"Seriously? Anagrams?"
I looked around me, wondering if I'd misjudged how loudly Sehun had asked the question. Nope. Even Phone Lady, at a table a few feet away, had given us her attention, briefly pausing her own high-volume conversation.
"Yes," I said in a whisper, like this would compensate. "Aggressive ones. It was assassin."
"Whoa." The line inched forward, slowly. Lately, the coffee order had become Sehun's job, but with Jeon Somin and her mother back for yet another meeting, it was that much more important, so I'd come along for backup. "So I'm guessing the night did not end with a hot make-out session."
"No," I said flatly. "He barely spoke to me the whole dinner, actually. But then he asked for my number, which was weird."
"Why?"
"Why did he asked for my number?"
"No," he said, "I know that. You're a hot girl and he loves weird games. What I'm wondering is why you think it's weird."
I barely had time to process being referred to as "hot," which was a first, before answering. "Why would he want to see me again if he had no interest in me when I was right in front of him?"
"Well, I wasn't there," he replied as the line moved up a little, "but if I was a betting man, I'd say he had no idea you didn't have a good time."
"I think it was pretty obvious."
"Maybe to you. But some people - guys in particular - are oblivious. It's what makes dating so easy when you aren't that way. It's like having a secret power."
From behind me, I now heard Phone Lady talking about vet bills and robbery. "And that's you," I guessed. "Superman."
"No," he said, pushing aside his strand out of his face. "But the bottom line is, all anyone really wants from another person is their attention. It's so easy to give and counts for so much. It's stupid not to do it."
Hearing this, I thought about the times I'd seen Sehun leaning into a girl while she talked, his interest rapt and evident. Starting with that first night in the parking lot of the club when he was AWOL for his mother's wedding, all the way up to . . . well, moments earlier, when he'd made Hongjoo, one of the stationary store owners, blush when he complimented her dress. Would I have felt differently the night before if between word games Hyungsik had focused entirely on me? I couldn't say. But it wouldn't have hurt.
"I think I'm going to win this bet," I announced as we moved up the line. "If you give attention to every female you meet, there's no way you'll be able to keep a girlfriend."
"There's nothing wrong with attention," he said easily. "I just can't openly flirt. Luckily, I know the difference."
I turned, facing him. "Does this mean you've already met someone with possible life-partner potential?"
I was pretty sure he winced at the last part, but he recovered quickly. "First of all, my life is not seven weeks. Or at least I hope it isn't. Second, finding one person to be with for that time isn't as easy as a dinner date. It takes time and focus."
"Or," I countered, "you could just take the first girl you would have that one perfect first night and see if she can go the distance."
"True," he replied. "But the only girl I met last night was a total train wreck. I basically had to doge out of the back door of a club and walk. Long story."
"Was this before or after you gave her your full attention?"
He ignored this, instead moving up to the register, where he'd finally arrived. The same guy from before was behind the counter, in red-and-white plaid this time. "Long time no see," he said, giving me a nod. "Where've you been?"
"She's dating everyone," Sehun told him. "It keeps a girl busy."
I blushed instantly, then cleared my throat. "I have someone else to do the coffee run now," I said, nodding at Sehun. "Except on special occasions."
"Special," he repeated, giving me a smile. "Sounds complicated. Hit me."
"Okay," I said, then read it out to him: my mom and Wooyoung's regulars - I was getting her the extra shot she requested, as she was clearly tired - plus two very complicated whip-free and sugar-subsitute drinks for the Jeons. "Plus four waters, no ice, extra lemon."
"Child's play," he told me as he turned to the expresso machine, banging cups and pouring milk. "I thought you said this was hard."
"Oh," I said. "Well, next time I'll be sure to be more challenging."
He looked back at me, smiling again. "You do that."
I laughed, then reached into my pocket for the cash I'd grabbed for the order. Once I pulled it out, I realized Sehun was looking at me, one brow raised. "What?" I said.
"Who's giving full attention now?" he asked, just as the steam starting hissing.
"I'm placing an order," I told him.
"If that's what we're calling it," he replied.
"I believe we're talking about you," I said. "As in, you need to get cracking. Seven weeks is ticking past and you don't want to get disqualified. You better find a lifer, stat."
"It's been one day," he said. "You just have to worry about yourself."
"I'm not worried. I have Gayeon. She's been wanting me to date for months. She can't wait to set me up."
"Oh, right. And her taste is impeccable. Elf and Anagram. Sounds like a Christmas show."
The barista came back to the counter, sliding four waters across to me. As I grabbed a drink carrier and started loading it, he said, "Sorry to eavesdrop, but it's an occupational hazard. Did I hear you guys betting on dates?"
"It was her idea," Sehun said. "And I'm very competitive."
"Shut up." I felt myself blush again. To barista I said, "It's just a stupid thing. I need to date more and him less. We're seeing if we can do it."
"I can totally do it," Sehun added. "Her, I'm not so sure."
"Date more?" the barista said to me, ignoring this. "I can't imagine you'd have a lack of offers."
Now I was definitely blushing. Why had I come for coffees? Even an idiot could read off a list. I said, "Well . . . it's complicated. I guess."
He looked at me for a second, half-smiling, then turned back to the machine. Again, I could feel Sehun watching me."
"She likes a man in plaid," he said eventually, under his breath. "Noted."
"Please shut up," I whispered back. Then I concentrated on listening to Phone Lady, now going on about her first husband, until our drinks were done and barista brought them to the counter and rang us up.
"21290 won," he said. I slid the cash in my hand across to him, then filled another drink carrier, handing it to Sehun. After I collected my change, he grabbed a napkin and wrote something on the back, then handed it over as well. "Well, if you need any help with the bet, let me know. I'm competitive, too."
I looked down at the napkin: KYUNGSOO, it said, with a number underneath. "Um . . . okay."
"I protest," Sehun said. "The rule about the dating bet is you don't talk to dates about the bet."
"We never made that rule," I told him.
"I'm making it now."
Someone cleared their throat behind us. "Let's go," I said, then looked at Kyungsoo. "Thanks."
"No problem," he said, then smiled at the next customer who stepped up, already giving their order. As we walked past the remaining line, I felt clumsy, so thrown off by what just happened that I had to steady the drink carrier with my other hand. When I was with Elf, Anagram, and any of the other boys Gayeon had dragged me out with, I'd just felt like I was going through the motions, holding up my end of the bargain I didn't really even remember agreeing to. But this, an unexpected boy taking me by surprise, was both different and familiar at the same time.
"Attention," Sehun announced, as he pushed the door open for me. Stepping through, I heard Phone Lady still talking, and wondered if she ever got tired of her own voice. "Like I said, it means everything."
Everything was a lot to take in, though, when you had gotten used to nothing. I needed supplements: a few somethings, maybe anything first. I looked down at the napkin, which I realized I was holding in my hand, the neat handwriting, the number in blue ink. If I texted now, how would he respond? If we spoke, what would his voice sound like on the other end? Again, too familiar. I slid it into my pocket, and tried to do what I do best, and forget.