idyllic

3: Dinner date

"I'm telling you, the food is seriously incredible! I ordered takeout a couple of days ago and my god was it the most delicious thing," you ramble on about the restaurant you plan to take Sieun to.

"Seriously, it's just the thing for de-stressing after a tiring day of studying. Although, I'm sure you don't need it as much as I do. By the way, how do you even get through all that studying? If I were you, it would've driven me crazy by now.."

You take notice of the one-sided conversation and turn to Sieun, suddenly fretting over whether he might have found your incessant chatter irritating.

"Sorry, am I talking too much?"

He doesn't respond and this slightly peeves you.

"Hey, can't you say something when I speak to you? Do you even listen to me?"

"What is there to say?" he has the decency to finally reply.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"This conversation seems to be just fine with you talking."

"But if it's only me talking then it'll feel like I'm by myself!"

He regards you with a blank gaze, as if not understanding why you would find that a problem.

"You seem to be talking enough for the both of us anyways," he quips.

Heat lightly pricks your cheeks as you recall your endless chitchat just a moment ago. A small wave of embarrassment washes over you.

"Ah- well, if you said you had a problem with it then I would've stopped..."

Your words die in your throat as you trail off. You stare apologetically at Sieun, wondering whether you had genuinely annoyed him with your dialogue.

After a momentary silence, he mutters, "it's fine. I didn't have any problem with it."

You smile at this. When you recall your past interactions, you realize that Sieun has a pattern of responding to your every action with reluctance, but still going along with whatever you say despite his hesitation.

-

"We're here!"

You excitedly extend an arm, motioning at the entrance of the diner as your eyes flicker back to Sieun, waiting for his reaction.

He's neither surprised nor excited as he fixes the neon words branded at the restaurant entrance with uninterested eyes.

"It looks like an ordinary restaurant, but it really is a hidden gem!"

Your own eagerness makes up of Sieun's lack of. You softly tug on the sleeve of his grey cotton jacket as you lead him through the door. A jingle resonates through the restaurant and the two of you are quickly guided to a table by the window.

Fluorescent lights illuminate your surroundings. The rhythm of clattering china and clinking utensils rings throughout the room.

You quickly take a seat at the wooden table and Sieun pulls out the chair across from you. A waiter hands you each a menu and you quickly thank him before turning your full attention to the 4-page gallery of delicacies before you.

You marvel at all the possibilities to choose from.

You're enraptured in your own indecisiveness before you remember you're here to treat someone else to dinner. You quickly set the menu down before staring up at Sieun.

"What do you want to eat?"

He gives a brusque shrug. "You can order since this was your idea in the first place."