Mark Tuan had never been more disgusted in his entire life. The book in his hands was more than 400 pages in total, in font size 12, and was absolutely the most boring book he has ever read; and that’s saying something, considering how Mark was a bookworm to the core. But this, this loathsome book was appalling. If it wasn’t a required school reading, he wouldn’t even touch it after the first page.

  Yet here he was, sitting in the university’s library, thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose as he read, and read, and read. It was all in vain because no matter how much he read, he can’t help but stop every few lines to mentally insult the book and its contents. Everything was just so wrong to him, and nothing worked. He really didn’t want to go as far as insult the author, but surely this could have been written better.    Mark was deep into mentally judging a certain page when he heard a rather loud “screw this!” coming from the other table, followed by a loud noise. He looked up from the book, thankful for the momentary distraction, and found out that he wasn’t alone in the library like he had thought. Seated a few tables away, was a boy with dark hair, and an angry expression on his face. On the table was a book, and Mark guessed that was the noise he heard. He frowned- books should be treated with care, and slamming them on tables is not the way to do it. It simply isn’t done.   People must know how to treat books well, Mark thought to himself. The other boy still looked annoyed, glaring at the book, when Mark decided to get up from his chair and walk towards the other. He was quite ready to sermon the stranger on proper book handling etiquette, even if said stranger was now glaring at him and not the book.   “What do you want? Are you a librarian? Sorry for the noise, it’s just…” The boy nudged the fallen book with his finger. “This book is terrible. Absolutely terrible. It makes my head hurt.”    “I’m no librarian,” Mark started to say. “But I do think books should be treated…”   His words trailed off when he noticed that the back of the book looked disturbingly familiar. He had a knack for remembering the books he has read, and he’s certain he has seen that back cover once before. He has looked at it, stared at it, read it, and…   “That book is the worst.”    The stranger grinned, eyes turning into half-moons as he did so, “I see you are holding the same one. I guess you understand my pain, huh? Take a seat.” He lightly kicked the nearby chair out and motioned for Mark to sit down, and Mark did. “I agree that books should be cared for, but that book deserved it, don’t you think? I know you’ve been reading it for a while now too, you were here when I came in. How do you manage to put up with this crap?”   Mark shrugged, ignoring how quickly the other spoke, and how much he said too, considering how they haven’t even introduced themselves.   “It’s a required reading, I have to read it, regardless,” Mark sighed.    The boy scoffed, “it’s required for me as well, and I think that’s stupid. I’d rather search up the summary and facts online than read through the whole damn thing. The plot is too loose, there are too many holes, and the characters are bland. Even the first page didn’t capture my attention, more so the first chapter. By the third, I just gave up, I mean—“   “Who suddenly decides to do a plot twist early on in the book, I know what you mean,” Mark interrupted, having already read that part. “Totally anticlimactic. Doesn’t work at all. Plus, the conversations between the characters are boring too, and there are too little details to paint a vivid image in the reader’s head.”   “Right,” the dark haired boy smiled. “My sentiments exactly.”   He extended a hand, “the name’s Jinyoung. I’m in my Junior year here at the university. And you? Although I’m guessing you’re in the same year seeing how we’re required to read the same worthless book.”    Mark nodded, taking the hand, “yeah, I am. My name is Mark.”   “Well, Mark,” Jinyoung said as they shook hands. He stood up and continued, “it was great meeting you. I’m glad we come to terms regarding that- I can’t even call it a book, it degrades the word- thing. I’m gonna go back to my dorm to research about it now. If I were you, I would do the same. Honestly, man, it’s not worth it to finish through all 439 pages of junk. See ya around.”   Mark watched the boy go, and a few minutes later, decided to put the book down, and walk away as well.    ~*~   The next time Mark was at the library, a small part of him had hoped the boy from before would be there as well; something about Jinyoung intrigued Mark. It was without luck. Jinyoung was nowhere to be found, and despite being in the same year, Mark hardly saw him around campus either. It’s been a week when Mark decided that it was a lost cause to try and see the boy again, and figured he would let serendipity take its course.    The test on the book, that horrible book, was given back that day. Mark regretted even reaching the tenth chapter- Jinyoung was right. The internet