It was a sunny afternoon when my friends and I strolled through the streets, soaking 

in the warm breeze. The day felt light, carefree—until an ice cream truck parked 

nearby caught our attention.

I mean, who could resist ice cream on a day like this?

As we lined up, I noticed a group of boys standing near the left corner of the truck, laughing and enjoying their cones. My gaze, however, settled on one in particular.

There was something about him. Maybe it was the way the sunlight caught in his dark hair or the soft smudge of cream on the tip of his nose that none of his friends seemed to notice.

But what truly held me captive was his smile.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

Suddenly, as if sensing my gaze, he turned. Our eyes met for the briefest moment before I quickly looked away, heart pounding. A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it.

Was this what they called a crush at first sight?

“Here.”

My friend Lena’s voice snapped me out of my daze as she handed me my butterscotch ice cream. When I glanced back toward the boy, he was gone.

A small pang of disappointment settled in my chest.

“I wish I could see him again…”

Oh—right. I should introduce myself.

I’m Sofia Neil, I love books—borrowing them, flipping through their pages, getting lost in stories. But reading at the library? Not really my thing. I prefer curling up in my room with snacks, where I can read in peace.

Still, I always find myself at the public library, drawn in by the scent of old pages and the quiet hum of knowledge. It’s vast, lined with mahogany shelves and warm cherry-toned walls, with soft peach-colored drawings adorning the aisles—tiny, intricate designs that make the place feel almost magical.

I wandered through the aisles, running my fingers along the spines of books, when something—or rather, someone—caught my eye.

It wasn’t a book.

It was him.

The same boy from two days ago.

My heart did a little somersault. What were the chances? A grin spread across my face as I instinctively cupped my cheeks, then lightly patted them, trying to calm myself down.

I grabbed the first book my fingers landed on (God knows what it was) and, before I could overthink, made my way toward him.

“Is this seat taken?” I asked softly.

Without looking up, he replied, “No.”

I sat down, sneaking glances at the book he was reading, hoping for some clue about him. The title suggested it was a medical book. A med student? Interesting.

He read in silence, fully absorbed, while I… well, I tried to focus on my book. But my attention kept drifting back to him.

The black-framed glasses resting on his nose somehow made him even more adorable. He wore a small pout as he concentrated, lips pressing together ever so slightly.

Then, as if sensing my stare, he suddenly looked up.

“Is there something on my face?”

I froze. Before I could answer, he chuckled.

“You’re reading your book upside down.”

I blinked. Then, in horror, I glanced down—and sure enough, my book was upside down.

Heat rushed to my face as I quickly flipped it over, mentally screaming at myself. Why, why, why?!

For a moment, I considered just getting up and bolting. But before I could act on it, he closed his book, stood up, and—

He smiled.

A soft, fleeting curve of his lips before he turned and walked away.

“Awww, he smiled at me…”

I sat there for a while, the warmth of his smile lingering in my mind.

Eventually, I sighed and finally glanced at the cover of the book I had blindly picked.

The words “Yuan Fen” were written in bold letters.

Only if I knew what it meant…

—

(Yuan fen - a relationship by fate or destiny; the binding force between two people.)