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The aroma of aged books, the sensation of her shoes sinking into the plush red carpet, and the comforting touch of a slight chill embraced her as she entered. Furthermore, the building exuded an aesthetic charm that even non-bookworms couldn't resist, prompting them to visit solely for the purpose of sharing it on social media.

Students from various disciplines gathered to study, while book enthusiasts sat leisurely, flipping through their favorite reads, and researchers delved into their reference materials. In Hye-ryeong's case, she sought solace in the library after long days at college, finding respite in the company of a good book. As time passed, she lost track of how long she had been seated there.

Her choice of literature was captivating—a tale of a man traversing time in pursuit of his departed lover, firmly believing in her reincarnation. Hye-ryeong couldn't ignore the heart-wrenching nature of the story.

Each year, each week, and every day, the man would leave behind a notebook with enigmatic messages, hoping that the one who discovered it would be his reincarnated beloved, provided they answered his questions correctly. Yet, day after day, week after week, and year after year, he met disappointment, leaving the young man in desolation.

As she turned the page with one hand, Hye-ryeong adjusted her round spectacles with the other. Only then did she realize she had reached the end of the book. However, the story didn't conclude there; it ended with an inscription, the page stained with time, marked by brown splotches.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she believed this book deserved more recognition for its overall allure.

The inscription read: 'Know this. Sometimes lies will tear us apart. Hardship may attempt to deceive us, but...'

Hye-ryeong smiled gently. She tried to detach the page from the book, but half of it remained glued. Grimacing, she noticed a torn fragment of paper. Fully aware that she was vandalizing library property, she couldn't resist grabbing a black gel pen, folding the paper in half, and penning beneath it: 'In that darkness, let's focus on each other. Just the two of us are enough.'

A mischievous smirk crossed her face as she acknowledged her illicit act. Unfolding the page, she closed the book with a soft thud.

"That's your first act of vandalism, Hye-ryeong," she murmured while stuffing her belongings into her tote bag. Rising to her feet, she cradled the book in her arms and slung her bag over her shoulder, muffling a giggle with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

When she returned the book to its designated place, she noticed it was the only one lacking the library's label. Curiosity piqued, she deduced that if the label was merely secured by cello tape, it must have fallen off somewhere. It might have fluttered away or been discarded unknowingly as a piece of paper, so she abandoned her search.

Casually tossing it onto a random shelf, she departed the area.

**********

She attempted to resume reading. The book she held was a recent purchase from a bookstore, belonging to her favorite genre and author. Usually, she would become engrossed in the author's narrative, but for some reason, her thoughts lingered on the book she had read at the library. Her enthusiasm for the current book waned, ironically contradicting her initial eagerness to acquire it from her beloved author.

She closed the book and stored it without using a bookmark. The seemingly mundane ceiling suddenly appeared intriguing.

Mundane yet intriguing.

The ending of the novel felt

unconventional for a standalone work. She couldn't fathom the connection between the memo pad and the final scene. Was it possible for a fictional book to culminate with a message written on a physical memo pad?

The book was published in the 1950s, while the first post-it note came into existence in the 1970s.

"Oh, who was the book's publisher?" she pondered.

She couldn't recall encountering any mention of a lesser-known or notorious publishing house on the book's cover or opening pages. Perhaps she had skipped a few pages and commenced reading from the first chapter.

Out of the blue, she mumbled, "What could that mean?"

Taking out her Samsung Galaxy Note 5, she pressed the power button to check the time. It was eleven o'clock at night, prompting her to get out of bed and make her way to the bathroom. After loosely tying her hair into a bun, she retrieved her toothbrush from the pastel purple cup, rinsed it, and refilled the cup with water. She then brushed her teeth, applying toothpaste after swishing water in her mouth.

Upon rising after spitting, she caught a glimpse of someone standing behind her in the mirror. Turning around, she found no one there. Perplexed by the incident, she rinsed her mouth once more, wiped her lips with a towel, and left the bathroom, convinced it was merely an illusion.

Just as she was about to retire for the night, an unidentified number lit up her phone's screen. Assuming it to be a call from a family member, she answered, only to be greeted by a deep voice.

"It's you," the voice uttered.

And then, the call abruptly ended.

(883 words;
As of June 3rd, 2023 : EDITED, number of words changes)