With the side of my head in my palm, a sigh left my lips. I looked over the pages of the ridiculously thick textbook. Drumming my fingers against the table’s counter, I glanced at my surroundings in the library with more than less-enthusiastic students and bookworms who have crawled away in their own worlds. I stared at the cover of the book I had. 2010 Edition.

My chair made a noise of protest against the floor as I stood. I figured I might as well ask one of the workers in the library for help.

“Do you have a more up to date version of this book?” I held it out.

Luhan looked up from sorting through the Young Adults section. That day, he was assigned to wear a shirt that said ‘Need any help? Ask me’ on his back.

“It should have been next to that one on the shelf. Everything is alphabetical.” Chuckling at my dumbfounded expression, he lead me down shelves and easily made a once-over at the hinges of the books before retrieving the 2012 Edition of the same textbook. That one was gold covered. The 2010 had more of a navy blue cover. Luhan handed that one to me while he returned the old.

“Thank you.”

“That’s the most recent one we have.” He tapped the front of the book with a finger. “But shouldn’t you be studying? Not bothering me while I’m trying to make a little cash, miss?”

“I’m studying!” I insisted in a half-whispered yell.

The last I’ve heard of Luhan was him laughing quietly to himself as I marched back up to my table and plopped myself down among my notes and worksheets. Turning to the page I wanted, I diligently took down notes for a good ten minutes before making the mistake of looking up at Luhan.

Three books balanced in his arms, Luhan locked gazes with me. I gave him a look when he tossed me a greasy wink. I didn’t think I could concentrate to my fullest and I should have thought of that before I made the choice to study while he had a shift.

Not that I’d mind.

“Quit flirting with me,” I cupped my hands around my mouth to say.

The lady that looked to be in her thirties that sat a table away from me glanced towards Luhan apprehensively. She had a stack of Oprah magazines at her sides. After overhearing what I’d said, she stared at Luhan with a look that said, ‘kids these days.’

“Young man, you really should get to work,” she said sternly.

I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as Luhan looked at her pleadingly and silently proclaimed he was innocent. Fidgeting with the books still in his arms, Luhan looked to be about to defend himself though only nodded in response to her. As soon as the woman looked away, Luhan shook his head at me while I muffled a laugh behind both hands.

“That was embarrassing.” Luhan shook his cup of iced coffee. We ended up at a quaint little restaurant for lunch time.

“I didn’t count for that to happen, but I’m glad it did.”

Crossing his arms on the table, he leaned closer to my side to whisper. “I have a story to tell you.”

“What story?”

“Come closer.”

Sitting up straighter in my seat and angling myself towards him, I listened. “Okay?”

“There’s this old legend in the library that says we never open the east doors because a boy from ten years ago hung himself inside—”

“I thought that room was for storage.”

“It’s not.” He feigned surprise at my apparent lack of knowledge. “But anyway, at night... you can still hear his soul silently weeping— Ow!”

I hit his knee from under the table. “Stop trying to scare me! I know what you’re doing.”

“Is there anything else that you two need?”

At the sound of the waitress beside our table, we scooted back to proper sitting positions automatically, realizing only then how close we were leaning towards each other. “We’re good, thank you,” Luhan was the first who comprehended words to say.

Nodding, she left to tend with another customer.

I my drink through the straw, still unsure of how I should rate it out of five stars. “Are you not hungry?” I asked him, seeing his lack of a solid food source.  I had finished my fries ten minutes ago.

“I ate on my break.” He shrugged.

“Are you sure? They have all kinds of food here.” I turned my head to read the menu board up front by the counter, though my eyes landed on a woman three tables from us who was practically raking her eyes through Luhan’s entire being from his head to his toes. I almost choked on how indiscreet she was being with the way her entire body was turned towards him. “Luhan, I think that lady wants you.”

“What—?”

“Don’t look!” I stuck out at a hand at him in warning. “She’s like four years older than us.” The woman dressed like she had a high-end job at some business with her fancy heels and pencil skirt. “She’s probably imagining you without your clothes on, I bet.” I laughed.

Luhan scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’m serious. Look. She’s at your ten o’clock.”

Sticking his straw in his mouth and following directions, Luhan nonchalantly glanced to his left and met eyes with the woman. Instead of disgracefully turning away because she was caught staring like I thought, she held her gaze with Luhan. The woman suddenly reminded me of a vulture stalking its prey. It was like she was challenging him three tables away from us.

“C’mon, she’s at least seven years older than us,” Luhan said to me, breaking their eye contact.

“But she’s hot.”

Luhan looked at me like he was trying to see some magical hidden message if he stared long enough. Without any warning, he suddenly turned towards the woman. “Excuse me, miss.”

“Luhan—!” I ducked my head automatically in embarrassment.

She comprehended him with a raise of her neatly groomed brow, seemingly pleased that she had finally caught his attention by the way she had been blatantly staring.

Luhan continued to speak shamelessly. “I was telling my girlfriend a story if you wanted to listen in too.”

The woman’s jaw practically fell on her table as she shifted her stare at me with a disgusted scowl as if I sneezed on her food. Picking up her purse, she rose in one fluid motion and stalked out of the restaurant. I didn’t dare look at her, afraid she could burn lasers into my soul and instead hid behind my hair. I listened for the sound of the door closing behind her before I decided to breathe again.

“Why’d you do that?!”

He burst into laughter that contorted his features. “I couldn’t finish my drink knowing she was staring.”

“She was hot though.” I thought it was every guy’s fantasy to be the center of attention of anyone who could pass off as a Victoria’s Secret model.

Luhan blinked. “Did you want me to call her back?”

“No.” I replied too quickly, answering right after a millisecond of him finishing his question.

Giving me a knowing look, Luhan stood, signaling for us to leave. Gathering my things, I followed suit behind him and joined the busy bust of people on the sidewalk. He automatically reached out to grab my hand, like an instinctive reaction. Our fingers laced together like the most natural thing.

“Why’d you call me your girlfriend? Now she’s going to make a voodoo doll out of me,” I mumbled, finishing off the last of my drink. There was the irritable noise of air and the little bits of liquid being through the straw.

“Because you are my girlfriend.”

I lifted my chin, looking at him stoically without words.

Luhan quickly turned apologetic. “Sorry. Did you want me to officially ask you?”

I exaggerated a scoff. “What made you assume I was going to say yes anyway?”

“We’ll see, right?” Luhan pulled me to halt, forcing me to turn and face him so suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk like we were a scene out of a movie. “Jinah, I—”

My hand shot out to cover his mouth and I cringed at the feel of stares being directed at us. “Okay, you don’t have to ask.” When I removed my hand, there was a wide smile on his face that could have warmed me from the cold weather. “I’m your girlfriend.”

Luhan shut his mouth from speaking, wanting me to continue where I was headed with this.

“I sorta like you a lot.” I hoped the little squeak in my voice hadn’t been audible.

He frowned. “Sorta?”

“I said a lot! But are you..." I dropped my eyes to the ground, suddenly flustered. "Are you sure about us?"

Luhan rolled his eyes comically at me. "Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be sure?" he questioned rhetorically as we continued our walk.

"Luhan, because you're... you're..." I lacked the proper words and silently trailed off.

He seemed to find it amusing to see me speechless for once. "I'm what?"

"You're..!" I gestured to the evidence I was trying to make which was him beside me with flailing arms. What could I even say? He was gorgeous? He was thoughtful and sweet and everything great? He was him?

"What are you trying to say?" The playful grin he had on didn't seem to be slipping off.

I effectively dodged a bustling woman on the sidewalk by stepping to the left before I collected my thoughts again. "Aren't there other girls who like you? How many of them have asked you out?" I looked to his eyes and care