First Interaction

A week had passed since Min-ji had ventured into the dating scene, leaving Da-Eun mostly to her own burning her time in the library. As she dedicated herself to her studies for the coming years, Da-Eun found herself silently nursing a crush on Gong Do-yun.

Lately, Do-yun, the handsome presence she secretly admired, had become a regular visitor to the library as well. Da-Eun had an uninterrupted view of him whenever he was around, and try as she might, she couldn't help but steal glances. His aura was simply too captivating.

Sometimes, she found herself actively avoiding him because his mere presence was far too distracting.

But one night, when the librarian had left early and only a handful of students remained, Gong Do-yun unexpectedly struck up a conversation with Da-Eun.

"Excuse me, can you guide me to where I can find this book?" Do-yun asked politely as he approached Da-Eun and showed her the book. Da-Eun was taken aback by his courtesy.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not a staff member in the library," she replied apologetically.

Do-yun appeared slightly surprised. "Ah, I thought you were a student staff here because I always see you in the library."

Da-Eun flashed an ironic smile, accustomed to being mistaken for a library staff member. "Hehe. I get that a lot. But anyway, I am sure you can find it in the non-fiction section located in the fifth aisle. You will see the Computer Science label, and the books are arranged alphabetically by the author's last name." Da-Eun helped.

The handsome Do-yun nodded to every word she said, following her eyes and hand gestures to locate the fifth aisle. "Thank you. I'll check it out," he replied nonchalantly, gracing her with a small smile before leaving.

As Do-yun walked away, Da-Eun's heart raced erratically. Their brief exchange had left her breathless, and she couldn't help but be captivated by his seductive light brown eyes. A sudden realization hit her like a ton of bricks: she liked him, a lot.

In the following days, Do-yun became a regular presence in the library, always accompanied by his laptop. They had brief interactions whenever he inquired about things like the empty printer ink or the librarian's whereabouts. Spending a substantial amount of time there, Do-yun seemed engrossed in his academic work and various tasks, with numerous files scattered across his desk.

They only shared a single subject and crossed paths twice a week in the classroom but encountered each other daily in the library. Da-Eun, not entirely knowledgeable about the subjects computer science students typically studied, observed Do-yun's intense focus on his laptop and presumed it must be quite complex.

Realizing that she had been staring for so long, she quickly put her attention on the module she was reading. The exams were approaching, and she needed to focus on her schoolwork rather than daydreaming about Do-yun every chance she got.

As she immersed herself in her review, Min-ji stealthily approached her and whispered in a voice that was almost too loud for the library's quiet atmosphere.

"Oh, there you are!" Min-ji greeted Da-Eun, seemingly oblivious to Do-yun's presence. If ever she noticed Do-yun, for sure she would tease Da-Eun for the whole day.

Da-Eun jumped in her seat, the sudden intrusion making her ears tingle. She shot Min-ji an annoyed look but quickly realized she was alone.

"It's quite refreshing to see you without your boyfriend," Da-Eun couldn't resist commenting, a playful smirk gracing her lips. She had gotten used to seeing Min-ji with her overly clingy partner over the past few weeks and couldn't help but tease her friend about it.

"He's absent today because he needs to take care of some paperwork and government ID stuff, you know, the life of an adult college student," Min-ji explained. Her boyfriend was a senior, only a year ahead of them, majoring in Business Administration. Despite his different schedule, he always managed to make time for Min-ji.

"Right. Thanks for mentioning that because I need to take care of my own too," As Da-Eun listened to Min-ji, she suddenly remembered that she would turn 20 next month and needed to handle her driver's license, voter's registration, and National ID number.

"No problem. Come on, let's grab some lunch. I want to try out the new restaurant nearby. They say the complimentary soup there is delicious. You know how much of a stingy person I am," Min-ji pestered and proudly proclaimed.

Min-ji had already headed outside, and Da-Eun quickly packed her things into her tote bag. Before leaving the library, she couldn't resist stealing glances at Do-yun. Her heart would always race whenever she admired his chiseled jawline and the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead.

As soon as she laid her eyes on him, he was also looking at her. Their eyes met briefly, and she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be engrossed in organizing her belongings. She swiftly escaped and she thought in her head she must have looked stupid by getting caught red-handed.

"Why is your face so red?" Min-ji couldn't help but ask once Da-Eun exited the library.

Da-Eun's cheeks flushed crimson, and her heart was still beating fast. "It might be because of the sudden change in temperature," she smoothly reasoned. The library was cold due to the air conditioning, whereas the hallway didn't have any climate control, except for open windows.

Once they settled inside the new restaurant, Min-ji enthusiastically shared her dating experiences. She prayed that her first relationship wouldn't traumatize her, having seen her share of dramatic love stories that often filled Korean makjang dramas.

Da-Eun laughed as she listened to Min-ji's stories. She also desired a romantic relationship, but with all the drama happening in her own household and the importance of maintaining good grades, she shrugged off the idea.

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[1] In South Korea, when a person reaches adulthood(typically at the age of 19), they are required to acquire several government-issued documents and complete certain registrations.

[2] Makjang drama is a drama series, usually considered out-of-this-world, greatly exaggerated, and overly dramatic plots and characterizations.