CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 32: MY DATE WITH REINA

The café Reina had chosen wasn’t one of those loud, student-filled haunts. No chatter about homework, no screeching chairs, no over-caffeinated teenagers taking selfies in front of the pastry counter. This place was tucked away on a narrow, lantern-lit side street, the kind you wouldn’t find unless you were looking for it.

Renji arrived five minutes early, leaning casually against the wall outside. The air smelled faintly of roasted beans, warm bread, and the crispness of an early evening breeze. He’d timed his arrival so he could watch her walk in.

When Reina appeared, it was like the rest of the street dimmed a little. She wore a soft cream sweater that clung just enough to make him notice, paired with dark jeans that emphasized her legs without shouting for attention. Her hair, normally tied back at school, was loose tonight, soft waves catching the streetlight.

"Early?" she said as she reached him, one eyebrow lifting in playful surprise. "That’s a first."

"I didn’t want to miss my view," Renji replied without missing a beat.

Her smirk widened. "Careful. You say things like that and people might think you’re charming."

"Only might

?"

They stepped inside, and the warm air wrapped around them. The café was small but deliberate. Dark wood tables, shelves lined with books that looked older than the building itself, and amber lights casting soft halos above each table. Smooth jazz hummed quietly in the background, the kind of music you didn’t notice until it wrapped around you.

Renji chose a table in the corner, far from the few other patrons. Their coffees came quickly, her cappuccino topped with perfect foam, his black coffee steaming in a thick ceramic cup. Reina stirred hers slowly, her eyes fixed on him as though she could read more from his face than from the swirl in her cup.

"So," she began, voice calm but edged with curiosity, "tell me why you agreed to meet me here when you know Rika would probably skin you alive if she found out."

Renji took a measured sip, letting the bitter warmth linger on his tongue before answering. "Because I don’t answer to anyone. And because you intrigue me."

Her smile was subtle, almost private. "Intrigue, huh? You say that like you’ve already figured me out."

"I haven’t," he said, leaning forward slightly, "and that’s why I’m here."

Their conversation flowed easily about favorite books, the quirks of their school’s staff, and little personal stories that seemed harmless but hinted at deeper layers. Every now and then, her hand would brush his across the table, deliberate enough to see if he’d react. He didn’t pull away.

Halfway through the date, Reina crossed her legs, her gaze never leaving his. "You know, you’re a dangerous kid, Renji. You play with fire like you’ve never been burned."

"I’ve been burned plenty," he murmured, "but I learned to enjoy the heat."

Her lips curved in a slow, deliberate smile. "Careful. You might find mine’s hotter than you can handle."

The moment stretched between them, charged.

When they finished their drinks, Reina suggested a walk. The street outside was cooler now, lit by old-style lamps that bathed the cobblestone in soft gold. She walked close enough for him to catch the faint trace of her perfume, something floral with a hidden sharpness, like her.

They stopped at a small bookshop with a single glowing window. She glanced inside and grinned. "Come on. Let’s see if you can judge a book by its cover."

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of paper and ink. Reina moved between the shelves like she belonged there, pulling out random titles and making him guess the plots from the covers. He countered with equally ridiculous summaries, each one earning either a laugh or a mock glare from her.

After the bookshop, they wandered toward the park, where the lamps cast dappled shadows through the trees. A street vendor sold roasted chestnuts near the entrance, and Reina bought a small paper bag, offering him one. He took it, letting his fingers brush hers. She didn’t pull away.

At a bench overlooking a quiet pond, they sat for a while in easy silence, the distant hum of the city softened by the rustle of leaves.

"This was... nice," she said at last, her voice low. "Dangerous, but nice." She turned her head toward him, eyes glinting. "If you want more... you’ll have to come find me."

Renji’s grin was slow, confident. "I always find what I want."

She held his gaze a second longer before standing, her steps measured and deliberate as she walked away.

The system’s voice slid into his mind like a whisper.

[Emotional Sync with Reina: 48% – Curiosity Ignited]

And as he watched her disappear into the night, he could feel it, Rika’s sync pulsing faintly in the back of his mind, almost as if she knew.

The game had just gotten sharper.