IDOLS (18+)

13. TWO VALENTINE'S DATES?

Hazel continued her search for Judy Bloom for a few more minutes but couldn't find it. Probably not the right place to search for a Judy Bloom piece. Hazel gave up and sighed lifting her face towards the ceiling, and that's when it happened. The Judy Bloom pieces were right there. Four shelves above her head. And thanks to her very long arms, she couldn't reach them. She lifted herself with tip toes. Still no chance to reach. She now leaned on the whole shelf trying to reach it on tip toes. And still, her fingers reached the wooden border of the shelf but not the books. But right then, almost about to give up, still eyes gazing up at the books, Hazel saw a hand go up over hers and take out all four of the slim, similar looking books. Hazel probably would've looked at who that was and turned around in slow motion, if this was a romantic drama. But unfortunately it isn't. So, it happened in about a span of two - three seconds, where Hazel's brain could only process looking at that hand going up and taking out the books. She felt the big, tall figure move far from the back of her body. Feeling the distance, she pulled herself up from the shelf, that she almost was sleeping on at the moment, and then turned around, finding the long arm extended to her face and the big palm holding the 4 pieces, which she'd have had to hold with both her hands. She looked at the books and the first thing that she should've done was, look at the person holding them and make eye contact and.... But after all, it's Hazel. Who the hell cares about the person? It's the books that hold the first priority. So, the first thing she did was, take the books from the extended hand and hold them and fit them in her palms properly. Once done, she finally looked at the tall figure standing in front of her, who's eyes till now were busy tracing all her movements.

Thank you.

She was about to bow, but she saw the eyes. They were gazing at her face. And she knew those eyes. And now, Hazel's eyes were about to pop off their sockets. She widened her eyelids.

Nam-

Almost having screamed, she controlled herself. And said in a very soft and almost whispering voice.

Namjoon, sir?

You like reading too? What genre do these belong to?

He asked pointing at the books he just fetched her.

Oh! These- these are comedy. Children's comedy. Good for lightening mood sometimes.

I like those. Kind of comic-story books. Are you taking all of them?

Hazel looked at the books and answered-

No, sir. I'll just take two of them.

Then I'll have the other two. Let me give them a try. And it'd be better if you don't call me sir here. It's literally the library.

He left out a small giggle. Hazel relaxed a bit at that too. She smiled back at him and handed him over the other two books.

So, what were you getting if you didn't get these? You surely weren't here for something like this.

Correct! But partially. I wasn't searching for these, but I wasn't searching for something else either. I just came in to return some, and then I was wandering around to see if I find something interesting.

Sorry, now that you have to settle for children's comedy. You must've wanted finding something even more interesting.

I did. You.

Hazel looked at him with blank, confused eyes.

I've not ran into someone known at the library often. Maybe once or twice I found my classmates while I was in high school. I have actually never even seen any of our company's staff members read a book while they're not doing something.