Written by Jiin Jeong
Illustrated by Nahyun Song
People in Srington dressed in formal white and black work suits hastened home, each with a cell
phone or a newspaper in his hand. It was the year 2060, a time when people lived pressed for money and time, engrossed in their daily affairs, driven by materialism and competition. Love? People
couldn’t afford such extravagance. It was a concept that became extinct a long time ago. Extinct to
everybody but Riley.
Riley was fervently in love with her boss Mr. Stilton for the last couple of years. Even she didn’t
know the reason why. He was a short and moody person with looks a little over average and absolutely
no interest in her. But a human’s heart does not function the way its owner wants and when she first
met him, it bumped and bumped and bumped…as if it were ready to pop out of her chest.
Even the dullest person would have noticed the attention she paid to him. Every morning, she
would place a cup of coffee on his desk – black, hot, no sugar – just the way he liked. She would sit
close to him during lunch and listen to his stories, absorbing every little detail and saving it in her memory. On his birthday, she gave him the most expensive gift she’s ever given to anyone and wrote him
a two-page heartfelt letter. He accepted the gifts and lavish praises kindly, but ignored Riley’s sincere
heart behind every effort she made.
Just when Riley was about to give up hope, she found one day, besides the grey buildings, a fluorescent pink heart-shaped structure with a twinkling sign that said ‘Love Factory.’ She entered and found
a shelf filled with books. The titles were familiar. “Abbot, Abbey. Adin, Tom. Andes, Henry….”
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