𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐒 | 𝐊- 𝐏𝐎𝐏

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗁𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒 𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍

Chapter 19: Cake For Dinner

She steps into the small cafe greeting the staff with a wave and she turns to make sure he's behind her as she steps toward the small tables. Every setting is a table for two only, and there is an area of the cafe away from the windows where few people are sitting. He indicates in that direction and she seems to understand and walks to a table to sit down.

"Can I choose something for you? My treat?" she asks. This date is really getting away from him. She shouldn't be paying. His face gives away his displeasure. She watches him concerned. "I would really like to give you a taste of some of my favorites." He smiles up at her and nods, realizing he should just go along with what she wants to do.

"But, I don't drink coffee," he offers. She smiles as she stands, nodding.

"I was thinking cake for dinner?" She laughs and seeing her happy makes him feel a little better. He nods. As she leaves the table to go to the counter he looks down at his phone and the messages he's been ignoring as they came in while he was in the car. Jimin sent several messages. He scans down to the last one: '?!' He lifts the phone to the table and begins to text back.

'Jimin, I'm having dinner with her at cafe in Seodaemun-gu, but she doesn't think it's a date. What should I do?!'

He watches the text bubbles as Jimin is typing, taking far too long. He looks up to see her at the counter still, talking with staff. Jimin responds.

Chimchim: 'Ask her if she has a boyfriend!!!'

He frowns down at the phone. He responds quickly.

'Why?'

Chimchim: 'Because if she doesn't think having dinner with you is a date then it might be because she is involved with someone. Remember, 'love' brought her here.'

The words hurt as they appear in black and white on his screen. He frowns.

'OK'

He puts the phone away and sits casually, trying to act as though his heart isn't racing. She steps up behind him with a few selections.

"They will bring you over a smoothie, and a few more savory dishes they need to heat up." She sets the plate down in front of him full of pretty tartlets and cake to share. She smiles as she sits across from him. "I hope you aren't on a diet because their cheesecake is unbelievable."

"I'm not." He laughs, looking over the pretty food in front of them. "Is this a regular place for you?" She takes a small forkful of one of the tarts.

"Yes, I study here a lot, it's not far from my home." He smiles looking around, careful not to make eye contact with anyone in the cafe. He turns back to her. "And they play good music," she says taking a sip of her drink. He's suddenly aware of the music, it's Dizzy Gillespie. He smiles recognizing it.

"Where did you discover all of this music?" He cautiously takes a portion from the cake she is eating. Tasting the rich dark chocolate makes him smile from ear to ear.

"My Grandfather. He raised me." He looks up at her surprised. She has no way to know that he was also raised by his Grandparents. She continues to try different cakes on the plate in tiny bites, careful to take only a small portion and leave more for him. He stares back at her still hoping to hear more. "We were very close. This is his music. He told me the music you listen to when you are young becomes the soundtrack for your life. Since I listened to all of his music, I guess this is my soundtrack." He hangs on every word, nearly dropping his fork from his hand, deep in his trance. He shakes it off, taking a portion of the next offering.

"I was raised by my Grandparents too. I love this music. I love Billie Holiday particularly. She was a favorite of my Grandmother." She smiles at his revelation.

"I didn't realize she was popular in Korea." She indicates he should try one of the tarts and he digs his fork into it as he grows more comfortable talking with her.

"My Grandma said a friend of hers introduced her to the music when she was young. So, I guess you're right, this was her soundtrack." He stops, and smiles, remembering her. A little tear forms in the corner of his eye and he tries to hide it. Just then a waiter comes up to the table with his strawberry smoothie and a plate with more treats. He sets it down in front of them and she smiles up in a thank you. Taehyung glances up to smile and the man gasps and steps back from the table startled.

"Taehyung ssi, oh, I'm sorry." He bows. Taehyung smiles and nods to him, giving him a quick serious look that the man instantly understands and he begins to back away. She watches them, unsure what's happening. Taehyung looks up to find her staring at him confused.

"Do you know him?" she asks, still not understanding who he is. He shakes his head and looks down embarrassed. He takes a sip of the smoothie and smiles at it.

"Strawberry? I love strawberry, thank you." He hopes he's changed the subject. She turns her attention to the food on the new plate and taking part of one of the savory tarts.

Jimin's advice is still burning in the back of his mind. He knows he has to ask the question, but he's afraid to. He also knows that he may have very little time left in this cafe now that he has been recognized. Any moment an assortment of photographers and fans will appear outside the doors waiting for him to emerge. He sets his fork down and looks at her, watching her dark eyes rimmed with heavy lashes looking over the next selection on the plate. He stares at her golden hair, threatening to fall out of the loose bun at the back of her head. She smiles up at him and wonders why he's staring.

"Hana, please forgive me for asking this so bluntly, but, do you have a boyfriend?" She looks surprised at the question. Her hand shields her full mouth as her lips curl to a half smile. He's filled with instant terror when he realizes just how surprised she is. She shallows, and regards him curiously before she responds.

"No." She watches his face change, and relax, as if a weight has been lifted from him. "I wouldn't have come to dinner with you if I did." She arches her eyebrow at him and he realizes that they are on a date, and she knows it.