Whispers Among Pages || Jeon Wonwoo

Chapter 2: Shadows & Small Steps

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The next day was as relentless as ever. Jiyeon moved from patient to patient, her hands steady even as her mind swirled with exhaustion. She charted vitals, adjusted medications, and soothed the worried faces of families. It was the rhythm of her life—one she'd grown accustomed to, though it left little room for herself.

But as her shift drew to a close, a small flicker of anticipation stirred within her. The library.

By the time she arrived, the familiar quiet wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Mr. Lee was at his desk again, glasses perched on the edge of his nose, a worn hardcover open before him. He looked up and greeted her with a gentle smile.

"Back so soon?"

"Couldn't resist," she said lightly.

She hesitated, her eyes flickering to the corner where she had sat the previous evening. To her surprise, Wonwoo was there again. He wasn't reading this time, though; the book from yesterday lay closed in his lap. Instead, he seemed lost in thought, his gaze fixed on some unseen point in the distance.

Jiyeon debated whether to approach him. He hadn't noticed her yet, and for a moment, she considered slipping into another chair. But something about his solitary figure called to her.

Gathering her courage, she crossed the room. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, her voice soft enough not to startle him.

Wonwoo blinked, his focus snapping back to the present. He looked up at her, a flicker of surprise in his dark eyes, followed quickly by something gentler. "Not at all."

She sat down, feeling an odd sense of relief at his response. "No book today?"

He glanced down at the closed novel in his lap, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I got distracted."

"By what?"

He hesitated, then shrugged. "Thinking, I guess."

Jiyeon tilted her head, studying him. Wonwoo had always been a quiet patient, polite but distant. Here in the library, though, he seemed... different. Less guarded, somehow.

"Anything you'd like to share?" she asked carefully.

He chuckled, a low sound that caught her off guard. "It's nothing profound. Just... wondering how long it'll take to feel normal again."

The vulnerability in his voice was unexpected, and Jiyeon felt her chest tighten. She'd heard variations of that sentiment before—patients grappling with the limbo of recovery, caught between what they used to be and what they might become.

"Normal is overrated," she said gently. "And besides, it's not a straight line. Some days feel closer to normal, and others..."

"Feel like a step backward?" he finished, looking at her.

She nodded. "Exactly. But even steps backward can be part of moving forward. Healing isn't linear."

Wonwoo leaned back slightly, as if weighing her words. "Do you always have answers like that, or is it a nurse thing?"

Jiyeon laughed softly. "Probably a nurse thing. We're trained to make it sound like we know what we're doing."

His smile deepened, and for the first time, she noticed how it softened his sharp features. "Well, it works."

They fell into an easy silence after that, the kind that didn't demand to be filled. Jiyeon pulled a book from a nearby shelf and began to read, while Wonwoo seemed content to simply sit. Occasionally, she caught him glancing at her, as if trying to puzzle something out.

When the library lights flickered—Mr. Lee's signal that it was time to close—Jiyeon reluctantly set her book aside.

"Time's up," she said, standing.

Wonwoo rose too, slower, his movements careful. "Thanks for sitting with me."

"Anytime," she replied, and meant it.

As they left the library together, Jiyeon realized something she hadn't expected: she was looking forward to tomorrow—not just for the books, but for the quiet moments shared between shelves with someone who understood the weight of healing.

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