Chapter 24

"Assistant librarian"

As time kept moving forward, and we dove further into the summer months, the weather got warmer, the days longer and the sun brighter. But in the small library office, none of this was detected, since Ji Eun sat behind closed curtains with her face buried in her computer.

She sighed again and again, looking at the books that were overdue and she started writing down the names of those who had to pay a fine for not handing in the book on time. Even though she did not enjoy this type of work and really wished she could let the customers borrow a book for as long as they wanted, rules had to be followed. Furthermore, if she didn't check up on this, some books would never be returned.

After she wrote down the tenth name and still had a long way to go, she decided to take a short break. After getting up from her chair, she stretched out her body and felt it crack back into place, and she let out a relieved sound as her body felt much better after that. When she looked at the time, a smile crept onto her lips because if she remembered correctly, it was Ha Na's lunch break and what she really needed right now, was to see that beautiful girl's smile.

She walked into the small break room where Ha Na was sitting with her lunch box, stuffing her face with food while looking happier than ever. Ji Eun couldn't help but smile while she sat down across from her, making it easier for Ha Na to read her lips.

"How is it out there today?" asked Ji Eun once she had gotten Ha Na's attention, "I have been stuck in my office all day, so I haven't even been able to check up on you." Ha Na took another bite of her food before she grabbed her phone and started typing in her message.

It's still very quiet because of summer vacation. Don't worry about me, I'm handling everything perfectly fine.

"Of course you are," Ji Eun said. "I can always count on you. I don't know what I would do without you here."

Then you'd find someone else to work for you.

"How will I ever find someone as sweet as you? I always feel like I can rely on you without needing to worry about anything."

You're too nice.

Ji Eun smiled as she read Ha Na's humble reply, but didn't care to argue back, knowing Ha Na would never let herself get praised like that. So she just leaned back and observed her while she continued eating.

It didn't take long before Ha Na noticed how Ji Eun's eyes were glued on her and she looked around a bit confused until she held her lunch box towards her, telling her to be free to take some of it if she was that hungry.

"No no no, that is not what I wanted!" said Ji Eun and pushed the lunch box away, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to stare, I have just had a long and boring day and sitting here with you makes me happy." Ha Na simply smiled and then continued to eat the rest of her food. 

Ji Eun looked around and noticed the camera that was placed a bit away from Ha Na. She had seen Ha Na carrying it around a lot lately, and sometimes she would even noticed Ha Na using her breaks to take photos.

"May I see?" asked Ji Eun and pointed at the camera. Ha Na nodded and Ji Eun reached out and took the camera.

"Did you buy it yourself?" asked Ji Eun and Ha Na again grabbed her phone.

It was a gift from Jimin.

"Ah, I see," said Ji Eun and couldn't hold back her smirk, which made Ha Na blush in response.

In her curiosity, Ji Eun turned on the camera and started going through the few pictures that had been taken so far. Most of them were the area right outside the library, probably because she used her breaks to take photos. But there were some photos of the city as well, photos of people walking their dogs or playing in the park. She kept swiping through the photos until she reached the last one and her eyes widened in surprise. She then shifted her eyes and looked at Ha Na with an even bigger smirk. Ha Na looked back in confusion, until her eyes fell on the camera and the picture she had taken of Jimin the day he gave her the camera.

Quick as a cat, she grabbed the camera out of Ji Eun's hands and turned it off, then hiding it away while Ji Eun just started laughing uncontrollably.

"You two really are the cutest," said she in between her laughs and Ha Na hid her face in her hands. Ji Eun gently grabbed one of her hands and moved it away, making Ha Na look her in the eyes again.

"I am happy you two found each other," said she, "and I hope you stay together for a really long time." Ha Na politely bowed and signed "thank you", a sign Ji Eun was familiar with after almost 3 years of working with Ha Na.

She still remembered that day she first met Ha Na, a short and thin girl with a huge smile and lots of positive aura around her. She had walked straight to the counter where Ji Eun was in the middle of handling the books that had been returned, when Ji Eun noticed the short figure in front of her.

"How can I help you?" asked Ji Eun and waited for the girl to speak up, but to her big surprise, the girl just grabbed her phone and aggressively started typing in a message. After watching in anticipation, the girl finally held up her phone and Ji Eun thoroughly read through it.

Good afternoon. My name is Kim Ha Na, I'm 22 years old and I'm deaf. I would like to apply for the job as assistant librarian.

I might have a handicap, but I've got lots of positive energy and I'm hardworking. I'm also very good at reading people's lips and I can always communicate through my phone like this. If you'd like, please consider me when you are going to hire someone.

Ji Eun looked at the girl who seemed a bit nervous, but still showed off her bright smile at all times. She then read through the text again.

Deaf.

A hundred possible scenarios and challenges by hiring a handicapped person, went through Ji Eun's mind, but they all seemed to not matter at all when she looked at the girl and saw her happy and innocent smile.

"I-" said Ji Eun, not knowing what to say or how to respond, but she was saved by a person calling from the other end of the counter.

"Do you have the sequel to this book?" asked the person.

"Just a moment," said Ji Eun and looked back at Ha Na, "stay here, I will be right back."

As Ji Eun ran to help the person in need, the time slowly passed by and she kept stealing glances, checking if the young girl was still there. After a while she wondered if the girl would leave, but when Ji Eun returned after helping the person, she was still standing there, in the same spot where she left her. A smile appeared on her face when she noticed Ji Eun's return and Ji Eun looked her up and down before she extended her arm, waiting for a handshake and when Ha Na took it, Ji Eun said:

"You start on Monday."

As Ji Eun seemed to return to reality, still sitting at the small table with Ha Na in front of her, she quickly got up from her seat, Ha Na following her with her eyes.

"I have to get back to work," said she and Ha Na nodded, "oh, I almost forgot to ask, can you close up tonight? I have something important to attend, so I need to leave a bit early."

That's completely okay with me, it's really quiet in the library today so I will have no difficulty closing up on my own.

Ji Eun read the message on Ha Na's phone and smiled.

"I knew I could count on you," said Ji Eun before she walked away and left Ha Na alone.

The hours passed by quickly as Ha Na made sure to keep herself busy. Doing nothing on a slow and quiet day like this would make seconds feel like hours and hours feel like days.

When it was only a few minutes until closing hours, Ha Na started doing the last tasks of the day. She made sure to turn off the computer, checked that all drawers were locked and went to make sure that Ji Eun had turned off the light in her office and locked the door. After doing all these things, Ha Na decided to take a last stroll through the library, making sure she wouldn't end up locking a poor someone in the library.

When she was halfway through the shelves and all the sitting areas, she concluded that no one was here, but she would end up swallowing those words, because in that second, she noticed a person sitting on a chair in the middle of long table.

Ha Na walked a little closer to the person who she now saw was a young man who was sound asleep with his head resting on his hands. His hair was pitch black and half hidden under a dark blue hat with something written on it, that Ha Na couldn't read. His skin was pale white and he looked almost unreal with such a clean and sparkling skin. Both his ears were pierced, which at first made him look a little frightening, but when she saw the gentle expression on his face, she was sure he couldn't be anything else but a nice person.

Ha Na looked at the clock, it was ten minutes after closing hours. She extended her hand, ready to wake him up and she sighed again, seeing how calm he looked and knowing that his lovely nap would be ending now.

Just as her hand was about to reach him, she stopped in her motion and thought:

Ah, did I clean up in the break room? Maybe I should do that first.

Ha Na silently tip toed away from the young man and hoped that he would have woken up on his own once she returned after cleaning up. But he hadn't woken up and if possible, he looked even calmer than before. This time she couldn't think of another excuse and she forced herself to grab his shoulder and gently shake him until he opened his two sleepy eyes.

The young man looked up at the girl in front of him, at first without any sort of expression, but then, as he woke up entirely, he gave her a confused look, before he sat up in his chair.

"What is it?" asked the man with a grumpy look on his face.

Ha Na, who had been standing frozen in her spot, hurried and took out her phone and began typing.

I'm sorry sir, we're past closing hours so I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave.

The man looked at Ha Na's phone with a big question mark written over his entire face.

"What a rude way to tell someone," said the man while he started packing up his things and then looked back at Ha Na and continued, "why not just tell me- OH." The man finally noticed the name tag on Ha Na's shirt and the confused expression disappeared and was replaced with a more enlightened look.

"I am sorry for any inconvenience I caused you," said he and bowed, but Ha Na just waved her hands in the air, wanting him to stop apologizing. The man was just about to leave when he remembered the book he had in his hand.

"Ah, I am sorry, but by any chance, do you still have the computer open?" asked he, "I forgot to borrow this book and I didn't finish reading it." Ha Na looked at the book and then waved him over, telling him to follow her as they walked towards the counter.

"If you already turned it off then- Oh you are just turning it on again..." said the man and watched Ha Na turn on the computer and then reached out, asking for the book in his hand. As he stood there, waiting for the system to get started, he started looking around a bit and then noticed something on the counter.

"Is this yours?" asked he and pointed at camera next to Ha Na. Ha Na looked at it and then nodded with a smile.

"Do you take pictures?" asked he and Ha Na tilted her hand from side to side, indicating that it was only on an amateur basis, "may I see?" Ha Na handed him the camera and he curiously started going through her pictures as she finished up the things on the computer.

"These aren't half bad," said he when Ha Na had turned off the computer again and handed back the book, "have you ever thought about doing this for a living?" Ha Na just gave him a confused look and the man immediately knew she didn't understand.

"My uncle has a photography shop, he takes passport photos and school photos, he does events and sometimes he sends in some photos to competitions and such. He told me that he is looking for someone to help around the shop, someone he can teach." Ha Na still wasn't sure she understood and the man then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down an address and then a name. 

"This is my uncle's address, just show him this paper, it has my name on it, so he knows I send you." Ha Na took the paper and read the name written on the bottom.

Min Yoongi

"Do you understand?" asked Yoongi and Ha Na took out her phone again.

Are you saying that if I go here and he likes my pictures, he might be interested in hiring me as a photographer?

"That is exactly what I am saying!" exclaimed Yoongi, feeling happy but tired as he had never spend so much energy trying to have a conversation before, "good, I think I will take my leave then."

Ha Na followed along as they both left the library and she remembered to turn on the alarm and lock the doors, and when she turned around she locked eyes with Jimin who had a somewhat disappointed look on his face.

While Yoongi was still standing next to Ha Na, she didn't hesitate for one minute and ran directly into Jimin's arms and gave him a warm hug.

"Why did you only come out now? It is 30 minutes after closing hours," said Jimin after he got Ha Na to let go of him, "and who is that person." Jimin pointed to Yoongi who just looked uninterested and unbothered.

"Good evening, my name is Min Yoongi," said Yoongi and bowed, which made Jimin remember his manners and he quickly introduced himself and did the same. Even after hearing the explanation as to why Ha Na was late and why she left at the same time as a young man, Jimin still didn't feel quite comfortable with the situation and Ha Na noticed his quiet behavior as they walked home together.

She looked at Jimin and tried to soften him a bit with her smile, but he just looked away with his nose to the sky and Ha Na couldn't help but giggle, which only made Jimin feel somewhat offended. When Ha Na noticed the change in his looks, she grabbed his arm and hugged it tight while they continued walking, people around them turning to look at the strange scene of a clingy girl and an offended boy.

"Let go," said Jimin and shoved Ha Na away, "people are looking." Ha Na didn't understand as she couldn't see his lips movements, but she didn't try to soften him with physical contact again and they both walked in silence until they reached Ha Na's house. 

While they stood behind the tall bushes, sheltered from the windows in the house, Ha Na grabbed Jimin's collar and pulled him into a soft kiss. It only lasted for a second, but it was still long enough to make Jimin's cheeks warm up in a pinkish color.

"Why did you do that out of nowhere?" said Jimin, both feeling annoyed and giddy inside.

"I am sorry I made you worried. Nothing happened between me and that man. The only one I have my eyes on is you." Even if Jimin didn't understood every word Ha Na signed, he understood the essence of it and his heart immediately started beating faster.

"Fine," said he while signing, "I am sorry I got jealous, I just don't like to see you with other men."

"You are cute!" signed Ha Na.

"Really?" signed Jimin and shyly rubbed his neck, "then... if I am really that cute, does that mean I can have another kiss before I go?" Ha Na looked at Jimin who was diverting his eyes from Ha Na, too embarrassed to look, but when he felt her lips on his again, all his shyness disappeared and he pulled her closer in a long, heartfelt kiss.

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter where we got a little backstory as to how Ha Na got her job as a librarian. I hope you are excited to read more and Jimin and Ha Na, see how their relationship progresses and learn more about the Photography shop!

Please leave a comment before you move on and take good care of yourself!

Love, Annalise~