Book 3: 24/seven | A Jung Hoseok BTS Fan Fiction

A Brand New Day

It didn't look like the sky was going to let up. Aiko peered out the bookstore window and looked up at the gloom. She would just have to wait it out. She would normally try to make a run for it, but she was carrying workshop papers and they would be drenched. She frowned at the droplets racing down the glass window. She normally found them pretty, but it was not one of those days. She was in a hurry. "Bixby, when will the rain stop?" She asked her phone with despair. "Aish, I'm going to be stuck here for a while." She mumbled grumpily.

The guard by the door got her attention, "What do you mean? This is your umbrella, isn't it? Your boyfriend came around earlier and said you might need it today. Awfully thoughtful."

Hmm? What boyfriend? Aiko thought. The guard handed her a yellow umbrella. She smiled and reminded herself to thank Joon Woo. He was probably making up for the time he asked her to pick him up from across the city so his velvet boots won't get wet in the rain. When she opened the umbrella, she noticed a tag dangling from one of the wire bones. It read: Vol1/P9 . Aah, product code, she thought. She smiled as she walked to her car. Grateful for Joon Woo's foresight.

Traffic slowed a bit with the rain. It was funny to her how cars seem to increase in volume with the slightest precipitation. She quickly set her phone to dial for Joon Woo before she forgot. "Joon Woo-Nah!!" she called out.

"Hello, hello!" Joon Woo replied cheerily.

"Thanks for the umbrella!"

"What umbrella?"

"You didn't leave an umb... Oh no! I think I got somebody else's umbrella!" Aiko gasped and worriedly thought about returning the umbrella.

"Hey, where are you? Can you pick me up? I'm wearing my..." Joon Woo was nothing if not consistent.

"Joon Woo-nah! Check the weather before you wear those boots!" She scolded. Just then, her phone beeped. "Hold on, let me call you back. I have another call."

"Oh ok. Where are you going?"

"Chan's bookstore."

"Oh, that's far. Where are you headed next?"

"I'm going to Bookbinders after. Hey, got to go, got to go.."

"Okay, byeeee... but call me back!" Joon Woo yelled before he got disconnected.

Mrs. Chan, the owner of the bookstore of Chan Books, is an old friend. "I'm sorry Mrs. Chan. The traffic on the way is pretty bad. It looks like I'm running late." Aiko apologized.

"That's fine. I'm not going anywhere." Mrs. Chan chuckled on the other line. "Actually, I'm calling because I was hoping you had extra copies of the book with you - do you?"

"I do, actually. Why do you ask?" It was a strange question. Just a week ago, she asked Mrs. Chan if she can store 150 copies of her book in the store. She was always accommodating and had said yes.

"We're sold out!" The older lady announced excitedly. "Tadaa! Isn't that amazing?"

"Sold out?" Aiko was astonished. "All 150?"

"Yes! The most interesting thing happened today. I had a pretty quiet day to start until these two handsome boys came into the store. Next thing you know, my bookstore was full of girls which make me think I should hire cute boys! Anyway, at first, they started flipping through your book on the display, and then they bought copies. When they left, all these girls milling around the store suddenly grabbed your book and bought at least two copies each. More and more girls came after that, and they were all looking for your book! It was the strangest thing, but I'm not complaining! Whatever you are doing to promote, keep doing it! I think your book is about to explode!"