Giovanni Merano is a spectacle, an ethereal beauty that seems to transcend the mundane. His presence at Merano’s Domain* is a phenomenon, a magnetic force drawing students to him like moths to a flame. His teal eyes sparkle with an almost otherworldly light, and his chiseled features seem sculpted by divine hands. Every day, throngs of admirers surround him, hoping for a smile, a word, a glance—anything to bask in his radiant aura.

But Giovanni is more than just a pretty face. He is kind-hearted, always ready with a gentle word or a helping hand. He’s friendly and approachable, his charisma bridging the gaps between cliques and social hierarchies. He excels academically, his intelligence as sharp as his looks, and his talents know no bounds, from athletics to the arts. Giovanni Merano is perfect. Too perfect.

Among the multitude infatuated with Giovanni was Sahara Grenelle. Sahara's obsession was intense, a burning fixation that consumed her thoughts and dictated her actions. She followed Giovanni everywhere, desperate to be near him, to capture even a fragment of his attention. Then, one day, Sahara vanishes. Her body is later found near a secluded beach, lifeless and cold. The coroner rules it a suicide, but Sahara's sister, Savannah, wasn’t convinced. She is certain that Sahara was murdered.

Haunted by grief and suspicion, Savannah devotes herself to uncovering the truth. She retraces Sahara’s steps, piecing together the fragments of her sister’s last days. One evening, as she completes her student council duties, she notices Giovanni slipping behind the abandoned school buildings. Curious and wary, Savannah follows, her heart pounding in her chest.

Hidden behind thick bushes, Savannah watches Giovanni. He stands over a prone figure, the body of one of their teachers. Giovanni’s teal eyes are devoid of emotion, his movements deliberate and unhurried. As he walks away, Savannah hurries to the teacher’s side, her hands trembling. The teacher’s neck bears a dark, ominous mark, and he is no longer breathing.

Savannah’s mind races. Could it be? Giovanni, the epitome of perfection, capable of such monstrous acts? Her thoughts turn to Sahara, remembering how her sister had mentioned a secret meeting with Giovanni on the day she disappeared. The pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together in a dark, horrifying picture.

Savannah’s heart aches with a chilling realization: the angelic Giovanni, adored by all, might be hiding a sinister truth. As she stares into the night, she knows she has to uncover the depths of Giovanni's secrets, no matter the cost. The perfect facade is beginning to crack, revealing the darkness that lies beneath.

*Merano’s Domain: A school system, ranging from elementary through senior high, owned by the Merano family.

Cercis slumped deeper into her worn-out armchair, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the dim glow of her laptop screen. The cursor blinked mockingly at the end of the synopsis of her unfinished novel, a project she had started back in university. She took another swig from the nearly empty beer can, its bitter taste mingling with the pervasive bitterness in her soul. The other empty cans lay scattered around her feet, silent witnesses to her slow descent into oblivion.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling with a mix of fatigue and frustration. She let out a heavy sigh, her thoughts drifting to the chaotic mess that was her life. Ever since childhood, she had known nothing but pain and disappointment. Her sister’s disappearance had left a void that her mother’s death only deepened. Her father’s abandonment was the final nail in the coffin of her happiness, leaving her utterly alone.

Finishing the last can of beer, Cercis tossed it aside with a clatter and picked up her phone. She scrolled mindlessly through her social media feed, a parade of perfect lives and smiling faces that only fueled her resentment. Then she paused, her gaze locking onto a series of photographs. The man in the pictures is strikingly handsome, his features almost ethereal. Shun Okazaki, a 25-year-old model, is the epitome of male beauty.

“Oh it’s you…” she mumbles, pointing at her phone screen.

Cercis blinked, her vision blurred by alcohol and unshed tears. She glanced back at her laptop screen, then at the unfinished portrait of Giovanni Merano pinned to the wall. Her character, her creation—Giovanni, the perfect, unattainable ideal. She looked back at Shun's photos, her mind reeling with a strange sense of recognition.

“Giovanni…” she whispered, the name slipping from her lips like a plea. “Okazaki Shun.”

In her drunken haze, Cercis felt a sudden, irrational urge to reach out. With clumsy fingers, she composed a message to Shun on social media, her thoughts swirling in a fog of alcohol and desperation. She told him he looked familiar, that he reminded her of someone. She even went as far as to invite him to meet up.

She hit send and stared at the screen, her heart pounding. The silence in her apartment was deafening, broken only by the hum of her laptop and the distant sounds of the city outside. As the minutes ticked by, doubt began to creep in, mingling with the ever-present despair. What had she done? Why would someone like Shun Okazaki, someone so perfect, ever respond to someone like her?

Cercis closed her eyes, letting the darkness envelop her. “Damn you Sean Kor—mhm…” she again mumbles as she finally passes out.

The morning arrives, Cercis woke up to the dull throb of a hangover, her head pounding and her mouth dry. She blinked at her phone, the screen lighting up with an unexpected notification. Shun Okazaki had responded to her message, not only that, but he had agreed to meet her. Her heart skipped a beat as she reread his reply, disbelief warring within her.

She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a wrinkled blouse, not bothering to tame her messy white hair. The remnants of last night’s drinking session lingered in her system, making every movement feel sluggish and heavy. She splashed cold water on her face, hoping to clear her head, and hurried out of her apartment, the prospect of meeting Shun propelling her forward.

The city’s grand library is a quaint place, filled with the comforting smell of books. Cercis found a table in the corner and sat down, her hands trembling slightly as she waited. Doubts gnawed at her mind—maybe he wouldn’t show up, maybe it was all a joke. She stared at the door, anxiety twisting in her gut.