The rain was relentless. Ayumi Kisaragi tugged her hood tighter around her face as the droplets bounced off the pavement, their rhythmic patter filling the quiet street. She had always loved the sound of rain, but today it felt oppressive, like the sky itself was weighed down with the same sense of boredom and restlessness that had been eating away at her for weeks.

College had started off full of promise—a new chapter in her life, a chance to escape the routine of her small town and the suffocating expectations of her family. But now, just a year in, Ayumi felt like she was drifting. Classes were uninspiring, her part-time job at the café was monotonous, and her social life was practically nonexistent. The only solace she found was in books, and even they were starting to lose their magic.

Ayumi sighed and slowed her pace as she passed by the familiar row of shops. She didn't really have a destination in mind—just an aimless walk through the city to clear her head. That's when she noticed something strange.

Tucked between two buildings she had passed countless times before was a narrow alleyway she had never seen. A faint glow flickered at the end, barely visible through the rain. Curiosity tugged at her, pulling her feet forward before her mind could protest. She slipped into the alley, the sound of the rain muffling as the walls of the buildings closed in around her.

At the end of the alley stood a small, weathered shop with a sign hanging crookedly above the door. The words, "Ever After Books," were barely legible beneath layers of chipped paint. The windows were fogged over, making it impossible to see inside, but the door was slightly ajar, a warm, golden light spilling out.

Ayumi hesitated. This place didn't seem real—it hadn't been here yesterday, and she couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow out of place, like it belonged in a different time. But her feet carried her forward, curiosity outweighing caution. She gently pushed the door open, the bell above it jingling softly as she stepped inside.

The smell of old paper and leather washed over her, rich and comforting. The shop was small, cozy, and impossibly cluttered. Shelves sagged under the weight of books, some so ancient that their titles had faded away. Others were stacked haphazardly on the floor, creating narrow pathways through the labyrinth of literature.

An elderly man sat behind the counter, his head buried in a thick tome. He didn't look up as Ayumi entered, and for a moment, she considered leaving. But something about the place—about the warm glow of the lamps, the smell of the books—made her stay.

Ayumi wandered deeper into the store, her fingers trailing along the spines of books she didn't recognize. Most of the titles were in languages she couldn't read, and the ones she could were worn and strange, like relics from another world.

It was then that she saw it: a small, dust-covered volume tucked away in the far corner of a forgotten shelf. The leather cover was cracked, its edges frayed with age, but something about it called to her. She reached out, carefully pulling the book free.

The Tale of Everwood.

The title was written in flowing, elegant script, almost too perfect to be real. Ayumi's heart quickened. She had never heard of this book before, but just holding it in her hands sent a thrill of excitement through her, as if she had stumbled upon something meant only for her.

She flipped it open to the first page. There were no author's notes, no introduction, just a single sentence written in the same elegant script:

"To the one who seeks, the story will find you."

Ayumi frowned, a chill running down her spine. She turned the page, but before she could read further, the lights in the shop flickered. The elderly man finally looked up from his book, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the volume in her hands.

"That one's not for sale," he said, his voice gruff but laced with something that sounded like warning.

Ayumi blinked, gripping the book tighter. "Why not?" she asked, the words tumbling out before she could stop herself.

The old man's gaze was sharp, scrutinizing her as if he was seeing something no one else could. After a long moment, he sighed and closed the book he'd been reading.

"Because it's not just a story," he muttered, pushing his chair back and standing. "It's more than that. And once you start reading… there's no going back."

Ayumi's heart pounded in her chest. She should have put the book down, thanked the man, and left the strange little shop. But instead, she found herself drawn deeper into the mystery. She glanced down at the book, feeling a strange pull toward it, like it was meant to be hers.

"I'll take it," she said, her voice firmer than she felt.

The man sighed again, but he didn't argue. Instead, he walked over to the counter, pulled out an old ledger, and scratched something into it. He handed her the book without another word.

Ayumi slipped the volume into her bag and left the shop, the bell tinkling softly behind her. As she stepped back into the rain, the world felt different somehow, like the air around her had shifted. The weight of the book pressed against her side, and for the first time in a long while, Ayumi felt the stirrings of excitement.

She didn't know it yet, but her story had already begun

moment later Ayumi got home and began to read the book, the book was about a hero called Lucian who had to fight the evil darkness to free the kindom of "Everwood" a few chapters in Ayumi felt like the world round her was disepearing like she was suked in the book.

A few chapters in the book abruptly ends with the line" now you will continue the story"

and Ayumi realises she is not 8in her room anymore.