“So…do you usually read books outside in the open when it’s negative three degrees?” The first boy of the week had asked in a confident voice, easily slipping into conversation after they’d introduced themselves.

        Introducing meaning the two of them shook hands for an awkward two seconds and a half, then exchanged their names (Joohyun instantly forgot his). Afterwards, he immediately jumped in and began probing her with questions.

        He was shorter than her, to her surprise. The young man was built lean and taut. His muscles straining underneath the fabric of his thermal long sleeve shirt, as if he were permanently flexing (Joohyun wouldn’t be surprised if he were).

        His black hair was trimmed neatly into a crew cut, and his hands were coated in a thick pair of gloves. The boy looked down at her with a winning smile as she set her book down on the metal table she was sitting at beside the Student Union building.

        If the English major were even a tiny bit straight, she might’ve been flattered at his approach. She’d been raised modestly, taught to be kind to everyone, and as most young women her age, secretly had her moments where she wished she’d find her Nicholas Sparks romance.

        Joohyun came from a somewhat of a small town, where everyone knew each other’s names and could run into each other at the same grocery store. Once in a blue moon, she had to turn down a lovesick boy at school, but she’d never really explained the reason she’d do so.

        The metaphorical closet had been her best friend throughout high school, but it was different now that the young woman was a college student. She had braved the fear of coming out to her friends and family, and despite having a few distant relatives getting upset with her, the whole ordeal went much more smoothly than Joohyun had originally pictured.

        College was a way to open the avenue of love right up, or so she’d thought. It turned out she hadn’t truly had enough downtime to find someone to date. It was too easy to get swept up in the chaos of her daily life as it was, how could she manage to fit in any relationship other than the occasional one night stand?

        Now, that day, Joohyun wasn’t usually one to be in a bad mood, but all she wanted to do was her homework. She also knew there was only one reason why this young man would stop and talk to her in the middle of the frigid winter air.

        It was clear to the twenty year old that this young man believed he was irresistibly attractive and that Joohyun couldn’t possibly refuse his advances. Needless to say, Joohyun was not charmed in the slightest.

        First of all, no, she didn’t usually frequent the outdoors when it was below freezing. What kind of maniac enjoyed the way the wind was burning at her cheeks or the way her nose had been running ever since she stepped outside?

        Joohyun was waiting on her best friend, Son Seungwan, to get out of her last class of the day – and to make matters worse, the Canadian was already half an hour late. The two of them had been planning to go to one of the fast food restaurants that the strip offered them. Then they’d study together in the library until midnight for midterms.

        Having had no response from Seungwan for the past ten minutes, Joohyun could only assume that either the tiny music major had been run over by one of the crazy drivers on campus, or her professor hadn’t let class out yet. Either one was likely.

        Joohyun’s nature was far too stubborn to relocate indoors, despite the double doors of the building only being a mere few feet away. She had merely braced herself against the harrowing gales of winter as she flicked through the pages, ignoring the way her fingers practically refused to cooperate with her.

        “You looked a little bored as I was walking by and you’re so beautiful...I just had to meet you,” the boy tried again, settling down into the seat beside her own. He slung his backpack off of his shoulders, the balls of his feet bouncing up and down with excitement.

        Joohyun quirks her lips together in a half smile, one hand still hovering over the overturned novel splayed out across the table in front of her. “I see.” She’d set it down when she’d noticed someone reaching for her hand and hadn’t had the heart to ignore the young man.

        “So…you like to read I take it?” The boy asked after taking in Joohyun’s nonchalant answer, quick to fire off another question to keep the conversation rolling. She had to give him props, he was a good conversationalist.

        The young man jabbed at the cover of her novel with his index finger, another grin fixated on his lips. “Right? You looked in pain a second ago,” he laughed. This was a question Joohyun got from every single boy who approached her while she was buried in a novel.

        You looked bored leafing through that, so I thought I’d come over and talk to you. You look like you’re about to fight your book, could I get you a coffee? After a while, Joohyun’s attributed this assumption of others that she hates reading to the fact that she typically had a rather intimidating face when she was expressionless.

        Or maybe the boys were just genuinely surprised that someone in their generation enjoyed the act of reading. Joohyun adored reading with a fiery passion like no other. Some kids had sports or video games or music when they were growing up. Joohyun had