The fluorescent lights of the Seiyu supermarket were far too bright for Ren's liking. He pushed a half-empty cart through the snack aisle, his eyes scanning the shelves while his ears remained tuned to the soft clicking of heels behind him.
"Twenty meters," Shizuka's voice whispered through his wireless earbud. She was currently standing in the produce section, pretending to inspect a head of cabbage. "Maintain the distance, Kurosawa-kun. If anyone from the faculty sees us together, my 'yoga' excuse won't save us this time."
Ren grabbed a bag of spicy chips and tossed it into the cart. "You're the one who said we were out of milk, Professor. I could have done this alone."
"And let you buy nothing but instant ramen and energy drinks?" she countered, her voice taking on that sharp, academic tone even through the digital signal. "Malnutrition leads to cognitive decline. As your teacher, I cannot allow it. Now, move to the dairy section. I'll meet you near the yogurt in three minutes."
Ren sighed but complied. He reached the milk cartons just as a middle-aged man in a sharp suit turned the corner.
Ren froze. It was Professor Ishii, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee—the one man on campus who lived to sniff out student-teacher scandals.
"Ah, Kurosawa-kun," Ishii said, his voice like dry sandpaper. "Late-night shopping? I hope you're as diligent with your Sociology readings as you are with your grocery list."
"Just buying the essentials, Professor," Ren replied, his face a mask of indifference.
Behind Ishii, Shizuka appeared. She saw Ishii and immediately ducked behind a display of seasonal oranges, her face pale.
"Is that so?" Ishii peered into Ren's cart. "Spicy chips, three liters of milk, and... is that a pack of luxury strawberry parfaits? A bit expensive for a freshman budget, isn't it?"
Ren's heart hammered. Shizuka had told him to grab those parfaits because she'd had a "rough day."
"I have a sweet tooth," Ren lied smoothly.
At that moment, the orange display Shizuka was hiding behind groaned. A single orange rolled out, bouncing right to Professor Ishii's foot.
"Who's there?" Ishii turned, his eyes narrowing.
Ren didn't think. He stepped forward, intentionally bumping his cart into a stack of canned tuna, creating a loud, metallic crash.
"Damn it," Ren cursed under his breath, drawing Ishii's attention back to him. "Sorry, I'm a bit clumsy tonight."
"Watch yourself, Kurosawa," Ishii snapped, distracted by the mess. "Clean that up before a clerk sees you."
As Ishii walked away, Shizuka peeked out from behind the fruit. She looked terrified, but as she watched Ren calmly restacking the cans, her expression shifted into something softer—something that looked dangerously like affection.
They met ten minutes later in the dark alleyway behind the store to load the groceries into Ren's backpack.
"You saved me again," she whispered, her hands shaking slightly as she handed him the strawberry parfaits. "Why? You could have just let him find me. It's not your job to protect me outside the classroom."
Ren zipped the bag and looked her in the eye. The streetlights caught the sharp line of his jaw. "Maybe I'm tired of the 'Invisible Line,' Shizuka."
He reached out, his thumb brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. The air between them hummed, colder than the supermarket but far more electric.
"Let's go home," he said. "The parfaits are melting."