She's my world (Ningselle)

1

"Another, please." Came the drunken call from the end of the counter, followed by the bang of the whiskey glass hitting the bar. Yeji rolled her eyes and walked over to Aeri.

"I think you've had enough, and if you keep hitting the bar like that, you'll smash one of those glasses and I'll have to charge you for it."

Aeri snorted. "Fine."

"You should go home, Aeri. Do you want me to call Krystal?"

"No! What I want is another whiskey."

Yeji shook her head. "Sorry Aeri, but you've had way too much already. Drinking isn't the answer."

Aeri glared at her. "Who made you my mother?"

Yeji sighed. "Are you coming here every night in case she comes in?"

"Who?"

"Jimin, of course. She was the one who first brought you and your friends here. And since you've broken up, you've been in here every night. It's what it looks like to me."

Aeri grimaced. "I come here because people leave me alone, and the booze is cheap."

"Bartenders are usually a good outlet for figuring things out, you know. You can talk to me... if you want."

"Maybe another time," Aeri said. "I might as well call it a night, if you won't serve me any more."

"You have to look after yourself, Aeri."

"I know," Aeri said quietly.

Yeji watched Aeri for a few seconds, before she started wiping down the bar. Aeri caught a glimpse of a book sticking out of her apron. She pointed to it. "What is that?"

Yeji looked to where Aeri was pointing and pulled the book out. "I got it from the book exchange near the park. I've never really been a big reader but it's something to help me pass the time, and they have some pretty good books down there. It's all donations. You put a book in, you take a book out," she looked at Aeri. "Maybe you should try it, don't you pass it on your way home?"

Aeri shrugged. "Never noticed."

"Maybe you should pay more attention, you might find something you like in there. Something to distract your thoughts for a little while. It works for me."

"I might just do that. Thanks."

Aeri got up off of her bar stool and left the bar. She pulled up the collar of her leather jacket and zipped it up, surprised at how cold it'd gotten outside.

When she got nearer to the park, she paid more attention to her surroundings and noticed a red metal unit on the sidewalk near the park entrance. An amateur looking poster attached to it had "Book Exchange" scrawled in coloured pencil. She'd never paid much attention to it before and just thought it was some school project or something in the neighbourhood. But Yeji was right, inside it housed lots of books. It seemed like they just trusted you to donate and take one, returning it when you were finished.

Aeri noted the names of some of the covers, there seemed to be a wide range of genres.

Reluctant to go back to her empty apartment, she scanned the books, stopping at one. The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen. The UK edition, and on the cover was the back of a naked woman on a cold slab, her back looking unnatural somehow. He knows exactly where it hurts... said the text. And underneath the author and book name, introducing Detective Jane Rizzoli. Aeri knew that name. She'd watched that show, the combination of medicine and crime appealing to her, but she'd never read any of the books that it was based on. Now, here it was, right in front of her.