Chapter 9 — Torn Between Two Worlds

Narrator: Noa thought things couldn't get messier but then Rika, her blunt, gorgeous coworker, starts acting weird around Reno. At first, it's suspiciously friendly.

Too friendly.

Rika Starts Hanging Around Reno During Filming, Touching His Arm "By Accident," And Laughing At His Worst Jokes.

Noa tries to ignore it until she realizes Rika might be trying to *steal* Reno for personal gain, or maybe for her own twisted entertainment. Meanwhile, Reno starts behaving differently too distracted, conflicted, maybe even jealous?

One badly timed recording session turns into a chaotic game of seduction, sabotage, and a kiss that never should've happened.

Noa slammed her locker shut with the kind of force that would scare most people.

Rika wasn't most people.

The tall, glamorous assistant producer leaned beside the locker row, sipping on a matcha latte like she was posing for a magazine spread.

"Rough morning?" Rika asked, voice honeyed but sharp around the edges.

Noa forced a smile. "Just a normal day wrangling a half-naked sketchbook boy."

Rika chuckled. "He's charming in his own... disaster way."

Something about the way she said "charming" made Noa's stomach twist.

Not jealousy. Just... nerves.

Yes. That's all.

---

At the filming studio, chaos was already on-brand.

Reno was on set in a half-buttoned dress shirt, standing in front of a green screen.

The producer yelled, "Reno, remember! This week's theme is *daily life tips!* Try to be relatable."

"Got it," Reno said. "Tip #1: Never trust pants. They'll betray you."

Noa facepalmed from the side.

Rika appeared behind her, holding a second matcha latte.

"Thought you might need this."

Noa took it suspiciously.

Rika sauntered up to Reno between takes.

"Your mic's slipping," she said, adjusting it for him—way too slowly. Her hand lingered near his chest.

Reno blinked. "Is that... supposed to happen?"

She laughed, low and sultry. "Maybe."

Noa choked on her drink.

---

The week spiraled fast.

Rika began "dropping by" every shoot.

She brought snacks for the crew—and specifically handed Reno the heart-shaped cookies.

She offered to help with "blocking practice" that involved a lot of touching.

And worst of all?

Reno let her.

Noa caught herself staring more than once. Watching Rika flip her hair, whisper in Reno's ear, smile like she already owned him.

And Reno… didn't push her away.

He laughed.

He joked.

He flirted back.

Noa wanted to throw a light stand at both of them.

Instead, she tried to stay professional.

Tried.

---

It finally broke during a wardrobe meeting.

Noa, Reno, and Rika were crammed in a tiny costume room surrounded by racks of blazers and questionable leather jackets.

The stylist was late.

Reno sat on a stool in a half-zipped hoodie, legs too long and patience too short.

Rika leaned against the wall, twirling a tie in her fingers. "This would look great on you," she said, moving toward Reno.

Before Noa could process what was happening, Rika draped the tie around Reno's neck and slowly pulled it tighter—playfully, but still.

"Ever worn one properly?" Rika asked.

"Depends what you mean by properly," Reno grinned.

Something snapped in Noa's chest.

"Okay," she said loudly. "Let's not turn this into a Fifty Shades promo."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are you jealous?"

Noa froze.

Reno looked between them, suddenly quiet.

"No," Noa said, too fast. "I'm just trying to keep things professional."

Rika smirked. "Of course. Professional."

But the way she said it meant the opposite.

---

That night, Reno didn't make a joke.

He didn't manifest in the fridge or set off a glitter trap in the hallway.

He just sat on the floor of Noa's tiny apartment, arms wrapped around his knees, staring at the sketchbook.

Noa sat beside him.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded, then shook his head.

"She likes me," he said softly.

"Yeah," Noa said. "She does."

"And you don't."

It wasn't a question.

She swallowed. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

Silence.

Noa reached over, picked up the sketchbook.

"I didn't draw you to fall in love with you," she said.

Reno looked at her. "But you did."

"No," she said. "I drew you because I was lonely. Because I was tired of the real world being boring and predictable and full of people who pretended not to see me."

He looked down.

She whispered, "But maybe that's the same thing."

Reno reached out, gently touching her fingers. "I'm not real, Noa. You know that, right?"

Her heart pounded.

"You feel real."

He smiled—sad this time.

And then he leaned in.

The kiss was soft. Cautious. Like testing the edge of a dream.

Noa didn't pull away.

Not at first.

But then—

She stood up.

"We can't."

Reno's eyes burned. "Why not?"

"Because if I fall for you, and you disappear—what happens to me?"

He didn't answer.

Just vanished.

Right in front of her.

---

The next morning, Noa woke up with the sketchbook glowing faintly on her nightstand.

His page was blank.

No doodle.

No Reno.

Just white.

Empty.

She stared at it for a long time.

Wondering.

Wishing.

Regretting.

---

At the studio, things felt... wrong.

The crew shuffled around.

Rika wore a smug grin like a trophy.

"Where's Reno?" someone asked.

Noa didn't answer.

Rika leaned over. "Trouble in sketchy paradise?"

Noa snapped.

She grabbed Rika by the wrist and pulled her into the supply closet.

"Why are you doing this?"

Rika didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Because it's fun."

"You don't even like him."

"I don't *have* to like him. I just need him to like *me.* That's how power works, honey."

Noa's jaw tightened. "He's not a toy."

"No," Rika said. "He's your crutch. You think you created him to escape reality, but you're just hiding from it."

That hit harder than she expected.

Noa stepped back. "Stay away from him."

Rika smiled. "Too late."

---

Noa sat alone that night, flipping through old sketches.

Each page was a memory.

Reno in sunglasses.

Reno with cereal.

Reno ruining everything in the best way.

She picked up a pencil.

Hesitated.

Then drew.

Not perfect. Not polished.

But him.

Reno.

Messy hair.

Too-big grin.

Arms open like he never left.

And slowly—

The page shimmered.

Lines shifted.

And he stepped out again.

Looking tired.

Looking... real.

"I missed you," he said.

Noa nodded.

"Please don't disappear again," she whispered.

He pulled her into a hug.

"Only if you stop pushing me away."

She held him tighter.

"Deal."

---

Outside the apartment window, the city buzzed.

Inside, a girl and her sketch come to life sat on a floor littered with cookie crumbs and broken boundaries.

Maybe this wasn't love.

Maybe it was something weirder.

Messier.

But whatever it was—

It was theirs.