She is like a deer, innocent and lovely and beautiful all the same. With her to die for smile and adorable laugh, it’s no wonder to anyone on why she is chased by boys from every corner of the city. She’s perfection personified, end of story.

She is friendly and cheerful and bubbly and plain sweet; a few of the many reasons why he likes her to begin with. She lives a life she has always dreamed of and lives with no regrets. Carefree and happy, that is Choi Jinri.

Madly in love and head over heels for her, that is Pyo Jihoon.

He decides he likes her from her very first words of: “Can I borrow that book?” to him, he gives in to her in an instant because who wouldn’t? Who wouldn’t give in to someone as sweet and lovely as Choi Jinri? Certainly not him, not Jihoon.

Her “thank you” sounded so nice in his ears that it even turned red when he replied with “you’re welcome” and to this day, he’s not sure if she heard it because his voice turned soft from shyness. Although she did smile at him, he still wonders if she heard.

Jihoon doesn’t have time to ask her of course, because for the next few days after their encounter, he hangs out in the library just to wait for her. He likes her, he didn’t say that out loud to himself that time because he knew nothing about her. Not even her name, year or what course she was taking. All he knew was that, she seemed kind enough to like him back maybe.

Luck wasn’t on his side for the days he was around the library, because not once did she show up. Jihoon thought of giving up, but then again, love is patient.

One day, he saw her and he asked his friends if they knew her. They did. “Oh, her? That’s Choi Jinri.” Says his friend Kyung. “She’s a psychology major.”

The next day, he saw her again and boom boom boom his heart went. He couldn’t approach her, not this time, not when he felt like his heart and head were going to explode any minute.

The day after that, he gathered up some courage and asked her out as politely as he could. She recognized him, but was still hesitant. In the end, she gave in and the rest was history. Jihoon doesn’t like to live in the past anyways.

Everyday his smile gets bigger, everyday his face seems brighter, everyday his mood seems better and it’s all thanks to Choi Jinri. They’re greetings of ‘hi’s and ‘hello’s evolved to less formal greetings of ‘hey there Ji’ and ‘what’s up Jin’. ‘How are you doing today’ turned to ‘have anything planned for today’ and ‘want some coffee’ to ‘wanna hang at my place’?

Slowly, they grew closer. Slowly, he fell harder. Slowly, she feel with him.

But until now, to this day, they still haven’t uttered the three words that make everyone’s heart flutters when said: I love you.

Him, her, they – those words haven’t escaped their lips yet, they haven’t said it yet. At least not to each other, but Jihoon doesn’t worry too much about it, merely because he knows she feels the same way because why else would she laugh at his lamest jokes? Why else would she stare at him for long periods of time? Why else would she utter his name for the sake of it? Why else would she ask him to spend the afternoon with her? Why else would she hug him so tight, afraid he might let go? Why else would she admit she liked him too? Why else would she say ‘yes’ to his question of ‘will you be my girlfriend’?

It’s all because she loves him back, and Jihoon knows it. He really knows that it’s true and he refuses to believe any other answers.

When Jihoon looks into her eyes, he feels as if he’s finally content with his life, and he thinks maybe this is what love does.

Maybe love makes you feel content with who you have, no matter what they lack. Maybe love, makes you feel as if you have everything in the world right in front of you in the form of the person who has your heart.

Maybe, just maybe, this is love.

No, not maybe. Jihoon takes time to think it again when he tucks Jinri’s hair behind her ear, both smiling when he does so. “This is love.” He says it to her like it’s a fact, and maybe it is. Maybe, to them, it was.