Flash Fiction #5 Their Hands Met

Secret Beta Reader

Yuehan_

Taehyung wanders into his local community library, where the town shares all that they read. There is only one rule here: if you want to take a book, you must replace it with a book of your own. Despite calling itself a library, it's really only a few bookshelves tucked in the corner of one of the historical cafés in town square.

Taehyung has only owned one book, but that is all he needs. Never having to commit to owning a book keeps him sane. If it were truly his, he would have to worry about every crease on each page. So with a new book each day, he keeps the commitment away.

Jungkook's stomach twists and turns, looking through the books on the bookshelf. In his hands is his own self written book that he has decided to switch with another here at the shared library. The idea is to sneak his writing into the wild to see if it garners any form of reception. Perhaps if someone reads and enjoys his writing, he might have the courage to send it to a publisher. But he would never know.

Being in a small town means he has no friends to share his stories with. His actual friends have no interest in books at all. So when he heard about the bookshelves in the town square café, he got an idea. But now that he is here, he is starting to have second thoughts.

Eventually, Jungkook gathers enough courage to switch a book. He finds a spot to sit, so he can think over his decision one last time before leaving the café.

He watches over a few people who have walked in, browsing through today's collection. However, his book barely even gets a glance. Jungkook sighs. He couldn't afford a pretty spine. Surely if someone picks it up, the prose might perhaps entice them.

He stands up, already regretting his stupid idea. He awkwardly walks over to the bookshelf—the book he took resting in his shaking hands—planning on switching back, but as he reaches for his book, his hand meets with another.

"O-Oh, sorry," the stranger says, retracting his hand almost immediately. He proceeds to say something else, but Jungkook is distracted by the stranger's eyes.

"Is that the book you're trading in today?" The stranger asks, pointing to the book in Jungkook's hands.

"Actually, no," Jungkook says, snapping back to his senses. "I grabbed this maybe ten minutes ago."

"So you are having second thoughts?"

Jungkook scratches the side of his neck, his cheeks heating up over the thought of playing this off cool.

"I read that book last week, and I must say, it is a good read. The prose doesn't give the book justice, but I believe you should always give a book a chance. This one, however, definitely pays off. There is no need for doubts. I promise you will enjoy it," the stranger says, smiling sweetly.

"Okay...Well, I should be off. Thanks," Jungkook says, politely bowing his head. He makes his way home that night with a full but nervous heart. Someone actually took his book. There is no going back now.

It is a week until Jungkook decides to return to the café. Upon entering the café, he notices a familiar face sitting with Jungkook's book on the table. However, he seems to be engrossed in another book.

He gulps, making his way to the bookshelves. He wasn't expecting to see the stranger still with his book. He was hoping to see his book on the shelf again to switch back. He browses, now looking for a book to swap with the one he has in his hand. The stranger was right. This book had him immersed for days on end. It was nice to sink his teeth into another writer's work other than his own. His thoughts are interrupted by a tap on his shoulder.

He turns to see the now familiar-faced stranger.

"Good morning," he says, ruffling the hair on the back of his head.

Jungkook smiles, returning the greeting. "Funny seeing you here."

The stranger chuckles. "I'm always here. It took you a while to return, though. You must have enjoyed that book," he says, motioning towards the book in Jungkook's hand.

"Yeah," Jungkook says, awkwardly chuckling along.

"I kept this book," the stranger says, holding up the book Jungkook wrote. "Not for myself, but for you since I knew you were interested. And I must say it is quite the story." He hands Jungkook the book, switching it out with the book in Jungkook's hands. "I had to buy another book to continue reading other books—which I usually don't do."

Jungkook blushes. "You didn't have to."

The stranger shakes his head. "No, I wanted to."

Jungkook doesn't know if he should break the news that he wrote the said book, but he decides not to. Instead, he offers a proposition. "Once I read this book, would you be up for a discussion about it over coffee?"

The stranger's eyes light up as a smile spreads across his face. "I would love to. The name is Taehyung, by the way." He reaches out his hand.

Jungkook shifts his book into one hand to accept the handshake. "Jungkook."

It turns out his plan worked out after all. And in the end, he gained a friend who he could talk to about his love for books, starting their own little two-member book club. However, Jungkook never built up the courage to tell Taehyung about the book he wrote. Even after he finally scored his own publishing deal. He keeps Taehyung close as his secret beta reader, and Jungkook is happy keeping it that way.