By Zephyria 
“Last time, when you were with Lee Beom.”
“With Lee Beom? Ah, I see.”
It seemed like he was talking about when he got a call from Seong Hae-min after visiting him in the hospital. No wonder Do Yun-hyeok had been staring intently at my mobile phone back then; he’d found it.
“You saw it, so give it back now.”
I handed my mobile phone back, but when I saw Do Yun-hyeok’s face, I scowled. It was clear he had no intention of giving it back himself. His expression was so brazen, I wondered what I had been thinking to hand over my mobile phone.
But I couldn’t have not anticipated this outcome when dealing with that punk. I could just ask Seong Hae-min to do it later. Who was going to beg?
“That’s enough. If you’re done, let’s go to the library.”
Hmph. I snorted and naturally started to walk away, but Do Yun-hyeok sighed.
“Pretty boy, don’t you know what a date is?”
“I do.”
“Then why do you want to go to the library?”
Do Yun-hyeok grumbled, clearly displeased with the idea of the library.
However, the library was the place I had decided on with a perfectly rational judgment after racking my brain yesterday.
It wasn’t a place where I belonged to anyone’s territory, and despite being a public space, it wouldn’t draw people’s attention. It was quiet, I could do my work there, and it was the only place that could shut Do Yun-hyeok up!
“So, you’re not going?”
“That’s not what I mean…”
“I thought you’d naturally come with me if I went.”
I tried to calmly persuade Do Yun-hyeok, but his expression turned subtle when he heard my words. After rolling his eyes for a moment, Do Yun-hyeok asked,
“…Did you think I’d naturally follow you?”
“No?”
This time, I genuinely flustered and asked back.
‘This would be problematic if not.’
Normally, people want to follow the person they like to places they go, and Do Yun-hyeok had said he liked me, so I had simply assumed he would follow me wherever I wanted to go. Seeing my confused face, Do Yun-hyeok muttered seriously,
“Scary.”
“What is?”
“Your ability to trick people.”
Is he crazy?
I hardened my face coldly. Far from backing down from my cold reaction, Do Yun-hyeok smiled broadly as if he had been waiting for this expression and asked,
“Do you usually like libraries?”
“Yeah. I go often.”
“Are you trying to introduce me to a place you go often?”
“……”
Why are there so many people in the world who say such nonsensical things? I responded with my expression to the guy who was starting up his engine of bullshit, but unfortunately, Do Yun-hyeok was not someone who backed down from an opponent.
“What do you usually do at the library?”
“Read or study.”
“Study? Are you good at studying?”
Do Yun-hyeok asked, sounding surprised. His face lit up. So I was finally going to tell him about this!
I answered without hesitation.
“Yeah.”
“Oh.”
For the first time in a while, I puffed out my chest. When it came to grades, I could confidently boast without shame. It was my only pride.
Do Yun-hyeok let out a short exclamation of admiration. Receiving his renewed gaze felt strange. Indeed, it felt good to be acknowledged, no matter by whom.
“Why do you study so hard?”
“Because I’m a student, obviously.”
“You have no romance.”
I have no romance, but I have bewilderment.
While I clicked my tongue inwardly, Do Yun-hyeok suddenly stretched his lips into a smile and looked at me.
“But that’s why I like you.”
He just found out, yet he says ‘that’s why.’ I was about to argue logically, but reflexively, I tore my eyes away from his red hair. A gut feeling that I shouldn’t keep looking preceded my rational judgment.
Only after averting my gaze did the question arise.
‘Why did I look away?’
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t explain my actions. It seemed like there was no good in associating with a lunatic for too long. I coughed unnecessarily.
“Ahem. So, are you going or not?”
“Of course, I’m going. I’m not the kind of guy to kick away a blessing that falls into my lap.”
He replied with more nonsense to my question as I looked into the distance.
Right, what conversation can you have with a mad dog? It was right for me to drag him along like a bulldozer, just as he had done to me. I shook my head and tried to leave first, but I didn’t hear him following.
“Aren’t you coming?”
I turned around and checked Do Yun-hyeok’s feet. His shoes, with their unusually tied laces, were still stuck in the same spot as before.
Looking up, I saw Do Yun-hyeok was busy typing a text message on his mobile phone. He was so focused, his brow furrowed, that he seemed unaware of my movement. Or perhaps he thought I wouldn’t leave him behind.
‘Is it Ban Seo-yi contacting him?’
I didn’t know much about Do Yun-hyeok’s relationships, but it was my own guess.
If it was Ban Seo-yi, I wanted to at least say hello. Since I hadn’t heard back from him after the last text, I hadn’t contacted him again, assuming he was busy.
I slyly approached Do Yun-hyeok and nudged his arm.
“Aren’t you coming? What are you doing? Texting Ban Seo-yi?”
“No! Don’t look.”
Do Yun-hyeok feigned exaggerated surprise and playfully waved his hand to block my view. Half my face was covered by his large hand.
I was flustered. It was a tiny mobile phone, so it wouldn’t be visible from this distance anyway, so why the act? Along with the embarrassment, a sudden dissatisfaction welled up. I didn’t want to play along, so I suppressed my curiosity and replied plainly. It would be strange to pry about who it was when he didn’t want to show me.
“Okay, then.”
“…Aren’t you curious who it is?”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to react this way, as Do Yun-hyeok was the first to back down. His eyes, with the corners drooping downwards, looked at me. I gritted my teeth and maintained a nonchalant attitude.
“Not really?”
Then Do Yun-hyeok, looking dejected, busied his hands. I tried not to care who he was contacting anymore, but just then, my mobile phone also vibrated. The timing was coincidental. ‘You’re not the only one getting texts, I get them too.’ Wondering who it was, I opened the folder and checked the message.
But.
What is this?
My head spun the moment I saw the screen. I froze as if time had stopped.
“Pfft…”
After being stunned, laughter suddenly burst out. The successive snickers quickly turned into guffaws.
‘There has to be a limit to how absurd this can be!’
It was so unimaginably unexpected that I burst out laughing. The annoyance vanished as if washed away.
Was this the accessory he had made himself, along with the text message? Was this the Do Yun-hyeok from the novel I knew? I felt bewildered, as if I had been pinched.
“Were you sending this?”
“Yeah.”
Wiping the tears that had welled up from laughing, I asked, and he nodded proudly. His ear tips seemed a little red.
He’s not the type to act like this, so why has he become so pathetic?
“Ah… this is really funny.”
If being absurd is also a charm, then Do Yun-hyeok was indeed a charming guy. If he had done this to another ordinary girl long ago, they would probably be dating already. For some reason, I was speechless. I chuckled and looked back and forth between the text message on my mobile phone and Do Yun-hyeok’s face. Do Yun-hyeok narrowed his brows.
“Don’t delete it.”
Do Yun-hyeok waved his hand as if to implore me, but saying that only made me want to delete it more.
“That’s a shame.”
“It’s okay. I can send it again.”
“I can delete it again.”
“Ah.”
Seeing my persistent refusal, Do Yun-hyeok put his hands in his pockets and pouted. The corners of his sulky mouth twitched with displeasure. Honestly, even as I said it, I was worried I might get punched, but Do Yun-hyeok had good patience.
“Let’s hurry to the library.”
Even though I said that, I quickly moved the message to my saved folder so it wouldn’t be automatically deleted due to lack of storage space. It wasn’t that I wanted to keep it… it was just that he had made it. I might be able to use it on someone else later.
We headed to the library. Fortunately, he seemed to have basic common sense regarding public etiquette. Just before entering the library, Do Yun-hyeok leaned towards me at the glass door and whispered,
“Are you really going to study inside?”
Is there fake studying too?
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Then what will I do?”
“Read a book, I guess.”
For now, it was technically a date, so I answered. Do Yun-hyeok, who was contemplating with a serious expression after hearing my words, pushed open the glass door, muttering as if making a resolution.
“Right… it’s a date with Pretty Boy, so this much is…”
The library inside was quiet and cool. While no one was scrutinizing every person entering and exiting, there were quite a few people who kept glancing around.
‘But the seats… are gone.’
The library patrons were diverse, regardless of age. Because of that, the seats provided in the library weren’t plentiful. Especially the quiet, secluded spots or seats with particularly good chairs were already all taken.
When I cast a questioning glance, asking where we should sit, Do Yun-hyeok just looked back at me.
“……”
After making eye contact with him for a moment, I broke the gaze, thinking what a foolish thing this was. Do Yun-hyeok just followed me around.
Because people were sitting scattered about awkwardly, there were no suitable spots with two seats together. The place we ended up choosing was in the middle of the library.
It was a burdensome spot where all the library patrons could see us, but unless we had an abundance of time, no one would be observing others studying. I just hoped no one would make noise.
As I settled into my spot, Do Yun-hyeok naturally pulled out the chair next to me and sat down.
I took out my planner, workbooks, pencil case, and tumbler, and checked the amount I had planned to study today. After confirming Do Yun-hyeok was sitting properly, I started solving problems.