi blinked, amused. “I really didn’t expect this side of you,” he said, tapping the second one. “This one has better reviews.”
Akutagawa rolled his eyes with a resigned sigh and went home,a few days later, he found himself sitting in his armchair, reflecting, while the borrowed book rested on the coffee table he realized something, Atsushi was never going to understand unless he said it clearly, face to face, that’s when Gin came home, dropped her bag, and sat beside him.
“These last books you’ve been reading are... a bit peculiar,” she commented, flipping the cover with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m not in the mood,” he said, without looking at her.
“Maybe if you talk to me, you’ll feel better.”
For a moment, he hesitated but figured he had nothing to lose, he told her everything, the bookstore visits, the book recommendations, the failed attempts, the misunderstanding with the self-published title, Gin listened attentively... until she couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a laugh.
“If you’re just going to make fun of me—”
“No, no, it’s not that!” she said between giggles. “It’s just... it’s a little weird hearing you talk about this. But I’m glad. And now that you’ve finally figured it out... go tell him.”
“You’ve lost your mind,” Akutagawa muttered, giving her a look.
“I’m not going to sit back and watch my brother ruin what’s probably his only chance at love,” she replied, arms crossed.
“That was rude.”
“The truth usually is,” Gin said triumphantly.
Akutagawa sighed, closed his eyes, and gave in, maybe Gin was right, maybe it really was time to do something about it, they headed to the bookstore, but with every step, Akutagawa’s courage wavered, maybe Atsushi had picked up on the hints but was ignoring them to avoid an awkward situation, a thousand scenarios raced through his mind until they reached the door.
“Welcome, we’re about to close—” Atsushi called from the counter, stopping mid-sentence when he saw who it was.
The moment he saw Gin with him, his body visibly tensed, she, noticing this, discreetly stepped aside to give them some space, Atsushi walked to the door and flipped the sign to “Closed,” the other employees had already left.
“Can we talk for a moment?” Akutagawa asked, nodding toward the stairs.
Atsushi hesitated nervously, but nodded, they climbed the spiral staircase in silence, from time to time, Atsushi glanced down, where Gin pretended to browse the shelves, once upstairs, they walked to the most secluded corner, behind a tall bookshelf, there, under the warm light and the scent of old paper, they stood facing each other, a long pause stretched between them until Akutagawa broke the silence.
“I’ve been trying to tell you something for a while now.”
“What do you mean?” Atsushi asked, puzzled.
“What I feel for you isn’t friendship,” Akutagawa said plainly, stepping closer.
Atsushi took a slight step back, surprised. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“No matter what I do, you never seem to pick up on the signs.”
“Well if you want to say something like that, shouldn’t you be a little more... direct?”
“You’re right,” Akutagawa whispered, gently cornering him against the shelf. “Is this direct enough?”
The space between them was minimal now, but Akutagawa didn’t close it, he stood there, close enough for Atsushi to make the choice, Atsushi leaned in a bit, eyes slightly narrowed and then suddenly stopped.
“Wait, what about Gin?”
“What about her?” Akutagawa frowned.
“I mean... isn’t she...?”
“Brother, are you done?, because... oh my God, sorry, I’ll leave you two alone!” Gin's voice cut in from the end of the aisle.
She was about to turn and flee when Atsushi’s stunned voice called out:
“WAIT! Did you say... ‘brother’?”
“Yes,” Gin confirmed, clearly amused.
Atsushi looked at Akutagawa, dumbfounded. “She’s not your girlfriend?”
Akutagawa frowned deeper, as if even suggesting that was an insult.
“Ew,” Gin said playfully from the stairs.
“All this time I thought...” Atsushi put a hand to his forehead, overwhelmed.
“I don’t know why I thought subtle hints would work,” Akutagawa muttered, more annoyed with himself than anything.
“Well, now that everything’s cleared up... finish what you were doing. I’ll wait downstairs,” Gin said before vanishing behind a row of books.
An awkward silence settled between them. Both blushing. Both unsure how to continue.
“I—” Akutagawa started, but his voice faltered.
“Tomorrow,” Atsushi cut in suddenly, “there’s going to be a book fair. Do you... want to go with me?”
“With pleasure,” Akutagawa said, nodding calmly.
He stepped forward again, this time closing the space between them. And finally, after weeks of shared books, conversations, hints, and misread signs, they shared their first kiss, later, when they left the store hand-in-hand with Gin walking ahead, Akutagawa glanced at the sign on the door "We can help you find what you're looking for."
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Because now, he had.