Lunch Date (3)
Walking slowly is really tough. It's a total waste of time. Time leaking away. Think about it—why drag out a five-minute walk into ten or fifteen minutes? To enjoy the scenery? Just watch it on YouTube. Search for high-def backgrounds, and you'll get something way prettier. To chat? Do that inside. So, am I complaining right now? No way! Absolutely not. I'm just lost in my own delusions. Definitely. It's got nothing to do with watching Maru's footsteps. Definitely not. Definitely, definitely not.
"Aigoo. What a shame."
"Yeah... if we'd been just a little faster."
The traffic light just changed. If we'd picked up the pace by five seconds, we could've made it. So close!
"See that over there?"
Maru points to the left with her finger.
"Yeah, I see it."
"If we go into that alley, we'll be there. We're almost at the place."
"Ah... yeah! Finally."
"Even walking slow, we got here quick, right? No need to rush~"
"Ah... y-yes."
"The light changes fast too. See? It's about to... not yet."
I just stared at the signal.
"Go! Hurry, go!"
Finally!
"Okay... we wouldn't be late even walking slow..."
"Hurry and grab a seat! Let's sit down quick."
"...Got it."
We set off right away. I thought it was close, but it was farther than expected. I figured we'd pop out after the alley, but we kept walking.
"Your editor's edits are amazing."
"I've been watching. She does a great job."
"Views are climbing right now."
"Impressive."
"Thank you. Hope they go way up."
"They definitely will."
The talk flowed light and casual rather than deep and sincere. All our conversations skimmed the surface like that.
"Here it is. Right here."
"Ramen place..."
We arrived while chatting. It was a ramen shop. Not instant noodles—proper Japanese ramen. Looks delicious. So delicious. I just gulped down my saliva.
"When's it coming?"
I wanna eat already. I'm so excited. I love ramen. Really love it.
"It'll come if we wait."
"How long we been waiting?"
"Like ten minutes?"
"Should be ready by now. Ramen takes three minutes."
"Ahahaha. It's not cup ramen~"
"Dang..."
I fiddled with my chopsticks and waited. The ramen smell made my stomach growl.
"When's it coming?"
"It's only been ten seconds since you last asked."
"Ah... dang."
Time's crawling. I kept glancing at my chopsticks, Maru, and the side. Hunger makes you do weird stuff. Maru was grinning ear to ear.
"What's up?"
"Huh? Nothing."
"Think of something funny?"
"Uh... maybe?"
"Aha...!"
I dropped my head again. So hungry.
"Whoa, you're starving, huh?"
"Gasp! How'd you know?"
I jerked my head up in shock. How? I was super hungry. Skipped breakfast, it's around 3 PM... prime hunger time. Did she hack my biorhythm?
"It's all over your face. I'm so hungry~ When's the food coming~"
"For real?"
I pinched my cheek to check.
"Yup~"
"Whoa."
Suddenly embarrassed. How'd she catch me? Amazing.
"Ehehehe. Pretty obvious, right? So, where to after we eat?"
"After eating... uh... no idea!?"
"Where we going today?"
"Uh..."
I hadn't even thought about it. I just came to eat. What after food? Amusement park again? Already did all the rides. What then?
"Movie theater?"
No, no. Movies suck. Staring at a screen for three hours is torture. I skip through YouTube—full movie would kill me.
"No way. Too hard."
"What's hard?"
"Focusing. It's... exhausting."
"Oh? I get it. Okay then, where to?"
"Eung... dunno."
Too tough. Just pick for me. Why make me decide?
"We gotta go somewhere. We made time to meet—eating and splitting feels lame, right?"
"Mm..."
Honestly, I don't care. I came for good food. Nothing else. I'll follow wherever.
"What about a PC bang?"
"PC bang?"
Whoa, haven't heard that in forever. Went once in first year of high school. Never since. Wild.
"Whoa, been ages since I heard that. PC bangs are awesome. You been? It's for hanging with PC bang buddies, right?"
"Uh... yeah... sure."
Maru looked super flustered. Why? PC bangs are fun. What game we play? Just us two—what's there to do? PC bangs need games with benefits. That's the point. These days everyone's got good PCs and Discord at home anyway.
"PC bang later..."
"Why?"
"Just... suddenly feeling the age gap."
"Eung? Got it!"
Her voice lost energy. Wonder why the mood shift...?
"Ramen's here!"
The ramen arrived. I ordered tonkotsu. Had it once before.
"Itadakimasu...!"
...So good. Devoured it.
But disaster struck. I eat fast. Slurp it down. Maru eats slow. By the time I finished, she hadn't even hit halfway. Is it her girl power...? She loads noodles slow, chews deliberately.
Nothing to do now. Rude to phone while someone's eating. So I stared at Maru. She flinched, looked up.
"Want some? Or order more?"
"I'm full."
"Ah... okay."
What's making her uncomfortable? She takes a bite, glances at me.
"Uh... want some?"
"No! I'm really full."
"Ah... okay."
Ah, my bad manners. I finished too quick...!
"Don't mind me!"
"Ah... okay."
Maru eats so ladylike. Spoon's fine. But she tilts her head down, brushes side hair behind ear. Slides spoon in slow. Chews, looks up at me.
"Uh..."
"Don't mind me! I'm not hungry, don't want anything...!"
So considerate. Keeps looking.
Yujin struggled the whole meal. Felt the silent pressure. Sena's constant stare made breathing hard.
"All done."
"Yeah... mine was good too!"
"Shall we go?"
"Yep!"
Out came Yujin and Sena. Sena fidgeted, shivering.
"What's wrong?"
"Cold..."
"Suddenly chilly."
Sudden cold gust—Sena shivered hard.
"Gotta buy clothes now. Rocket delivery today."
Yujin eyed Sena's outfit. Up close, it was kinda lacking.
"Eh? Yeah, good idea. Let's shop together?"
"Me? Why?"
"I'll pick for you."
"Eung... but... y-yes... rocket delivery's cheap and..."
"No, I'll buy. I'll buy it. Okay?"
"Then... sure."
If she's buying, no refusing. Sena nods. They reach a nearby clothing store. Sena immediately checks price tags.
"1... 140,000 won? Am I seeing wrong? Destructive prices! Half a ceiling. Whoa!"
Shocked, sets tag down. Wrong store. Big mistake.
But Yujin ignores, pulls clothes, holds to Sena's frame.
"Um... Maru? This..."
"What? Picked something? Which?"
"Look at this... this."
Sena frowns, flips tag. Hoped for shared shock.
"See... the price. It's bugged. Bugged."
"Nah, it's fine. Normal price."
But Yujin's casual vibe—Sena covers mouth, whispers.
"No... look again. Price is... way off. Bugged."
"~It's always like that. Clothes are pricey~. Fine, really. Pick what you want."
"No... it's actually bugged."
"This is cute."
Price aside, the clothes terrified Sena. World-ending fit. Turtleneck knit. Itchy neck—top 5 worst to wear. Fine, concede a hundred times. Conceded. But why a skirt bottom? Plaid skirt... winter's coming? No clue? Too shocking—short of breath.
"No... no... can't... emergency..."
"Like this: sweater first, skirt over. Can't cover skirt with knit. Got it? Try it on?"
"Uh... no... emergency."
"Huh? What's the emergency?"
"Well... you know."
"Don't like it?"
"No... no..."
"Then try it? I'll pick more."
"Hing."
Sena pouts, takes the hanger.