Emotions ran like waves through the air as everyone gathered in front of the school on the first day back off of summer break. High fives and hugs were in high supply as friends were reunited once more, friendships pressed play after a summer of being paused, uniting old friends with new ones, enlarging social circles making everyone feel welcomed. Smiles plastered on everyone’s faces as bright greetings flew through the air to one another.

Your eyes wondered around the sea of people, trying to find some more of your friends as your best friend stood at your shoulder.

“Is that Hyuk?” One of your friends, Tammi, nudged your shoulder as your eyes turned over to a group of boys laughing.

“That looks like his friends” You remarked as you moved your head a little to try and see who was the new face in the group.

“It can’t be….” Your friend gasped as the bell sounded and the group of guys began to walk past you to go through the front doors of the school.

Finding your classroom, you analyzed the board and found your assigned seat, maneuvering through the maze of desks, you settled yourself in the hard seat while you pulled out your books from your backpack. Watching new faces walk through the door of your classroom, you spun your ring around your finger as the teacher wrote her name on the board and the subject.

The unknown boy in the group you had seen before walked through the door, gazing at the board, he quickly found his seat and glanced in your direction as he passed by your desk, flashing you a friendly smile, one that seemed all too familiar to you.

Once in class, you sat in your seat as the teacher called out roll, waiting for his last name to be called, you looked over your shoulder slightly and saw that he answered to Hyuk, your childhood friends’ name.

“He has really grown up over the summer” You heard one of the girls behind you remark as you turned your head forward and looked down at your books.

Glancing at him through class, you tried to take in how much he has changed since you saw each other last. After class, you slowly closed your books and placed your pencils into your bag as you lifted your bag onto your shoulders.

“Did you have a good summer, ______?” A voice called from behind you as you slowly turned around

“I did, it was a lot of fun” You smiled seeing the guy with your friends name in front of you.

“Did you do anything knew or exciting?” He probed, his hands slipping into his pockets.

“Of course, I had a lot of fun adventures” You nodded

“Did you leave the library for those adventures?” He sang in a teasing tone a smile playing on his lips.

“Nope~” You sang back proudly, shaking your head lightly

“Aish… you never change” You watched his eyes advert from you as a smile pulled on the corner of his lips.

“______!“ One of you friends called from the doorway as you snapped your head around, she ran up to you and looped her arm around yours. “They have a new series in the library!”

“They do?!” You beamed

“Come on, I will show you!” She pulled you harshly towards the door as you turned around and saw the man wave to you, trying to wave back before you passed through the door.

“You’re still cute as ever” Hyuk sighed, shaking his head lightly before slowly making his way out of the room.

Time passes as the girls began to flock around him, always pushing you out of the picture. When you turned around and walked away, Hyuk was always watching you over all of the other girls around him, watching you gather your things and slowly walk away at the end of the period. His heart telling him to push through the crowd of girls and walk you home, yet his feet stayed planted while his eyes moved with your figure down the hallway before you were no longer in his sight.

Watching him during class became a habit as you started to study him more during class than your subjects. Noting the way he liked his hair, the favorite books he would pull out and read between classes, how he would play with his pen when he was bored and gaze out the window along the tops of the trees and the white clouds. The little things began to grow as something inside of you did as well. Something new, something exciting began to happen as everyday you would come to class and he would be there always greeting you with a smile before class started.

Summer turned into fall and fall into winter, the leaves fell from the trees and the snow covered the ground.

Reading in the library in your favorite window seat was your go-to place. Snowflakes fell on the other side of the glass while your fingertips felt the texture of the paper with each page flip.

“I can see why you like the library” A soft voice whispered, not wanting to disturb you too much.

“And why is that?” You smiled and turned towards Hyuk as your thumb pressed against the page that you were reading so you wouldn’t loose your place.

“It’s the best place to play hide and seek” He smiles as you scooted over so he could sit next to you, seeing that little spark of childhood in him that you haven’t seen since you two were kids.

“You’re right about that~ It is a great place to hide if you don’t want to be found” You dropped your head as you have been having a hard time lately with school and friends.

“Why do you not want to be found?” He questioned after a while, not wanting to cross the line if you didn’t want him to.

“I just needed some time to myself is all” You told him with a soft sigh, “And why are you here? Too tired after all of the girls chasing you around school?”

“There is only one girl I would want chasing after me” He confessed as you felt him move closer to you.

“I bet I know her name” You whispered, your thumb brushing over the cover of your book.

“Hrmmm, what would her name be?” He questioned, his fingers lacing with themselves. You name one of the most popular girls off in your class as he covers his mouth to try and soften his laugh from escaping into the quiet library.

“She doesn’t know a black from white, so how could I ever talk to her” He looked at you, honesty pooling in his eyes, “Besides she is too busy making sure her nails are perfect.” He leaned back against the window. “I like someone else…”

“Oh?” You leaned back, looking at him as his head rested against the slightly fogged up window.

“You know her, really well” He glanced over at you, his eyes lingering on you a little longer than normal.

“She is really lucky to have someone like you like her” You slipped your bookmark where your fingers were holding the pages open.

“Then you are one lucky girl” He smiled as you turned back around and looked at him in the eyes.

“W-What?” You stammered a little confused as to why he was talking to you like this.

“You said the girl I like is really lucky…. and you are one lucky girl” He let his smile pull onto his lips as his white smile spread across his face. His words slowly started to sink in as you blinked a few times.

“Y-You like me?” You questioned, pointing to yourself just to make sure the two of you were on the same page.

“Mhmmm” He hummed, his head nodding surely.

“Even over all of those other girls?” You just had to ask

“They could never beat out my beautiful best friend, inside and out” Hyuk’s eyes sparkled as you your lips falling speechless.

“W-Would you like to read the new series they just got in together?” You offered, showing him the first book in your hands. Nodding his head brightly, you opened the pages of the book and flipped to the first chapter.

“Don’t you want to continue reading in your place?” He asked knowing you were about halfway through the book already.

“I’ll let you catch up” You smiled as you held one side of the book while he held the other, his arm gently wrapped around your shoulders as you leaned into his side. Slowly reclining back, you rested on his chest while the two of you took turns reading each chapter quietly to one another.