“How could you? How could you lead me astray?”

Billie laughs as she looks up from her syllabus and her notebook. Jackie sits across from her and a new friend she met just an hour ago, Chris. Chris was handsome in his own right. Not one you stare at as soon as you see him, but Billie could admire his subtle beauty. A classmate in Jackie’s department, he came along hoping for a good time. 

“You act like I’m making you do something bad. We went to the library to study,” Jackie says, whispering. 

“I thought you meant we were meeting at the library and going to lunch or something.”

“If it helps… so did I.” Jackie sighs and sinks back in her chair.

“You guys,” Billie laughs, “We’re only here until I finish reading the syllabus and find the books I need.”

“Wow, you are dedicated. It’s only been the first week of class, and you’re already studying?” Chris shook his head at her and leaned back on the table. “You’re making us look bad.”

“She’s on scholarship,” Jackie explains.

“Ah.”

“I’m not studying. I’m just figuring out what material I need. And then we can go get lunch,” Billie explains.

Both Chris and Jackie sigh into themselves and Billie can’t help but laugh at them as she looks back at the syllabus and writes the additional books she needs.

“Are you excited about Eight’s party?” Jackie asks.

Billie couldn’t help rolling her eyes as she wrote some more.

“Of course, Chris says happily, “As soon as Eight comes and goes, the party will really begin.”

Billie scoffs.

“You don’t like parties?” Chris asks.

“It’s not the party, it’s Eight. She disapproves of his dating… technique.” Jackie laughs as she waves at her.

“You don’t like Eight? I’ve never met a girl who didn’t like him.” Chris leans forward and looks at her, examining her like she’s a new species.

Billie puts down her pen, finally writing all the books, unaware of the guys behind her listening and secretly putting their phone on speaker. “No. No, that’s not true. I don’t like or dislike him. I don’t know him.” 

“Does any girl know him and do they still like him?” Chris points out.

Jackie laughs. “I mean, come on, who would pass up a chance like that. You get to date Eight, and get anything you want.”

“That’s exactly what I don’t understand. Why would you want to be in a relationship for only 24 hours? Relationships are special, and you go into one hoping for it to last as long as possible.” 

“Not always,” Chris comments.

“Well, mine would. I wouldn’t want to go into a relationship with a time limit—unless it was special circumstances, and money and power are not special circumstances.”

“I’m almost there,” says someone behind them. The three of them pay no mind to it as the person hangs up the phone.

“Even if you could get anything you want regardless of price?” 

“Dating a guy just because he’ll buy stuff for you isn’t a relationship, it’s using someone. He has to know that, and yet he still dates a girl for twenty-four hours just for them to do that. Does he think these girls love him? Do they think that? I think it’s ridiculous, and I wouldn’t do that.”

“I like that. It’s common sense.”

“I’m sure there are girls who think the same way I do, but I won’t judge the ones that do, Jackie.” 

“Hey, I told you, I just want the —”

“I’m going to look for these books now,” Billie laughs, holding up her notepad. 

She walks to one aisle that is supposed to have a literature textbook, and as she looks for it, touching the spines of each book, she bumps into someone. 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She says quickly and backs up so he can get past her. 

“That’s okay,” the guy smiles. 

Billie can’t help but smile back at him and admires his smile as she walks past, looking back to the shelf for the book she needs. She gets to the spot where it’s supposed to be and is disappointed that it’s not there. She quickly crosses it off and goes to the literary novel section for the rest of the books. 

She walks down aisle by aisle looking for the books, but only finding the same guy in each section. She looks down at her list and sighs at the crossed out books. 

“Excuse me,” says the person next to her. 

She looks up to see the cute guy that she bumped into.

“You’ve been in every row that I’ve been in. Are you an English major or are you following me?” He laughs.

She couldn't help laughing back. It was contagious. “I’m an English major.”

He looks at the notepad with the crossed out books. “Me too,” He smiles. “Third year. Are you looking for books? That’s a lot of books that you’ve crossed out. Couldn’t find them?”

“No,” she frowns, looking down at her list too. “I’m going to have to buy and that sounds like a lot of money.”

“Let me see,” he says, taking her notepad without waiting for a response. “Are these for classes or just for fun, because there’s a textbook up here.”

“For classes. They were on the syllabus for extra materials.”

“Ah,” he says, handing the notepad back. “I did the same thing that you did my freshmen year. Trust me, they never use these books in class. Just the mandatory textbooks and novels. And most of them have the short stories in the book.”

She looks down at her notepad and shrugs. “I think I’ll still get them. It doesn’t hurt to read most of these. Might help me understand the classes and the material more.” She goes to turn around, but he grabs her by the back of her shirt. As soon as she turns around, he lets go. 

“As your sunbae, I must take care of my hoobaes. It’s my duty. How about you hand me that list, I’ll make a copy, and any books I have, I’ll let you borrow to study?”

“That sounds amazing. Thank you.” She rips the page out and hands it over to him. “You can keep the list.”

“If you give me your kakao, I’ll text you which ones I have and then we can meet up.”

“Sure.” She hands over her phone and he types in something. “I’ll be at the library a lot to study, so we can meet here,” she smiles. 

“Okay,” he chuckles.

When she gets her phone back, she smiles and waves bye before turning and walking back to her table.

“And what is that smile for?” Jackie asks, leaning on the table.

“I just met the cutest guy. Older guy, and he’s going to help me study!”

“It would excite you to study.” Jackie shakes her head. “Did you get his number?” Jackie wiggles her eyebrows and Billie scrunches her face back.

“Yes, I did.”

“What’s his name?” Chris asks.

Billie stops, and her smile falls off her face. “. I forgot to ask his name. How rude. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” She rushes off before they can say anything else and she looks up and down the library. Finally, she finds him in the row she left him in.

“Sunbae!” He looks up at her and smiles as she walks closer. “I forgot to tell you my name. Billie.” She holds out her hand and he shakes it. He lets go, and they stand there for a few seconds just smiling at each other.

“Would you like to tell me your name, or shall I make one up for you? You look like a Shirley,” she smiles

He smiles at her and shakes his head at her, chuckling. “Xu Minghao.”

Billie tries to pronounce it, but it’s so off that he laughs at her again. “Xu Minghao,” he repeats slowly. She says it slowly back, and he smiles as she gets it right.

“So I’ll see you probably Monday here—”

“Or, we could see each other sooner. I’m going to Eight’s party. Maybe I could get you an invitation?” 

“Ah, good old Eight.” Billie can’t help spreading her lips.

“You don’t like him?” 

“I don’t know him. Sorry, that sounded bad. I don’t have a thing against the guy, because nothing he does affects me. Just the entire... theory of him, rubs me the wrong way, but I probably shouldn’t let it worry me that much. I am going to the party though, even though I kinda don’t want to.”

“Well, if it helps convince you, I heard there will be food,” Minghao says, nudging her with his hand.

“The way to my heart is indeed through my stomach. I guess I’ll see you there?”

“Definitely.”

Billie waves and walks again, trying to deny the pounding of her heart and unable to stop the stretch of her smile.