Luna stretched on her toes, reaching for a book on the highest shelf.
Leo smiled and smoothly took the book from behind her shoulder.
He had seen this scene countless times in movies.
She turned to look at him, eyes wide.
Leo scratched just beneath his nose and said,
"What is it—got lost in my charm?"
She forced herself to straighten.
"Definitely… not."
Leo spread his hands.
"Whatever you say."
There was a brief pause.
Then he added casually,
"Well? Aren't you going to take the book?"
Luna blinked.
"No. I— I should go."
Luna quickly took her own book from the shelf, avoiding his eyes, and hurried toward the exit.
***
The first day Luna walked into the library, Leo remembered thinking—
*What if I never find her?*
*What if I'm forced to do it?*
*What if I fall in love with her?*
Lost in his thoughts, Leo had just parked his motorcycle when he noticed a girl running toward the library.
He moved toward her.
With every step closer, the bracelet burned brighter.
He lowered his hand from his face, but the red stone still glowed.
*Is it her?*
*The bearer of the complementary bracelet?*
His pulse spiked.
He turned and saw her heading toward the park.
He followed.
Just to check.
But before he realized it, his hand had already closed around her wrist.
Now he was sure.
Then reality crashed in.
What would she think?
Leo pulled back and ran.
Not from the girl—
but from himself.
He ran a hand through his hair and whispered,
"She's scared of me now. I shouldn't be terrifying to her."
A woman approached the girl.
Leo watched them carefully—then reminded himself to focus.
Only her.
Following won't fix anything.
The woman called the girl by name.
"Luna," Leo repeated to himself.
***
The next day, Leo went to her building.
Not as a stalker.
As the one who carried the complementary bracelet.
Yet something in his gut told him he still needed the black cloak.
He stood across from her door, waiting for her to come out—
when suddenly, a voice rang out.
"Who are you?!"
He wanted to explain everything.
All of it.
But nothing about this sounded logical.
Not the bracelets. Not the following. Not him.
So he did the only thing that felt familiar.
He went back to the library.
And then—
he saw her.
Luna stood there, as if she had appeared out of nowhere.
For a split second, Leo's breath caught.
*Did she find me?*
Fear hit him before reason did. His legs gave out, and he stumbled, crashing against the shelf.
Then a hand reached toward him.
A tissue.
He looked up—and saw confusion, not fear.
That's when it hit him.
*She doesn't know.*
*Luna still doesn't know anything.*
***
That night, Leo stayed outside her building.
All night.
He stood there, pacing, stopping, starting again—arguing with himself.
Should he steal her bracelet?
Should he end this before it got worse?
Hours passed.
His conscience wouldn't let him move.
Until he whispered to the empty street,
"This isn't a choice. It's an obligation. I'm sorry, Luna."
From his pocket, he pulled out a small vial.
The potion of corruption.
He drank every last drop.
When the sky finally began to pale, Leo took out another bottle. He poured the liquid over the door's lock.
The metal softened instantly.
He slipped inside.
Floor by floor, he climbed the stairs.
"Where are you…" he muttered.
Suddenly, a door opened on one of the floors.
Leo froze—then masked it instantly.
He turned to the man and smiled.
"Oh—don't worry. I'm not a thief. I just arrived from another city. My flight landed an hour ago. I have a key, I just… can't find my sister's apartment."
The man studied him for a moment, then relaxed.
"I might be able to help. I'm heading to my hospital shift anyway. What's your sister's name?"
"Luna," Leo said.
Then, remembering the library card, he hesitated—only for a second.
"Luna Morin."
"Oh, you mean the woman who just moved in? I think she's on the fourth floor. The one Mr. Tom rented the place for."
*Who is Mr. Tom?*
Leo nodded anyway.
"Yes. That's right. Thank you."
When he reached the fourth floor, a thought crossed his mind.
*By the time that man leaves the building… will the lock-breaking spell be gone?*
Leo poured a little more of the liquid onto Luna's door lock.
The metal softened instantly.
The door creaked open, and he stepped inside quietly.
*This is only to save myself. And Luna,* he reminded himself.
The apartment was filled with books—everywhere. Stacks on the floor, shelves overflowing. Leo had to carefully step between them.
"So that explains it," he muttered.
"All that excitement over fantasy books."
That crooked smile appeared on his lips—then he quickly wiped it away with his hand.
His eyes landed on something familiar.
"Oh. My helmet."
It sat on the table near the door.
Leo moved farther inside.
Luna was asleep on her bed.
Her hair was messy, softly wavy, a light brown shade that caught the faint glow of the room. Her face was small, peaceful. Her closed eyelids looked as if they were naturally brushed with a soft pink shadow.
"So innocent," he whispered.
He pressed a hand to his own head.
*You're not here for this.*
Something was wrong.
With every second he looked at her, the potion's grip weakened.
He was supposed to steal the bracelet.
Yet something held him back.
"Just do it," he told himself.
He stepped closer and reached for her wrist.
Luna shifted in her sleep.
"No…" she murmured softly.
Leo froze and pulled his hand back.
She moved again—restless.
Then suddenly—
"No!"
She cried out, her body tensing.
Leo's heart jumped.
Without thinking, he rushed to the window and climbed out.
Then reality hit him.
"No—no—this is the fourth floor."
His hands clung tightly to the edge as panic surged through him.
"If I fall, I'm actually going to die."
A sound came from above.
Leo slowly lifted his head.
Luna was standing by the window now.
Awake.
Her eyes were closed, her hand pressed to her stomach as she took slow, deep breaths.
*Is she okay?*
Yes. She's breathing. She's standing.
She just had a nightmare.
And almost killed me.
Leo quickly dropped his gaze, pulling himself lower so Luna wouldn't see him.
From inside, he heard her speak softly to herself—something about not letting this keep her inside forever.
Footsteps.
She moved away from the window.
Leo waited.
Then carefully, quietly, he pulled himself back up.
And froze.
Luna stood in front of her wardrobe, changing clothes.
Leo instantly covered one eye.
"I'm not a creep," he whispered urgently.
He turned away and, as the sky slowly began to lighten with the first signs of morning, he finally left.
He had spent the entire night battling the thought of the bracelet.
And in the end—
He still didn't have it.
Strangely, that wasn't what troubled him anymore.
What stayed with him…
was the way Luna had held her stomach at the window.
And the fear in her breath.