part one: meet the bookworm

 "Aish. Jung Soojung, you're lucky you're my best friend's sister or I would've kicked your out of here." Kim Taeyeon cursed as she arranged a pile of architecture books on the shelves. She remembered doing this back in 2005, as an intern at this library itself. And here she was, six years later and appointed head librarian, doing the job that got her started. A job meant for the new intern Jung Soojung.

 Once again, she failed to show up, it was summer and of course she had other things better to do than increase her college resume at a boring old library. But that didn't seem to be an issue with someone.

 Taeyeon heard the bell attached at the top of front door ring as a person walked inside. She ignored the customer and continued putting the books away, barely getting All About Architecture at the very top shelf.

 "Stupid short genes," Taeyeon muttered as she tried jumping to put the book in it's place. A shadow casted over her as a deep voice asked,

 "Do you need help?" Taeyeon turned around to see a chuckling man, grabbing the book and swiftly placing it at the very top without a single muscle stretching. "Is that all right?"

 Taeyeon simply nodded as she bowed in thanks. She grabbed her cart of books and continued walking through the shelves. That guy was the only person inside other than her, but why? He didn't seem familiar so maybe he just flew in from town or something. Taeyeon shook her head, she didn't have to worry about him anyways. He seemed like a nice guy since he helped her reach the top shelf.

 Honestly, Taeng never even liked books. She wasn't the kind of reader who can finish a novel in an hour, but in her ten years of attending this library, she's managed to read every book at least twice. What she liked the most about this library in particular was its solitude and silence every day. She didn't even mind that Soojung didn't show up sometimes, when she was inside she made a ruckus anyways.

 After finishing her rounds of book returning she retreated to the front desk exhausted. It was about a month's worth of returned books and it only took her two hours. That was the benefit of working at a slow library, you could put off the work for a while and it would barely take your time.

 Before Taeyeon drifted off into a sleep, she heard books slamming onto the desk. She jumped in shock and quickly fixed herself in front of the man who helped her a while ago.

 "Mianhae." she apologized quickly as she grabbed the pounds of book and began to check them out. "Do you have a library card?"

 The man shook his head, his glasses shifting along with his face. "Just moved here, may I have an application?" Taeyeon nodded as she handed him an application. While he was filling it out, she couldn't help but take a look at the books he checked out. All mystery-thriller books. He had a nice taste in choice too, every book he checked out was on the top of her favorite library book list. 

 After a few minutes he handed back his application as Taeyeon quickly scanned it. "Cho Kyuhyun," she read his name aloud. She smiled at his neat handwriting and the quirkiness of his responses to the useless personality questions. Eventually, she pulled out a library card and flipped it over. "Just sign the back and you'll be able to take your books home."

 Kyuhyun swiftly autographed his library card and handed it back, Taeyeon putting it under the scanner to officially let Kyuhyun borrow the books. A receipt printed out as she ripped it out, placing it inside the top book.

 "These books are due a month later, September 9." she issued, handing over the stack of books to him.

 "I'll have them back before then," he promised. "May I have a bag for these please?"

 "Why?" she questioned, cocking her head on the side.

 "It's raining." he chuckled, pointing to a nearby window. As if she would notice the change in weather as she's always isolated inside her library. Taeyeon obeyed his request and took out a plastic bag, even putting the books inside it. He received the bag and bowed. "Thank you Miss Kim."

 "How did you -" she called out but quieted down when she heard the bell ring notifying his departure. She almost slapped herself as she forgot that her name was in a placard at the front of her desk not to mention she had it pinned on her pocket.

 The next day Taeyeon arrived at the library to see Cho Kyuhyun patiently waiting outside. He bowed at Taeyeon, hugging all the books he had just checked out.

 "Annyeong Kyuhyun-ssi." she greeted as she opened the library doors. "Did you not enjoy the books you checked out? They're really great."

 "I did." he replied, walking behind her. "Just came back to return them since I already finished them."

 "Finished?" Taeyeon asked in shock. She took her seat in the desk and took the books from his grasp, checking them back in. Each book was at least 500 pages, and he'd checked out a handful of them. She understood a week or two, but not a day. But whatever technique he had she has to accept that he was returning them in the quality she gave them at. "You're all clear."

 "Thanks." he replied as he walked back to the bookshelves. Taeyeon gawked at the fact that he even wanted to read more. 

 "You're still going to check out books?" 

 "Of course."

 "Bookworm." she snarled as she placed the books on her cart. Kyuhyun smirked and continued his way towards the shelves, watching Taeyeon sing loudly along to a new SHINee song that just came out.

 "Shh .." he teased, placing his fingers atop of his light pink lips. "Silence in the library."

 "I'm the librarian, I can do whatever I want." she retorted, leaning back even further in her chair. Kyuhyun watched as she continued to lean back, inevitably falling backwards onto the carpet, Taeyeon shrieking in response. He couldn't help but laugh as he came to her rescue.

 "You alright?" he asked, hovering over the desk. Taeyeon shot up with blushed cheeks as she nodded. "People don't come here often do they?

 "Aniyo." she replied, taking her seat once again. "Small population, even smaller interest in books."

 "Good." he stated, leaning against the desk in approval. A long pause emitted between the two, when finally Taeyeon chirped in.

 "I prefer it like this too." She added, smiling as she began texting on her cellphone. Kyuhyun took thought of her words but shrugged it off, walking back to the bookshelves to find more books.

 All that was heard in the library was the cool air conditioner and Kyuhyun's constant removing and replacing of books. Usually Taeyeon would get annoyed by any visitor who just kept taking and returning books because they weren't as how they were but Kyuhyun had the courtesy to put them back even better than how he got them.

 Eventually Kyuhyun got another handful of books and placed them on Taeyeon's desk. Waiting for her to check them out, she simply shook her head.

 "Lunch break." she replied, stuffing with a bigger bite of her sandwich. Kyuhyun nodded in understanding and patiently waited for her to finished.

 After Taeyeon demolished her sandwich, she began to check Kyuhyun's books out. It seems he changed his genre from mystery & thrillers to adventure stories. 

 "You don't really go out do you?" Kyuhyun asked, taking back the books he checked out.

 "What makes you say that?" she countered, giving back his library card in distaste.

 "I don't know." he replied, standing up as he just put all his books in his backpack, adjusting to the weight. "You don't notice weather changes, you don't go out for lunch, I was surprised that you actually live somewhere else than here."

 "I'm comfortable in my own library. Isn't that how librarians are supposed to be?"

 Actually librarians should be old, haggy, and unattractive in Kyuhyun's experience, but she was young, vibrant, and definitely attractive. Nonetheless, he was definitely going to finish these books by the end of the day so he can return them tomorrow.