*CLACK*
Gabriel looked up from the book he was studying when a can was placed in front of him.
Once again, he was in the library, surrounded by piles of books.
It was none other than Harmony, and what she had brought him was a can of cappuccino coffee.
He glanced at it. Among all the canned coffees available, this one was his favorite.
"You always buy that at school, so I thought you'd prefer it," Harmony said as she sat across from him.
Gabriel nodded, "Thanks."
"And…"
Harmony reached into the paper bag she was carrying and pulled out two books.
One was Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Special Edition), a foundational text on pharmacology and drug mechanisms, essential for understanding how medicines work in the body.
The other was Pharmaceutical Compounding and Dispensing by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Collector's Edition), a crucial resource for those studying the preparation of medication.
"These are…" Gabriel trailed off.
"You don't have them in the books you've been reading, and this library doesn't carry them either, so I thought you'd want hard copies."
Gabriel studied her expression, gauging her intentions. Was she someone who believed material things should always repay a good deed?
But as he met her eyes, he saw nothing but straightforward sincerity. This was her way of showing gratitude.
His gaze shifted back to the books in front of him.
A small smirk tugged at his lips. If she hadn't been observing him closely, she wouldn't have known these books were missing from his collection. It was one thing to guess his focus based on the books he'd been reading; knowing exactly what he lacked was another.
The same went for the coffee she brought.
It was indeed his favorite, but he only drank it when he was deeply immersed in reading about pharmaceutical preparation. Most of the time, he indulged in it here in the City Library or back at the school library.
"Just like Kenneth," he commented.
Harmony tilted her head in question.
"You observed his team's plays and came up with that plan," Gabriel explained.
"…"
Gabriel chuckled, "Thank you for this."
He did need these books. Even though his family was in the industry, they were surprisingly difficult to find. He had been searching for them earnestly, and who would have thought Harmony would manage to bring them to him?
For Gabriel, hard copies are better than the soft copies downloaded online. He was also not fond of PDF files downloaded and reprinted.
What he enjoys studying more are the originally printed hard copies.
"But… isn't this too expensive?" he asked, unable to help himself.
Harmony paused to consider the question, then shook her head.
"It's fine. The cost of these two is nothing compared to what you've done for me."
After following his advice, her energy levels had risen significantly. She realized that without his intervention, she might have fallen ill.
In her current race, she often forgets to take care of her health. His reminder had also prompted her to reflect on why she wasn't applying the knowledge she'd gained from her studies to care for herself.
"I'm thanking you for many reasons," she reiterated.
Gabriel studied her for a moment before simply smiling. He opened the canned coffee, raising it slightly in her direction as a gesture of thanks.
Harmony nodded in acknowledgment, then retrieved her own study materials from her bag and resumed her work. Gabriel did the same, and the two fell into a comfortable silence.
"You're not going home yet?" Gabriel asked after some time had passed.
Harmony looked up, startled by his voice. It was only then that she noticed the darkness outside. She glanced at her phone—it was already 8 p.m.
"…"
Yesterday, she could barely maintain her focus for an hour due to a throbbing headache and sheer exhaustion. But today, without even realizing it, she had been studying for hours.
Gabriel watched her expression brighten as she checked the time, a question forming in his mind. Why did she suddenly look so pleased, despite not smiling?
Harmony realized his confusion and blinked, aware that her excitement had likely shown on her face.
'Ah, I must have broken character because of how thrilled I am,' she thought.
It had been so long since she'd been able to focus this intently on what she wanted.
Clearing her throat, she snapped Gabriel out of his puzzlement.
"Well?" he asked again, noting that she wasn't explaining the sudden shift in her behavior.
Harmony remembered his question, was she going home?
His expression now clearly conveyed his unspoken thought, 'If you say no, I'll carry you out of here.'
Suppressing a laugh, she began packing up, "I suppose I've been more than productive today, so it's time to call it a night."
He nodded firmly, his agreement evident.
'Seriously, it feels like I've got an older brother right now,' she thought.
In the past, if one of them left early, they would simply nod at each other or leave without a word if the other was too focused. But now, with him still standing there, clearly waiting for her, she quickened her pace.
The walk to the station was as quiet and comfortable as their time studying.
"Goodbye," Gabriel said as her train arrived, thirty minutes after they reached the station.
"Goodbye," she replied.
She didn't offer her thanks again, knowing he wouldn't expect it.
He had simply walked her to the station without saying much.
She boarded the train, finding a seat near the window. As the train pulled away from the platform, she caught a glimpse of Gabriel standing there, one hand casually in his pocket while the other holding on the strap of his backpack, watching until the train disappeared from sight.
Harmony leaned back, the events of the past two days replaying in her mind.
She didn't expect that she would experience different things with Gabriel. The person whom she barely spoke with. Perhaps she would never say it outright, but she was grateful for someone like him who silently cared, even if he pretended not to.
'Such care is refreshing.'
With a small, satisfied sigh, she pulled out her notes and started reviewing them, the motion of the train gently rocking her into a steady rhythm.