“You need to revise your proposal.”

Jiwoo sat leaning forward with her elbows on the desk so she could rub her rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “Again?” she asked.

Woo-jin gave her a sympathetic look as he put the files down. “I told you to ask Tae-hyung for help.”

“And give him another chance to harass me?” she muttered under her breath but Woo-jin still heard her anyway.

He laughed. “Just do it, Jiwoo. This needs to be submitted tomorrow.”

She sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Alright, Woo-jin.”

“Why do you call him by his first name?” Tae-hyung said in an affronted voice, stomping towards them.

“Speak of the devil,” Woo-jin mumbled. Turning to Tae-hyung, he said, “Because I asked her, no, begged her to. You know I don't like being called sir or mister.”

“What he said,” Jiwoo said with a nod. “Sir.”

Tae-hyung frowned at her. “I forbid you from calling me sir from now on, Jiwoo.”

Jiwoo scowled up at him. “But you're my superior.”

“You know you're the only employee who calls me sir. So stop pushing it.”

Jiwoo didn't answer because it was true.

“So from now on,” Tae-hyung lifted his hand and patted her head with a smile, “you call me Tae-hyung.”

“You can't drink here,” Jiwoo told a group of boys sitting on the floor. “No foods and drinks are allowed here in the library.”

“You’re not the librarian, are you?” one of the boys asked her sarcastically. “So get lost.”

Jiwoo bit her lip. She’d been so scared to confront them but she loved the library. It was, for her, a sacred place. She wasn't going to allow some delinquents to ruin her favorite place. So mustering up the last of her courage, she took a step forward.

“No,” she said, curling her fist. “I won't get lost. Not until you throw your drinks away.”

They all looked at each other. Then they stood up in a slow, ominous way that she almost made her whimper.

But then their eyes went over her head and they blanched. Faster than ever possible, they gathered their drinks and books and left the aisle.

Jiwoo turned around to see what scared them. Then she felt the urge to flee too.

Tae-hyung had a scary expression on her face as stood in front of her.

She turned to walk away but then she felt something land on her head.

“Good job,” she heard him say. He was patting her head. “You did well.”

That night, Jiwoo had a full-blown fight with her elder sister.

She didn't want to take a bath.

She didn't want to lose Tae-hyung's print on top of her head.

“Just call him by his first name, Jiwoo,” Woo-jin told her. “Whenever he wants to get his way, he gives the word determination a whole new meaning. Might as well give up.”

“F-fine,” Jiwoo stammered.

“And make him help you with your proposal.”

“Woo-jin,” she whined.

“That’s why I’m here,” Tae-hyung interrupted. “You need to ask me about this things, Jiwoo. I’m not a useless superior like Woo-jin here.”

“Hey!”

“Okay, sir,” Jiwoo mumbled.

“Come again?”

She glared at him. “Okay, Tae-hyung. “

He smiled at her. “Good. Let’s go to my desk.”

Please don't say it.

“And you also have my complete permission to fall in love with me again.”

“Oh, for God's sake.” Woo-jin rolled his eyes. “Go, Jiwoo. I need that proposal.”

Jiwoo obeyed and moved to sit in front of Tae-hyung's desk. He began to instruct her on what she should do, and though everything he said was easy to understand, she couldn’t focus at all.

Because she hated this.

If she had any more contact with him, she’ll keep thinking about what Somin told her. 

If she had any more contact with him, she'll have to admit to herself just how much he can get to her.

If she had any more contact with him, she'll break again.