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LIFE GOSE ON

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LIFE GOSE ON

Chapter 1

*Title: After School in 2‑E*

*Genre*: School GL, soft slow‑burn, first‑love feels

*Your role*: You – 2nd year, class *2‑E*, library committee, secretly writes short stories on your phone

*Love interest*: Min Jaehee – 3rd year, student council vice‑president, basketball team, known for being cool and untouchable

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*Chapter 1 – The Library Duty Swap*

You hate Tuesdays because Tuesdays mean library duty. Check books, reshelve, shush first‑years.

Except today, when you push the library door open at 3:40 PM, Min Jaehee is already at the counter.

She’s not supposed to be here. She’s student council. She’s supposed to be in meetings or practice.

“Yerin‑sunbae from *2‑E* asked me to cover,” Jaehee says before you can ask. She doesn’t look up from the return cart. “She has cram school.”

You set your bag down. “Oh. Thanks.”

Jaehee just nods. Her hair is shorter than it was last semester. It suits her. You noticed. You’ve been noticing since the sports festival when she scored the winning shot and smiled for half a second.

For 20 minutes you work in silence. You reshelve. She scans. The only sound is the barcode beep and rain against the windows.

“You missed a spot,” Jaehee says suddenly.

You turn. She’s holding up a book – _The Little Prince_. Your favorite. You left it on the romance shelf by accident last week.

“Right. Sorry.” You take it. Your fingers brush.

“You like this one?” she asks.

You nod. “The fox part. ‘You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed.’”

Jaehee tilts her head. “That’s sad.”

“It’s not,” you say, braver than usual. “It means if someone lets you in, you should stay.”

She doesn’t answer. Just goes back to scanning. But her ears are red.

At 4:30, the last student leaves. It’s just you, Jaehee, and the rain.

“You write during duty,” she says. Not a question.

Your stomach drops. “How–”

“I saw your notes app open last time. Dialogue.” She finally looks at you. “It was good.”

You’re burning. “It’s dumb. Just stuff I–”

“Can I read it?”

“_What?_ No! It’s–”

Jaehee holds up your phone that you left on the counter. Lock screen shows your story doc. “You forgot this yesterday. I was going to give it to the lost and found but… I opened it. Sorry.”

You want to die. “Jaehee‑sunbae, please delete–”

“I liked the part where the girl gives the other girl her umbrella,” she says fast. “Even though she gets soaked. Because she’d rather be cold than let the other person be cold.”

You stop breathing.

Outside, thunder cracks. The lights flicker.

Jaehee sets your phone down. From her bag, she pulls out a folded black umbrella. “It’s raining harder now. You don’t have one, right?”

“You… you remembered?”

“You always run to the bus stop when it rains,” she mumbles, looking away. “I see you from the 3rd floor. From *2‑E*’s windows.”

She pushes the umbrella into your hands. “Don’t get sick. Yerin‑sunbae says *2‑E* would fall apart if you got a cold. You’re the only one who reshelves correctly.”

Then she walks to the door.

“Jaehee‑sunbae!” you call.

She stops.

“…The girl in my story,” you say, heart pounding. “She doesn’t have a name yet. Can I… can I use yours?”

Jaehee doesn’t turn around. But you see her hand tighten on the door frame.

“Only if I get to read the ending,” she says.

The door clicks shut behind her.

You stand in the empty library, holding her umbrella, and open your notes app.

After School in 2‑E_ 💫

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*Chapter 1 – The Library Duty Swap (continued)*

You stare at the closed library door for a full ten seconds. Your heart is doing that stupid thumping thing it learned to do whenever Jaehee‑sunbae is within five meters.

The umbrella in your hands is heavier than it should be. Black, no pattern, slightly worn at the edges. Like she’s actually used it. A lot.

Your phone buzzes on the counter.

*Yerin‑sunbae [2‑E]*: _omg did Jaehee show up?? I owe you boba. She’s terrifying but she won’t let the books get messy_

*Yerin‑sunbae [2‑E]*: _wait did she talk to you?? what did she say??_

You lock your phone without answering. If you type now, you’ll just spam keyboard smashes.

Rain hits the windows harder. 4:37 PM. Library duty technically ends at 5:00, but everyone else is gone. It’s just you, the smell of old paper, and the echo of “Only if I get to read the ending.”

You sit at the counter and open your notes app with shaky fingers.

_Chapter 1: The girl with the umbrella._

_She didn’t know her name yet. But she knew the way her hair fell when she looked down at the barcode scanner. She knew the exact shade of red her ears turned when she lied about ‘just passing by’. She knew that her hands were cold, even in summer._

You delete the last line. Too obvious.

The library door creaks. You slam your phone face‑down like you’ve been caught doing something illegal.

It’s just Mr. Park, the librarian, peeking in with his wet raincoat. “Oh! You’re still here, 2‑E?”

“Y-yes, sir. Just finishing up.”

He squints at the umbrella in your lap. “That’s not school property.”

“Jaehee‑sunbae from student council left it. For the rain.” The lie comes out smooth. Scary smooth.

Mr. Park nods. “Ah, Min. Good kid. Cold, but good.” He shuffles to his office. “Lock up at five, yeah? Don’t stay too late. Storm’s getting bad.”

The door shuts again. You breathe.

5:00 PM hits. You do your final sweep – chairs pushed in, returns cart empty, _The Little Prince_ now correctly on the F‑fiction shelf where it belongs.

You’re zipping your bag when you see it. On the counter, tucked under the scanner where your phone was.

A sticky note. Pale yellow.

_You forgot this too._

_– MJ_

Under the note is a hairpin. Small, silver, shaped like a star. You’ve seen it before. Jaehee wore it during the sports festival. It was in her hair when she made that winning shot.

You pick it up. It’s warm from being in her pocket, probably.

Your phone buzzes again. Unknown number.

*Unknown*: _Is the umbrella big enough for two? It’s supposed to rain tomorrow too._

You don’t save the number. You don’t need to. You already know whose it is.

Your thumbs hover over the keyboard for a whole minute. Then you type:

*You*: _I think I need to test it. For science._

*You*: _Library. Tomorrow. 3:40 PM. Bring the ending._

Three dots appear immediately. Then disappear. Then appear again.

*Jaehee*: _I’m not good at endings._

*Jaehee*: _But I’ll be there._

You press the star hairpin into your palm until it leaves a mark. Outside, the rain hasn’t stopped.

But for the first time, you don’t mind walking home in it.