episode_0046

No matter what, it’s not an easy task to ask Isea to go eat pork with me.

…But then again, I feel like Isea might like it.

After serious consideration, I thought that since it’s a meal out with a girl, I should at least use a fork stylishly.

After finalizing the menu in my mind, I briskly walked to Isea’s house.

Isea, standing in front of the door, waved at me and approached.

“Today… you look a bit different from usual.”

I saw Isea wearing a warm-colored dress and a thin cardigan to welcome spring.

Her brown hair complemented her outfit.

Seeing Isea looking so expectant and prepared, I absentmindedly brushed off my shoulders to make sure there was no dust on my shirt.

Standing next to her, I couldn’t help but think she looked fresh and nice, but I refrained from pushing her away.

“Jina~ Sorry for making you wait so long.”

I comforted the sulking Isea.

“It’s okay, I was in the massage chair. You look really pretty today.”

“R-really? Huh. Y-you look cool too, J-jin….”

Although it was a polite greeting, Isea shyly complimented me with sincerity mixed in.

As she approached me and stuck close to my side, a fresh scent emanated from her.

I felt like she was a bit too close, but I didn’t want to push her away, so I stayed still.

Glancing at her, I noticed a star-shaped hairpin near Isea’s ear. It was the one I gave her as a birthday present.

Seeing her wear it well made me feel good as the giver.

“Let’s go quickly. Are you very hungry?”

Isea asked me with a worried expression.

“Uh, a little. How about you? Did you have breakfast?”

“Yeah. But I only had a little, so I’m hungry. Hehe.”

Isea playfully laughed, placing her hand on her stomach.

We headed to the city together.

Since I tend to follow someone’s back when walking, I couldn’t find a place to put my hands due to the awkward change in perspective, so I stuck them in my pockets.

“What do you want to eat, Jin?”

“I’ve been thinking…”

“Yeah?”

After hearing Isea’s response, I hesitated for a moment but eventually made up my mind.

“Well… um. Do you like pasta?”

…Yes, I had decided on pasta for lunch.

Don’t girls like this kind of thing?

Why… when people go on dates, they usually have this for lunch.

I silently prayed that Isea didn’t catch on to my intentions.

If she did, it could become a 10-year-old joke.

“I eat anything well. Did you choose it because you wanted to eat it, Jin? You don’t have to think about me.”

Even if she said that, there aren’t many people who just pick something without thinking when told to choose.

“…I’ve been craving noodles today.”

If anyone were to ask why I only wanted pasta, I would argue that it was a valid excuse.

Anyway, after asking Isea if she knew a good place for pasta, we headed to a restaurant she recommended.

Upon entering the restaurant, the luxurious interior caught our eyes.

The classic music playing inside the cozy establishment where a few customers were enjoying their meals made me feel at ease.

Although it seemed like a place where well-dressed waiters would guide us to our seats and take our orders, there were kiosks placed at each table for ordering.

Since the weather was nice, we sat by the window and started choosing our dishes.

“Oh, they have quite a variety of pasta dishes.”

“I’ll have this one.”

Isea added the carbonara pasta to the order list by tapping on the kiosk.

Hm. Should I try the ‘Spicy Cream Pork Belly Stir-fried Pasta’?

…What do you mean it’s a pasta without any roots? It’s on the menu, how can I not order it?

It was a wonderful menu tailored to Korean tastes.

We each ordered a pasta as our main dish, but feeling like we should have at least one salad in the middle, I asked Isea.

“What else should we order? Do you want to have a salad?”

“Let’s have this. Steak salad.”

The steak salad Isea pointed out looked delicious.

I nodded in agreement, and Isea playfully added the salad to the order list.

“Well, if you want something to drink, order it. I’ll take care of the drinks.”

“Okay. Then, I’ll have a cider.”

After ordering my cola as well, I sat down and waited for the food.

Isea leaned on her arm and stared at me intently.

I felt her gaze while fiddling with my phone and met her eyes.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Just. Because I miss you?”

Whether she was deliberately choosing those words.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I buried my head in my phone.

Sometimes Isea shows that fox-like look. People like me might misunderstand it.

Such nonchalant flirting is dangerous for a virgin like me.

* * *

Under Isea’s gaze, Seo Ijin avoided eye contact.

Seeing no change in his expression, Isea suddenly felt a lack of confidence.

But still, I dressed up nicely today. Ugh. Can’t you at least look me in the eye?

What’s so interesting on your phone? You don’t even pay attention to me….

Unconsciously, a smirk appeared on Isea’s face.

This date is meaningless.

It’s no different from friends going out for a meal.

How can I change that expression?

As she pondered, a brilliant idea came to her when the food they ordered arrived.

During the meal, Isea spoke up.

“Jina, is that good?”

Seo Ijin, who was slurping noodles, looked up at Isea.

With food in his mouth, he nodded in response.

“I want to try it too.”

At Isea’s words, Seo Ijin chewed and swallowed his noodles, then replied while looking at his pasta plate.

“…Here. Try it.”

He pushed the plate towards Isea.

But she shook her head.

“Uh-uh. Feed me. Hehe.”

“…Feed you?”

Seo Ijin’s poker face broke upon hearing that.

Isea nodded and leaned forward.

After hesitating for a moment, Seo Ijin’s hand moved and wrapped the pasta around the fork, making a bite-sized piece.

“Ah….”

“Ah~”

The fork entered Isea’s mouth.

She deliberately sucked on the fork as she ate.

It’s bad manners, but… somehow it feels good.

‘Hehe.’

Seeing Seo Ijin staring blankly at the fork, she chuckled inwardly.

It worked.

He’s definitely aware of it.

…Surely he doesn’t think it’s unpleasant. Hmm.

“Mmm~ It’s delicious. Jini, do you want to try mine?”

“…Uh? Uh. Uh-huh.”

To snap Seo Ijin out of his trance from the fork she put in his mouth, Isea deliberately woke him up.

She found his manner of eating the rolled-up fettuccine pasta cute.

Consciously avoiding the fork from touching his mouth, Seo Ijin’s eating habits were all visible to Isea.

Unable to hold back her laughter, Isea took out a new fork and handed it to Seo Ijin.

“Pfft. Here, try this.”

“…You were teasing me on purpose, weren’t you?”

“Sorry. Your expression was just too funny. Hehe.”

Unable to contain her laughter, Isea watched Seo Ijin raise the corners of his mouth and accept the fork.

“Alright. Let’s eat. It’s delicious, here.”

There was a lunchtime for the two with a small story.

* * *

“Jini, do you feel uncomfortable in crowded places? Shall we go to our neighborhood?”

As we finished our lunch at the pasta restaurant and stepped outside, Ise-ah made a suggestion to me.

“Is there anywhere good to go?”

“How about a walk in the park together?”

Ise-ah seemed to want some small healing.

Well, not bad.

The place where the pasta restaurant was located was on the outskirts of the city center, so it was less crowded.

If we went to the city center, it would be bustling with people who came out to enjoy the long weekend.

“Sure, why not.”

While walking, I thought about what to do later.

Or just sit and space out without thinking about anything.

That’s how you enjoy a break during a holiday. What else could be a break?

We turned back and returned to the old town.

When we arrived at the park, a quiet and serene atmosphere surrounded us.

In the past, on days like this, children would have been running around and making noise.

But these days, kids don’t play outside much….

We walked slowly along the park trail.

It wasn’t a very big park, but slowing down our pace made it feel like we were taking a leisurely stroll.

“It’s nice just to be like this. The scent of flowers is nice.”

“…Yeah.”

Your idea of nice and mine might have slightly different meanings.

The walk in the park with Ise-ah was enjoyable.

We admired the spring flowers blooming in various colors.

Sometimes engaging in small talk,

Sometimes walking in silence for a few minutes.

We decided to brush off a bench and sit down to take a short break.

“What should we do now?”

At Ise-ah’s question, I looked at the distant mountains.

“Hmm.”

I wonder….

Is there something we can do together?

Come to think of it, I think I had a similar dilemma last time.

Seeing me pondering, Ise-ah spoke first.

“How about a movie?”

“A movie sounds good.”

Upon hearing my agreement, Ise-ah took out her phone and started searching.

Then she came over to me and held out the phone in front of me.

“How about this? It looks like it’ll be fun, right?”

Ise-ah’s finger was pointing at an ambiguous location.

Hmm…. It seems like she’s pointing at this romance movie….

Or is she? It also seems like she’s pointing at the safe historical drama movie below.

I’ve seen ads for this movie a few times.

It must be popular if they advertise it so much. Looks like Ise-ah chose this one.

“Since Jini didn’t say anything, let’s go with this movie! Let’s sit here for a bit before we go?”

Before I could say anything, Ise-ah took the lead.

I silently pushed back the words I was going to say and looked ahead again.

“Okay. Let’s watch a movie.”

We sat on the bench and enjoyed a brief rest.

I could feel Ise-ah slowly inching closer to me.

Is she feeling cold because her clothes are thin? She keeps leaning on me.