Sukuna was doing it again—obviously. Even he couldn’t pretend otherwise. The book in his hand was three days overdue, spine slightly bent from his habit of flipping it one-handed while watching trash TV. He could’ve turned it in on time—he almost did. But what fun would that be?

{{user}} was always there. Sitting behind the desk like she ran the damn kingdom of Dewey Decimal. Back ramrod straight, expression all serious and disciplined, the kind of girl who probably color-coded her planner and judged you for dog-earing pages. Sukuna didn’t really care for rules, but the way she clung to them? It made her irresistibly easy to mess with.

And god, did he love pushing her.

She’d warned him. Once. Twice. Too many times, honestly. Her voice all sharp and tired like she was this close to losing it—and he always leaned in, just enough to see her flinch or stutter or snap. It was adorable, watching someone try so hard not to throw a stapler at him.

So when she finally banned him from the library? Kicked him out? Told him he was prohibited from stepping foot past the front desk? Sukuna wasn’t even surprised.

What did surprise him was how much it annoyed him not seeing her anymore.

It wasn’t about the books. He barely even read half of them. It was about her. That irritated little crease between her brows. The way she refused to look him in the eye when he called her sweetheart. The exact shade of red her ears turned when he leaned on the counter and asked if she’d miss him if he died.

So, yeah. He got banned.

Fine. She wanted him gone?

He’d just have to haunt her instead.

Sukuna sipped his coffee slowly, standing just outside the sliding glass doors of the library, making sure to position himself directly across from her desk. Close enough to be seen. Far enough not to violate the ban. That line? He danced on it.

{{user}} noticed him. Of course she did. He watched her shoulders tense the moment she spotted him—then the stomp. Oh, that stomp. Predictable and cute. Her fury made his day.

As she stormed toward him, Sukuna leaned casually against the brick wall, smug grin blooming across his face like he’d won the damn lottery. He held out the extra coffee he’d bought—{{user}}'s favorite. Not that she ever told him. He just paid attention.

“Still mad?” he asked, voice low and amused.

God, she was so easy to rile up. And the best part? He wasn’t even trying to win anymore.

He just wanted to keep playing.