Chapter 4

🎶 Someday, someone will finally find the key. 🎶

Just a few steps before I arrived at the bookstore, the song I played on my phone came to an end. It did not take that long.

Right in front of the building, I stopped for a few seconds and stared at it.

Compared to most, the store is not that big, but it is enough to contain most genres of books you are looking for.

I pushed the door open and went inside as the books welcomed me. I missed being here. I must have lived a very boring life where only libraries and bookstores made me excited and delightful.

I have been busy with my studies for a long time, so I barely have the time to stop by. And even if I do, I will just look around and won't dare buy anything, so it won't disturb my concentration in school since once I start it, I won't let it sit until I finish the whole book.

I have this habit of pushing through to the end of the story. I hate cliffhangers as they make me anxious, so I won't stop reading and would just sacrifice my sleep. I won't be able to sleep anyway thinking about what will happen next in the story, so I might as well finish it for my peace of mind.

I started browsing, and the familiar scent of the books that were very addicting hit my nose in an instant. I can't explain why, but the smell hits differently compared to the modules I read for school, even though they are both just made of paper and ink.

Maybe the scent itself comes from the words carefully written on each page, which makes it magical. Words that are deep and meaningful, rather than technicalities. I think it is human nature to long for something otherworldly and impossible, and I am not an exception to that; I am just a mere human after all. We all yearn for something we don't have.

The more I exclude myself from reality, the more I get engulfed in illusions.

Bibliosmia...

I suddenly remembered the term for it.

It's the smell of a good book.

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I walked around to look for some stories that could pique my interest. I've been walking for quite a while, yet I still can't find anything interesting. Yes, I do judge. Those covers and titles feel too cliche. I rarely buy romantic books; the plot is not that interesting for me, especially if the female character is a damsel in distress. Why would they let the villains step down on them? Seriously, they should learn how to fight back. It is not every time that a prince charming appears to help them; they should help themselves and not depend on other people. It is too frustrating to look at their situation, so I avoid such arcs. Let's all be strong, independent women, shall we?

I mostly prefer books that fill me with excitement due to twists, just like what usually happens in legal thriller books or even suspense and horror. With such storylines, I think alongside the main character in figuring out how to survive, who the real culprit is, how they execute their evil plan, and what they possibly do next. My adrenaline rises when reading, and I feel like I am also inside the book, that I won't come out alive unless I figure out how to indict the criminal. And I would be like, "See, it's him/her; you're so stupid."

Other than that, I also often buy fictional books out of other choices, as it sometimes makes me wonder how nice it would be if we were living in a different world or even had powers or anything that doesn't usually exist. It fascinates me how imaginative some people can be when writing such stories, and I wonder if, in a parallel world, these supernatural stories actually exist, and if they do, I want to get dragged into that world somehow and live there.

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I moved to another shelf to look more, and while browsing, instead of a book, a fancy note got my attention.

In between the books, I didn't expect someone would dare put such. I think this is not allowed, though. The cleaner would have a hard time if a lot of customers put some notes in between books all the time.

I picked up the note to take a closer look. It's just a plain blue memo sticker; nothing is striking about it but the neatly scribbled words somehow drew me into it.

🎶Can I just skip all the pages and finally meet you? I'm in love with the idea of a stranger 🎶

I froze for a few seconds. It's a line from one of my favorite songs, "To My Someday," which I assume only a small population has heard. This is not even a song by an Australian singer, so it might be hard to find someone here who knows the song.

After I snapped back to consciousness, I smiled and then looked for someone who might have written it. I also decided to buy the book where I found the note without even checking the cover or the plot.

Stupid.

It took me a while to look for a good book, only to end up buying a random one. But I don't know; I just suddenly got curious as to who the note was written by, as it's rare for someone to know this song, and there might be some clues in the book

or not.

As the sky has already been swallowed by darkness, it is obvious that there are few to no customers other than me.

So I decided to continue the lyrics of the song instead and had a sudden urge to ask if he was a boy or a girl, and then I left afterward. Well, I don't know why I asked his or her gender, but at that moment, I just felt like I wanted to know. Maybe I was possessed by a ghost or anything; I'm not sure myself.

🎶Waiting is all I've been doing, but you know I cannot wait forever.

Don't you think we're too old for hide-and-seek?

What chapter will you show yourself? Will you even be part of my story?🎶

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I found myself smiling on the way out of the store when a guy caught my attention and made me stop in my tracks.

With his long strides, he elegantly walks in between racks. With his gray hoodie on and casual jeans, he looked so mysterious and enticing, so I subconsciously followed him with my gaze. He went to the spot where I found the note, and I found myself excited by the thought.

But he just scanned the books and then proceeded to look at other shelves. I was quite disappointed because I got my hopes up, thinking he might be that person. Maybe I was just desperate to know its identity, regardless of who and what kind of person it might be.

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When I got home, I didn't even bother washing up and rushed to my room to lie down and stare at the book I bought. I just absentmindedly bought it without looking at what it was about. I didn't notice until now, but it seems that it is a book I'm already familiar with.

I got my eye on this book the last time I went to the store, but I knew I wouldn't have time to read it anyway, so I just left without buying it. I forgot about it already, not until now. Strangely enough, I met this book again by chance and even bought it without even knowing.

It was a good thing then that I liked the book I impulsively bought; otherwise, it would be a waste of money. It's not like I lack money, but I do not like spending on useless things either. Maybe I was destined to buy this book anyway since I was already interested in it. I wonder how the story goes...

What if...

'No, it can't be; I'm just imagining things.

Why am I suddenly having these weird thoughts? This is very unlike me. I don't usually fantasize about something, or, moreover, about a person whom I don't even know.

Cringe. My subconscious is feeding me delusions.

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To get a grip on myself, I went to the shower, washed away my thoughts, and decided to sleep afterward so I could stop thinking about it. Maybe I'm just tired; that's all there is to it. I turned on the shower and let the cold water drip on me, but it was not enough to numb my mind.

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I closed my eyes.

Rolled to the left,

and then rolled to the right.

I repeated such actions for a while.

I want to sleep, but my mind won't just let me.

Great, just great.

"Argh!" I shouted out of frustration and sat down, clutching hard at my blanket. Good thing I live alone, so I won't disturb anyone. This is driving me crazy. I dragged myself into the kitchen to drink a glass of water and calm myself down. Is it not too late already for me to act like I'm going through the puberty stage? This event is foolish.

I angrily rushed back into my bedroom. I tried to cover the blanket over my head, thinking it might cover my thoughts as well, but I knew I was being ridiculous, so I just tried to close my eyes again, hoping my mind would shut down soon.

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It still took a few more hours before I finally went to slumber.