The scent of old books calmed Luhan.

Instead of going home after classes were over for the day, Luhan regularly went to the university’s library to do coursework, or read if he had the free time. He would always go straight to the very back right corner of the library, where it was the quietest. Luhan needed peace and quiet to do his assignments, otherwise he couldn’t concentrate.

He walked in and smiled back at the librarian. He had come here so many times that she recognized him and even knew his name. Sometimes she went to the back of the library to check up on him. Luhan appreciated her concern because she reminded him of his grandmother.

Today, though, as Luhan made his way to the back corner, he felt a little funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. Normally the calmness of the library would make any feelings of stress, nervousness, or anxiety disappear, but today was different. Luhan was a bit worried. What’s wrong with me today? he thought. He shuffled his backpack nervously and switched his textbooks from one hand to the other, and back again. When he finally got closer to the table he normally sat at, he realized why he was feeling this way.

Luhan was always alone back here. But today, someone was sitting at the table across from his, which was only a few feet away. Judging from the back of his head, he was most likely a boy. Luhan held in a breath as he watched the boy bobbed his head up and down to the music he was listening to through a big, fancy pair of headphones. No, Luhan thought. My silence will be disturbed today. I can’t have this.

He considered going to the librarian to complain, but just when he was about to turn around to head towards the lobby, the boy suddenly stood up and almost ran into Luhan as he was looking at his iPod. Luhan took a step backward to get out of the boy’s way, and the boy lifted his head for a split second to glance at Luhan and nod his head apologetically, and then continued onto wherever he was headed.

The textbooks in Luhan’s hands almost dropped to the floor. He caught them just in time and placed them onto his usual table to wipe the sweat that had accumulated on his hands. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen. That boy…he was very good-looking. He wanted to see that face again. He wanted to take in the boy’s whole figure so that he could study it. Not that Luhan felt he had a chance with the boy, considering the kid seemed like a freshman. While he himself was a baby-faced third-semester senior who often got mistaken for being a sophomore, he could tell when another student was a freshman; it was just written all over their face.

Luhan checked his watch. It was already 3:15. He couldn’t stand here and wait for the boy to come back, that would be ridiculous. He needed to get to work. He pulled out the chair he always sat in, which was conveniently on the side of the table where he could see the boy just by glancing up. He settled into the chair and opened up the first textbook he needed to read a chapter in. He could barely concentrate on the words because his mind was elsewhere. It didn’t help that the chapter was over the reproductive system of both es. Luhan’s mind was conjuring up manipulated images of the boy and his body.

Luhan shook his head to clear his mind. No, I need to concentrate! Focus, Luhan, focus! he told himself. He managed to read to the fourth page of the chapter when he saw movement in his peripheral vision and noticed that the boy had returned. He sat at the table he had been sitting in earlier and picked up where he had left off. It seemed like he was writing something on his laptop, and oh man, was the noise of his fingers clack-clacking on the keyboard distracting to Luhan. It was even more distracting than the music blasting through his huge headphones.

But what was most distracting of all was the boy’s handsome face as he concentrated on the screen of his laptop. Unfortunately for Luhan, all he could see was the boy’s furrowed brows, but whenever the boy sat up straighter in his seat or looked away from his laptop to the opened book he was probably writing about, Luhan got to see his perfectly chiseled face, and that was enough to make Luhan happy. When he finally realized that he had been staring at the boy for the past few minutes, he immediately looked down at his textbook, wondering if the boy had caught him in the act.

Luhan took a glance at his watch again. How had this much time passed? It was now 3:44. He actually had to go home earlier than usual today because he had promised his mother that he would help her make dinner. Remembering his promise to his mother led him to focus back on the textbook. He needed to finish reading this chapter and at least start the assigned reading for another class.

Minutes flew by as Luhan read and didn’t pay any attention to the boy. About an hour later Luhan looked up to stretch his neck and the boy was gone again, but his belongings were still on the table. Luhan shrugged and continued reading for the second class. A few more pages in and he suddenly got so tired that he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. With his head resting on his right hand, his eyelids subconsciously drooped and he drifted off into sleep…when he heard a loud boom that woke him up just as quickly. Startled, Luhan sat up straight and tried to figure out where the sound had come from.

That was the moment when the boy was already looking at him, trying to catch his eye. Luhan gazed at him and the boy once again apologized, but this time he spoke instead of nodding his head like earlier. “Sorry,” he began. “I didn’t mean to slam the book, it just happened.” He turned his attention back to his laptop and kept on typing away.

Luhan couldn’t help but notice that the boy didn’t look sorry at all, but he forgave him because…why else? He was handsome, and Luhan kind of wanted him. If Luhan said anything negative he might ruin his chances with the boy. Yeah, he was really considering it now. Age didn’t matter to him anymore. He looked up at the library’s high ceiling and let out a sigh. Fine, he really wanted him. He wanted to run his fingers through that tousled hair. He wanted to feel that perfectly-shaped nose rub against his. He wanted to hold those hands and caress those fingers that were furiously typing like no tomorrow. He wanted to admire that body up close; he wanted to feel it heat up under his graze. It was not the first time he felt ually attracted to a guy, but there was something different about this boy. He gave off a vibe to Luhan that pretty much screamed “I’m interested in you, too!”

There his mind goes again, making things up. Luhan slightly shook his head and shifted his gaze back to the textbook. He opened his can of Sprite, the loud ‘pop’ resounding through the quiet library. He took a long sip, and almost spit out some when he saw the boy making his way to his table. Luhan quickly placed the can on the table and coughed.

“Are you okay?” the boy asked, standing on the other side of the table. “Do you need any paper towels? I can run to the—“

“I’m fine,” Luhan said, cutting him off. When the boy didn’t budge, Luhan added, “Really. I’m fine.”

But then the boy pulled out the chair across from Luhan and sat down. Luhan couldn’t believe what was happening, especially with the words that came out of the boy’s mouth after he settled in and looked at Luhan straight in the eye. “I was wondering if I could have some.”

Luhan was confused. What was the boy talking about? He tentatively asked, “‘

Have some’? What do you mean?” His hand wrapped around the Sprite can unconsciously.

The boy smiled like he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he was confusing Luhan. “What I mean is, can I get a sip from your drink?” he clarified, getting straight to the point.

Luhan shrugged and nodded ‘sure.’ It didn’t matter to him. He normally didn’t share his drinks with anyone, but this boy here was different. Luhan wanted to keep the boy close as long as he possibly could. He was about to hand the boy the can of Sprite when he remembered he didn’t know the boy’s name yet. “Tell me your name first,” he demanded.

The boy was slightly taken aback by his forcefulness but quickly smiled to hide it. “I’m Sehun. Oh Sehun.” He held his hands out for the drink.

Luhan gave him the can and marveled over the boy’s bobbing Adam’s apple as his name flashed through Luhan’s mind. He now had a name to go with this handsome face. Oh Sehun, Luhan thought. That sounds quite ual.

“What’s your name?” Sehun asked with a raised brow.

The question brought Luhan out of his daze. “I’m Luhan,” he replied, sticking his hand out for a shake. Hey, he had to take every opportunity he had.

Sehun shook his hand. His grip was gentle and his hand was really soft. His fingers were long like Luhan had expected them to be. “Nice to meet you,” Sehun said first, with Luhan repeating afterwards because he was too busy thinking that he really liked how Sehun’s hand felt in his. When Sehun pulled his hand back Luhan almost pouted.

Once Sehun finally placed the can of Sprite down on the table, Luhan realized he probably drank all that was left. Oh well. Luhan’s feelings were all a-jumble and as he sensed the deep desire running through his veins, he didn’t want to wait anymore. He quickly made his decision. This was going to go against what he was supposed to be doing right now, but Luhan could care less. As long as he could touch that body with his own hands, he would do anything, even if it meant putting school to the side for a moment. With a glance at his watch, he knew he still had quite some time before he needed to go home to help his mother. Plus it seemed like Sehun was interested in him too, and if he didn’t make a move now, he would never know. They might not see each other here at the library again.

Before Luhan could propose anything, Sehun stood up and thanked Luhan for sharing his drink with him with a big smile-smirk on his face that couldn’t have been a more obvious sign. Right when Sehun was about to turn around to go back to his table, Luhan immediately got on his feet and reached out, grabbing Sehun by the arm.

“D-don’t go back,” Luhan said. He bit his bottom lip nervously. Here goes nothing. “Let’s study each other,” he proposed in a rush.

Sehun turned back around to face Luhan and smiled knowingly.