"Oh, look at this one!" Yerin said excitedly, grabbing Hyunjae's arm and pulling him over to yet another pile of books. "Isn't this the prettiest cover you've ever seen?" she sighed dreamily, tracing her finger over the elegant cursive. 

"I'm pretty sure you've said that about at least four other books so far today," Hyunjae said with a laugh. 

She scrunched her nose at him. "Listen... they were all very pretty. I can't wait for my book-" she quickly cut herself off, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. She'd been trying to avoid the conversation of her book. She worried that the mention of it would only serve to make Hyunjae sad or uncomfortable. 

"Your book doesn't have a cover yet?" Hyunjae said breezily, picking up another book and reading the back. "How come?" 

When he met her gaze, his eyes told her that it was okay. That she could talk about it. That she didn't have to tippy-toe around the topic. 

It made her feel very relieved. 

"No, not yet," she said pouting at the pretty book in her hand. "I have to sign with a publishing company first. Well, before I even do that, I have to find an agent to help me find a publisher willing to work with me. Then once I'm in the publishing company, I'll have to keep revising. Who knows how long that'll take. And then I guess when things start becoming finalized, then I'll finally have a cover." She sighed, tracing the letters again with her fingers. "I hope mine is at least half as pretty as this one." 

"Yours will be even prettier," Hyunjae assured her, putting his hand on her shoulder in comfort. "Don't worry too much." 

Yerin smiled at the floor, unable to look at him because she didn't want him to see how worried she really was. 

Even if, no, when she managed to get out of her book, there were no guarantees. What if no publishers took her in? What if they did, but her book flopped? What then? 

"Stop worrying," Hyunjae said sternly, taking the book out of her hand and putting it back on the display. He turned her to face him and placed both hands on her shoulders, crouching down so they were eye to eye. "Everything will turn out alright, I promise. And you trust me, right?" 

A small smile played on her lips. "With my life," she declared. A dangerous declaration, but it was true. She knew his heart, and it was sweet and pure. And thus, she trusted him completely. 

"But I am worried," she whispered. "What if, when I publish my book, no one likes it? What if I'm a failure?" she said softly, voicing her biggest fear. 

"You won't be," Hyunjae said sternly. "You're not. You wouldn't be a failure, because your worth is so much more than one book. Plus," he added, his tone becoming playful. "How is it possible that no one would like it? Everyone will like it," he said confidently. "Because I'm in it." 

Yerin laughed. "Ahh, of course. You're right. How silly of me," she teased. 

He smiled back at her, and it seemed like he was going to say something in reply, but his eyes caught on something behind her. 

She turned, and her heart almost stopped at what she saw. 

Hyewon and Juyeon, on a date. 

Here? Why here of all places? And how? She hadn't written a bookstore date for them. 

She remembered what Hyunjae said about this world not being completely constrained by her writing, but still. It seemed impossible that they could be here. And yet, when she looked again, there they were. 

"Don't look at them," she whispered. "Let's just... let's get out of here." 

Hyunjae took her hand. "No, we're on a date, remember?" he said, attempting to smile. She could tell that he was trying his hardest to look anywhere but Hyewon and Juyeon. "Why should it be ruined? I'm okay, really," he said, though he didn't look so sure himself. She couldn't place his emotions. This time, sadness wasn't what was most present. It was more of... confusion. 

And that only served to make her confused too. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Hyewon had finally noticed them. Hyunjae's grip on her hand tightened, and she squeezed back, trying to give him support. She grinned up at him so that Hyewon would think they were having a wonderful date. Which, they had been, until this moment. 

Something snapped in her. 

She suddenly felt angry. But this time the anger wasn't even directed at herself. It was at Hyewon. 

Hyewon, who suspected Hyunjae's feelings, and yet continued to hurt him. Hyewon, who didn't tell him when she'd begun to fall for Juyeon, and thus allowing him to harbor false hopes. Hyewon, who didn't choose Hyunjae. 

Logically, Yerin knew that all of this was her fault. After all, it was her story. 

But clearly, the characters had some free will of their own because if they didn't, none of them would be at this bookstore. 

She wanted to make Hyewon jealous. Not even jealous but just... she wanted to show her. To show Hyewon that Hyunjae wasn't as smitten with her as she thought. To show that he'd moved on. 

So Yerin did something crazy. 

She smiled up at Hyunjae, then tippy-toed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Let's show her, huh?" she whispered. Hyunjae just looked even more confused. Clearly, he wasn't catching on yet. 

Yerin kissed him. 

She hadn't expected anything from that kiss. After all... it was just to show Hyewon... wasn't it? 

So she was surprised when he kissed her back. Passionately. Much, much more passionately than she'd expected. 

He pushed her back against the bookshelf and pulled her closer, closer. Her hands found their way to his hair and she was delighted at how soft and fluffy it was. 

They broke apart and her eyes had just opened when he came back, his lips meeting hers again. 

Her heart was racing, and she knew that this was wrong. It was dangerous. She could not, could not, allow herself to fall for a character. 

But as they kissed, she felt her worries fall away.

She just let her heart lead, if only for a moment. 

***

A/N 

Well, what did we think of this chapter?😉👀

I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who's been reading, voting, and commenting. It means a lot and I hope you're enjoying the story💖