It was Friday night, eight o’clock to be exact when Joohyun was so annoyed hearing the loud blast of punk-rock music coming out from his twin sister’s room. He needed peace and quiet, so he went to Bright Ideas Bookstore, owned by his aunt Krystal Jung. 

It was his favorite place when he had nowhere else to go.

It was a perfect place where he could seek solace and tranquility in the comforting of old books, new books, the sound of people breathing and turning pages. 

Joohyun walked through the shelves, his left hand tucked into the pocket of his jeans while the other was trailing over the thick spines of newly published novels, and well-loved old ones.

He was very fond of books. They were an escape from the real world. 

While the boys in his class enjoyed drowning in the madness of parties and chilling out with rebellious kids, Joohyun on the other side enjoyed drowning in fictional worlds and getting lost in it.

He was the boy who preferred flipping pages of novels instead of scrolling down in social media.

He was the boy who preferred being hunched at the back of the classroom with a pocket-book in his hand instead of crowding with others in the front, gossiping about unnecessary stuffs.

“Sometimes when I’m feeling sad, I like to be around all these books. They’re very good at making you forget your troubles. It’s like having a million friends, wrapped in paper and scrawled in ink.” 

Joohyun absently smiled upon seeing that quote hanging in a frame. 

It was a painting made by him five years ago in his first year of middle-school as a birthday gift to aunt Krystal. The woman liked it a lot so she decided to hang it in her bookstore, and years from now it was still there. 

His hand stopped on a new released novel named Warcross, written by Marie Lu, one of the bestselling authors. It was the only copy that was left, and before he could take it, another hand already reached for it making him grunt in frustration. 

“My bad, bunny boy, this is mine.”

The boy was startled by the mention of that ridiculous nickname, but a playful smile graced his lips knowing who it was.

“Did I mention to you before that I really hate that silly nickname to the guts?” Joohyun said, earning a laugh from his friend.

“I know.” Sana stuck her tongue out. “Tell you what, take this book upstairs, and read it to Seungwan.”

“Aren’t you gonna buy it?”

“Nah, I want a hardcover. I just wanted to borrow it to read it to Seungwan, but you do it this time. I’m sure she’ll enjoy listening to your reading.