Can we use tenses as we normally do to tell the listener the timings of the imaginary events?

Question

When we talk about an imaginary scenario, can we use tenses as we normally do to tell the listener the timings of the imaginary events?

By the way, do different subjects like those in the examples (a person and I) affect anything regarding tense use and grammar (I mean, anything else from the subject-verb agreement)?

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Example 1 is using present tense to indicate the imaginary present and past tense to indicate the imaginary past.

Example 1:

My friend: What are you doing?

Me:

(Telling my friend an imaginary scenario) A person meets a beautiful girl. He is talking to her. Two days ago, they once met at a library. She was reading a book. He didn't know what the book was about. Now it seems like they can hang out because a moment ago, he found that she was reading a book he likes. They will have a lot to talk about.

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Example 2 is using past subjunctive mood to indicate the different timings.

Example 2:

My friend: What are you doing?

Me:

(Telling my friend an imaginary scenario) I met a beautiful girl. I (was or were?) talking to her. Two days ago, we had met at a library. She had been reading a book. I hadn't known what the book had been about. Now it seemed like we could hang out because a moment ago, I just had found that she had been reading a book I like. We would have a lot to talk about.

Answer 1

These "imaginary scenes" sound like blurbs publishers post inside dust jackets on books and elsewhere. Example 1 is fine except for this one sentence:

Two days ago, they once met at a library.

I think you mean: They met once at a library.

"They once met..." gives the impression that at some point in the past they met. "They met once..." gives the impression that they met only once, not twice or several times.

The tenses are fine.

I would edit Example 2.

I met a beautiful girl. I was talking to her.

Say "was" rather than "were" because "was" is singular and goes with "I." "I" is also singular.

Two days ago, we had met at a library. She had been reading a book. I hadn't known what the book was about.

I changed "had been" to "was" in "I hadn't known what the book had been about." You don't need "had been" twice in that sentence; it's too convoluted and "doubles over" the past tense.

Now it seemed like we could hang out because a moment ago, I just found that she had been reading a book I like. We would have a lot to talk about.

I removed "had" from "I just had found that she had been reading..." This is another case of "doubling over."

NOTE: I am not sure of the proper grammar terms; I base my answer on lifelong use of the English language, including advanced degree in the arts and humanities.

Answer 2

It is not a case of as you have called them imaginary situations, if we take your examples into consideration. Such case is embraced in such section of the grammar as stories, commentaries and instructions. Present tenses are often used informally to tell stories. The simple present is used for the events – the things that happen one after another. The present progressive is used for ‘background’ – things that are already happening when the story starts, or that continue through the story. Such style requires the observance of some rules that have been in breach with in your examples.