ARROGANCE | m.yg

n i n e - r i n

   "Great job at the gig last week, Rin," a voice shakes me from my reverie. I'd been sorting books in adult fiction, halfway through the translations of works by John Steinbeck. I place one last copy of Of Mice and Men on the shelf before turning to acknowledge the voice. It's Dabin.

   "You were at the show?" I question. Dabin, precious as he is, has never been much for rap.

   "How could I not go? Juyoung was talking to me about it a while back and I decided that I really wanted to come support you. You did a fantastic job— I mean, even I was having a great time."

   "Wow, I never would've guessed. Thanks for coming out then, Dabin. That's really sweet of you."

   "Of course. You know me, always trying to broaden my horizons."

   "Keyword: trying."

   "Precisely. Anyway, I'm supposed to help you shelve, but it seems you're already almost done." He glances at the cart of books to be shelved, which only contains a dozen or so novels.

   A devious smile crosses my face. "Well, if you're so inclined to help, just finish this for me, okay?"

   Dabin's about to respond, but I smile in that cutely mean way and skip off, chirping my thanks over my shoulder. I hear Dabin grumble out the words "I hate you" before I'm out of earshot.

   It really is touching that he came to my show last week, though. It's been a full eight days since that Saturday's performance, making it also eight days before he felt bothered to bring it up. We were working together on Tuesday, so why didn't he mention it then? Dabin will always be a mystery, it seems.

   I head off to the break room to get some coffee. I've been absolutely zonked lately, and some caffeine can only do me good. When I enter I head straight to the coffee machine and prepare myself some of the elixir of life. I wonder, where would the human race be without coffee?

   As I'm relaxing, Kyeonghwa enters the room, looking as tired as I feel. Even so, she greets me cheerfully. "Hey, Rin. Done with the shelving?"

   "Yeah, Dabin's just finishing it up. He should be back here any minute now."

   "I know, I was just over there looking for you."

   "Why? Nothing's wrong, right?"

   She laughs, pronouncing only more the laugh lines in her face as her eyes crinkle at the sides. "Everything's fine. Your kids are here, is all."

   "My..." I take a second to think about what she said before I remember Jieun and Jintae. "Oh, my kids! Did they ask for me?"

   "A moment ago, yes. They're finished with another book you checked out for them."

   "Okay, I'll take care of them," I state. Then, after chugging down the remainder of my coffee (which, may I add, was not a pleasant experience in the slightest) I hustle out of the break room to find the children.

   "Rin!" Jieun exclaims. Her head peeks over the edge of the checkout counter and Jintae is beside her. I come out from behind the desk and over to the checkout line to greet them properly.

   "How are you two doing today?" I ask them, crouching down to their level.

   "We're great!" Jintae chimes. "We finished this book, too." He presents me with the chapter book he and Jieun had indulged themselves in and I take them behind the desk to check it in. This time, I have the two switch roles: Jieun actually scans the book in and Jintae uses the computer. With the book checked in, I walk the kids back out onto the library floor so they might find something to check out.