Book Exchange Romance | A Kim Namjoon FanFic

Chapter 3 - Ana

The little bell on top of the main door rang and in walked a tall man. His hair was a dark shade of brown. He had a mask on. His eyes locked with Ana's briefly. He gave a small bow and walked to the back of the store and got lost in between the aisles. Those eyes, the very same eyes that have been haunting Ana for three years, were back.

"Who is that haraboji?" She asked, looking at the back of the store, in hopes the mysterious man would show up again.

"I don't know. He is a regular like you." Haraboji said. Ana turned back to haraboji.

"I'm mad at the story." She said, crossing her arms on top of the counter and leaning in. "The story centers in this dystopian coastal town, where everyone is happy and everyone gets along. However, this town survives in this bubble because of the misery of one single person. A child." She said. She started to pace around. "A child haraboji. A ten year old child, left neglected in a basement closet. A child who is afraid of mops." She said. "And then it ends with people leaving the town once they decide is morally wrong to have a child in such conditions." She said going back to the counter. "I hate it." She said sighing and dropping her head in her arms resting on the counter. Haraboji gave a small chuckle.

"And what do you think the meaning of the child is?" Haraboji asked her. She looked up to him. She thought for a minute, putting her English Literature major brain to the works.

"I think the child is a reflection of everything that is wrong, and how we see and know about it, but we decide is a necessary evil that we need to live with. However, I think the people that walk away from the town, are the people who decide to leave that necessary evil behind in order to become a better person." She said, concentrating on her words. "Haraboji, who recommended this short story?" She asked him again. He smiled a little.

"I can't tell you my child. I've been sworn to secrecy." Haraboji said. She sighed.

"I can't convince you to tell me, can't I?" She asked him. He shook his head. "Fine. I won't press it." She said. She turn to look at the aisles. They were empty. "Is there another exist down there?" She asked haraboji. She started to walk to the the back of the bookstore. She heard the door of the bookstore open and she turn. It was Eun-Ae, Eun-Ji mother. She looked at Ana and smiled.

"Hey Ana. I thought you were at the coffee shop." Eun-Ae said to Ana. She placed the bags she was carrying in the counter.

"I was. But I finish my reading and needed to discuss it with haraboji." Ana said.

"You didn't like it?" Eun-Ae asked her with a questioning look.

"No I did not. And the person who left me the book, haraboji doesn't want to tell me who it is." She said.

"I'm sure he was sworn into secrecy." Eun-Ae said. Ana smiled.

"That is exactly what he said." Ana said looking at haraboji.

"Yeah well. He is really good at keeping secrets so don't expect the secret to come out." Eun-Ae said. Ana nodded.

"Haraboji, do you have the book I asked for earlier today?" Ana asked him.

"Yes. It's on the middle aisle." He said. Ana nodded and headed that direction. She started to read the titles until she landed on the letter F. She started to look for it. She found it. First Person Sorrowful by Ko Un. She picked the book and walked back to the front of the store.

"Found it." She said showing haraboji the book. She got her wallet out. Haraboji stopped her.

"It's fine. Go." He said. She looked at him with a questioning look. "I'm sure." Haraboji said smiling. "You are coming tomorrow again anyway." He said to her. She laughed.