Chapter 172
Why are you out here again...? "What's with you today...?" She was trembling slightly, head still buried without lifting it an inch, to the point where I genuinely worried something else had happened. I hadn't expected simply wiping her mouth to hit her that hard.
Since Yoo Seol-ah showed zero intention of raising her face from my arm, I gazed at her silver hair and spoke up. "What's wrong?"
It was hard for her to put it into words, apparently, because her reply came only after a pause. "No, it's just... why are you being so..."
Yoo Seol-ah paused again, as if carefully picking her words. She seemed a little calmer now, cautiously lifting her head to finish. Peeking through strands of hair, her eyes brimmed with flustered embarrassment. "Why are you being so nice to me today...?"
Hearing that, I couldn't help but be a bit taken aback. ...Had I been that nice today? Sure, we bickered plenty, but when things were good between us, they were really good. Bickering like that only happens when you're close—hands have to clap together to make a sound, after all.
If I had to pinpoint something deliberate, it was the doll gift. But that was circumstantial, and her reaction felt oddly overblown. She'd suggested meeting at the spot like a proper date, so I'd prepped a little something, and she'd done the same. Our meeting story was anything but ordinary, but we were still in the early stages of dating.
"Isn't it the same as usual?"
I asked in earnest, and she nodded—though her expression looked a touch sullen. "Yeah, no, it's not like you don't usually... treat me well or anything..."
Phew. If she'd meant "you slacked off before, so why the sudden upgrade," that would've been creepy. I'd never seen Yoo Seol-ah truly angry, but if that day came, it'd probably terrify me. Right now, her trembling was just adorable, and with her looks, even a childhood prankster vibe wouldn't faze anyone.
"But today feels... kinda... arghhh..."
She couldn't quite articulate it, so maybe it was something only she felt. If I had to nitpick differences, maybe I wanted to pamper her back after the massage she'd set up—out of gratitude. But it wasn't like I'd undergone a personality transplant. We hadn't dated in a while, sure, but for this to set her off like wildfire? Her fuel efficiency was way too good.
Now she couldn't even meet my eyes, which only made me want to tease her more.
"Eat first, anyway. Gotta eat it hot."
Playtime could wait—there's that saying about not messing with a dog while it's eating, and cats deserve the same courtesy. Whether she was fully glitched out or not, she flinched even at that casual line, but food was still the best way to handle Yoo Seol-ah.
Unlike before, she now brought the burger to her mouth with exaggerated care. Earlier, she'd devoured it so heartily it filled me up just watching; now, she seemed hyper-aware of every bite. "Mmm, this is so good..."
But between us, she wouldn't suddenly worry about "eating daintily to look cute." Sure, she'd told me right before the date that she didn't need to pretty up for me—but she knew damn well she was gorgeous, and that chowing down suited her perfectly. No need to fake it; she'd figured that out ages ago.
So, only one possibility left. Was she stressing about sauce on her mouth again? It seemed petty, but ever since I'd wiped it earlier, she'd crumbled spectacularly.
Wanting her to eat in peace, I deliberately shifted my gaze to my own burger. Her "delicious" wasn't empty flattery, that much was clear. A hefty handmade patty stuffed with whole shrimp... In my 23+ years, I'd lived by the gospel that burgers must have shrimp, so I bit in with high hopes.
Instantly, the chewy snap of fresh shrimp flooded my mouth, balanced by a fruity-tangy sauce cutting the richness, spiked with just enough heat. ...In a place where rent probably topped ten million won a month, this was the baseline to survive as a restaurant? The salad was pristine, and even the onion rings outclassed any chain's. If I could snag that recipe somehow... Slim chance, but asking Lee Seo-yeon might pan out. Filed that away for later.
I knew she'd been sneaking glances my way the whole time, but I'd vowed not to poke until we finished, so we kept chit-chat light and focused on demolishing the burgers.
"Ugh, so full..."
Of course, no matter how much she packed away, it couldn't top mine. That palm-sized beast had done a number on her. Midway through, her glitch seemed to ease, so for confirmation—and fun—I pointed at her cheek. "Yoo Seol-ah, you got something..."
"I-I got it, I'm fine!"
...Yup, my hunch was spot-on about her cautious nibbling. She snatched a napkin from the table holder, phone in hand to preempt any "let me" from me—probably camera app open, angling to check herself. She'd eaten cleanly this time, no mess. Staring intently, she found nothing and tilted her head in confusion.
"......?"
"Pfft."
I quickly covered my mouth at her puzzled head-tilt, but she caught the stifled laugh, dropping her phone as her face flushed crimson. "Hey!"
Watching her short-circuit was fun, but fired-up Yoo Seol-ah was peak entertainment. At least she didn't glitch when she was pissed.
"What next?"
"Hah."
I knew exactly how to handle huffy Yoo Seol-ah: toss a serious topic, and she'd pivot to pondering it with me, despite knowing the ploy. If we'd just come for food, home was fine—but since it was a date, why not explore?
"There's a popular tarot spot nearby. Wanna check it out? Or anywhere else—tons of options here."
Mentioning alternatives wasn't just politeness; I wasn't big on MBTI quizzes (first time was with her, via some online thing), and tarot wasn't my jam either. But as a date activity with her? Perfect. Romance readings? Her reactions alone would be gold. I led with tarot for a reason, too.
I stood to pay. "Let's do tarot. Should be fun."
"Yeah."
A faint smile—she'd clearly wanted to. Outside, I asked, "Where to? Inside the building?"
"Yeah, I think...? I figured it'd be some container setup..."
Tarot or fortunes rarely needed space, so pop-ups were common. In this rent-hell? Impressive if they pulled it off.
But dates demanded one thing. I extended my hand slightly. I'd teased earlier, but I wanted this one smooth sailing.
"Oh..."
Her eyes spun again—glitch incoming—but moments later, she quietly took my hand.
Map in hand, we strolled until a vintage wooden sign caught us: Moira. Pushing the door revealed not a booth, but a full cafe. Quirky decor, sure, but packed with people and a proper menu.
At the counter, I asked about tarot. The staff beamed. "Oh, yes! Ours is in the back—we read for anyone who wants. Our team's pros at it, super popular. I'm a newbie, though, so..."
Separate room, huh. And all staff tarot-savvy? Hiring perk?
The cheerful newbie giggled at our faces, adding, "Boss teaches us all as a welfare thing! Oh, boss!"
She smiled toward a side door. We followed suit, and I locked eyes with the owner.
"......"
"......W-Welcome..."
Yoo Seol-ah, still blushing from hand-holding, gaped too. Pro move, greeting through the shock. Sleek black bob, precisely cut; voice soft and memorable despite the tremor.
...From stargazing to tarot now, huh.
"Friends of the boss...?"
The newbie sensed the awkward vibe, flustered. ...Kidnapping vibes would've been weirder if it was just us.
After a solid 30-second freeze, Yoo Seol-ah finally spoke. "Ruwe—"
"C'mon, this way first."
...Yoo Seol-ah, that excited to nickname-drop in her workplace? Staff clearly revered her. Privacy matters, girl.