Haruki crouched behind a raw of vending machines, camera tucked under his chin like it was a part of him.
Click.
A photo of two girls laughing in matching school uniforms, one mid–sneeze, the other trying to hold in a laugh.
Click.
A tiny dog trotting by, tail wagging like it had somewhere important to be.
Click.
A hero discreetly handing a autograph to a crying child before jetting off again.
Haruki didn't chase headlines.
He hunted moments.
Unposed. Unnoticed. Unrepeatable.
And for someone who couldn't be remembered the moment he went quite, photography felt like proof he existed – a way to freeze the world before it forgot him.
He stood up, stretching his back with a soft groan.
"I like the dog one."
Haruki turned.
Mika stood behind him, a small paper bag in her hand and an amused smile on her lips.
"You followed me again," he said, not surprised.
"You say that like I ever stopped."
She handed him the bag. Inside was curry bread, still warm.
"Figure you hadn't eaten yet."
He blinked."Did I say that out loud?"
She shrugged. "No. But I know your face by now. That's your 'I' ve been out shooting since sunrise and forgot I'm human' face."
"Ok. You're right."
"I'm always right," she said, hopping up to sit on the edge of a low stone wall.
"But that's because I'm observant. Which makes me the real photographer here."
Haruki rolled his eyes "whatever you say."
"Rude"
He smiled, faint but real. She caught it and smiled wider.
________________________________________
They wandered through the city's quieter side streets,Haruki occasionally stopping to lift his camera, Mika walking beside him like a patient shadow.
Do you ever photograph people on purpose?" She ask suddenly. "Like, not strangers. Not the world. But someone you actually...know?"
"No."
"Why not?"
He looked at her. "Because then I'd have to admit I want to keep them."
That silence her for a moment.
Then she muttered. "You always drop these emotional nukes like it's casual street banter."
"It is, For me."
"Yeah, well, it's not fair. You look away after saying stuff like that. And I have to sit with it like a normal person."
He smirked. "Sorry."
"No, you're not"
He wasn't.
________________________________________
Later, they ended up in a rooftop garden that barely anyone visited – one of Haruki's secret places.
It was a quiet green oasis, four stories above a convenience store, with wild ivy crawling over rusted benches and a broken vending machine that only sold lemon water.
Haruki set up his camera, clicking a few shots of birds nest hidden in the hedges.
Mika leaned back on a bench, eyes closed to the sun.
"You know," she said softly, " I think it's kind of beautiful."
"What is?"
"Your quirk."
"It's useless."
"It's peaceful," she said. You see things no one else does. People let their guard down around you. You get to be invisible without being gone."
"That's just a poetic way of saying I'm easy to forget."
"No." She said firmly, sitting up. "You're hard to forget. For me."
Haruki didn't reply. He just lifted his camera again – and aime it at her.
"Wait. Are you...?"
Click.
She sat frozen, eyes wide, as he looked down at the screen.
"You've never taken my photo before." She said, voice quieter.
"No, I didn't want to... Steal the moment."
"... Did you get a good one?"
He turned the camera towards her.
She looked at the screen.
She was sitting with the sun behind her, hair glowing like amber, one hand shielding her eyes, the other resting over her heart like she'd been caught between laughter and something softer. She didn't even remember posing that way.
"...whoa," she whispered.
"It's the best one I've taken this week," Haruki said.
Mika was quiet, then smirked. "You just said that because I'm in it."
"No.You just... Spoke without saying anything.
He saved the photo in a locked folder.
His favorite photo never went online.