Lucy P.O.V

I took his hand with a flushed face. "I'm sorry about this morning..."

"No problem. I know you had to get to work." He helped me up like a prince, smiling at me with a laugh as genuine as his smile.

He seems like a nice guy...

Suddenly, the writer within me took over, and I had to use his genuine smile for my own work. So I stared at his smile, trying to memorize its perfection for my own character. That's what I've been missing! A genuine smile for my male lead!

I scanned his face, over and over again, forgetting about basic common sense as I looked him over.

"Uh...Miss? You okay...?" he asked awkwardly.

"Yeah yeah...can you smile again for me really quickly?" I reached into my bag, taking out my emergency note pad and a pen. I began to sketch his expression, excited to use it for my own characters.

This is going to look so good on Takashi! It's exactly what I was looking for!

While sketching away, I felt a hand land on my shoulder. "Lucy... you're being a creeper," whispered Levy into my ear.

"Just give me a few more seconds--done!" I stared at my drawing in content. My readers are gonna go crazy over this smile in the next update!

I was still caught up in my work when I felt Levy push me aside to handle the situation. "Sorry about that, Mr...?"

He stretched out his hand towards Levy: "Natsu Dragneel, Mailman."

She took his hand and smiled back, "Levy McGarden, Lawyer. And this crazy lady that was drawing your face just now is a mangaka."

"Oooh, so you're a writer," he praised while looking over my shoulder to see the drawing, "...and a heck of an artist!"

I blushed in embarrassment, stuffing the notepad back in my purse. "Sorry Natsu-san, I tend to really get into what I do..." I mumbled. And that's probably why my life has become such a mess...

"Well, it seems you guys should get some talking done," Levy stated with a mischievous smile, "I'll let you guys be." She then elbowed me on the arm and whispered, "This is your chance to talk to a guy! Good luck~"

My face flushed pink as she walked away. Levy! Don't leave me!

I looked back at my mailman in fear. Ahhh I haven't talked to a guy outside of work in the last four years or so! Ugh, real guys are different from my 2D characters. How do I even socialize anymore?!

My head was spinning from the insane amount of overthinking I had begun to do.

"Uh, are you okay?" he asked while looking at me closely.

His face was close to mine, invading my personal space and making me blush a light shade of pink in nervousness. He's way too close! I need to figure out a way to get away from him.

"Ah yes! Of course, I'm fine! I just uh...I uh...I have somewhere important to be right now!" I stuttered.

He looked at his watch and gasped. "Me too! Alright, maybe we can see each other later!" He gave me one last smile and a wave, "See you later, writer-san!"

Writer-san? I guess I never told him my name...Eh, it's not like I'm going to see him again unless I'm late for work again.

I shrugged my shoulders and headed back home to begin the draft for my upcoming chapter.

***

I woke up the next day with a loud gasp. I had dreamt about being late to my job again, and the fear of having Jellal put me in a chokehold to obtain my drafts sent fear to my very soul.

I glanced at the clock, reading the time: 9:30 am. I then reached for my phone, checking my calendar to see what was on my to-do list.

"I don't have a meeting today...but I need to finish up the last chapter before the end of the week...then I gotta finish the draft for next month's release..." I groaned loudly while turning off my phone.

This was the life I had chosen for myself, but I enjoyed it. Being a mangaka, no matter how stressful it was, brought me joy.

I covered myself with my blanket to get at least 20 more minutes of sleep before having to be productive, but then I heard a knock on my door.

"Sensei?" Knock knock "Sensei? We're here to help you with today's chapter."

I forgot about them...

With a sigh, I stood up to open the door. I was then greeted with smiles from my three assistant artists. Tch...morning people...

"Come in," I said as I moved out the way. Ugh, they're a whole hour early...

"Sensei, we made sure to come early today so we could finish the chapter early," stated Erza while coming in.

"How...diligent of you," I mumbled as I tried to hold back my sarcasm.

My three assistants made their way to my room to get started on the chapter.

"Um...can you guys get started while I go wash up?" I asked with a yawn.

"Sure," replied Yukino while taking out the desks.

Thank god my assistants are more responsible than me.

With a final yawn, I walked over to my bathroom to shower.

***

14 hours...none stop...and I'm finally finished.

I smiled at my finished work. "Thanks, guys," I said tiredly at my assistance.

"You're welcome..." they replied weakly.

I showed them out the door and then placed my chapter in the packet for my editor.

Heh heh, I hope my readers will like it!

***
Next morning.

Knock knock

I groaned and covered my face with the blanket.

"Hey! You have to get up!" I heard a voice shout from the door.

What kinda creeper is knocking at my door?!

The knocking got progressively louder, and I could no longer take the noise. I quickly got up and looked through the peephole in the door. I swear imma choke whoever disturbed my sleep! I literally have an hour to go before my alarm rings!

But when I looked, there was no one except a package that laid on the floor. I opened the door suspiciously, looking around and then picking up the package. I don't remember ordering anything recently...

I opened the package to see a note:

Dear Writer-san,

When you're done with work, do you want to hang out? If you do, meet me at the same cafe we were at a few days ago.

2 PM.

Your mailman,

Natsu.

My eyes widened at the note. "Huh?!" I looked at it again. I read it several times over, unable to believe it was real, but it was. My mailman had left me a note.

I then looked through the package and saw a necklace with a key-shaped pendant. "What the heck? This is actually so creepy..."

I walked back inside with the package in my hands.

***

I sighed loudly while walking back home from my meeting with Jellal. I can't believe he said the date scene in the new draft was unrealistic...Ugh! Who gave him the right to judge what's realistic or not?!

I was angry and upset with myself. I thought the rough draft for next month's chapter was perfect, but apparently, it wasn't "realistic enough" for my editor. I looked at my watch and saw it was already two in the afternoon.

It's two...I wonder if Natsu-san's really at the cafe...

Out of curiosity, I walked over to the cafe. I had nothing better to do, so why not be a little adventurous like Levy always tells me to be. I stood outside the cafe, looking through the window to not see anyone.

Ugh, I'm so stupid...

I sighed to myself as I turned around to walk away. Then I was stopped by a yell.

"Writer-san!"

I looked back and saw Natsu dressed in his uniform. Huh...? He really did show up...why?

He stood before me, out of breath as he spoke: "Sorry I'm late...my boss was giving me a hard time so I snuck away."

"You did what?!"

"If I get fired, it'll be worth it though," he laughed with a smile.

Worth it...? Is this guy stupid?!

"Uh...why-?"

"I wanted to hang out," he replied immediately.

I looked at him bewildered. "But...you don't even know me..."

"Yeah, I do."

I blinked wildly in confusion. "You do?"

"Yeah! We went to high school together."

"Huh?"

"And Middle."

"What?"

"Also the last year of elementary."

"Wait what?"

"You don't remember me?! Natsu Dragneel? Pink hair, loud, was always in fights...?"

I shook my head slowly.

"Whatever. The important thing is, I know you and I want to hang out."

"Why?"

He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Because...I want to spend time with you..."

None of this made sense to me. He knows me but he can't even say my name? This is just weird...

He then reached into his work bag and took out a copy of my manga. "Uh...I read your manga."

"How did you-?" No one but Levy, the company I work for, and my assistants know that I'm the author of that manga, so how does he? Maybe this is a red flag to run...

"I remember in highschool I used to hear you and your short friend talking about shojo manga all the time...So I assumed this was yours by the artwork. It had the same style you used to draw me a few days back, and it's a shojo. You know, you really do have a talent, writer-san..."

My face flushed pink from his compliment. "You really think so...?"

"Yeah! It's pretty good but...I don't know...you don't capture the whole scene right in some parts."

I frowned at his sudden criticism. "What do you mean?"

"Your writing doesn't seem real. So, that's why I'm gonna help you!"

What...? He also thinks my scenes don't seem real?! Everyone's a freaking critic but I bet they can't do what I'm doing!

He grabbed my hand and pulled me with him into the crowd.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Writer-san, I only have an hour, so we have to make this trip quick!"

"That doesn't explain to me what you're doing!" I retorted.

I couldn't break away from his grip, so I followed him until we reached an arcade. He smiled at me before dragging me into the place without my consent.

"Let go of me!" I yelled.

"Relax writer-san, you're in good hands. Besides, this makes the experience even more real!"

"What?! You're kidnapping me!"

"No...I'm hanging out with you at an arcade."

"Yeah, against my will!"

He sighed as his grip on my hand tightened. "Could you bear with it for an hour? I promise it'll help your writing."

I stared into his eyes, acknowledging the sincerity his words held. He is trying to help me...but he did kinda kidnap me too...Ugh, whatever it's for my story! If a meathead like him could tell my scenes are fake, maybe I do need this...

"Fine...only one hour and nothing more."

He smiled happily before dragging me to the counter to receive the game tokens. "Thank you writer-san, you won't regret this!"

I already am...

While I waited for him to ask for the tokens, the fact that we had been holding hands this whole time finally sank in. I looked down at our hands and gasped.

My love life could be expressed in one word: non-existent. I had never dated let alone held the hand of a man, yet I was writing stories about love and romance. Maybe that was why my stories seemed so unrealistic. Because I've never actually experienced love before.

Holding his hand sent chills down my spine. My hands began to shake from the new sensation and my heartbeat madly, making it hard to breathe. Is this really how it feels to hold hands for the first time? It feels so awkward and scary. What the heck?! It's nothing like in the movies!

"Writer-san?" I heard him call, snapping me out of my world, "You okay?"

"Uh...yeah! I'm totally fine..." Yeah right, my hand is freaking sweaty! I gotta take my hand away or he'll be grossed out!

"Good, cuz we're gonna be having fun," he laughed while tightening his hand around mine.

Nooo, please don't squeeze my hand! I can feel the sweat on my palms swooshing!

He laughed and pulled me inside of the game zone. "Let's play!"

***

"I won!" I yelled with a great smile. After three rounds of racing on FairyKart, I had finally managed to beat him.

He looked over at me in surprise.

"What?" I asked while building back up my shell.

"No, I'm just surprised to see you so animated. This whole time you've been making weird faces and frowning. I was scared you weren't enjoying yourself, but I'm glad you're actually having fun."

I blushed slightly, staring at the steering wheel before me to avert his gaze. "Sorry...I just had a rough day at work." And holding your hand was making me nervous, but that's just a minor detail.

"Wanna talk about it...?" he asked softly while putting in another token into the game.

"Um..." Should I tell him...? I mean, I don't even know him, yet here I am spending time with some weirdo who I supposedly went to school with all my life...But, I could really talk to someone right now...

"So...you know how you mentioned that my scenes don't seem real? Well, my editor had just told me the same thing after reading my draft for the next chapter..."

"Really? No wonder you looked so angry when I mentioned it before..."

"Yeah," I replied while losing the game again.

I had always been losing. Every time I finally achieved something great, I always lost it the next moment. Soon enough I would be losing my readers because of my own lack of experience with love.

I sighed again, lowering my forehead to rest it on the steering wheel. "Hey Natsu-san...? Do you really think this whole experience can help my writing...?"

I felt his fingertips slowly touch my cheek. His hand then traveled to my chin to slowly pull up my face to meet his. "Like I said before, I think you have talent. It's just some things you need to experience so they can be more real through writing...I really do think you'll be able to write an amazing scene after today."

His hand slowly let go of my chin and moved back towards my cheek. He held me in his hand like the most precious thing to ever exist. "Writer-san...I'm your biggest supporter. Forever and always."

My face had gone warm and my thoughts were blank. The strange feeling within my chest that my own characters experienced in my stories was becoming a reality to me. What am I doing...?

I was caught up in the moment when my reasonable side finally kicked in. I pulled my cheek away from his hand and stood up. "L-let's keep going...We still have about 30 minutes to spare."

"Aye sir!" he replied with a laugh.

He held out his hand for me to take, and like the other times, I took his hand in mine.

***

As we walked out of the arcade, I couldn't help but feel energized and happy. I turned over to Natsu and smiled, "Thank you so much. I had a blast!"

He patted my head and replied, "No problem."

Again, I felt a strange fluttery feeling after glancing at his smile. What is this? Why the heck can't I take my eyes off him?!

"Oh crap!" He yelled loudly, snapping me out of my trance, "I have to go back to work. Bye, writer-san!" He began to run away, leaving me alone in front of the building. And before I knew it, my body had reacted on its own.

"Wait!" I yelled while he was running away.

He then stopped and looked back at me in confusion. "Writer-san?"

I placed my hands around my mouth and shouted: "My name is Lucy!"

He smiled while giving me a nod. "I know...Lucy Heartfilia."

My eyes widened in shock as I watched him run away. How...how did he know my full name...?

***

When I got home, I landed face forward on the bed. I clutched the blanket and dug my face into my pillow.

"This is so weird...I've never felt this feeling before. Am I sick?" And don't get me started about Natsu-san knowing my full name. That was Hella creepy, but...ugh I should call Levy about this!

I picked up my phone to dial my best friend.

"Hello?"

"Levy, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, anything."

"So...You know how in shojo manga the main character gets all tingly inside when she's with the dude she likes?"

"Yeah...?"

"Can you get that same feeling even when you don't like a person?"

"I mean, if you're getting all tingly for a person, that means you like them, Lucy. That's like shojo's number one thing. The heart knows what it wants!"

It didn't make sense. How could I like Natsu when I don't even know him?

"Thanks Levy..."

"Any time!"

I hung up the phone and sighed loudly. I then screamed into my pillow in frustration. Levy and her dumb theories! Ugh, I shouldn't have asked her cuz now I'm overthinking!

After I finished my tantrum, I sat up and looked at my desk across the room. A smile slowly took over as I felt an overwhelming feeling to write.

I feel really inspired right now.