Eunmi slumped into her desk, her eyes fluttered to a close. It was an early morning as usual, the library for once quiet. It would open in half an hour, and Eunmi grabbed the chance for some peace.

She cracked an eye open, and looked at her co-workers. Sunggyu was creating sock puppets for his daily reading session, Yoongi was immersed in his book, flipping the pages abnormally fast, and Amber was late to work again.

Eunmi sighed, and unwilling opened both of her eyes. She took a sip of her green tea, and addressed them.

“What’s the plan for today? Sunggyu?” She tilted her head toward him.

“I’m having a sock puppet reading session with the kids today. It’s on The Tortoise and the Hare. Then the regular independent reading time, and after lunch we’re focusing on insects.”

The town’s library had unwillingly become the unofficial daycare center. Everyone who didn’t have their kids at the actual daycare, Sunshine, dropped them at the library, and either went next door to Eric’s Pastries or the community center for Zumba classes. It didn’t matter anyhow, because Sunshine brought their kids to the library everyday, and the library ended up taking in the strays.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Sunggyu took charge of the little ones. He had an uncanny ability with little children, and spent everyday teaching them something new. More than often, he seemed like a grandmother than a male in his twenties.

“Your puppets look deformed,” Eunmi observed.

“Shut up blockhead,” Sunggyu responded, sewing the hare’s ear on. “Yoongi, does it look deformed?”

“Yeah,” Yoongi answered absentmindedly.

“You didn’t even look,” Sunggyu accused.

“Yes I did,” he shot back. “Eunmi, does the library have defenses against zombies?” He turned the conversation around before Sunggyu could retort back.

“Why would the library have defenses against zombies? They don’t even exist,” Eunmi rolled her eyes. “Are you reading a horror book again? Remember last time?”

Yoongi flushed red. “That was one time! One time!”

Sunggyu snorted. “You y trapped the whole place from top to bottom because you read that murder mystery novel. Poor Mrs. Kim.”

“It wasn’t my fault she stepped in the goo!”

“Sure it wasn’t,” Eunmi agreed, placating him before a full fledged fight broke out. When Sunggyu wasn’t with the kids, he acted like one, and bickered with Yoongi everyday. Eunmi supposed that it was inevitable, spending that much time with kids had to rub off.  

“Well this time, you guys don’t have to worry. It’s a romance novel I’m reading with my book club,” He sniffed.

“I don’t know if that’s worse or better,” Eunmi muttered. Sunggyu coughed back a laugh.

Yoongi’s book club was the most un-book club Eunmi ever seen. Rather than discussing books together, they spent their time in the spare room of the library exchanging horribly written sonnets and worshipping to gods of sleep. Eunmi once saw them sacrificing gummy bears, and vowed to never go near them ever again.

“The book is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” Yoongi sighed dreamily, ignoring them.

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Jeez, did they have nothing else to do?”

The three librarians turned their heads to the voice at the door. Carrying her regular coffee cup, Amber strolled in the room and sat in her chair.

“You’re late,” Eunmi pointed out. “Again.”

Amber waved it off. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned with Yoongi? And Sunggyu, was is that? Are those deformed sock puppets?”

“They’re not deformed!” Sunggyu said indignantly.

Eunmi sighed for the umpteenth time. “Amber, stop provoking Sunggyu and be on time for once, please. Sunggyu, your puppets are deformed. Accept it. Yoongi, we are not having zombie defense classes in the library. The library is set to open in a few minutes. Is everyone set?”

“Yes mother,” Amber sang.

Eunmi ignored the jibe. She took another sip of her green tea. She grimaced when she tasted how cold