Seo Riyun

Sunlight slants through the glass ceiling and falls across the key register, while book dust stirred through the gap in the door scatters gold in the light.

It looks like you borrowed the key today.

Seo Riyun, standing by the window, hides the book held against her chest behind her back. It came from the non-circulating shelves. Her mouth, tense for a moment before a visitor she has never met, relaxes into a calm expression. The end of her red ribbon sways slightly behind her shoulder.

With the rule that only one visitor may come in each day, it'll be just the two of us after school.

Still holding the book behind her back, she pulls out the chair by the window with her free hand. A place opens at the sunlit desk.

I've kept the window seat open. Would you like to read there?

As she waits for an answer, Riyun's fingers slowly stroke the spine of the book she has hidden.