Dear person who redefines words and highlights important parts, thank you so much. I only understood this book thanks to you.

Hongbin closed the novel and put it back on the shelf. He came to the library in the morning and read a chapter of the same book, every day. The thick novel wasn’t even halfway done, but someone, just like him, came everyday and left notes.

Definition of words, personal comments, important parts. The mysterious person was the only reason Hongbin read the book.

 He got up from his chair, looking at the time on his phone. He took a little more time than usual because he woke up late.

He rushed to the right building, coming in class just as it was starting.

Hongbin was 21. He studied business and worked part time as a photographer.

According to what girls said about him, he was good looking. He had wavy caramel hair and a dimply smile, and he was also very tall. His friends’ sisters giggled when they saw him, and his girl classmates would blush when he looked at them.

He felt like the only thing people saw when they looked at him what that he was good looking. He didn’t like it.

Hongbin liked to read. He could have long conversations about different subjects, but he had nobody to talk to. He was a lot deeper than what he looked like. He wondered how it’d feel like if, for once, someone talked to him without knowing what he looks like.

His friend Wonsik turned around from the first row, frowning. He questioned Hongbin with his eyes.

Hongbin did as best as he could to make him understand he woke up late, using signs. Wonsik nodded, turning around to look at the teacher.

Hongbin let himself relax in his chair. He was so tired.

He started a book after dinner.

Bad idea. He finished it at 2 in the morning, and the main character died at the end. He was unable to sleep, feeling angry with the end, with the author and with the whole world. He turned around in his bed until he fell asleep, 2 hours later, his head resting where his feet should’ve been. He was a bookworm, and he admitted it. Hongbin adored books, almost as much as he liked photography. When he was really into a book, he wouldn’t stop reading until he finished it, which could be very annoying to his friends. He read during breaks, during lunch and even during dinner. He was a total antisocial until he finished his book.

He paid almost no attention to the teacher, dozing off for the rest of the class.

It was Wonsik who woke him up at the end of class, shaking his shoulders. Hongbin woke up suddenly, looking around. He shook his head to wake himself up and grabbed his books, following Wonsik out.

«Where were you?» asked Wonsik, stopping in the middle of the hallway. Hongbin pushed him to the side. Wonsik was not usually very aware of his surroundings and didn’t realize it when he was in other people’s way.

«I woke up late, and it took a little bit more time than usually at the library» said Hongbin. Wonsik went to work out in the morning, so Hongbin was alone in their dorm and fell back asleep for a couple of minutes.

He looked at the time. He had to go to his next class soon.

«And you didn’t think about not going to the library for once?» asked Wonsik. Hongbin scoffed.

Wonsik didn’t really understand Hongbin. Hongbin didn’t care much, Wonsik was good friend and a good roommate, but sometimes he wished he had someone who he could be really close to.

What he really wanted was a boyfriend. He had yet to come out of the closet, and everyone thought he liked girls. He didn’t.

He looked at the time.

«See you at lunch!» he said to Wonsik before rapidly walking away to his next class.

Instead of falling asleep, he kept himself awake, doodling on his notes and daydreaming about the mysterious person who left notes in the book at the library.

I’m glad I helped you. I thought I was the only one reading this. Don’t tell the librarian I write into books ;)