New York, Summer 2008

It was a sunny day on summer, a perfect day to go to the beach or have a picnic with friends and it was also the first day of the summer holiday yet there she, Song Ji Hyo, was spending this beautiful day on the university’s library. This was all because she hadn’t finished her assignment and the due date was coming closer, only a week left.

Ji Hyo walked through the library hallway, looking for the books that she needed. She found the last book on the top of the shelf. She tried to reach it but unfortunately, she was still too short. She tried to tiptoe but she failed to reach it again. She tried to jump but she still couldn’t get the book. When Ji Hyo prepared herself to jump again, a hand took the book that she aimed.

Ji Hyo turned around and saw a handsome muscular man stood behind her with the book that he took earlier on his hand while his eyes were skimming the content of the book, the book that could save her grade. Judging by his looks, Ji Hyo thought that this man was an Asian even though his hair was golden brown but his small eyes gave off the Asian vibe.

“Mmm… Excuse me,” Ji Hyo tried to get the book back, she really needed the book. The man looked up to her and waited Ji Hyo to finish her sentence, “I’m sorry but can you give the book to me? I really need the book.”

The man gave Ji Hyo a weird look before he answered her, “Why don’t you look for the other book? I get the book first and I also need it.”

“But it’s the last one here and my grade completely depends on it.”

“Then, you have to wait until I return the book, miss.” He walked to the check-out counter and just left Ji Hyo there with her blank face, didn’t expect that he would turn down her polite request. Didn’t care about her image in front of this stranger, she chased the man.

“Hey!” She shouted. The man didn’t stop and still walking. “Hey! You! You with the red checkered shirt!” He stopped and turned around. Ji Hyo stood in front of him and tried to reason with him for the book. “Please let me borrow it first, after that I promise I will return it and you can borrow it.”

“The same goes to you, miss. I’ve told you I get the book first and I also need it.”

“I saw the book first! I tried to get it first!”

“But I’m the one who took the book first so I get to borrow the book first.”

“Hey! Hey!”

He walked away with the book and ignored Ji Hyo who still shouted, trying to get the book from him.

What an annoying girl, he thought. Never met a girl who completely annoying like her.

He proceeded to borrow the book and he looked at Ji Hyo who slumped at one of the nearest chair where he left her. Feeling guilty, he decided to talk to her.

“Miss…” Ji Hyo looked up and found the muscular man standing in front of her. She looked at him with disinterest. “Listen, you need this book too, right? I have a solution for both of us.”

“How about we share the book? I will lend this book to you every afternoon but you have to give it back to me before you go home because I need to study for my make-up exam from that book.” He explained his solution. Ji Hyo still thinking about his offer and he took this time to look closely at her. He noticed there was Korean accent in her English.