Episode 3: Shadows Between the Shelves
The rain hadn't stopped all morning. By the time Ruelle and Enna stepped into Solstice Books, their scarves were damp, and the wooden floor creaked beneath their hurried steps.
"Remind me again why we didn't just call in sick?" Enna sighed, tossing her bag onto the counter.
"Because we love books," Ruelle replied with a half-smile.
She moved toward the back section — the quietest part of the store, where rare books slept under layers of dust and forgotten time. It was always her favorite corner. Peaceful, timeless… safe.
Until today.
Her eyes scanned the shelves out of habit. But then she froze.
Something was wrong.
The old leather-bound book — the one with no title, the one she always dusted carefully — was not in its usual spot.
She blinked and looked again. The shelf was just… empty. The book was gone.
Her heart dropped. She crouched down, searching nearby.
It wasn't stolen — she found it a few feet away, awkwardly wedged behind other volumes as if someone had moved it without care. Still, panic gripped her chest.
She whispered to herself, "This shelf was my responsibility…"
She picked up the book with trembling hands, brushing the dust from its cover. Something about this one always felt different — almost sacred.
Enna called from the counter, "Ruelle! There's someone here!"
Ruelle walked out, clutching the book tightly.
A man stood at the front desk. Tall, well-dressed, his coat glistening with raindrops. His presence was commanding… cold.
"Good morning," he said softly, but his eyes were locked on Ruelle. "I was just browsing. But perhaps you can help me."
Ruelle nodded, still slightly shaken. "Of course, sir. Is there something specific you're looking for?"
He stepped forward. "I came looking for a… rare volume. Something forgotten by most." His eyes flicked down to the book in her hand.
She instinctively pulled it closer to her chest.
"I-I just found it," she stammered. "It… it was misplaced. I thought it was gone. The manager entrusted me with the back collection, and I almost lost this one."
"A mistake?" His voice was calm, yet sharp like a blade beneath silk.
She nodded, nervously. "Yes. I was worried it was… stolen."
He stepped even closer. "Then wipe your sweat. There's no need for guilt over what wasn't lost."
But her hands trembled.
And her heart felt heavy. Why did this stranger's words feel so… familiar?
She couldn't speak. Couldn't move.
His eyes lingered on her one last time. Then he turned and left the shop… without buying anything.
The door swung closed behind him.
And just as the silence settled, it opened again.
A gust of wind blew in — along with another man. This one completely different.
Warm eyes. Slightly messy hair. A crooked smile that carried no secrets.
He looked around, then caught sight of Ruelle.
His gaze stopped.
And something in his expression shifted — soft, curious, struck by something he couldn't name.
Ruelle blinked.
He smiled gently and said, "Hi. I'm… sorry, I just saw this place and walked in. Didn't expect it to be so beautiful."
Ruelle's lips parted, caught off guard. "The… bookstore?"
He smiled again. "That too."
And just like that — in the quiet after the storm, with the scent of old books in the air — a new thread began to weave itself silently through the story.
One that could either heal the past…
Or break it all over again.
To be continued…