Just a little note:

Parts of the story indented like this are in the 3rd person's/author's perspective.

I coudn't write some parts without breaking away from Jinah. Hopefully it's not too confusing!

I paused from sorting through the physics department of the library to read over Luhan’s text. Sighing as I eyed the bookshelves in front of me, I quickly sent out a reply that said I was already at school.

The next few days were routine and the same. So many books. So many letters.

I was at the library by 6, and then after school I was at Sojin’s house to finish the project bit by bit. She kept the tickets out on the countertop of her kitchen as display, reminding me of my goal and almost taunting me. Every morning when Luhan offered a ride, I declined him and insisted I was already at the school. At least I wasn’t lying. I just wasn’t telling him exactly why I was at school.

I definitely knew what occupation I could cross out of the list of things I wanted to become. I wondered how people usually work like this and began to feel sympathy for poor Mrs. Ahn. It got to the point that when I saw Jongin coming into the cafeteria with a mound of manga books from the library, I accidentally snapped at him, because sooner or later, someone had to sort those back to their places.

“Jinah?” Tao paused. “Oh no. Luhan, she’s dead.”

“What?” Luhan looked at my direction, witnessing how I practically stuffed half of myself inside his locker. “Get out of there. Why are you so tired?”

He yanked me out of his locker. With my hair an unsightly mess on my head, I wearily eyed the two of them as they waited for my answer. I was still trying to think of answers to my own questions. Why did students have to burrow so many things at the library? Why did they not put them back in the proper places? Sure there was the extra staff from the school that also managed the library, but the workload was still plenty.

I couldn’t exactly tell them why I was up so early in the morning and routinely tired. For one, Sojin wanted to keep the whole thing a secret as well. Two, it was meant to be a surprise for Luhan.

“I was just... studying at six in the morning at the library,” I muttered.

“Again?” Frowning, Luhan patted down my disheveled hair. “You keep refusing rides to school.”

“I took the bus. I’m okay.”

Tao eyed me incredulously. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin. “Since when were you such a dedicated nerd? I thought you studied on your own free time.”

I cringed away from him. “Is that an insult?”

Knowing Tao could probably see right through me with his beady eyes, I avoided eye contact in hopes that my expression wouldn’t betray me. A teacher that thankfully urged everyone to stop loitering the halls disrupted any more questions from Luhan or Tao that I would be unwilling to answer.

Tao stared at his tray in dismay. After devouring two thick slices of pepperoni pizza, he concluded that he wasn’t quite satisfied or full yet. Tao was always hungry and he silently cursed his selfish appetite. Glancing around the lunch table, he looked for a victim. Kyungsoo was eating celery sticks which Tao made a face at. Junmyeon was consuming a protein shake after lying to everyone that he worked out that morning.

But wait, oh yes. Luhan had in front of him beef slices on top of rice that was drizzled with oyster sauce. As Luhan unconsciously stabbed his rice repeatedly with a chopstick, he was staring off to who-knows-where, making him the perfect victim.

Zeroing in on him, Tao stole a beef slice right from under his nose. Chewing it in joy, he admitted that he was a little disappointed that Luhan didn’t have the reaction he was expecting.

“Luhan.” Tao took another piece. “What’s wrong with you today?”

Luhan was balancing his chin on his palm. He eyed Tao sideways. “Did you say something?”

Tao swallowed. “What’s on your mind?”

“It’s Jinah. Do you really think she’s been studying at six in the morning all this time?” Luhan diverted his gaze elsewhere again.

Following his line of sight, Tao spotted Jinah in line with the other students in front of the Greek food concession stand.

“I mean, she doesn’t carry books with her even though she says she’s studying. And she says no every time I ask if she needs a ride. Where’s she going all this time?” Out of frustration, Luhan ruffled his hair. “Wait, I sound like a stalker now.”

“Maybe she likes taking the bus more now because you drive like a maniac or something.”

“Excuse you, I drive fine,” Luhan insisted, deflating at his seat. “She’s always tired. The other day she was late to meet me for breakfast. Do you think Jinah is...?” He didn’t dare finish his own question.

Tao paused, half chewed beef in his mouth. “Do you think she’s cheating on you or something?”

He shook his head. “I don’t—”

Tao leaned closer to his side, speaking at a lower volume. “Does she pay more attention to her phone than you?”

Luhan paused before answering. “No.”

“Is she always asking where you are when you’re not together?”

“No.”

Tao crept even closer. “Does she dress up really nice but says she’s doing something normal like picking up milk?”

“No she doesn’t.” Luhan shoved him away by his shoulder for being past his comfort bubble.

“Mystery solved. She’s not cheating on you,” he concluded, shrugging nonchalantly as if he just discovered the secret to the universe. “She probably just doesn’t want you to interrupt her study time, so she goes in the early morning.”

“Since when were you a relationship expert?” Luhan asked, though inside felt the relief at someone else explaining it to him.

“But what do you think? You know her more than anyone.”

“She’s…” Lost in another train of thought, he stared at the table’s surface with a loud sigh. “It’s Jinah. She’s not like that. I know her. I’m sure she’s not.”

“Then there you go.” Tao uncapped his water bottle to drink from it.

“Good because—” Luhan looked down at his lunch. “Okay, I swear I had more food two minutes ago.”

It was Thursday. That was all I could tell myself as I continued to sort through books while being half crouched in the middle of the Science Fiction bookshelves. Just one more day. Friday was going to be the last time I’d ever be stuck in a situation like that.

One more day.

There was a creak as the library door opened. I paused with a book in my hand in mid-air, holding my breath. I waited for any more sounds to follow, but there was none. It wasn’t 8 o’clock yet. Students shouldn’t be coming in. Being it was so quiet in the library for two hours, I was probably hearing things—

“So that’s what you’ve been doing.”

With my heart leaping to my throat, I fell back in shock and landed on my . Tao loomed over me with an eyebrow raised. He tapped a foot, waiting for my answer.

Getting to my feet, I dusted off my pants. “I’m studying.”

“Studying?” he scoffed. Tao reached for a random book from the cart I was working through and shoved it between two other books on the shelf.

“What are you doing?!” I shrieked and retrieved the book so fast he barely blinked. “That goes in the in the History shelves. This is Science Fiction.” Proving my point, I pointed to the sign over our heads.

Tao sputtered into laughter. I ducked my head, realizing slowly that I’ve just been tricked. So much for the whole thing being a secret.

I crossed my arms. “Shut up. You can’t tell anyone.”

“Why not? You’re practically doing a staff’s job.”

“Sojin’s giving me tickets to the Sea Lion and Dolphin show if I sort these books until tomorrow.” Pushing the cart down, I returned to work. It was almost eight.

Tao shook his head in disapproval. “You just got blackmailed.”

“It’s a trade.”

“Is watching a couple of sea lions waddle around