my serotonin // xikers hyunwoo

11.

the weather is good outside that we decide to walk to me:et. will be quite the walk, but i don't mind since i have all the day free. the only living creatures on the street are birds jumping around and flying from one place to another. few old people who have all their day free too. and us. me and hyunwoo. honestly, i never expected that he would be the one to offer to eat somewhere outside. i guess we are becoming closer... wait. he said he wants to eat at me:et? "hyunwoo, do you think they serve meals in me:et?" "don't they? we ate bagels-" hyunwoo gets confused when i cut him off with laughing. bagels and a meal. well at least not for me. "no, no, no. i want to eat a real meal. i know one place, let's go..." "i was the one who offered, so i am taking you" he continues to walk with the same hyunwoo facial expression he always has around. but his actions are starting to get different. i go next to him, curious about what place he is taking me to.

after walking for a while we go past the bus we met each other in the morning. all this time we haven't spoken a single word. hyunwoo is just looking forward most of the time while going to the destination. if a week or two weeks ago there weren't that many signs of spring, now everything is in green hues. the air seems even more fresh and the sun shines brighter than usual. it even starts to feel too warm in the jacket. summer is soon to come. it's almost the same as it was in my dream. except laki is not here and i am far away from the countryside. but hyunwoo... the project. if we can really make it real, i'll have to go there and ask hyunwoo to join me. eventually, he would be there too. those dreams are odd. it all happens in different place, yet it feels so real. are they some hints... hyunwoo pulls my jacket to his side and i crash into his shoulder. "what?" we go past a tree. "what are you so deep in thoughts about that you are ready to knock down a tree?" me, telling him what i actually just thought about. yes, of course, not in this lifetime. "nothing special" he scoffs at my answer and puts his hands back in pockets. "mhh, next time i won't stop you". talk more about hyunwoo getting more friendlier. he's the same.

we make our way through the park. it's empty. we are the only people to go through it. i don't see any food places around this area, but hyunwoo keeps going down a narrow street way past the convenience store i visited last weekend. are we even going the right way? this for sure, is a residential area. houses after houses, each having a different yard. some apartments. could he be taking me to his house...? no way, the road to his house is way back. we already went past it. "don't worry, i'm not stealing you" i scoff. "what makes you think that i am worried" he chuckles, looking away. that smile that he has so often today reappears on his face. "you've been looking around this area all the time. and you've been fidgeting your fingers since we got past the store" is he having fun huh? whenever i look at him, he looks everywhere else except me. but then, he notices every single thing i do. "how do you even notice what i do?" as if i called for it, he looks at me, making eye contact. that smile never disappearing... "because you make it so obvious" he raises his tempo and goes closer to a dark grey building on the right side of the road. what was that... i blink several times before looking back at hyunwoo. why is it difficult to understand him today? not that i have ever understood the meaning behind his actions. he is different from what i've seen the previous week.

he goes up the stairs on the side of the building to the second floor. it leads to a door with just working hours printed on it. otherwise, there are no other signs that in this building there is a place where to eat. as soon as hyunwoo opens the doors, many scents of flavors welcome me. i follow hyunwoo, mesmerized. the place isn't that big. there are large tables with grills in them across the flat, wooden chairs, and big windows. a very simple interior. there are few people already feasting. cooking the meat, slurping on noodles, and sighing very loudly after swallowing it all. suddenly my stomach rumbles. if the food is that good as it looks and smells, i'm ready to forgive hyunwoo for all the teasing and jokes he has made today.