alone together || h.s au

eight: i got it bad, i got it bad

It's a bad idea. It's a very, very bad idea.

Harry stops his pacing as soon as he sees Min Ji heading towards him. She's smiling at him, completely unaware of what'll happen next, and instead of appreciating her smile like he usually does when he catches sight of it, Harry finds himself panicking. He worries that her smile will disappear from her face as soon as she finds out what he has planned for their second date tonight: start their night at the pub he and Niall go to regularly and then proceed with a dinner at the restaurant a few shops away from the pub.

Like he said, it's a very, very bad idea.

Niall, on the other hand, is convinced that it's a great idea -- perhaps his friend is not to be trusted when it comes to this, though between the two of them, Niall is far more experienced (he is dating the girl of his dream, after all). At least, Harry likes to think that he is because otherwise, he wouldn't have listened to him. Wouldn't have said yes to the suggestion Niall gave when he came looking for him at the office earlier today.

"Hey," Harry greets her, his voice sounding breathy like he's just ran around the park. Pacing in front of the pub has the same effect, it seems. "You're here."

"Hey," she replies. Her eyes are glinting with excitement and Harry hopes it stays there for the rest of the evening. "And yes I'm here."

"Did you have a hard time locating this place?" He asks. Min Ji shakes her head and he lets out a relieved sigh. "Okay, good." Harry glances at the entrance of the pub. When his eyes find Min Ji's, he asks, "Shall we go inside?"

Min Ji nods. "Yeah, let's go."

With his hand on her lower back, Harry leads her inside the pub where he sees familiar faces at every corner. The pub is not as crowded as it usually is which is surprising. It's also a good thing but still. Instant regret courses through him and it multiplies when Doug, the bartender, greets him and the 'beautiful lady' to refer to Min Ji, who flushes at the nickname. Harry wants the ground to open up and swallow him whole because that was mortifying.

But apart from the blush on her cheeks, Min Ji doesn't seem to mind it. Doesn't seem to be regretting her decision to say yes to a second date with him (or maybe it's still too early to judge).

"I like this place," she says once they've found an empty booth near the back of the pub.

Harry and Niall usually just sit at the bar when they come here except when Brooklyn joins them. Even then, oftentimes they prefer to sit at the bar. Makes it easier for them to order their drinks and for them to leave the pub as their usual spots are near the exit.

"You think so?" Harry asks.

"Mhmm," Min Ji nods with a smile. "Do you come here often?"

"Actually, yes." Harry admits. "I just thought that it'd be a great idea to let you in on my world."

He could feel the tips of his ears turning red as he speaks, the words sounding foreign even though he rehearsed saying them in his head a lot throughout the day. People weren't lying when they said that some things are better left unsaid. Harry wants to take back his words, hating the way the sound the moment they left his mouth. Those words definitely sound a lot better in his head and they shouldn't have been spoken out loud. But it's too late to take them back now.

The following seconds where Min Ji doesn't say anything as she looks around the pub, taking in the place, feel like hours to him.

"I get why you like this place," Min Ji comments when her gaze finally lands on Harry. Leaning forward, she props her elbows on the table, laces her fingers and rests her chin on top of it. "So, in this Harry Styles world, what do you usually order when you're here?"