Love In The Mist

Chapter 15 - The First Glimpse of Rivalry Part 10

Oliver's POV

The bookstore feels different today. Or maybe it's just me.

Ever since last night, ever since I found myself sitting in a bar, drowning in my thoughts about Ji-ah and my half-brother's cocky challenge, something has shifted inside me.

I don't want to sit back anymore.

I don't want to keep waiting for something to happen.

I want Ji-ah.

And if Ethan thinks he can just swoop in and take her away, he's wrong.

Now, all I have to do is let her know.

Easier said than done.

Ji-ah walks into the bookstore that morning, a bright smile on her face as she waves at me. "Morning, Oliver."

Her voice still does that thing where it throws my brain into chaos for a few seconds before I can form a proper response.

"Hey," I say, clearing my throat. Casual. Cool. Normal.

She drops her bag behind the counter and leans against it, watching me with curiosity. "You're in early."

I shrug, pretending to focus on a stack of books I don't really need to organize. "Just thought I'd get a head start."

She tilts her head. "Huh. Didn't take you for the overachiever type."

I glance at her, trying for something that resembles confidence. "Maybe you don't know everything about me."

That catches her off guard. Her lips part slightly in surprise, and I internally high-five myself. Progress.

The day moves in a blur, mostly because I'm too focused on trying to be more... forward. Not in an obnoxious, over-the-top way like Ethan. That's not me. But I want Ji-ah to see that I'm interested.

I make an effort to be around her more.

I joke with her more than usual.

At one point, when she's reaching for a book on the top shelf, I step up behind her, plucking it down and handing it to her before she can even try. She looks up at me, surprised, her eyes searching mine for something I can't quite name.

"Thanks," she murmurs.

I nod, feeling like I've won a small victory.

But Ji-ah being Ji-ah, she notices something is different.

By lunchtime, she gives me a suspicious look as we sit in the break room. "Okay, what's up with you today?"

I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She points at me with her fork. "You're... different. Not in a bad way. Just... different."

I swallow, suddenly feeling exposed. "Can't a guy just be in a good mood?"

She narrows her eyes at me. "Oliver, in a good mood? Feels like a once-in-a-lifetime event."

I roll my eyes, but I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips. "Maybe I just have a reason to be."

She stares at me for a second, and I know I'm this close to saying something real. Something honest.

But I chicken out.

The moment passes, and Ji-ah launches into a story about a customer who tried to flirt his way into a discount earlier. I nod along, but the entire time, one thought keeps running through my head:

I need to do this. I need to ask her out.

By the time our shift is over, my nerves are stretched thin.

Ji-ah is packing up her things, humming softly to herself. I stand behind the counter, hands gripping the wood like it's the only thing keeping me steady.

Just do it.

Just ask her.

She slings her bag over her shoulder and turns toward me. "Well, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow?"

This is it. Now or never.

"Ji-ah."

She stops, blinking at me. "Yeah?"

I exhale sharply, forcing my hands into my pockets so she doesn't see them shake. "Do you... do you want to get dinner with me? Sometime?"

Her eyes widen slightly. "Dinner?"

I nod, heart hammering. "Yeah. You know. Like... a date."

A moment of silence stretches between us. It's the longest five seconds of my life.

Then, Ji-ah smiles—slow and soft, like the sunrise creeping over the horizon.

"Yeah," she says, her voice quieter than before. "I'd like that."

Relief crashes over me so hard I almost laugh. Instead, I nod, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. "Cool."

Ji-ah bites her lip, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Cool."

She lingers for a second, like she wants to say something else, but then she just gives me one last smile and heads out the door.

The second she's gone, I exhale, rubbing a hand down my face.

I did it.

I actually did it.

Now, all I have to do is not mess it up.