The silence after Jisung's telling of his first love doesn't last long as the soccer team's practice is finally over and they are heading back to the bleachers where he and Dahee are sitting. Donghyuck is the first to get there and asks what the two were talking about when he sees her in deep thought. Jisung answers truthfully before she can make up a lie.
"She just asked me if I've fallen in love before," he tells the older who is still catching his breath. "So, I told her about my first love."
"It's for an essay." She quickly adds when she sees a teasing smirk appear on her best friend's face and receives a few looks from the other guys who overheard.
Jaemin sighs dramatically as he shakes his head, twisting open the cap of the ice-cold water bottle in his hand, "And here I thought you were finally in love."
"Would rather not, but Mr. Seo is pushing me to," she huffs and pushes herself off the bleachers. "Anyway, I'm off. Can you guys walk me home?"
"Didn't you bring your car though?" Donghyuck asks.
"Renjun borrowed it since he carpooled with Sunwoo this morning and was free to go home earlier than me," she says and the three give her an apologetic smile that she immediately understands. "Boys night?"
"Yeah," Jeno scratches his nape sheepishly. "Sorry."
"It's alright." She says assuringly.
"Jisung can walk you home though!" He pushes his cousin forward, which makes the younger glare at him. "He lives in the same apartment complex as you."
"Oh, really?" She says, but the look Jisung is giving Jeno doesn't go unnoticed by her. She tries to read his expression, though, she can't quite distinguish what it is. "Are you sure it's okay with him? He, uh, might not be going straight home though."
"No, it's fine, I am," Jisung says, clearing his throat. "I can walk home with you."
She asks again, "You sure?"
"Yeah," he presses his lips into a thin line and picks his backpack up from the grass. "Let's go. Bye, hyungs."
"Bye!" She smiles at the three (and the rest of the team) before walking away with Jisung.
As the two of them walk together in silence, she notices how awkward he seems but doesn't comment on it. From what she remembers, he was a shy boy back in middle school, but that was a little over seven years ago. Surely he has broken out of his shell.
"Hey, wanna stop by and grab something to eat there?" She asks, finally breaking the silence, and jabs her thumb towards the direction of the diner just across the sidewalk they are standing on.
"Huh? Oh, uh, sure," he says like he didn't expect her to say anything the entire walk. "Was just planning to order pizza when I got home anyways."
"You live alone?" She initiates small talk as they enter the diner and leads him to the booth she usually sits at. This diner has been her favorite hangout place since she moved to Seoul and she finds it odd how it is quiet and empty this time (normally, it is busy and loud with people entering and exiting every minute and waiters and waitresses zooming from table to table).
"Yeah," he answers her question as he plops down on the seat in front of her. "Moved out last year and I've never felt more free."
"That's nice," she nods. "I still live with my brother, but I don't actually mind since I don't really like being alone."
Their conversation comes to an abrupt halt when a waitress comes to their table and gets their order. Jisung, not having been there before, doesn't know what to get and Dahee suggests what she always orders: chicken waffles. She is more excited than him when they get served, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as he takes a bite.
