Shelved Love

Chapter Three

Ye Jin arrived at Hongdo before 4 in the afternoon. Since she had only have a light breakfast, she was starving, so the first thing she did as soon as she disembarked was to look for something to eat.

She found a sashimi restaurant a couple of blocks from the ferry port. While she was waiting for the food, she send a message to her parents to let them know she was already at the island.

As soon as she felt satisfied, she left the restaurant and, following the instructions the education department director had gave her, she went to her new house.

When he told her there was a cabin where her predecessor had lived, she imagined a little house at the town's outsides, but what she had in front of her, let her speechless. It was a lovely cabin by the sea, it was small, sure, but perfect for her.

The cabin's lessee was waiting for her, she was a sweet old lady who welcomed her to the island. After the proper introductions, they reached an agreement and Ye Jin was left alone at her new home with a lot to unpack.

The next morning, Ye Jin woke up early. She wanted to take advantage of the day, besides she had many things to do before her first day at the school. As a teacher, she knew how important is the first contact with the students, to create a comfortable environment for all of them and to prepare carefully every lesson, so she spent much of the day getting everything ready.

Around 6 in the afternoon, Ye Jin decided to take a look at the school and, as every place on the island was close, she went by foot. While she was walking down the street, she met some people who greeted her politely and looked at her with curiosity, but it seemed that they all were friendly and she was delighted by it.

A couple of blocks before she got to the school, she turned to her right into a corner and bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry", Ye Jin said holding herself on the man left arm and immediately letting him go.

"Sorry", the man said looking at his phone and went straight.

"Maybe not everyone", she thought, remembering her previous conception about the islanders.

She arrived at the school less than 10 minutes after leaving her cabin. Of course she couldn't went inside because the school was closed at the 6 in the afternoon of a Sunday, but she was able to take a look at the school facilities.

20 minutes later, she was on her way back home when she noticed a bookstore down the street.

"How strange, I would swear I didn't noticed it before", she thought.

Being a specialist on English literature and a book lover, curiosity won and she had no remedy but went inside the store. Actually it was a relief for her to know there was a place where she can acquire some new books since she couldn't carry all of hers with her from Seoul.

The bookstore was pretty as a picture. It reminded her of one of her favorite bookstores she had ever been to: Shakespeare and Company from Paris.

The place was full of Korean books: new, second-hand, old and, even, recently published ones; but as the previously mentioned bookstore, this one seemed to be specialized on English-language literature and it definitely was an independent bookstore, which was very strange to be honest.

She was near the classics section, looking at a beautiful hardcover edition of Pride and Prejudice when someone spoke to her.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife", the mysterious voice quoted adventurously.

"However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood", she completed the quote, taking her eyes off the book in her hands.

"A masterpiece", the man said before finally seeing her face. "Oh, hey!", he added when recognized her as the woman he had run into before.

"Hi", Ye Jin said a little disappointed as she turned her back on him, pretending she was looking at other books.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I was in a hurry", he said following her though the corridor.

"No problem", she answer as she took Dracula from the book shelf.

"So, you're interested on the classics", he affirmed, still behind her.

"Something like that, yes", she returned the book to its place and continued walking.

"Are you looking for something specific?"

"Are you following me?"

"Oh, no. I'm sorry" he said with a worry smile. "I was just curious about you".

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Don't get me wrong. It's just that I don't receive a lot of foreign visitors at my store and even lesser visitors at the English literature section", he explained.

She went blank. "Is this your place? No wonder why you're following me around since I'm touching and smelling all your books".

"Nah, it's ok. I get you. There's nothing as the new-book smell", he said smiling at her.

"I'll take this one," she said holding up that terrific edition of Pride and Prejudice.

"Beautiful, isn't it?", he took the book from her hands. "Let me register and pack it for you", he said walking to the register cashier at entrance of the bookstore.

She followed him in silence, still embarrassed.

"It's ₩24,304".

"Here you have". She paid and stood right there, looking at him. "I'm sorry for the misunderstood. It wasn't my intention to call you a stalker".

"You didn't"

"But I thought it", she smile at him shyly.

He laughed. "I'm sorry about earlier. It wasn't my intention to be rude", he apologized once again.

"So... how did you know I'm a foreign?", she asked him after a while.

"Well, Hongdo is home to about 710 people, we kind of know each other very well, so it's easy to recognize when someone is not from here".

"Yeah, right". She smile and headed to the door. "Well, I guess I'll se...", she turned to him just to bump into him once again. "Ouch".

They laughed together.

"I'm sorry", she said as she went through the door.

"No, I am sorry. I'm on way out too", he said turning the lights off and getting out of the bookstore too.

"I'll see you around", she finally said.

"Sure. I was nice to meet you..."

"Son Ye Jin", she said offering her hand to him.

"Hyun Bin", he said taking her hand for a gently shake.

Author's note

Hello there!

Thank you guys for your votes and comments. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the BinJin meeting.

Keep safe, y'all.

TW: EARC_IISO

IG: EARC_IISO