“You can have it back... I don’t need it anymore…”

“O-oh, so you finished reading it? Did you like it?”

A hopeful smile was slowly stretching across Cheolyong’s lips, hoping that if she had liked the novel, it would give him the chance to bond over something both of them enjoyed, but he started to notice the hesitant look on her face as she had slightly bit her bottom lip while dropping her head down.

His smile soon disappeared, sensing that something was wrong. He was about to speak up when they both heard the motor of a familiar car truck from outside making Lina shot her head back up to look outside the window from the classroom, relieved that her grandfather came to pick her up just in time.

“I have to go.”

She was starting to walk away when he grabbed onto her free arm, leaving her startled at his sudden gesture. She turned around to look at him and noticed how sad he seemed to be, which triggered something faintly painful inside her heart.

She gently pulled his hand out before giving him a last glance and walked away, leaving him to stand by as he watched her go out of the classroom.

“It wasn’t the book… It was… me.”

Once she was out of the door, his eyes went back to his book before lifting his head back up to look through the window only to see Lina hugging Mr. Choi and leave the school ground in his truck.

A disappointed sigh escaped from his mouth as he started to walk his way back home, trying to figure out what to do so he would get closer to the girl. He sensed that it was more than just Lina not liking the novel he let her have; maybe she was still scared of him or maybe she was just shy.

Either way, he was starting to feel like he was never going to be capable of letting her open up; she didn’t have to worry though, his feelings were genuine.

He wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

‘Maybe if I let her borrow a real book? Hmm…’

Next day, same routine, same results until the last bell of the day rang.

With another dreadful school day finally over, Lina was just about to start her homework the moment she was left alone when she heard footsteps at the door. She lifted her head up and spotted Cheolyong with a shy grin on his face as he lightly waved at her.

He started walking inside until he was standing by her desk making her lift her head up only to see him pull out a thick book and gently placing it over her text book.

“I thought that maybe you would prefer a ‘normal’ book than what I gave you last week…”

She stared at the cover as she took it in her hand and noticed a slight writing on the back of the book before looking back up at him.

“This is from the school library…”

“Huh? N-no it, isn’t-”

“It’s written here.” She showed him and she could see the sudden redness affecting his cheeks; he didn’t even think about it when he went to borrow the book and couldn’t help but feel completely embarrassed and stupid when she pointed it out.

He decided to turn the tables back around as he took a chair and sat by her desk with the book back on the table. “You could still read it… It looks interesting.”

He wasn’t looking at her but was grazing the cover with his fingers as he had his head down while she was gazing at him, completely confused about the reason of his insistence on whatever he was trying to do.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you here?”

He tried to form some kind of answer but was left speechless as he stared at her with his eyes wide, feeling completely lost.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do but… can-can you leave, please?”

She looked bothered by his presence and it tugged his heart. A sigh out of his mouth, he got up from his seat and picked up his backpack from the floor before turning his back and walking away, letting Lina watch him leave.

Just then did she realize that he had forgot the book; she wanted to call him out but decided otherwise feeling that it would be better if she just left it on the desk; she was hoping that he was going to realize that it was missing and he’ll come back for it.

Putting this aside, she went back to what she was doing earlier until the hour was up when she saw her grandfather appear at the door with a smile on his face. “Ready to go home, pumpkin?”

Lina happily nodded her head as she started to pack with Mr. Choi’s help before they headed back towards the car, leaving behind the borrowed book until she stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Is everything okay?”

Her grandfather looked back at her, concerned about her sudden halt.

“Mhmm. I just forgot a book on my desk.”

“Oh okay, stay here, I’ll go and get it.”

Coming and going, they were now headed back to their house with Lina tightly holding onto the book that was placed on her lap while she was staring at the cover, glancing from one part to the other with a careful gaze; she was focusing on the manuscript with her fingers lightly retracing the image that was displayed with her grandfather stealing peeks from time to time and let a smile appear at the concentrated face of the young girl.

“It looks like you’re excited to read that book you picked~”

She faintly smiled at the old man as she turned her face to look at him before turning her head to the other side, letting her eyes wander on the scenery of the village.

Soon enough, they arrived at their home and once they were inside, Lina made her way towards the kitchen to greet her grandmother before going to her bedroom resting until she was going to get called when dinner was going to be ready.

Placing her bag on her desk, she went to sit on her bed and put the book on her lap glancing at the cover before opening it to the first page, already drowning herself into the written lines of the story.

She waited, on the next day, but he was absent; she decided to wait again a second time but he didn’t show up. And again, she waited after class for him and he still didn’t show up like he used to. She finally gave up.

“I guess I don’t have a choice but bringing it myself…”

On that same third day, she made her way towards the school library with slight disappointment. Once she walked inside, she looked around while noticing how small and cramped up it was and finally made her way towards the counter with the silence following her.

She placed the borrowed book on the surface, trying to catch the librarian’s attention; the older lady looked up and smiled at Lina as she greeted her before setting her eyes on the book with a slight surprised expression on her face.

“Oh! But that’s the book Cheolyong borrowed, isn’t?”

“Mhmm, he gave it to me so I can read it.”

“And you finished it already?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And did you like it?”

Lina shook her head making the woman chuckle while taking back the book. “Do you want to borrow something else?”

“No, it’s okay. Thank you.”

“Anytime~”

With a last smile, Lina started to walk back to the entrance of the library until she stopped in her tracks with something catching her eyes. Turning her head to the left, she recognized by the end of an aisle Cheolyong who was sitting on the floor with a mess of different books around him. She stood still as she watched him while trying to figure out if she should go to him or just leave.

From her small watch on her wrist, she looked at the time before glancing back up at the boy only to see that he had lifted his head up to look at her. With a quiet gasp, she rushed her way out of the room before he even got the chance to get up and follow her.

She walked her way back towards her classroom as fast as she could and one glance from behind earned her to bump into a figure; Lina quickly turned back and stumbled as she recognized Hwa Young glaring at her with annoyance.

“Yah! Look where you’re going!”

A step up front, out of reflex, Lina stepped back as she suddenly shrunk herself from her shoulders with her head down. She mumbled a broken apology and tried to step to the side to let the girl pass but she quickly followed, blocking the way again.

“What’s the rush Ajumma, hmm?”

Another step to the front caused Lina to back away again.

She could feel her heart beat increase from the fear that was taking over her; she tightly clutched onto her cane while gripping onto her uniform with her other hand, her head still down.

Hwa Young was about to speak up when the echo of that familiar voice made her stop.

“Hwa Young-ah! Stop it!”

“Aish! That clumsy freak bumped into me!”

“It’s not a reason to push her around! Leave her alone.”

A last scoff, Hwa Young glared back at Lina before walking away with her steps echoing down the hallway until they were merely faint sounds.

As for the girl, she felt a hand on her shoulder making her jump; she almost fell but was caught in time by Cheolyong who held onto her as he helped her to stand back up. “Are you okay?”

Not able to voice out anything, she only nodded her head as she stared at the boy with her eyes wide open; she felt her cheeks heat up in total shyness.

He looked at her before gently letting her go once she got a grip of herself and placed his hands in his pockets as he was about to walk away, turning his back to her; at the second step, she snapped back into reality and spoke out with a loud voice, though letting out shaky words.

“Th-thank y-ou!”

He stopped in his steps and turned around with a small smile slowly appearing across his face. “A-and s-sorry…”

“For what?”

“For… being mean to you…” She dropped her head down and heard him step back towards her.

“I understand; it’s okay, you don’t have to apologize.”

Looking back up at him, he still had that smile on his face, which somewhat reassured her a little bit. A few seconds of pure silence between them were over the moment Cheolyong spoke back, trying to ease the tension between them.

“So… I saw you at the library earlier-”

“I was returning the book you gave me.”

“Ah, did you like it?”

Even though it wasn’t true, she quickly nodded her head so she wouldn’t sadden him instead of telling him that she hated it; his smile turned into a full grin leaving him happy about her answer even though he didn’t know himself the book he chose for her.

“There’s a bunch of others in the library if you want to go back-”

“No, it’s okay… I have to go anyways. Grandpa is going to be here anytime.”

“A-ah, okay…”

“Thanks.”

He slightly nodded his head before she turned her back on him and walked away, leaving him to watch her leave, once again.

Before she was completely out of sight, he called her out making her stop as she turned around while seeing him catch up to her.

“Can we be friends?”

She looked back at him, startled by his question while left speechless; it was the first time that anybody actually asked her and it took her off guard because she never saw it coming. He may have been nice to her and she really appreciated the gesture but it never meant to her that he wanted a friendship.

She thought back at her grandfather’s words while giving a slight gaze of regret to Cheolyong.

“I don’t think so… I’m sorry…”

Again, she saw disappointment in his eyes and it tugged her heart; leaving him be, she turned back and was about to leave when she felt a hand on her arm, stopping her.

“May I ask why?”

“I just c-can’t-”

“I’ll be good to you… I promise.”