The First Stage of Love

Cold hands, sleepless nights, racing pulses, and nervous stammering—almost everyone has experienced these overwhelming symptoms at least once. It is the unmistakable first stage of falling in love, that vulnerable period when simply catching a glimpse of your crush leaves you entirely incapable of forming a coherent greeting. For Kikuchi, a quiet bookstore clerk, navigating this daunting emotional hurdle is the only way he can ever hope to build a genuine connection with Kaji, a regular customer who frequents his shop. However, Kikuchi’s fragile romantic aspirations are abruptly threatened by an unexpected revelation. When a coworker casually mentions that Kaji recently purchased a children’s picture book, Kikuchi is immediately consumed by doubt and panic. He begins to wonder if Kaji might already be a devoted family man with a child waiting for him at home. Before Kikuchi can even gather the courage to speak to his crush, he finds himself paralyzed by the fear that his unspoken feelings are already too late. With his confidence shattered, he must now determine whether his heartbreak is inevitable before his romance has even had the chance to begin.