~WRITTEN BY THREE HEARTS~¹

...✧THE BOY FROM THE LIBRARY✧...

The old city library was always quiet. Not the uncomfortable kind of quiet. It was the kind of silence that felt peaceful.

The soft turning of pages. The faint sound of footsteps between the shelves.

For Taehyung, it was the one place where he could forget everything else.

Every Saturday, he came to the library.

Same day. Same time. Same corner.

He had been doing it for almost three years.

The librarians knew him. The regular visitors knew him.

Even the old wooden chair near the window felt like it belonged to him.

"Back again?"

Taehyung looked up from his book and smiled at the librarian.

"Is it that obvious?"

Mrs. Choi laughed.

"You only come here every Saturday at exactly one o'clock."

"I didn't realize I was so predictable."

"You are."

Taehyung smiled and adjusted the strap of his bag.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Third floor?"

"Of course."

The third floor was his favorite.

It was quieter than the rest of the building, filled with old novels and forgotten stories.

Taehyung slowly walked between the shelves, scanning the books.

He wasn't looking for anything specific. He rarely was. He just enjoyed finding something unexpected.

Then he saw it. A novel he had been trying to reach for weeks.

His eyes lit up.

"There you are."

Unfortunately... It was on the highest shelf.

Tae Han stared at it.

Then he looked around.

No ladder. No one nearby... Only a small stool sitting at the end of the aisle.

He sighed.

"This is embarrassing."

Still, he dragged the stool over.

"I blame the library for this."

He carefully stepped onto it and stretched his arm upward.

Almost... His fingers touched the book.

"Come on..."

Just as he was about to grab it, another hand reached above him.

"I think this is what you're looking for."

Taehyung froze.

A stranger stood beside him, easily reaching the shelf. He pulled the book down and handed it over.

Taehyung slowly turned around... And forgot what he was going to say.

The stranger had soft black hair, bright eyes, and a smile that somehow made the entire quiet library feel warmer.

"You okay?"

Taehyung blinked.

"Yeah. Sorry."

The stranger tilted his head.

"You were staring."

"Oh my God."

Taehyung immediately covered his face.

"I'm sorry, that was rude."

The stranger laughed softly. "It's okay."

He held out the book again. "Here."

"Thank you."

Their fingers touched briefly. Something strange happened.

A small flutter. A feeling Taehyung couldn't explain.

He quickly pulled his hand back.

"I'm Taehyung."

The stranger smiled.

"Jungkook."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too."

A small silence followed.

Usually, Taehyung hated awkward conversations.

But somehow... This one didn't feel awkward.

Jungkook looked at the stool.

"So..."

"Hm?"

"Do you always climb furniture for books?"

Taehyung looked at the stool.

"Only when libraries decide tall people deserve better treatment."

Jungkook laughed.

"That's tragic."

"I know."

"We should complain."

"Definitely."

"I'll write a formal letter."

"You will?"

"Absolutely."

"What will it say?"

Jungkook thought seriously.

"'Dear library, please consider shorter readers when designing shelves.'"

Taehyung laughed.

"That's a very important issue."

"I agree."

Somehow, that simple conversation continued.

They talked about books. Then movies. Then music. Then their favorite places in the city.

Hours passed without either of them noticing.

"So..." Jungkook asked, holding a book in his hands.

"What's your favorite novel?"

Taehyung groaned, "That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because choosing one favorite book feels like choosing a favorite child."

Jungkook nodded seriously.

"Fair answer."

"Your turn."

"The Little Prince."

Taehyung smiled.

"I should've guessed."

"Why?"

"You seem like someone who likes stories with hidden meanings."

Jungkook looked surprised.

"That's actually accurate."

Eventually, Jungkook checked his phone. His expression changed.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"I completely forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"I promised my friend I'd help him with something."

Taehyung tried not to look disappointed.

"Oh."

Jungkook noticed and smiled.

"I come here every Saturday."

Taehyung looked up.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Every Saturday?"

"Almost."

Jungkook put his book back.

"Maybe we'll meet again."

Taehyung smiled.

"I hope so."

Jungkook waved before leaving.

"See you next Saturday, Taehyung."

"See you."

Taehyung watched him disappear through the library doors.

Only when he was alone did he realize he was smiling. He looked down at the book in his hands.

For some reason... The story inside didn't seem as interesting anymore.

Because suddenly, he was more interested in the person who had handed it to him.

...~~...

The next Saturday came faster than usual.

Taehyung told himself he wasn't waiting for Jungkook.

He was just reading. In the library. On a Saturday. At one o'clock.

Exactly where Jungkook would probably appear.

Which was completely normal. At least, that's what he told himself.

Then he heard a familiar voice.

"Taehyung?"

He looked up.

Jungkook stood there, smiling.

And suddenly the entire week of waiting felt worth it.

"You came."

Jungkook laughed.

"Of course I came."

"I wasn't sure."

"Why wouldn't I?"

Taehyung shrugged.

"I don't know."

Jungkook studied him for a moment.

Then smiled.

"Well, now you know."

And from that day on... Saturdays became something different.

They read together. They shared coffee from the vending machine. They argued about books. They laughed about terrible movie endings.

Sometimes they talked for hours. Sometimes they sat quietly beside each other, reading separate books.

But somehow... The silence between them never felt empty. It felt comfortable.

Like they had known each other much longer than they actually had.

Neither of them noticed when friendship slowly became something more. Neither of them realized they were already becoming an important part of each other's lives.

Until one rainy afternoon...

"Hey, Taehyung."

"Hm?"

Jungkook looked outside at the rain falling against the library windows.

"If you could live inside any book, which one would you choose?"

Taehyung thought for a moment.

"One where the ending is happy."

Jungkook looked at him.

"Only one?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Taehyung smiled softly.

"Because real life doesn't always give you the ending you want."

For a moment, Jungkook didn't say anything.

Then he smiled.

"Then I hope you find your happy ending."

Taehyung looked at him.

Neither of them knew it yet... But they were already becoming each other's.

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