𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐓𝐄𝐃

VIII - just unlucky

"Do I know you or something?"

Normally, you probably wouldn't have been so passive-aggressive, but considering this guy had been following you around campus, one of the only places you felt somewhat safe, you just weren't having it.

You definitely recognized him. Silver hair, pale violet eyes, and with too many piercings for you to even count. He was the same guy who'd been eyeing you down that day in the cafeteria. At the time, you'd thought you were just being needlessly paranoid, but after running into him here, you weren't so convinced anymore.

The stalker scratched idly behind his ear. "Not really? I don't know your name or anything. I just knew I'd seen you once before."

If he was concerned about the fact that he'd just been caught, he certainly didn't show it. If anything, he was staring as if you were the weird one, not him.

"Are you following me?" you glared.

"Kind of," he said, and you were once again surprised by his honesty. "I liked your face, and I thought I could take a picture of it." He gestured towards the camera dangling from a strap around his neck. As if that made the whole thing any less creepy.

You let out a sigh. "Look, I'm not going to get mad, but please drop it, whatever you're trying to do. I've got a long day ahead of me, and I'm really not in the mood."

"I'm a photography major. Like I said, I like your face. Was thinking maybe I could use you as inspiration for my upcoming project."

Is he serious right now?

Perhaps the immature, teenage version of yourself would have been flattered. There was something about being another person's muse that many found absolutely irresistible. It was always the mysterious, artsy guys too. At least in all the movies.

But right now? It really wasn't all that cute.

"I'm not interested," you said, turning away from him. "I appreciate the compliment, but you'll have to find someone else to do your project on."

You thought that would be the end of it, but as always, your luck was fucking amazing.

"I'm Kaito," he introduced. "And you are?"

"Not interested," you gritted out, "like I just said."

"It's not like I'm flirting with you or anything. I'm really just interested in using you as a model. Come on, can't we sit down for a few minutes and get to know each other?"

"I'm in a hurry. I need to eat before I get ready to leave for my shift."

"What do you want? It'll be my treat."

Accepting some stranger's very obvious ploy to get closer to you probably wasn't the best idea, in hindsight, but if it would save you some money, you decided it was worth it. Money was everything to you right now. Money was your lifeline.

"Fine," you sighed. "But I want something expensive. And don't ask me any questions while we eat."

Kaito smiled, just slightly. "Sounds good to me."

For someone who was supposedly so interested in you, he wasn't much of a talker. The walk towards the restaurant was spent in total silence, which you honestly didn't mind. You were glad that you'd at least get to have a nice meal before going in for work later on.

Every now and then, Kaito would stop for a few moments to take a picture. He wasn't photographing anything in particular, really, just whatever seemed to stand out to him. It wasn't as if you didn't buy into the whole photography major thing, but you weren't exactly the kind of person who could afford to let their guard down so easily.