"I'm telling you, the food is seriously incredible! I ordered takeout a couple of days ago and my god was it the most delicious thing," you ramble on about the restaurant you plan to take Sieun to.
"Seriously, it's just the thing for de-stressing after a tiring day of studying. Although, I'm sure you don't need it as much as I do. By the way, how do you even get through all that studying? If I were you, it would've driven me crazy by now.."
You take notice of the one-sided conversation and turn to Sieun, suddenly fretting over whether he might have found your incessant chatter irritating.
"Sorry, am I talking too much?"
He doesn't respond and this slightly peeves you.
"Hey, can't you say something when I speak to you? Do you even listen to me?"
"What is there to say?" he has the decency to finally reply.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"This conversation seems to be just fine with you talking."
"But if it's only me talking then it'll feel like I'm by myself!"
He regards you with a blank gaze, as if not understanding why you would find that a problem.
"You seem to be talking enough for the both of us anyways," he quips.
Heat lightly pricks your cheeks as you recall your endless chitchat just a moment ago. A small wave of embarrassment washes over you.
"Ah- well, if you said you had a problem with it then I would've stopped..."
Your words die in your throat as you trail off. You stare apologetically at Sieun, wondering whether you had genuinely annoyed him with your dialogue.
After a momentary silence, he mutters, "it's fine. I didn't have any problem with it."
You smile at this. When you recall your past interactions, you realize that Sieun has a pattern of responding to your every action with reluctance, but still going along with whatever you say despite his hesitation.
-
"We're here!"
You excitedly extend an arm, motioning at the entrance of the diner as your eyes flicker back to Sieun, waiting for his reaction.
He's neither surprised nor excited as he fixes the neon words branded at the restaurant entrance with uninterested eyes.
"It looks like an ordinary restaurant, but it really is a hidden gem!"
Your own eagerness makes up of Sieun's lack of. You softly tug on the sleeve of his grey cotton jacket as you lead him through the door. A jingle resonates through the restaurant and the two of you are quickly guided to a table by the window.
Fluorescent lights illuminate your surroundings. The rhythm of clattering china and clinking utensils rings throughout the room.
You quickly take a seat at the wooden table and Sieun pulls out the chair across from you. A waiter hands you each a menu and you quickly thank him before turning your full attention to the 4-page gallery of delicacies before you.
You marvel at all the possibilities to choose from.
You're enraptured in your own indecisiveness before you remember you're here to treat someone else to dinner. You quickly set the menu down before staring up at Sieun.
"What do you want to eat?"
He gives a brusque shrug. "You can order since this was your idea in the first place."
As if you've been waiting to hear those words, your focus returns to the menu without a second to spare.
"What should I have? Ah..the ssambap is super good but I just had that last time. The tteokbokki here is also good.."
"I know! Jjajangmyeon! I've been wanting some for weeks, what do you say?"
Sieun briefly nods in agreement with your suggestion. You hastily call over the waiter and give him your order as he places two glasses of iced water on your table.
After you order, you turn to Sieun. In an effort to make small talk, you decide to ask a few common ice-breaking questions.
"Are you always studying? Or do you have any hobbies?"
Again, he's staring at you with a neutral expression as he responds.
"Why?"
"Hey, must you always question everything I say to you? I just want to know more about you, you know."
He hesitates for a moment and you chuckle at his next word.
"...Why?" he asks, true to his character.
You laugh into your sigh, "we're classmates so I want to know more about you, okay?"
"By the way, do you have any friends at school? I'm curious about what sort of people you would hang out with."
He stays silent and continues to hold his eye contact with you, but you watch his expression harden ever so slightly. Afraid that you may have trampled on a sensitive subject, you quickly avert the conversation by peppering him with different questions.
Maybe he doesn't have any friends at school?
"Do you have a favorite color? What about games, do you play any video games?"
You watch Sieun dodge your flurry of inquiries with his unresponsive nature. He lets out an exasperated sigh and it's enough for you to understand that he doesn't plan to answer you.
"How long have you been going to our cram school?" you try.
He pauses for a second, "10 months."
"Oh, really? I've started coming here since a long time ago. I think this is my fourth year, but I only recently moved up to the more advanced class."
He nods at your words.
You continue, "seriously, the advanced class pacing is totally different from the normal level. It's so hard to keep up with.."
"If you don't have the skills to handle it, then don't take the advanced class."
You stifle any reaction to his blunt words, knowing he didn't mean for it to sound offensive. At this point, you finally started getting used to the way Sieun talks.
His cold demeanor is strangely charismatic.
"Well, in order for us to get into any decent university, unfortunately, this is the pace we're expected to learn at."
"Supplementary lessons are supposed to help you learn. It's all a waste if you can't keep up with them."
You nod in agreement.
"You're right, of course, but the advanced lessons are the pace I'm working towards. My plan was to reach it and get used to it by the middle of the semester, but I'm barely prepared for my midterm exams, let alone good enough to follow along with the advanced lessons.."
"So?"
You glance up at him, "well, i was thinking and...would you consider tutoring me? I've taken a look based on what you've shown me so far in class, and you definitely know your stuff. I've never seen someone who's as good at theorem application as you are.."
Sieun looks like he's about to refuse you, but before he can open his mouth to deny your offer, you continue, "I promise it won't take up too much of your time. Just a few days per week, when we don't have cram school. I'll even pay you!"
"There's not much in it for me," he supplies.
"I said I'll pay you!"
"...do I look like I'm that desperate for the money?"
"T-then..." you stammer as you rack your head for anything more you could offer him.
"I know! How about we register this under an official non-profit tutoring organization, that way when you tutor me, it'll count as community service hours. It'll benefit you too, you know. You can add it to your transcript!"
"Colleges, especially prestigious ones overseas, care about these things a lot. It's a win-win situation," you add.
Sieun's eyes are locked on the glass of water before him. With the way his eyebrows furrow, you could tell he's noticeably considering your offer now.
"Seriously, please. I'm sure you spend a lot of time studying to maintain your grades, so tutoring would be the perfect opportunity to add something extra to your record. You'll have more to show off other than your perfect academics, and you'll seriously be helping me a lot."
His eyes meets yours and he nods -- hesitantly at first, but with more assurance as he continues thinking about his decision.
"Okay," he says simply. "We can set up a meeting place and schedule, and discuss the details of the organization later on."
"You agree to tutor me?"
"I do, but if I find that you're wasting my time, then-"
You cut him off as you excitedly lean forward on the two-person table. The empty plates and cups of water slightly tremble with the momentum of your weight.
"Thank you so much! You won't regret it!"
Relief settles into you as you realize you won't have to desperately search for a tutor anymore. Especially because you needed to find one in such a narrow time frame.
You lower yourself back into your seat as the dinner you ordered is served. A waiter places two bowls of jjajangmyeon on the table with an array of side dishes. You pick up the pair of chopsticks next to your hand and start to mix the black bean sauce into your noodles.
Sieun mimics your actions and you turn to him as you watch him take a bite. He doesn't say anything, but his expression softens and his eyes almost twinkle.
"How is it?"
"It's...good," he speaks these words softly and slowly.
His unexpected honesty is enough to draw out a smile from you. Something about the fact that it was Sieun showing his rare approval, and not anyone else, made it a lot more valuable.
"I told you!"
You continue to eat, sampling a few of the side dishes as well.
Suddenly, you notice a flyer taped to the window. As you carefully peel it off the glass, you scan the print.
They're looking for someone to hire? Maybe I'll try asking again after midterms, when I have more time. I should ask the owner about this, one of these days.
Your eyes land on a middle-aged man currently standing at the counter of the restaurant. You watch as he gives his regards to a family of 4. After he bows and wishes them goodbye, he catches you and Sieun from across the room.
He starts walking over with a kind grin on his face as he greets you with a hearty voice, "Y/N! It's been a while since I've seen you."
You hold out your hand to shake his.
"I've been a bit busy with schoolwork lately," you sigh and smile, "I'll come back more often once I'm done with my exams though!"
"By the way, are you looking for more people to hire?"
He nods at your words, "yeah, we are. Currently, we only have 3 people including me to wait. However, one of them is a student so he can only work in the afternoon, and he usually takes care of deliveries."
You listen attentively to what he's saying as he expresses his concerns.
"Back then, this amount of staff was fine, but now, the restaurant is getting a lot more popular."
"It's nice to see this place getting more attention!"
"Indeed," he agrees, "but now, we need more people to keep up."
"Well, although I'm also a student, I was thinking I could apply and help out in the afternoons starting from next month. That's after my exams."
He chuckles, "good to hear it!"
He glances to his right, noticing Sieun. And who's this?" The restaurant owner turns to Sieun and gives him a smile, "I'm Mr. Go, I own this little place!"
"Is this your boyfriend?"
You give an awkward sort of laugh, despite already being accustomed to Mr. Go's nature of asking such questions.
"No, he's just a classmate from cram school."
"For now," Mr. Go adds. "You come here very often, but you hardly ever bring anyone with you. I'm starting to suspect there's a little something else going on."
"You sound like my dad. And my friends and their theories," you shake your head.
Mr. Go shrugs, "I have a pretty good sense for these kinds of things. Anyways, I'll stop bothering you kids now." He quickly rushes back to the counter to greet a couple waiting at the front of the restaurant.
"He totally acts like my dad, but he's nice to talk to since my parents are currently gone," you comment to Sieun, not caring too much about whether or not he's listening.
"Oh, by the way, give me your phone."
You can tell Sieun is about to shoot another "why?" at you, so before he has to, you say, "just do it."
He hands you his phone and you type your number in, saving it with your name.
"This is my number. You can call it or text it whenever to set up a meeting date."
You hand the phone back to him, but your fingertips slightly brush against his. You flinch at the touch and flush. Normally, you wouldn't react to such a trivial detail, but Mr. Go's comment from earlier still lingered in your head.
"Oh, I'm sorry," you start, but Sieun cuts you off before you say more.
"There's no need to apologize," he replies calmly.
"R-right."
As he takes back his phone, you notice a flash on the screen and you peek at it before letting out a small gasp.
"It's 9 pm already?!"
Words jumbling out of your mouth, you apologize to Sieun for taking up so much of his time. You then quickly grab your bag to search for your wallet in a panic at how late it was.
As you fumble through the trinkets in your backpack, Sieun stands up and turns to leave.
"Thank you for the meal," he nods, as he walks away from the table.
You beam, "you're welcome! Save my number and get home safe."
After Sieun's footsteps grow fainter from your table, you find yourself still looking for your wallet.
"I can't find the damn thing, where the hell is it?!"
After another 2 minutes of scrabbling through your bag, you groan in exasperation at the very likely possibility that you left your wallet at home this morning. You're still flipping through your items as you towards the restaurant door.
As you reach the marble counter where Mr. Go is standing at, you begin to stammer, "I'm really sorry, I think I forgot my wallet. I can go home right now to get it and come right back- I-"
Mr. Go waves a hand in front of you, making you pause your length explanation.
"No need to worry about the payment, the boy you were with earlier already paid for everything when he left" he says.
Your eyes widen at his words.
"Really? Are you sure?"
Mr. Go nods.
"How much was it?"
"He paid 40,000 won."
You look towards the door as you make a mental note of the amount in your head, still trying to process his words.
"Why would he-..I was the one who was supposed to treat him?"
"I suppose he saw you looking for your wallet and knew you probably forgot it."
Mr. Go smiles, "I think this just further affirms my suspicions. I really do have a sense for these things."
He waves at you as you exit the restaurant. You stagger away feeling a bit in awe of Sieun's unexpected gesture.
I'll pay him back next time.
Once again, he manages to surprise you.
-
A/N: sorry for disappearing for like 15 days i was out on a trip and didn't have any wifi. here's 2x longer chapter as an apology