My dad was always a chipper person. An optimist by definition and a family man before anything, he was the kind of guy everyone wanted to know. I loved that about him - I really did - except on days like this.

"Rise and shine!" his resounding call jolted me awake and I immediately groaned, knowing what he was going to say next. "No moping! You promised to help me out at the store on Saturdays. I had nothing to do with that."

I threw a heavy arm over my eyes to block the sunlight out. "Is it too late to take it back?"

"Come on Ji-Ji. You love the book shop, stop pretending you don't," he insisted as he pulled the pillow out from under my head.

He wasn't wrong. Having practically grown up in the place, it was difficult not to become fond of it's distinct qualities. I learned to appreciate reading through my father and it was a bonus being able to surround myself with books whenever I wanted. Still, it was a difficult business to run considering bookstores were becoming obsolete in favor of electronic reading systems. No one dared mention that to my dad. He could speak on the topic for days. Literally.

"I'll be ready in a few," I conceded. With a large yawn, I stretched into a sitting position and was met with a warm hand patting my head fondly.

"Atta girl." He threw my pillow back on the bed and walked backwards towards the door. "I have some stuff to do today, but your mother is at the store waiting for you so don't take too long!"

I gave him a salute of understanding, only getting up from my position when he shut the door. My mom helped around the shop simply with opening and closing if my dad was unavailable to do it himself since she had her own occupation to tend to. Because of that, I didn't laze around like I would've preferred to save her the stress and was out of my house, partially ready and half asleep, within twenty minutes. It took another ten to walk there, solely because I was stopped by a neighbor who asked how my parents were doing.

With autumn settling in the town, the weather outside was chilling to the bone and I felt glad to be within the warm bookstore when the waves of heat defrosted my skin. 

"You came earlier than I expected," my mom mused after I took her spot behind the counter. A check of my phone told me it was ten minutes past eight and I internally mourned the hours of sleep I lost.

"Didn't want you to be late for work," I smiled anyway, accepting her kiss on the cheek as she hoisted her bag over a shoulder. "See you at home."

"Love you!" was the last thing I heard before the bells on the entrance jingled to signal that I was alone.

A drawer of the counter was reserved for whatever book I had begun reading to occupy time during my shifts, and a sense of calm radiated in the pit of my stomach upon pulling out the latest one. There wasn't a problem with days spent in the shop being slow because it gave me more time to immerse myself in the literature I found interesting. Sure I'd force myself to wait until the next week to continue, but the copious hours I spent reading in one day made up for it.

My parents used to joke about me fitting the quiet girl stereotype far too well with my antisocial tendencies and affinity for books. They understood why I lived the way I did - don't get me wrong - yet I knew it worried them that I never kept close company. I couldn't tell if they knew that it bothered me just as much as it did them. Would it have comforted them if they did? I imagined it might. At least then they'd know their daughter was a psychologically healthy human being who did indeed crave human interaction.

Which was probably why Yixing's sudden intrusion into my life felt so different. He didn't expect me to pull away from his friendship (or whatever our relationship was) and therefore interacted with me on a normal basis that didn't constrain me to maintaining a certain image. Then again, the only one who ever expected that from myself was me. I learned a while ago of that truth and didn't do much to change, despite how much I longed to.

Against my own will, I thought of Kyungsoo's barely there smile in the bus and heaved a deep breath. He was an enigma in every sense of the word. For eighteen years, I'd managed to forgo ever coming into direct contact with him, but now he was a presence I could no longer avoid. God knows I should've, considering all the trouble we've both been through since our first meeting. All he did was confuse me. Outwardly, the boy was cold and didn't care much for anyone else, although I figured there was more to him than that. Because - as previously theorized - complexity was the one trait of his I could confirm.

A rush of wind blew into the area as the door opened and an elderly lady walked through, tilting her head in my direction as a greeting.

"Welcome," I bowed in return. The book in my hand was promptly shut and cast to the side as I remained attentive in case she required any help. "If you need anything, I'll be right here."

I received a swift raise of her hand to represent her understanding before she strolled into one of the aisles of bookshelves. I fiddled with the pen in my hand patiently, sending an occasional glance in the woman's direction. Like most others in the community, I easily recognized her face. I may have seen her around the school premises with a grandchild in the past, but I couldn't pinpoint if it was really her.

She emerged not too long later with a cookbook that she placed on the counter in front of me politely. I scanned the barcode on the sticker on the back, informing her of the price that appeared on the computer screen.

"Learning new recipes for the fall holidays?" It was protocol to start friendly conversation with customers, or so my dad said. I found it to be a nosy practice that I didn't enjoy partaking in; except he once caught me not doing it and gave an