fairytale hell asteroid | l.dh

seven.

The menu has no prices on it.

You had a feeling that Donghyuck brought you to a rather extravagant restaurant when you realized how unsettlingly far and how obscurely hidden the location of the restaurant was. The interior design of the place was also way beyond your expectation; it was much more extravagant than your average corner ramen store, which you knew you would ultimately prefer.

This seemed like the kind of fancy dining place not known in the mundane world, the kind of restaurants only spoke of within a particularly wealthy group of people. And your observations were correct when you saw that there were no prices printed on their two-sided menu, with their food written in normal Korean and an obnoxiously cursive font of English.

Donghyuck wasn't able to notice how tense you were the entire time because you had no idea how much the food you ordered cost, and when you asked about it he simply laughed it off and told you not to worry about it. You didn't expect him to notice it solely from your appearances either; you pride yourself in being able to put up quite the act.

It would take a mind reader to see if you were feeling anxious.

But oh, you were anxious, alright. While you were not one to avoid expensive restaurants, you do believe in treating yourself to something extravagant once in a while, you would love to be able to follow your financial schedule. The only times you would spend more than necessary on food, with your budget being a meal and drink combination that goes under twenty dollars, are special occasions, such as holidays and after an accomplishment.

The latter has always been debatable.

Today was not the occasion, especially since you have just spent some extra money on your trip around the local bookstore near your work place. You huffed out a short sigh, a pout hanging on your lips as you faced the menu; you weren't supposed to be there that night but your co-worker had dragged you over to the coffee shop set inside the bookstore for a change of scenery and taste.

The decrease in the amount in your bank account was making you rather anxious, you could not wait for your next paycheck so the amount could be well over your safety threshold again. It was like a phone battery percentage; it could only go so low until you would start feeling like you need to charge it.

And standing blocks above the minimum percentage would be the safety threshold where, while it isn't the one-hundred, it is a percentage you could be okay with.

"Just tell me how much my order is, Donghyuck," you said once again, looking directly at him after seeing the table next to you get their bill after finishing their food.

He looked up at you. The deadpan in his eyes were glaringly obvious but he meant no harm with them. If anything, it was meant to be more tiresome and annoyed than looking out to cause you discomfort. He twirled the fork in his hand, curling up the pasta around the utensil before he brought it up to his mouth, stuffing the ball of pasta into his mouth while maintaining eye contact with you.

You stared right back at him, unfazed as you watched him chew his food, still waiting for his reply. It made him sigh inwardly; your reaction was expected but disappointing. He was hoping you would finally be swayed by the blatant stare of his naturally seductive eyes (according to him and others, but mostly himself and the mirror in his bathroom). Seemed like he would have to wait for another time.

He will get there. He will get you to blush and look away one day, even if that was the last thing he does.

"You see," he said with his voice muffled. Then he shut his mouth, waiting after he swallowed his food to talk. Licking the side of his lips, he put the fork down on the plate and focused all his attention on you. "What I don't understand is why you keep on asking me that? I already said I am paying for your lunch, so why does it matter to you how much it is."