“Julia, what did you get for Daehyun this year? It’s his birthday today,” Minji suddenly asked over lunch break. We were eating sandwiches and fries at the back room. The weather that day was a little chilly with gushes of wind now and then blowing. “Hmm....nah not really something but I intended to make his favourite cheesecake!” I cheerfully replied. Every single year, Daehyun never failed to remind me to make cheesecake for his birthday. It was the best present he said he could have from me and that saved me from the burden of picking a present for him.

“Aigoo...not again. Such a glutton.. I bought him a pair of running shoes to shed those weight off from eating your fattening cake!” I cracked up upon hearing that. Minji always had a funny punchline in conversations.

We went back to work after lunch. I headed to the fiction section to rearrange the books there. I hummed a tune while I bent down to scan the books at the bottom shelves. While humming the tune, I could not help thinking about Yongguk’s birthday and the group hug I had with them. The moment where I looked into Yongguk’s eyes. Something felt comfortable and real even though his gaze was piercing and alluring. I felt a connection, as if I knew him for so long. The feeling in my heart came again, pure and carefree..almost natural. Yes, natural.

I was too absorbed in my thoughts that I took some time to realise a shadow hovering above me. I looked up to see a tall figure looking down at me with hands behind his back. His red hair caught my eye. I stood up straight realising the figure was Yongguk. I was dumbstruck but I managed a shy smile. “Yes, may I help?”

His eyes then browsed the shelves of books, scrutinizing at certain books. His fingers traced the spines of the books as he tilted his head to read the titles. His face sometimes frowned and sometimes he let out sighs. I was baffled by his actions and was unsure how to approach him. Before I opened my mouth to ask, he faced me with a blank face. “Do you have a book....that...uhmm..” he asked, purposely slowing down and breaking up his sentence.

“That...that what?”

He scratched his head and started to fidget. He bit his lips and he knitted his eyebrows while avoiding eye contact with me. I was more adamant to make him finish his sentence as he looked immersed in his thoughts. After sometime, I gave up and started to walk away. But he swiftly grabbed my wrist and made me halt.

“Do you have a book that can teach me how to...love?” he uttered with his guttural voice. My heart literally paused while I turned to face him. He was looking straight into my eyes, showing how he meant the words he just uttered. He slowly let go of my wrist while I blinked hard and tried to decipher the situation. Yongguk finding a book? Before I could answer it, Yongguk handed out an envelope to me. I was not sure how to react but it seemed like the letter contained something for me. I carefully stretched out my hands to receive it with my heart pulsating fast. Yongguk then left as soon as my fingers touched the surface of the envelope without any word as to why he gave the envelope.