The library corner became their unspoken headquarters.
For the next week, Ren returned every day. At first, Hana remained tense, her "Sinon-senses" on high alert, waiting for the moment he’d get bored or realize that talking to the school’s most invisible girl wasn't "cool."
But Ren was different when the gym doors were closed. He didn’t talk about his free-throw percentage or the upcoming scouts. Instead, he talked about the logic of virtual worlds and how he secretly wished he could just disappear into a book sometimes.
"I can't carry a book around like you do," Ren admitted one afternoon, leaning back in the creaky chair. He flicked a small, silver pin on his backpack—a subtle design of a sword and a rapier. "If my teammates saw me reading Light Novels, I’d never hear the end of it. 'Focus on the ball, Ren,' 'Stay in the zone, Ren.' It’s exhausting."
Hana looked at him, really looked at him. She saw the dark circles under his eyes that the hallway lights usually hid. "You're playing a character," she said softly. "Just like Kirito. But you don't have a logout button."
Ren’s breath hitched. "Exactly. To them, I’m just a 'Point Guard.' I’m not a person."
Hana felt a surge of courage. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small, blue spiral notebook. She slid it across the table toward him.
"What's this?" Ren asked.
"A shared log," Hana whispered, her face heating up. "If we can't talk because people are watching... we can leave notes. I hide it behind the Encyclopedia of Modern History on the third shelf. Nobody ever touches that book."
Ren opened the first page. Hana had drawn a small, remarkably detailed sketch of Sinon’s scarf in the corner.
He smiled—a real one, the kind that reached his eyes. "A secret channel. I like it."
The "Secret Channel" worked for three days. They exchanged thoughts on episodes, sketches, and small details about their day. Hana found herself smiling at her locker, her heart light for the first time since middle school.
But shadows never stay hidden forever.
On Thursday, Hana was waiting in the corner, the notebook tucked under her arm. She heard the familiar rhythmic thud of expensive sneakers, but the footsteps weren't alone.
"Renny! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"
Hana froze. That voice was like a sharp blade—high-pitched, confident, and dangerously sweet.
Chloe swung around the corner of the bookshelves. She was wearing her dance team jacket, her blonde ponytail swinging perfectly. Behind her, Ren looked like he wanted to sink into the floorboards.
Chloe’s eyes scanned the room, landing on the dusty corner. She stopped, her smile faltering for a split second as she noticed Hana sitting there.
"Oh," Chloe said, her voice dripping with artificial kindness. "I didn't think anyone actually sat back here. It’s so... damp."
Ren cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "I was just... looking for a reference book, Chloe. I’m coming."
Chloe didn't move. She stepped closer to the table, her shadow looming over Hana. She looked down at the blue notebook in Hana’s hand.
"Are you the girl from Ren’s English class? The one who never speaks?" Chloe asked. She didn't wait for an answer. She turned to Ren, laughing softly. "Ren, you’re so sweet. Are you tutoring her? I knew you were a softie, but helping the 'Ghost' of Westview? That’s practically charity work."
Hana felt the old, cold familiar sting in her chest. Charity work. She looked down at her lap, her fingers gripping the notebook so hard the wire spiraling dug into her skin. She wanted to disappear. She wanted her perception filter to turn on and make her invisible again.
"She doesn't need a tutor, Chloe," Ren said, his voice dropping an octave. He reached out, his hand hovering near the table. "She’s actually smarter than me."
Chloe’s eyes narrowed. She looked back at Hana, her gaze sharp and calculating. She saw the way Ren was looking at the girl in the hoodie—not with pity, but with a weirdly intense focus.
"Well, lunch is starting, and the team is waiting for their captain," Chloe said, grabbing Ren’s arm. She pulled him toward the exit, but before they left, she glanced back over her shoulder.
"See you around, Hana," Chloe said. Her smile didn't reach her eyes this time. "Make sure you stay in the library. You wouldn't want to get lost in the halls. It’s a big school for someone so... small."
Ren looked back at Hana, his mouth opening as if to say something, but Chloe pulled him away before he could.
The library was silent again.
Hana sat alone in the dim light. She looked at the blue notebook. The joy she had felt minutes ago was gone, replaced by the crushing weight of her own invisibility. Chloe was right. In the bright lights of the hallway, next to a star like Ren, Hana wasn't a partner.
She was just a ghost who didn't know her place.
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