"Shin Hye-ya, what books do Erika like?" Min Hyuk asked over Silent Reading session in the library.

The five friends gathered around the table near the bookshelf by the mezzanine. Hong Ki was nowhere to be found, for he was using the Internet room to research for some more complex assignments. Yong Hwa deemed it useless, as he and his friends could just use their mobile phones to surf the net. After all, the Internet connection in Korea is fast and free.

He did not know that Hong Ki lost his phone that morning, and had to rely on a computer for research.

"Are you smitten by Erika?" Shin Hye whispered back.

"Ne. I bet she likes a guy who can recite verses, or one who can explain what the European philosphers believe in," Min Hyuk groaned.

"Quiet!" the librarian shouted, as there were some girls giggling at the front.

"She likes classics. And poems. And novels. And a whole lot more," Shin Hye explained.

"So... she's a wide reader, geureochi?" Jong Hyun asked.

Yong Hwa and Shin Hye sighed, exasperated because it seemed like Jong Hyun always bypassed the "English Only Policy" in their school.

"English, please," Jung Shin finally told him. Then, to Min Hyuk, "Hey, don't think of Erika-ssi right now, all right?"

"Why not?" Min Hyuk asked.

"You forget we are to report for Math again!" Jung Shin told him in spite.

"Yeah, yeah, I did not forget that," Min Hyuk told him. "So stop making a fuss, huh?"

"Why would I not make such a fuss?" Jung Shin asked before turning to Yong Hwa. "Hyung, please grab Min Hyuk if ever he escapes Math again."

"I don't have to do that," Yong Hwa said in confidence. Then, turning to Min Hyuk, "Right Min Hyuk? You will not leave Jung Shinnie, right?"

Min Hyuk grimaced, making Shin Hye and Jong Hyun laugh. He thought that Yong Hwa was playing around, chaining his mind and heart.

"Ah... yes, yes, I will not leave Jung Shin, pffff. I hate Math," Min Hyuk said in resignation.

Indeed, Min Hyuk was stuck with Jung Shin for Math reporting, which happened to be after the Silent Reading period.

****

After school, Jong Hyun and Jung Shin went out of their own to hunt pretty girls. Yong Hwa and Shin Hye went on an ice cream date by the River Han, and Hong Ki went to the store with Min Hyuk. Hong Ki needed a new phone, while Min Hyuk wanted some new parts for his skateboard. 

"I wonder what book Erika-ssi is interested in?" Min Hyuk voiced out.

"Molla," Hong Ki told him without looking at him. "Is it a change in taste?"

"Aish... molla..." Min Hyuk sighed.

He waited for Hong Ki to finish paying for the phone, and the cousins went out to the skateboard shop. 

"I really wonder what book she likes," Min Hyuk said again.

"Why don't you ask Shin Hye?" Hong Ki asked.

The cousins went out of the skateboard shop after Min Hyuk paid for his purchase. He grabbed his phone and contacted Shin Hye.

****

After the ice cream date, the lovers hung out at the tea shop, where there were less patrons as usual. Shin Hye was cuddling Yong Hwa, who was busy kissing and hugging her.

"Yong~~~~" she whispered before planting a kiss on his lips.

"Baby Girl," Yong Hwa whispered back.

Shin Hye's phone vibrated on the table, and Shin Hye noticed that a message was in. She took her phone and read the SOS from Min Hyuk.

"He's really smitten, huh?" Shin Hye told Yong Hwa before typing that Erika likes a lot of books, except for horror novels.

"Obviously," Yong Hwa replied.

"She reads books more than we do," Shin Hye said to Yong Hwa before the two resumed with their cuddling sessions.

****

"Haruki Murakami," Min Hyuk voiced out as he held a book in the bookstore. "Is he famous?"

A geek beside him told him that Murakami-san is a famous Japanese author. He recommended some books to read before he pulled out the "The Elephant Vanishes."

"You may want to start with this," the geek said. "This is a collection of short stories."

Min Hyuk took the book and thanked the geek. He went to the counter to pay for his purchase. Then, he and Hong Ki went to Vintage Book Shop, with Hyukkie hoping he'd get to see Erika there.

Indeed, she was there.

Sitting idly on a potato couch, reading "47 Ronin."

"Annyeonghaseyo, Erika-ssi?" Min Hyuk greeted.

Erika looked up and saw Min Hyuk, and greeted the two guys.

"Is that a book you have?" Erika asked, with Hyukkie nodding absentmindedly.

"Min Hyuk-ah, take your time with Erika, I'll be over there," Hong Ki said before going to the other side of the shop.

Min Hyuk approached Erika and handed her the Haruki Murakami book.

"Can you help me digest a book?" he asked her.

"Savor the words," was all she said.

"Ne?" he asked.

Erika smiled as she took the book from him. She scanned through the page and pointed at "On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning."

"You will like this," she told him.

Min Hyuk sat on the other couch and looked at her. Erika began reading the story as if she were the man in the story. Hyukkie listened with the rise and fall of her voice, all the while looking at her in the eyes.

The story was beautiful, so beautiful. But to him, the sad story was made even more beautiful due to the fact that Erika brought him in the man's world, as if he were the man's audience, listening to him about how he felt about the girl he tagged as the 100% perfect girl.

"Is there such thing as a 100% perfect girl?" Min Hyuk asked her after the story.

"I guess so," Erika said. "The girl, for him, was not pretty, but he felt she was the most perfect."

"Ah... could it be love?" Min Hyuk asked her.

"I think he should have approached her and introduced himself to her, even though he thought he had forgotten about her," Erika said. "That's why I think the story is sad."

"Yeah, it is," he replied.

"The story is universal," Erika said. "Although Murakami-san is Japanese, he tells the story that every man from every nation can relate to."

"I agree," he replied.

Next, Erika read the story "The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday's Women." Nevertheless, Min Hyuk allowed himself to be led by her and to fly away with her.

"Is this love?" he asked himself again.

~~~~