Intertwined Destinies

A "Friendly" Date?

A few hours after Kian and Malak's call, a ringtone could clearly be heard in the silent bedroom. The young adult immediately dropped his pencil on his opened notebook before unlocking his phone while ignoring all the notifications but one. Going to his phone's texting app, he opened the unread message on top of his list.

"Hi! I heard about this delicious Sichuan restaurant in Chinatown. It's named The Solstice, and here's the address. Are you alright with the place?"

With a smile on his face, Malak quickly typed a response.

"I have heard about that place before! Isn't it super popular right now? But... Isn't their food renowned to be very spicy? Is that alright with you?"

He clicked on the sent button and put down his phone. But he didn't expect that Kian would answer right away.

"Yes, it is. That's why I already made reservations for us. And don't worry about me, a little heat is nothing I can't handle ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)و ✧."

Malak laughed a little at the older man's answer before writing his response.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you before! ←～（o ｀▽' )oΨ What time is the reservation at?"

Malak played with his pencil while waiting for Kian's answer, but it never came. Therefore, the student shrugged it off, thinking that he must have been busy. He closed his phone before going back to his mathematical equations for his physics class. While he is excited about his friendly date, he also had to concentrate on his studies. The time left before the hellish exam period started was only getting shorter. It felt like he was running out of time, but he couldn't give in. He needed to ace his exams to enter a good college and make his parents proud.

Sometimes studying alone, sometimes studying with his sister. Time quickly flew away, and it was time to go to bed. Stretching his arms above his head as he felt his back pop, he groaned at his sore back and neck. Before calling it a night, Malak checked his phone one last time and noticed that he missed Kian's answer a few hours ago. Without delaying it further, he unlocked his phone and read his answer.

"I reserved a table at 19:00, but I'll come to fetch you if that's alright with you?"

Malak could feel his heart beating harder in his chest. He didn't expect him to come to get him. Although the eighteen-year-old boy already met that mysterious and charismatic young man once, he didn't feel comfortable giving his address so soon. He will decide after their second meeting whether he wants to keep being in contact with this stranger.

"Thank you for the offer, but let's see each other at the restaurant at 19:00. I'll see you then."

After staring at his text bubble showing on his phone a bit more, he finally went to bed at ease. "Yes, you did right by not giving him your address," Malak reassured himself.

( ु⁎ᴗᵨᴗ⁎)ु.zZ

Being the last class on Friday, most of the students were not listening to the teacher. They were constantly staring at the clock above the instructor's head while counting the seconds remaining until they were free from this place. Which happened at a snail's pace. But as soon as the bell rang, they couldn't stay silent anymore. Even the teacher quickly ended his class before everyone walked out of the stuffy classroom.

Enrico who sat in front of Kayla and Malak turned around with a grin. "Let's go out this weekend!"

"Someone is already ready for the exams," Kayla sighed while packing up her books in her backpack.

"No, I didn't even start yet," he answered with a shrug. "That's exactly why we should go out! Let's have fun for one last time before hell starts."