Moving onto lined sheets because writing into books makes me feel like a criminal. Don’t worry, I won’t tell the librarian. I think she hates me anyway, and I’m a little scared because she’s always glaring at me.

Bin

«I can’t believe she’s my sister. I’m embarrassed» said Wonsik as he watched her 12 years old sister run across the field. He had promised to come to her soccer game, and he forced Hongbin to accompany him.

Hongbin just typed on his phone, ignoring Wonsik.

«Why are you taking this so seriously? She obviously doesn’t take this seriously so stop making a big deal out of the fact that she’s terrible at soccer» said Hongbin, lifting his eyes from his phone to look at Wonsik for a second.

Hongbin’s tutor, Junghwan, couldn’t tutor him on Wednesday at lunch like usual, so they were trying to find another date to have a tutoring session.

«Why did she ask me to come then?» asked Wonsik, taking a big gulp of water.

The sun was blazing hot even though it was late September. Wonsik was dressed way too much for the weather.

«Stop being so negative, will you?» said Hongbin, putting his phone back into his pocket. 

He watched as Jiwon, Wonsik’s sister passed the ball to a member of the team they were playing against.

Wonsik sighed and hid his face in his hands.

Hongbin was waving his hands in front of his face, trying to create wind. His hair and the back of his shirt were already wet from sweat.

«I need to go in an hour. I have a tutoring session» said Hongbin. Wonsik raised an eyebrow.

«On Saturday?» he asked in disbelief.

Hongbin nodded, pulling on the collar of his shirt that was sticking to his skin.

«Junghwan can’t all week. It’s the only time we’ve got» said Hongbin.

He was part of an ingenious program in the university. It was kind of an exchange of time. If someone needed pictures, Hongbin could give one hour of his time to take pictures, and in exchange, he could have one hour of someone’s time. That’s how he met his tutor, Junghwan, who helped him study the subjects he had the most trouble in once a week for a hour. Junghwan got an hour of singing lessons every week. That way, both of them were happy and both could keep their money and use it for something else.

«And tomorrow, I need to be at the repetition of the play to take pictures. I work until 8 afterwards» said Hongbin, listing all he had to do during the weekend.

Wonsik shook his head.

«You should be having fun instead. Party, get drunk and hook up with girls» said Wonsik, listing now what he would be doing during the weekend.

Hongbin had no interest in any of it. He felt awkward at parties, didn’t like the taste of alcohol and didn’t like girls either. Whenever he went to parties, some girls with revealing outfits and too much makeup clung onto him and he hated it.

They spent the hour watching Jiwon and her teammates play. They lost, but she was still happy about it.

«Hongbin oppa!» she said, grabbing his arm. She smiled. «You came to see me?» she asked.

«Yes. I have to go now» he said, taking Jiwon’s hand off of his arm and walking away.

Junghwan was waiting for him at the library. The older boy had squishy cheeks and wasn’t very tall, next to Hongbin. He apparently liked to sing a lot, but Hongbin never heard him sing so he didn’t know if he was any good.

Hongbin sighed as the cold air hit his face.

«Hi» he greeted Junghwan, dropping the books he stopped at the dorm to get on the table and collapsing on a chair. Junghwan greeted him back, but Hongbin could see he was preoccupied.

He ignored it and they started studying. Hongbin highlighted what he didn’t really understand during class so Junghwan could explain to him after. It wasn’t that he was stupid, but he was unable to really concentrate his class. His mind wandered around, thinking about nothing and everything leaving him confused at the end of the class because he never remembered what the class was about.

Junghwan was distracted. He kept looking at his phone every second and zoned out.

«What’s wrong?» asked Hongbin as he piled up his books on the desk. They were done, but they usually talked a little at the end because they were friends.

«I got in a fight with my best friend. I’m just stressed» answered Junghwan. «He’s…he’s very sensitive and I’m always afraid something will happen to him» continued the shorter boy. He got up from his chair and Hongbin followed him out of the library.

«It’ll be okay, hyung. If you’re worried, just call him» said Hongbin with a smile.

«Yeah…» said Junghwan, but Hongbin noticed he seemed out of it. He wondered if he said something wrong, but ended up just shrugging it off.

Junghwan was already walking away without saying goodbye. Hongbin frowned. His friend must be really important to him, because Junghwan was never like this usually.

The librarian is actually very nice when you smile at her. She always gives me homemade cookies when I come over. You should try it too.

I thought I was the only one who ever read this book. I don’t think it has moved ever since it’s been put on the shelf before I came.

Chan