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My mom is a hopeless romantic.
She told me that I should always look my best whenever I go out of the house or even out of my room.
“What if you meet your true love today and you look like a train ran you over?”
This was her usual line whenever she sees me looking unsightly.
I have tried my best to live like this but of course there were slip ups sometimes.
Today, I woke up and felt like something is bound to happen.
I’m not yet sure if it’s good or bad.
Our university doesn’t usually have Monday classes so I’m free for the whole day.
Maybe because it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow or maybe it’s because I’d be turning 21 in exactly a week but I didn’t feel like staying at home so I got dressed and before I knew it I was on my way to Fully Booked.
I didn’t have any book to buy in particular but I remembered some books that I would want to check out.
Before I even got to my destination, my mom was already calling me.
“Y/N!” Good you picked up!”
“Is there something wrong, Mom?”
“I forgot to tell you that my college friend and her family are coming over tonight! Are you at home?”
“Your college friend who lives in Busan?”
“Yes. Their flight arrives later this afternoon and they’d be staying with us tonight.”
“ MOOOOOM! How could you forget such a thing?!?!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve been very busy with work, it slipped my mind. I just remembered when I looked at my planner.”
“Well, we still have time till their arrival so is there something you need me to do?”
“Well, we’d be eating out so there’d be no need to cook dinner but please fix the guest room a bit and your room also because you might have to lend it.”
“My room?! What?! Why?!”
“Well, your aunt and uncle brought their son and we only have one guest room so…”
“Where am I gonna sleep?!”
“In my room, of course. Your dad and I fit comfortably and he’s not here so I think you and I wouldn’t be of any difference.”
“Alright, fine. Anything else?”
“None but… where are you? Why is it so noisy?”
“Oh, I’m at the mall. I’m on my way to the bookstore. I’m just gonna check on some books.”
“Oh okay. Just be home by 6pm, alright?”
“Ok, Mom.”
“Oh and please dress up nicely. I don’t know where we’d be eating.”
“Ok, Mom. Bye.”
It’s still only a little past 11am so I have a lot of time.
I’d start going home by 4pm so that I can still freshen up and change to something nicer.
Anyway, I went straight to the manga section of the bookstore to look at some newly released volumes.
I found some new volumes of Fairy Tail and Nanatsu No Taizai (Seven Deadly Sins) that I still haven’t bought so I got those.
I also found the last volume of Nisekoi.
I’ve already read it but I don’t have a copy.
I took it but I’m still deliberating whether I’d buy it or not.
I loved the ending because the guy chose the girl he loved despite what happened in the past.
“I never liked the ending of that manga.”
“Uhm… Excuse me?”
When I looked up, I saw a guy standing in front of me.
He isn’t tall but he’s still taller than me.
He looks a bit familiar like I’ve seen him somewhere before.
But could you just imagine the irritation I felt when I’ve just thought of how I loved this manga’s ending and a stranger comes up to me and tells me straight up how he never liked it?
I was struggling to maintain my composure.
I looked up from the book and tried to contain my irritation.
Not looking at him somehow made it work.
I might have let my inner bitch slip out a little but though.
He continued on while I pretended to look at some other manga I’ve never read.
“I mean why would a guy pick a girl who always punches him, beats him up, or simply hurts him physically and emotionally all the time?! It doesn’t make sense, right?”
“Well, if one is indeed shallow, then the ending wouldn’t really make any sense.”
I still wasn’t looking at him.
I took out and returned manga after manga from the shelves.
“Excuse me? Are you saying that I’m shallow?”
“That’s not what I said but if that’s what you think then… let’s just go with that.”
I finally looked at him and gave him my most sarcastic smile.
“Now, if you’d excuse me, I have better things to do than chitchat with a stranger.”
I hurried to the cashier and never looked back.
I didn’t know nor did I care what his reaction was.
There were only a handful of people in the bookstore so there was no line at the counter.
I was out of the bookstore in a flash.
I checked my watch only to see that I still have 3 more hours to waste.
I decided to go to the coffee shop and just start reading the books I bought.
I ordered my favorite handcrafted beverage and found an empty love seat.
I put my things down and got the paper bag of the books I just bought.
Looking through my paper bag, I found a manga I’ve never read before.
Why is this here?
Did I buy this?
I didn’t even know what it is about.
Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso?
I might have gotten it by accident in my haste.
Hmm.
Well, at least it’s the first volume.
It seemed good so I got curious and opened it first.
Before I knew it, I’m almost finished with the book.
“So you really do like the sadist characters winning.”
I didn’t even have to look up to know who it is.
It’s the same guy from the bookstore.
“Mind if I sit here? Every other seat is already occupied.”
“Suit yourself.”
I didn’t really have a choice.
It is common courtesy to share tables since this coffee shop is always packed with people.
He sat across me on the other love seat.
“I didn’t like that manga’s ending either.”
I closed the manga and looked at him.
“Do you always come up to people and tell them that you don’t like what they are reading?”
“Not everyone. Just the pretty... interesting ones.”
“Huh. Okay, sure. Whatever.”
“I’m kidding. It was just a bet between me and my friends to talk you out of buying that Nisekoi volume.”
“I guess you lost that one, huh?”
“It’s fine. I got to talk to you, at least.”
“You’re funny.”
“No, I’m Sky. Nice to meet you. And you are?”
“I don’t give my name to strangers.”
“That’s unfair. I already told you my name so you already know who I am.”
“Knowing your name doesn’t mean knowing you.”
“You have a point. But knowing one’s name can be the start of knowing someone so…”
“Okay. How about this? If we meet again, then I’d tell you. But now, I have to go.”
I saw the clock behind him say that it’s almost 4pm.
I packed my things and went home.
To be honest, that guy isn’t really half bad.
He could even be categorized as a “boy next door” in my books.
He even kind of looks like someone from a Korean drama.
Or maybe a K-Pop group?
Too bad.
I just don’t give out my name to anyone, especially good looking strangers I meet at malls.
---
We all arrived at the restaurant except for my mom’s friend’s son.
They said he came to the country with his friends and probably went somewhere else before going here.
We were all waiting for him and were kind of guarding the door.
Every time the door opens, we all look to see if it’s him.
I don’t actually know what he looks like but they told me he is the same age as me.
Just then, Sky, the guy I met at the mall, came in and saw me.
He smiled and went straight to our table.
I felt kind of flustered because I remembered that I promised him that I’ll tell him my name if we ever meet again.
Not now.
Please not now.
I tried to cover my face with the menu.
Suddenly, my mom’s friend stood up.
“Everyone, meet my son, Jihoon.”