A Time of Loved Objects
(love can get in the way)

“And then again I should, perhaps, explain that I never felt that anyone particularly needed my services or company – so much that quite often I am amazed that I occupy any place in the world at all.” 
- Four Novels, Marguerite Duras. 

No matter how Byulyi's eyes look on the phone's screen, the post remains the same. No matter how many times she patted the sidewalk with a white cane impatiently, waiting for the light to turn green after leaving the apartment. She knew it showed an event poster, but it was very vague. Even if she is sure that she can distinguish numbers. After three times of review, she finally gave up and switched to a screen reader. When playing content that has been converted into voice, she puts the phone close to her ear. An automatic tone signal can be heard, indicating that the green light is on. The blonde was about to take the first step before a voice greeted her in her accent.

“Stop.” He said. “There’s a car in the middle of the zebra cross.” 

“Thanks.” Byulyi said, a little surprised for not noticing it before. “What happened?” 

“There’s been an accident. My friend is badly hurt. In his car.” 

The way he speaks sounds like Jeolla dialect. Not that it is any important in this situation. “And you,” Byulyi ask. “Are you hurt?” 

“No.” told him. “That kind of misfortune never happened to me because I always help people like you.” 

“Well,” Byulyi said. “Is your friend still hurt?” 

“He’ll be fine. Let me take you across the road.” 

“When did this happen?” 

“Just now.” Byulyi can tell his voice is shaking. “Thank God It’s not worse. That I am fine. Now let me take you across the road.” 

Not only did the man deposit her at the pedestrian lights, he insisted on escorting her gently to the far side of the road. After wishing Byulyi goodluck and giving her blessing, he went back to join his shaken or injured friend whose car had been mounted on the footpath. 

With a concern crossing her mind thinking about the Samaritans’ plight, Byulyi wonders if their being on this side of the road is considered providential to him. That he was meant to be okay after proving his conscience by helping people like Byulyi. She raises her white cane, which she holds in her right hand. She rarely uses it (out of discomfort of prying eyes), but her sense of space was particularly disoriented this morning and she can't have that during a walk. 

After considering, she folded the cane and tuck it inside her briefcase, continuing the walk without it. 

-- 

Making her way into the vicinity of RBW University, greetings came from all directions, mostly from students who have taken her class before. She tries her best to address each student by their salient features, and is glad that she mostly got them right. Her loafer clicked until it stopped in front of the lecturer's office, and she swung it open with a click. Heads poked out of the cubicles, a sign of its inhabitants. "Good morning, Byul-nim!"

“Morning.” She replied with a light tone. “Did you see my glasses?” 

One of the admins came to her and handed Byulyi a leather case. Byulyi opened it and noticed cracks in the lens and bent the bridge. Nevertheless, she’s grateful. “Thank you.” 

“It’s the fourth time this week.” The admin scratched her head. “You seem to misplace it a lot of times. I'll try to be more careful next time.” 

It may have something to do with the glasses becoming less helpful these days, but Byulyi instead asked, “I will. By the way, has Miss Kim stopping by?” 

She gets a shake of the head. Good. “I have only one class in the evening, so if you’ll excuse me, I will use Argyll Room for half an hour.” The ah-s and okay-s came in rhythm as Byulyi made her way out of the office and turned around the corner of the hall. 

-- 

The blonde pushed the metal door with a creak. Her walk was steady and giddy as she was bombarded with the smell of paper and vintage contraptions. It’s a small room consisting of books in larger fonts that she has some chance of understanding, and audio recordings of rarer books that she has amassed either with her colleagues' help or when she decides to tackle some of the tasks herself. No one could hate a giant amount of references and information, and it is the kind of environment that she cannot possibly miss for the world. It is a place where she can be alone with a substantial number of references, and the vastness of the info earned the name “Argyll Room”, a homage to a secret room in old London where people were having rendezvous, exchanging tips and valuable goods. Many staff members frequent that place but no one can beat the level of attendance of Byulyi’s. She’s barely sitting and about to take a book before stopping herself and playing the unfinished content she heard before being interrupted by the accident. 

You are cordially invited! Alumni gathering at Princeton University celebrating the anniversary! The gathering will be done through Zoom video conferences on DD/MM/YY. I will give you the link! For further information you can contact— 

The fast-forwarded speech was interrupted as the door was kicked aside and Byulyi sighed. A woman with long hair that’s a little disheveled and formal shirt that contains splotches in certain parts was stepping into the room, walking swiftly and putting her arm on Byulyi’s desk. 

“Did you get the Uni’s invitation?” 

“Good morning, Yongsun-unnie.” Replied Byulyi with a bored tone. Kim Yong-sun, the thirty-year-old lecturer of Fine Art Major, gave a playful smile and repeated her question. “It’s a zoom call. Just click the link. There’s no harm in that.” 

“You have to turn on the camera. It’s a mood killer. I’d rather skip.” 

"What kind of reunion would that be, when you can't see your friend's face after a long time? You must know that they are far worse off than you are." Byulyi let out a short laugh and glared at the older woman. "Why did you always come here, anyway? This isn't even an art building. You need to do your work properly." Yongsun covers her ears and babbles to drown out the noise. "I can't hear you! You need to stop reading those books and start using the recording more often! How can your eyes take it?"

This is exactly why Byulyi prefers it here with her friend's absence. "Nothing important happened this week, so I think I can handle the reading just fine." Byulyi explained with emphasis on the last word. She took a tape from the shelf, put it in a cassette and dusted it. "Why are you here anyway?" Byulyi thanked Yongsun for a cup of coffee she got from the older woman. It was so quiet that she wondered what was going to happen. "Unni? What's wrong? Did you mess up your blind date again?"

Yongsun thwacked Byulyi on the head, exclaimed sharply. “I heard you brought a woman into your place.” Byulyi sputtered her drink. Between her violent coughs she fights out a word in a hoarse voice. 

“Wheein told me.” 

“What?” Byulyi gasped. “Did you sleep with your student now?” That accusation gets another slap on the head. “Of course not, silly! It’s only the second date. I guess she let the cat out by accident. She told me to keep it secret.” 

“And here you are, telling this to me. Good job, unnie.” 

“Shush!” Yongsun hissed. “But letting a stranger in your place… That’s out of character for you, Byul-ah.” 

Byulyi shrugged, twirling the pen between her fingertips. “She’s not exactly a stranger…” 

This gets a look from Yongsun. “Oh? Do tell.” She put her chin on the desk and spoke in a tone that cringed Byulyi. “Tell me everything and don’t even think of leaving anything out.” The blonde rolled her eyes and put the cassette aside, instead taking a book and a magnifier glass. “There’s nothing to tell, really. We promised to know less about each other. Things will be less awkward that way.” 

“How considerate.” Yongsun coos. “Is it official already? I’m jealous.” Byulyi clicked her tongue, annoyed. “Just go. Seriously!” But Yongsun didn’t hear her. She focused on the window that provided a glimpse of the park at another facility. The Fine Art building, after all, is adjacent to Philosophy’s, after all. She giggled. 

“What’s funny?” 

“There’s Wheein.” 

Yongsun pointed to a woman passing through, carrying a whole load of art supplies in her arms. Her brown hair fluttered as she fought her way to carry it all without difficulty. Her friend next to her seemed to disapprove of the whole situation, offering to carry half the load. A little tug-of-war is happening. “Isn’t she cute?” Yongsun swoons. 

“Okay, Miss McWhipped.” 

“It’s a universal truth! Oh, her friend snatch the brushes… What is her name again? Hyejin…” 

Byulyi’s ear perked up at the name and she took a place beside Yongsun, who recoiled in sudden proximity. “Is that Wheein? Your underage date?” 

“There’s only four years ! You take that back.” Yongsun gave an offended gasp. “It’s only a second date, and I’m looking forward to the third, if she is interested enough for it…” Byulyi look straight out, trying to make out from the distance. The way she moves and gestures is telling enough even from this distance: that’s her current roommate and housekeeper. Yongsun pauses her rambling upon noticing the other woman’s silence, following her stare at Hyejin.  

“Did you know Hyejin?” Yongsun got no answer. “Hey!” 

Byulyi shook her head. “No, I don’t. We’re from different faculties. There’s no way she attends my class.” 

“I didn’t say anything though.” Byulyi shut . Busted. Nevertheless Yongsun didn’t pry any further. “Hyejin, huh… That girl has talent. But She’s being stumped lately. She didn’t seem to produce anything these past few weeks. What a waste. She got something, but her mind seemed to be at somewhere else…” Byulyi went back to her desk and took the magnifying glass. “I didn’t ask.” 

“You keep looking at her.” Yongsun shrugged as if it was obvious. “Are you sure you two didn’t know each other?” 

It’s the crack of dawn. The university’s library have been devoid of students. The librarian has packed up. At the corner side of the library, a tanned woman cried silently behind the desk before the phone alarm rang for exactly five minutes. The woman swiped her cheeks and stopped, putting on a terse face while massaging her face for a moment. 
 

 
The flashback put a little smirk on Byulyi’s mouth as she put on the magnifying glass and concentrated on the words. 

“No, I don’t.” 

-- 

“You what now?!” 

“I know I shouldn’t date her, Hyejinnie! I know!” Wheein whined, putting the brush aside. “But She’s so kind and easy to talk to, and that eyes…” It’s at this point Hyejin has lost her friend. “Oh, if only you were there!” 

Kim Yong-sun, a lecturer in Fine Arts major. THE killer lecturer Kim Yongsun, the ruthless critic and always known to have no expression other than a frown or sneer? Hyejin finds that hard to believe. “You just know she’s really listening to you. I might have told your story to Moon Byulyi that night… but I don’t give out your name! I swear!” 

Sometimes Hyejin wonders why she even confides in Wheein at all if It’s going to be like this. That thought is what she conveyed to Wheein immediately, which caused the other woman to pout in guilt. It’s a sight that makes Hyejin regret her own words. “As long as you don’t give out my name.”  

Wheein makes a crossing sign on her heart as proof she can be trusted. Hyejin’s not really sure about that. Before long, she can hear a shout from a distance. “Wheein-ah!” 

It’s their lecturer, calling from another building with the biggest smile. A sight that is shocking enough, especially when her friend waves back. “Miss Kim!” Hyejin winced her eyes and grew nervous upon seeing the figure She’s so familiar with at Kim Yong-sun’s back. She quickly steps back and hides behind Wheein, which is getting her a confused look. “What is it?” 

“That’s her! Let’s just get away from here quick!” 

“She didn’t see you! What’s wrong with her knowing that both of you are from the same university though?” Wheein always finds it quite weird. To be honest, even Hyejin has no idea why. Or maybe she does. The woman already knows that She’s homeless and gracious enough to provide help, for a reason Hyejin cannot guess. She cannot explain it in words: this sense of wanting to for once get the upper hand of the game. To know more about Byulyi than Byulyi knows about her. It’s baffling. Even remembering about her sleeping on Byulyi’s lap is enough for her to dig her own grave and die in embarrassment.  

In contrast to Kim Yongsun's brazen waves, the philosophy lecturer who has cemented her place in Hyejin's memory stands with her back to the window, seemingly engrossed in her own reading. Fluttering his eyelashes and tying his blonde curls together, Hyejin swallows his saliva for no reason at the sight of her.

-- 

Moon Byulyi preferred to think of herself as a person that is firm in her decision. 

Or so she likes to think as she was being dragged by her fellow lecturers (under the pretense of knowing each other more) for a cup of coffee. She would most definitely say no if she knew she was going to have a cup of coffee at a lingerie store. High-end type that can only be entered with premium membership. The fact that her fellow male coworker is the one who possesses the membership and decided that dragging her in was a good idea didn’t calm her nerves one abysmal bit. She was pounded with exceeding discomfort as the sight of women with various levels of exposure in their assigned lingerie of all styles. It's one of the rare moments when she’s glad her eyesight didn’t provide much clarity to recognize the faces of each model, enough to maintain eye contact. However, it didn’t really give much guard against her attention leered to the thongs that seemed to be tightened on the and— on the other hand, it looks like a real quality of clothing material, all embarrassment aside. She can take her time enjoying the quality if only her coworker didn’t keep tugging her shoulder and keep asking her cringing questions. “I heard you like girls.” The worst opening to any sentence ever. Byulyi is already preparing a half-hearted answer before she can glimpse a nip slip that is quickly covered by the model herself in a wardrobe malfunction. 

On a second thought, let’s just take the phone and wait until all of this is over. 

-- 

Why does it seem like the universe is conspiring against her today? 

Ahn Hyejin is about to step inside the hall with other ladies for their shift. It is almost night, and she needs to finish this quickly so that she can make it in time to cook up a dinner for her roommate back in the apartment.  

At least until she caught the figure of the blonde. Her heart almost stopped. Why the heck did she get here?! Is she stalking her or something? That’s impossible. The point is, the scholar should never recognize her. She didn’t need the effort of explaining this to her. As she entered her assigned room, Hyejin prayed with all her heart that Byulyi and her friend did not have time to visit any of the private rooms. 

-- 

Moon Byulyi’s eyes were nailed to her smartphone with the determined focus of a woman who was experiencing total awkwardness in the room.  

Meanwhile, Hyejin almost cursed at her own bad luck. Of course, of all private rooms in the store, she chooses to enter hers. If there’s any silver lining here is that the blonde seems to see her as one of the ‘girls’ that she doesn’t have to give a second look. It was a little blow to her pride but it was worth it. She cannot be more embarrassed than she already is. 

“Hello…?” 

Moon Byulyi and the older man were sitting in the private room of Sodia, the most exclusive lingerie shop located in th