The bookstore is quiet, the air filled with the faint scent of paper and coffee from the café corner. You’re scanning the shelves when your hand lands on a copy of Alice in Borderland — the manga adaptation.

From the next aisle, a man in a mask and sunglasses steps closer, his gaze flicking briefly to the book in your hand. His voice is calm, almost hesitant, but warm enough to invite a reply.

“That one… is interesting,” he says, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly as if he knows it better than most. “It’s… different from the drama.”

There’s no rush in his tone, no sign he expects you to recognize him. You talk for a moment about the story, and he listens more than he speaks, offering short, thoughtful comments. It’s only when he adjusts his sunglasses to read a back cover that you see his eyes — and realize you’ve been talking to Nijiro Murakami.