Book Exchange Romance | A Kim Namjoon FanFic

Chapter 4 - Namjoon

"That my child I can't tell you." He heard his uncle say as he opened the door of the bookstore. She turned to him and locked eyes with him. He felt she recognized him, so he gave her a little bow and made his way to the back of the store and to hide between the aisles.

"Who is that haraboji?" He heard her ask. He had successfully made it to the back of the store and hid between the aisles.

"I don't know. He is a regular like you." His uncle said. From in between the books, he saw how she gave up her search and turned back to his uncle.

"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. He saw how she started to pace around the store. He smiled a bit. The reaction was unexpected yet refreshing. "A child haraboji. A ten-year-old child was left neglected in a basement closet. A child who is afraid of mops." She said. He laughed to himself. The memory of when he read the story for the first time coming to his mind. "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. His uncle chuckled.

"And what do you think the meaning of the child is?" His uncle asked her. She looked up to him. Namjoon moved a little closer to the front, still hidden between the aisles. Not wanting to miss what she was going to say next.

"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." He heard her start to say. "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, her posture radiating confidence. She paused for a second. "Haraboji, who recommended this short story?" She asked his uncle. His uncle smiled a little.

"I can't tell you my child. I've been sworn to secrecy." His uncle 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 giving up. He saw her turning to look at the aisles again. He was hidden so she wasn't going to be able to spot him. "Is there another exist down there?" She asked his uncle. She started to walk to the the back of the bookstore. The door of the bookstore opened, and she turned back. It was Eun-Ae. Namjoon felt relief wash over him. Eun-Ae looked at the girl and smiled. Namjoon took that as his queue and walked to the back room and unlocked the door to his private study.

He walked to his chair and plopped on it. He smiled a bit. She was very opinionated, but she did have a point. He liked that. It felt refreshing. He stood up and walked to the bookshelf. He picked up a book and went to sit back in his chair. He stayed there for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was minutes. Someone came knocking on his door. He walked to it and opened it. It was Eun-Ae. His cousin. He smiled.

"You are back." She said, smiling. He nodded, bowing.

"I am." He said.

"How was the tour?" She asked him.

"Tiresome at some points, but unforgettable." He said the memories of tour coming back to him. "The world is a beautiful place." He said, smiling to himself.

"It's good that you are following your dream." She said to him, patting his arm. "Are you staying for dinner?" She asked him.

"Would it be okay?" He asked her, he did missed her home cooked meals.