After a near death experience, 16-year old Makiko Lombardi's celebrity father comes to Tokyo, but Makiko hasn't met him for almost seven years. To please her mother, Makiko refuses to see him. Ashamed about not speaking her mind, Makiko admires Cynthia, an old friend who helps teenage runaways exploited by Yakuza gangsters. When Yakuza follow them, both girls assume Cynthia's in danger, but someone powerful has a problem with Makiko's father and sees Makiko as a pawn. Meanwhile, neither girl believes rumors that a demon stalks and kills runaways. Until something sinister kills Yakuza outside Makiko's house, and a survivor warns her that the demon "likes" her. *** A first boyfriend. Yakuza with unknown plans. A killer demon who "likes" her. What's a quiet girl to do? Added to @AmbassadorsJP 's Kowai: Eerie Reads list - Sept. 2023 Featured on @StoriesUndiscovered Plain Janes? Not These Ladies - May 2022 Added to @Paranormal 's Paranormal Paramours list - April 2022 Notable Rankings: #1 meet-cute (March 14, 2022) #4 yakuza (July 14, 2022)

Nelliel, an 18-year-old grappling with body image issues, enters university seeking a fresh start. Her world is upended by Élian, a charismatic and popular student who initially seeks to exploit her insecurities for his amusement. But as Élian's game deepens, an unexpected love blossoms, challenged by his possessive girlfriend, Chloé, who is determined to undermine Nelliel at every turn. As Nelliel navigates love and betrayal, Julien, the father who abandoned her family years ago, resurfaces, seeking a chance at redemption and stirring up long-buried emotions. Will Nelliel find the strength to embrace herself and discover true love amidst the tangled web of lies and second chances?