The silence filling the room's atmosphere and Ashil's heart, the young man was facing the large windows of the library of the campus of the Human Sciences, leaning on a shelf and a book in his hands. The sun high in the sky came to meet him, dyeing his skin with gold and dotting his hair and eyes with golden threads.

A few meters from him, a person watched this spectacle with admiration. His bag on his shoulders, books in his arms, he was staring at a work of art. He had never seen such a presence. He had never witnessed the pure serenity of the human being. He had never seen the fire of the sun fragment into thousands of rays, embellishing someone's body.

Snapping out of his torpor, Oahn had finally found this mysterious student. It hadn't been easy. It had to be confessed that it had been several days, even a few weeks, since Oahn secretly followed this boy. Of course he didn't know his schedule, but he had put all his energy to find him. Every time he came to the campus of the Human Sciences, he searched everywhere, in every corner. As soon as his Human Relations class ended, he was waiting in the hall of the main building for the end of the last classes. But he had never seen him. He had never seen this smoldering look again. Until today. After so many hours waiting, walking, thinking, he was finally facing him, his body upright against a shelf and his eyes lowered and focused on a large book.

Although he met him again, Oahn didn't feel relieved. Everything was going to be decided now. Taking a deep breath, putting the mask of the student who takes nothing seriously, always laughing and smiling, as if he had never known misfortune and darkness, he walked forward with a confident step towards the boy.

Standing at his side, Oahn's shadow hid the sun, covering the boy with a black veil. This sudden darkness didn't make him look away, yet Oahn noticed a slight change in the expression of his face, which made him smile with mischief.

"Will you run away today?"

"Who tells you I'm running away?" The boy said in a cold voice, closing the book and gazing at the glass of the window.

"So... you weren't running away?"

"Why would I run away from you?" He asked him as he walked past him, putting back the book where he had taken it.

Oahn remained a few seconds on the spot without being able to move. This boy really intrigued him. While he seemed to be about to faint the first time Oahn had met him, today he was full of confidence. Why was there such a change of attitude?

"What do you want from me?" The boy asked him, turning toward him.

Oahn smirked and walked over to the boy.

"Your help," he answered firmly, but also mischievously.

"My help?" The boy repeated, arching an eyebrow.

Oahn nodded. He put the books he had on the shelf on his right and took a paper out of his bag. He handed it to the boy and added:

"There are terms too technical for a first-year student to understand."

"Isn't it why you're here? To look for the meaning of those terms in the books?" The boy said haughty.

"I'm not a student from this campus, how do you want me to know where to look for?" Oahn replied curtly.

"That's not my problem. In addition, help is not allowed. You must do this assignment alone. Why do you think he gave it to you?"

The boy left Oahn alone again, leaving the aisle. Being on his heels, Oahn stopped him by the elbow once out of the aisle. The boy slowly turned toward Oahn with a black look.

"Please. Please," Oahn begged him in a small voice before he could speak.

The boy detailed him from head to toe, weighing up the pros and the cons.

"Give me one reason to help you."

"Because I'm your sunbae and you're my hoobae."

The boy let out a little sour laugh.

"Is that so? Don't you have other intentions towards me?"

"What do you mean?" Oahn asked him innocently.

"Do you really think I didn't notice your little game for several days? Have you wondered how much energy it took me for you not to notice me? And how much did it ease me when I found the place that allowed me to be far from you?"

A new mischievous smile appeared on Oahn's lips. He approached the boy and said to him in a low voice:

"Tell me your name and I'll tell you my real intentions."

The boy gulped and took a clumsy step backward.

The latter on the verge of responding to Oahn's words was interrupted by a voice behind him:

"Hinata!"

The boy half-turned around, discovering an older student coming with a quick step towards them.

"Seokjin, what is it?" The boy asked him in a soft but preoccupied voice, all tension having left his body.

"Mr. Son asks for you and it's pretty urgent."

The boy nodded and thanked Seokjin before heading for the exit of the library. He just made a few steps that he stopped. He turned around, facing his eldest and Oahn again, and laid his eyes on the latter, a half-cold, half-intrigued expression illuminating them, then he left the place almost running.

Oahn and Seokjin facing each other, Oahn gave him a polite smile and left the library following the boy, the word «Hinata» repeating itself again and again in his mind like a sweet melody and a weak shout of victory.

*   *   *

Days that Ashil was on his guard, checking his surroundings at every step he took. Not a day passed without the lights of dawn inviting apprehension into his heart. Not a day passed without the terrors of the day haunting his nights. Not a day passed when he was afraid to get up. Not a day passed when he didn't know what awaited him once he arrived at the faculty. Not a day went by without him having difficulties to breathe, to move, to get up. Not a day passed without the image of this mysterious boy haunting his mind. From now on, Ashil didn't live for himself anymore. He lived at the expense of this boy.

Then the days became more lenient. They became more pleasant. He no longer had to worry about every gesture he made, every word he said, every place he went to. He could finally breathe more freely. However, he was slightly on his guard. Even though Ashil didn't see him at the corner of a hallway, waiting at the door of a classroom, sitting or standing in the hall of the main building of the campus of the Human Sciences or outside; or books around him, a pen writing down its ink on the paper or between his teeth in the library, Ashil couldn't lower his barriers. The wolf might not be hunting down his prey, but Ashil knew that his shadow was still watching him.

Dressed in black slim trousers, a white fitted shirt and a black apron with the name of the cafe embroidered in small white letters on it, Ashil worked behind the counter taking orders from customers. Having only had classes in the morning, he had arrived at the cafe for lunch time. Since he had tied his apron around his waist, he hadn't had a minute to himself. He hadn't even had time to stop for a drink of water. Today was a particularly busy day.

Preparing an order for four drinks, the other part-time employee asked for him at the cash desk. Ashil left the order and stood next to him in front of the cashier's computer. The person who asked for help explained the problem. Ashil thought quickly to resolve the issue and asked him to take care of the order he was making the time he saw what was wrong. The person nodded and left Ashil alone at the cash desk. He pressed a few buttons and the program returned to the menu. Ashil sighed heavily in silence, then he stood up straight, put on a big warm smile and looked up at the customer in front of him.

"I'm really sorry for making you wait, sometimes the computer is a little bit stubborn. Would you mind to tell me your order again?" Ashil announced in a soft voice to the person in front of him.

They graciously agreed while saying they could understand the situation. Ashil thanked them internally while taking their order again.

Since this small problem, Ashil remained behind the cash desk while sometimes serving the customers on site. After the wave of students around five in the afternoon, the second part-time employee says goodbye to Ashil. An hour later it was the owner's turn to end his day, letting Ashil close the cafe.

The night falling gradually on Seoul, the customers became rare. Beginning to clean the cafe here and there, Ashil stopped doing his task to find himself behind the cash desk, beginning to do the sums of the day. Once this task was over, Ashil put the papers and money in the safe under the cash register. Suddenly, the bell above the cafe door rings, breaking the quiet silence of the night.

"Good evening and welcome to the Cafe World and Wonders," Ashil announced loudly while standing up. "May I take your order?"

Ashil looked at the person and his breathing stopped as his heart missed a beat. In front of him was the mysterious boy he had so often tried to escape.

"A black coffee that I will drink here, please," he replied respectfully.

Ashil entered the order into the computer, then put his attention back on the boy.

"3,200 won, please."

The boy handed him money, which Ashil gently took. He pressed several buttons, cashed the money and gave the boy the receipt.

Ashil was busy making coffee. His hands trembling, he slowed down the movements of the latter and his arms so that he didn't make a mistake or the cup slip out of his hands. Avoiding this boy had asked him so much energy that he thought he had ruined all the efforts he had made to stop meeting him.

The coffee finally ready, Ashil brought it to the boy. With the white cup in front of him, Ashil stood up straight and placed the black tray against him. He stared at the boy for a few seconds before looking away and going back behind the counter. Ashil looked at the clock and it was soon closing time. Ashil closed his eyes and wondered how he could gently tell this boy that he had to hurry up because he had to close the cafe. Ashil cleared his throat and said:

"I must close soon."

"I'm going to wait until you're done working," the boy answered calmly.

Ashil opened his eyes. Did he just hear well the boy's words? What did he want from him? Why couldn't he leave him alone? Was it just about the assignment?

Ashil wanted to answer him that he couldn't wait for him and that he must not wait for him, but the words remained stuck in the middle of his throat. The only answer he gave him was a nod and he continued to work behind the counter.

Having his back turned to the boy, he cleaned the machines that made the coffee and any device that helped him make smoothies and other fruit-based drinks. Then he went into the kitchen and did all the dishes. He cleaned many cups, glasses (big and small), plates and cutlery. Once the dish was wiped, he put it in a tray and went behind the counter. He carefully put away the dishes, without trying to worry about the person in the cafe. Then he took care of the tables and chairs. Stopping in his cleaning, he glanced at the clock. The cafe was officially closed. Ashil went to the door and turned the small sign that had «OPEN», «CLOSED» written in black capital letters, and placed it on «CLOSED». He closed his eyes for a few seconds, relaxing and exhaling deeply. He untied the flow of his apron and removed it. All he had to do was wash the floor and get rid of this boy, then his long day will be over.

A mop in his hands, he was slowly cleaning the bright tiling of the cafe, still turning his back to the boy. Although he couldn't see him, Ashil felt his gaze on him. Even though he sometimes heard the cup hit the saucer, the boy never turned his attention away from him. This situation made Ashil nervous and embarrassed. He had never felt so stuck and cramped in his own body. It's as if the outer walls in which he was locked suddenly found themselves inside of him, compressing each of his organs, his muscles. Why did this boy have such an effect on him?

No longer able to stand that feeling, Ashil stopped washing the floor, snapping the mop back into the bucket of soapy water. He turned around and walked quickly to the table where the boy was sitting. Ashil pulled the chair in front of him and sat on it heavily.

"What do you really want from me?" Ashil spat in his face furiously.

The boy sipping his coffee, which must have been cold now, gently put the cup down on the table. He smiled weakly and replied, staring at Ashil:

"I've already told you, I only want your help."

"Why me?"

"Because you appeared to me at the right moment."

Ashil gave a sour laugh. «Of course, this is just a trick of fate,» he mocked. For him, there was no such thing. So the excuse the boy had just given him wasn't worthy of being taken seriously.

Ashil rested his back against the back of the chair and folded his arms.

"So... what kind of help do you want from me?"

"I want you to help me to do the assignment that the professor of Human Relations has given us."

"And can't you do it alone?"

"Yes I can, but I don't want to do it by my own."

This boy annoyed Ashil very much. Did he really think that everything could be offered to him on a silver platter?

"What if I don't agree, will you continue to try to get my attention?" Ashil asked disdainfully.

"Probably."

Ashil looked down and thought for a long time. He didn't know what to do. He didn't need to weigh up the pros and cons, because none existed. If he agreed to help him, he took the risk of opening a door that he might not be able to close. And if he refused, he would walk in uncertainty, remaining forever on his guard. He could win everything like losing everything. He could meet the good as the bad. But was he ready to open the door? It doesn't matter if it closes or not. Was he ready to venture on another path? Was he ready to put a foot outside his comfort zone? Outside the red line?

"If I agree, can you promise me to leave me alone once the assignment is done?"

"If it's what you want, then I will."

Ashil thought for a few more minutes and then got up. He went back to the bucket of water, took the mop handle in his hands and turned toward the boy.

"What's your name?" Ashil asked suddenly him.

"Oahn."

Ashil nodded, taking in the information.

"Yours is Hinata, isn't it?"

Ashil nodded.

Silence again filled the cafe's atmosphere, the sound of the clock's second hand reaching Ashil's ears, urging him to make a choice. He inhaled a big breath of air before slowly exhaling it.

"I agree," he capitulated to the boy's request. "I help you until you finish the assignment. Once it's finished, we don't know each other anymore."

"That's fine by me."

The agreement made, Ashil finished the cleaning, while Oahn finished his coffee. Once the cafe was clean and in order for the opening time the next day, the two boys separated at the entrance of the place with shy and restrained goodbyes, writing the beginning of a new adventure in their lives.