Page 74 of Faking the Goal

PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF OTHER READERS. KEEP VOICES LOW.

Then he looks back at me.

"Did you miss the signs posted literally everywhere in this lounge," he asks flatly, "or do you just enjoy screaming in public spaces?"

I gape at him. "Oh, please. You scared the shit out of me. That scream was entirely your fault."

"I was just standing here."

I scoff. "Exactly. Standing completely still in a dark corner with a book covering your face. You looked creepy as hell."

"Creepy?"

"Yes. I rounded the corner and suddenly there's this big, broody figure lurking in front of me. What was I supposed to do?"

"You were the one who walked into me."

I harrumph. Minor detail. "What are you even doing here anyway?"

Kentaro bends down and picks up one of the books that landed near his shoe, handing it to me.

"Reading."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I gathered that from the book you were using as facial camouflage." I take it from him. "I mean here. On Thanksgiving."

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Yeah, but I asked first."

"I live here."

My head jerks back. "You live here?"

"My mom lives upstairs. There's an apartment on the second floor." He picks up another one of my fallen books. "I've been staying with her for a while. The café's ours too."

I stare at him. "Wait. This place is yours?"

"My family's," he corrects.

Well, shit.

Of all the apartments I could've picked, I somehow moved within walking distance of Kentaro Azuma.

Small fucking world.

"And you?" he asks.

"I just moved into a place nearby. I was heading to the convenience store, saw this place was open, and..." I glance at the ridiculous pile of manga currently scattered around my feet. "Got distracted."

His brows pull together. "You moved today?"

"Yep."

"On Thanksgiving?"

I chuckle. "Yep. Figured I'd really commit to making the holiday memorable this year."

A crease forms between his brows. "You didn't celebrate with your family?"