chapter four

by monday, aeri had built a routine around him.

she arrived five minutes earlier than she used to. enough time to walk slowly through the library, pretending to browse. she always passed by the same table—the one by the window where wonwoo sat with a book open, headphones around his neck but never on.

he never smiled. never waved. but he always looked up when she walked by.

even if only for a second.

on tuesday, she brought another drink. this time, green tea. less sweet. less obvious.

he didn't take it, but he didn't push it away either.

progress.

by wednesday, she'd stopped pretending. she sat across from him with her notebook, flipping through blank pages and pretending to write. every now and then, she'd peek up. he never told her to leave.

he didn't speak either.

until thursday.

she slid into the seat like usual, placing a drink between them. he didn't touch it. just looked at her for a long moment.

then he said, "you're really committed to this."

she blinked. "to what?"

"whatever this is." he gestured vaguely between them. "you don't read. you don't study."

"how do you know i don't?"

"your pen's out of ink."

aeri glanced down. it was.

she smiled despite herself. "maybe i'm here for the atmosphere."

wonwoo leaned back in his chair slightly. "you could sit anywhere else."

"but then i wouldn't get to talk to you."

"we're not really talking," he said, almost dryly.

a beat passed.

"you're not like i expected," she said.

"you don't know me."

"yet."

he didn't answer. just stared at her, eyes steady and unreadable.

she thought he might get up again. leave like before.

but instead, he closed his book slowly, tapping the cover with one finger.

"if you're going to keep sitting here," he said quietly, "you should read something."

he reached into his bag, pulled out a paperback, and slid it across the table.

aeri stared at it. the cover was worn, edges soft from use. the title was unfamiliar.

"this one's not boring," he added. "even you might like it."

before she could respond, he stood up.

but this time, he paused.

"i'll ask what you thought tomorrow."

then he walked away.

aeri didn't move for a second.

she stared at the book in front of her, her reflection faint in the shiny cover. she turned it over, scanned the blurb, flipped to the first page.

she wasn't sure why, but her heart beat a little faster.

wonwoo had spoken to her.

not just spoken—he noticed her. challenged her. gave her something.

a piece of himself.

and said he'd be back.

she didn't realize she was smiling until she caught her reflection again in the library window.