Chapter 12: Our First Public Date (And I'm Pretty Sure Someone Wants to Kill Me)
If there's one thing worse than pretending to be the boyfriend of Japan's most famous vampire idol……it's doing it in public.
And not just any public.We were in Shibuya.
On a Sunday.
When every single human in Japan apparently decided to go outside at the same time.
"Why are we here?!" I hissed, clinging to the brim of my cap like it was a lifeline.
"Because the agency said we need to 'build chemistry in the public eye,'" Riku replied calmly, adjusting his sunglasses.
"That doesn't mean we have to walk into a death trap! Look at them—" I jerked my chin toward the crowd. "They're all taking photos!"
"They're fans," he said smoothly, slipping his arm around my shoulder. "Smile."
"I—HEY!"
Click. Click. Click.Dozens of phones went off at once like paparazzi machine guns.
The first fifteen minutes were… survivable. We strolled through Shibuya Crossing, stopped for bubble tea, and I only had a mild anxiety attack when someone yelled "Riku-kun, sukiiiii!" from across the street.
Then came the café.
The moment we stepped inside, it was like dropping a celebrity into an anthill. Heads turned. Girls whispered. Phones came out.
I tried to focus on my coffee.But then I noticed something weird.
One guy in the corner—hood up, mask on—wasn't taking pictures.He was just… staring.
At me.
"Uh… Riku?" I murmured. "We've got a creeper at three o'clock."
Without looking, Riku reached over and adjusted my scarf so it covered more of my neck. His voice was low, serious.
"Don't turn around. Just drink your coffee."
My stomach knotted. "O-okay… why are you suddenly in spy mode?"
"…Because that man's not a fan," he said quietly. "And I can hear his heartbeat."
My blood froze.
The rest of the café visit was a blur. Riku kept a casual smile on for the crowd, but I could feel his arm tense around me.
When we finally left, I glanced back—The man was gone.
Or maybe… following us.
We ducked into a side street, away from the main crowd. My pulse was in my throat.
"Riku, what the hell was—"
"Shh." He moved faster than I could blink, pressing me against the wall and shielding me with his coat.
From behind him, I caught a glimpse of movement—someone slipping back into the crowd with a glint of silver in their hand.
A knife.
"They know," Riku muttered under his breath. "They know you're with me."
My mind spun. "Who—?"
"Vampire hunters," he said flatly.
And just like that, my nice fake-romance Sunday date turned into a horror movie.
TO BE CONTINUED…