Fate of Encounter

 Chapter 1: Beautiful!!

In the cozy atmosphere of a quiet book café, a girl sat in the far corner, deeply absorbed in a novel. She wore headphones, occasionally sipping water, completely lost in the world of her book. Her expressions shifted subtly—at times, she smiled, at other moments, she frowned, and at times, her face clouded with worry. Across the room, a young man had been observing her for quite some time. His hands were clenched together, betraying a sense of unease. He had entered the café earlier, searching through the shelves for a specific book, but couldn’t find it. After asking the owner for assistance, he was directed to the girl in the corner, who happened to be reading the very book he was looking for.

Unable to contain his curiosity, he approached her table and knocked lightly to get her attention. She looked up, slightly confused. The boy standing in front of her was tall, with warm brown skin, large curious eyes, and a gentle smile.

She removed her headphones and asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Hey, hi! I was wondering if I could borrow the book you’re reading when you're done?” he asked, a bit sheepishly.

The girl studied him for a moment before responding, “Aren’t there other books you could read?”

“Well,” he hesitated, “I’ve read part of that book already, and I really need to finish it. I have this thing where I can’t sleep until I’ve read to the end. So, would you mind lending it to me when you're done?” He pleaded, a hopeful grin on his face.

The girl chuckled softly. “I’m in the middle of the story too, and I don’t want to stop. Can you wait until I’m finished?”

The boy, not dissuaded, asked eagerly, “Oh, really? Where are you in the story?”

He placed his bag down and pulled up a chair, sitting across from her as though settling in for a conversation. She raised an eyebrow at his casual intrusion but humored him.

“The female lead just asked the guy out, and they’re about to go on a date,” she said.

“Ah, well, the date won’t happen,” he blurted out.

Her smile immediately faded, replaced by an annoyed frown. “Excuse me? Are you serious? Why would you spoil it for me?”

He raised his hands in mock surrender, apologizing quickly. “I’m so sorry! I just have this bad habit of spilling the beans.”

With an exasperated sigh, she put her headphones back on, clearly uninterested in further conversation. She went back to her book, trying to ignore him.

The boy slapped his forehead in regret, then leaned forward and tapped on the table again, desperate to get her attention. This time, she looked up, visibly annoyed.

“I’m really sorry,” he said again, his voice softening. “I’m just really desperate to read that book, and I don’t have much time. Could you maybe let me read it with you, or just lend it to me for a little while?”

“Are you serious?” she replied, irritation creeping into her voice. “I’m reading it right now. Why can’t you understand that?”

“I know, I know, but please, I really want to finish it. Just for a little bit?” he begged, his eyes wide and pleading, his innocent smile almost disarming.

Finally, with a resigned sigh, she handed him the book. “Fine, go ahead. I’ll just get another one.”

His face lit up with gratitude. “Thank you so much! I’ll read it quickly and give it back.”

“If you read too quickly, how will you feel the emotions in the story?” she asked, half-joking.

“Don’t worry, I can still feel everything—the joy, the pain—when I read fast!” he said with a wink, before diving into the book.

The girl shook her head and stood up to find another book to pass the time. She sipped her water, her throat feeling dry from the conversation. After some time, the boy closed the book with a deep sigh and returned it to her.

“Thank you so much for lending it to me,” he said, sounding almost sad. “The ending was bittersweet.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied, taking the book back.

“Hey, can I know your name?” he asked, suddenly curious.

She raised an eyebrow. “Why do you need my name?”

“Well,” he began, “if not your name, then maybe your phone number? I’m part of this book group where we discuss what we’re reading, and I think you’d really enjoy it. You seem like a serious reader.”

She blinked, caught off guard. “What? No, thank you.”

“Come on,” he urged, smiling brightly. “It’s just a group of book lovers, no pressure. We only talk about books, I promise.”

Her skepticism remained, but he pressed on. “What’s your favorite genre?”

“Thriller, crime, dark stories,” she said, meeting his gaze.

He looked surprised. “You look so cute, but you’re into those kinds of stories? That’s quite a contradiction.”

She shot him a sharp look. “Excuse me? Why are you judging me?”

“Sorry! I didn’t mean it that way. It just slipped out. My favorite genre is romance,” he said quickly, trying to smooth things over.

She rolled her eyes, losing interest in the conversation, but he wasn’t done yet.

“I’m serious, you should join the group. I’ll let you know about some great romance books,” he persisted.

“I’ve had enough of your words,” she said, exasperated. “I’d really like to focus on my book now.”

“Oh, right. But this one’s not even in your favorite genre, right? It’s romance. Why are you reading it?”

She smirked. “Just because I have a favorite genre doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy other types of stories.”

He smiled. “Fair enough.”

As he gathered his things, he looked at her one last time. “Okay, beautiful, I guess I’ll see you around.”

She frowned. “Why are you calling me ‘beautiful’?”

“Well, you won’t tell me your name, so I’m improvising until you do. I don’t like referring to people as ‘that girl,’” he said, grinning cheekily.

“It seems romance novels have messed with your brain,” she muttered, shaking her head.

With a playful wave, he said, “See you later, if fate decides. Bye, beautiful.” And with that, he left, leaving her to finally enjoy her book in peace.