Rupert wasn't certain how he had found the seemingly ephemeral bookshop. Perhaps he just hadn't known how to look. Now it haunts the corner of his vision, the dusty monographs and the proprietor with skin like paper.
He slips away some evenings, young voices echoing behind him, and (disregarding the "Closed" sign) enters the shop. The gentleman inside listens to his halting request, pauses for thought (wiping his glasses clean), and locates the codex in question. Over tea he guides Rupert through a tricky translation, and when he says goodbye, he appears as disconnected from the world as Rupert feels.