Cotton candy

Day 9

Johanna sat at a small café, her gaze lingering on her phone screen as she awaited a response from Jinyoung. Since Jinyoung mentioned needing some space to go back to his hometown to see his family, she found herself overanalyzing every message, every conversation. The café buzzed with life around her, a stark contrast to the turmoil in her mind.

Text messages***

**Johanna to Jinyoung:**
Hey Jinyoung, hope you're having a good day! I just wanted to let you know I landed a part-time job at a bookstore nearby. 😊

After sending the text, Johanna sipped her coffee, her thoughts drifting to the complexities of falling for Jinyoung. She worried about the cultural differences, the language barrier, and the stereotype of foreigners falling for Korean guys. Would her feelings be seen as just a fleeting fascination?

Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her reverie.

**Jinyoung to Johanna:**
That's great news, Johanna! Congratulations on the new job! Maybe you can recommend me some books in English? 😄

Her heart warmed at his response, the simple emoji easing some of her anxieties.

**Johanna to Jinyoung:**
Thank you! I'd love to recommend some. Hope you enjoy your stay with your family!

As she waited for his reply, she couldn't help but feel a little foolish. Was she being too forward? She sighed, turning her attention back to her coffee, when her phone buzzed again.

**Jinyoung to Johanna:**
Awesome, can't wait to reciprocate with Korean popular tales books. My family gives me energy, is definitely what I needed 😊 hope to see you in one week!

A smile tugged at her lips. Maybe things were progressing well after all.

Later that week, Johanna started her new job at the bookstore. As she arranged books on the shelves, her mind drifted to Jinyoung. She picked out a few novels she thought he might like, her fingers tracing the spines as she imagined sharing her favorite passages with him.

During her break, she texted him:

**Johanna to Jinyoung:**
Found some interesting books today! Can't wait to show you. How's your day going?

Between customers, she couldn't help but wonder if her being foreign made her more interesting to Jinyoung or if it was a barrier between them.

As she left the bookstore that evening, her phone pinged with a message from Jinyoung.

**Jinyoung to Johanna:**
I'm looking forward to it! My day was good. But I always have time to hear from you. 😊

Days later. On a quick phone call.

Johanna fiddled with the edge of her sweater as she dialed Jinyoung's number, her stomach twisting into knots. The phone rang once, twice, and then his voice came through, immediately setting a wave of relief mixed with new tension.

"Hey, Johanna!" Jinyoung's voice sounded a bit rushed, perhaps mirroring her own nervous energy.

"Hi, Jinyoung! How are you?" Johanna managed to keep her voice steady, despite the butterflies.

"I'm good, good. The signal's bad here, so sorry if I disappear suddenly," he warned, his tone apologetic.

"That's okay. We can still chat," Johanna responded, her words trailing off into an awkward silence that seemed to stretch on for a bit too long.

"Yeah, definitely," Jinyoung finally broke the silence. "Actually, there's something kind of awkward I need to tell you."

Johanna's heart raced, wondering if he could possibly be feeling the same way she did. "Oh? What is it?"

"Well, um, my mom... she kind of set me up on a date next week. It's just because her friend insisted, and I couldn't really say no without making it weird," Jinyoung hurried through his explanation, sounding genuinely uncomfortable.

"Oh, right. That sounds... interesting," Johanna replied, trying to mask her disappointment. "I hope it goes well?"

"Thanks, but I'm not really looking forward to it," Jinyoung admitted. "I'd much rather just hang out with you." He quickly added, "I mean, as friends, you know?"

"Yeah, as friends," Johanna echoed, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. "It's really nice of you to help out your mom like that."

There was another pause, filled with unspoken words and half-formed confessions.

"So, um, about that book club idea," Jinyoung shifted the topic, perhaps too eagerly. "Maybe we can pick a book to start? Something light and fun?"

"Sure, that sounds good," Johanna agreed, grateful for a safe topic. "Any genres you like? Fantasy, mystery...?"

"Maybe something light? Like a comedy or something that won't make us think too hard," he suggested, and you could almost hear him smiling, trying to lighten the mood.

"Comedy it is," Johanna smiled too, feeling the ice beginning to break. "I'll look for some titles and send you a list?"

"That'd be great. I'm looking forward to it, Johanna," Jinyoung said, his tone warm but still tinged with an awkwardness that mirrored her own.

"Yeah, me too," she replied, and they both lingered on the line a moment longer before saying their goodbyes.

As she hung up, Johanna couldn't help but feel both disappointment and excitement. The conversation had been awkward, sure, but underneath it all, there was a promise of something more, something neither of them seemed quite ready to explore. Yet.