#43 - Christmas with Na-eun (5): Fun at the Manga Cafe Comes to an End
We'd had a blast at the Manga Cafe with Na-eun, but all good things must come to an end.
"Ughhh~ Oppa, should we head out now?"
Na-eun, who'd been lounging around reading manga, got up from her seat and stretched her arms high above her head.
She looked just like a cat arching her back, her body incredibly flexible.
"Whoa, you're pretty flexible."
"Hehe~ I am! And I'm good at sports too!"
The moment she bragged about her athleticism, a perfect tease popped into my head.
"Weren't you super out of shape when we went jogging together in the spring?"
She shot me a quick glare and started grumbling.
"That's because you run too fast. And comparing your stamina to a fragile high school girl's when you were in the army until just recently? That's pretty mean, isn't it?"
"I was going pretty slow, considering I was being nice about it."
"Then your 'nice' was all wrong!"
She said that, but she didn't seem genuinely upset or sulky. If anything, it felt like we were just playfully bickering, enjoying the back-and-forth.
"Alright, let's go then."
"Okay! Oppa, for our last stop, let's grab dinner!"
"What do you want for dinner?"
"Hmm~ Pizza sounds good."
Pizza—excellent choice. Perfect portion for two, and these days they have tons of discounts.
"Know any good pizza spots?"
"There are a bunch around here, but really only one comes to mind."
"Yeah, true."
It might sound cryptic to others, but Na-eun and I grew up in this neighborhood our whole lives. We knew exactly what I meant.
"Last stop, that place?"
"Yes! Sounds great!"
"Eat in at the shop, right?"
"That'd be nice, but... I kinda want to eat somewhere cozy indoors."
I knew exactly what she meant by "cozy indoors."
"My place? Or yours?"
"No one's home at my place right now. No one to steal our pizza!"
That hit me with a weird thought. Alone in an empty house with a high school girl? Something about it felt... risky. The idea flashed through my mind unbidden.
"...Let's just eat at the shop."
"Ehh... come to my place."
"Nah, shop's fine. It's spacious and warm."
"But we can't relax as much there."
"Later, we'll do it later."
I threw out that empty promise hoping to curb her enthusiasm, and luckily, she backed down.
"...Fine, but promise."
"Promise?"
"Yeah, promise. We have to eat pizza together later. At someone's house."
She held out her pinky, looking at me expectantly, so I hooked mine with hers.
"Deal, promise."
Our pinkies locked in a ring, and her small, soft one slipped away from mine smoothly.
"Oppa, now let's really go get that pizza! I'm starving."
"You just lay around reading comics, and now you're hungry?"
"Of course! Reading takes tons of energy. That's why you made me exercise, right?"
"We stopped around summer, though."
"You blocked my summer workouts! 'No exercising in this heat,' you said!"
She mimicked my tone adorably as I led her out of the Manga Cafe.
And we headed to the oldest pizza joint in the neighborhood—one we knew all too well.
*
"Welcome~ Party of two?"
"Yes, two."
"Right this way~"
The part-timer guided us to a window seat.
Once there, Na-eun shed her coat and scarf, then stretched again.
"Ahh~ So warm...."
"Right?"
"Yeah, definitely toasty inside."
"Told you it's comfy here."
"...Yeah, okay, it is."
She had to admit it. This place had the longest history in the neighborhood, and we'd both been here plenty of times.
"Na-eun, when were you here last?"
"Maybe a month ago? Came with friends the weekend after CSAT."
"Gotcha."
"You?"
"I get delivery."
"Whoa, baller."
"Baller?"
"Delivery adds extra fees here."
True, they tack on a delivery surcharge to everything. But oh well.
"It's a 20-minute walk, and honestly, the pizza gets cold outside."
"Microwave fixes that."
"Sure, but still."
"Oppa, wasting money like that isn't good."
Getting nagged by my four-years-younger "little sis" felt oddly fresh.
Not that it bothered me. Her scolding carried genuine concern.
"...I'll get it to go next time."
"Promise?"
"Yeah. Now, orders?"
"Yes! What pizza do you want, Oppa?"
I answered firmly.
"Anything but pineapple."
Na-eun burst into giggles.
"Pineapple pizza sucks, huh?"
"Obviously. That's not pizza."
"Totally agree."
Looks like Na-eun's a pizza connoisseur too. Pineapple doesn't belong on pizza.
She worked the kiosk like a pro and presented options.
"Combination, steak, or potato bacon. Which one?"
Combination's safe, steak's delicious.
But my pick was clear.
"Potato bacon."
Potato bacon it was.
"Huh? Why?"
Simple reason: the description said, "Mild and salty—women love it."
Figured she'd like it more.
"...Just felt like it."
"Okay. One potato bacon, then~ Anything else?"
"Dough should be good, right?"
"Yep."
"Cheese crust and string cheese, plus sweet potato mousse."
"We can add all that?"
"It's good."
She looked surprised but nodded, and we ordered a killer pizza—plus cola.
Luckily, she devoured it.
Enough to say...
"Now that I know this taste, I might never order plain again...."
Na-eun, that's the flavor of capital. An extra 5,000 won over basic.
But damn, it's worth it.
Thanks to Seonwoo Oppa, I ate the most delicious pizza ever.
The sweet potato mousse and cheese crust—stuff I'd never added before—were shockingly good.
But even better was the way Oppa looked at me.
That gaze said he was so pleased watching me eat well.
At first, I felt shy, but seeing that handsome expression made my heart race.
And then...
"Na-eun, you got a little on your mouth."
"Here?"
"No, hold on."
*Wipe wipe*
Just like at lunch, Oppa grabbed a wet wipe and gently cleaned my mouth.
That familiar touch sparked both butterflies and jealousy.
Butterflies from his hand on me, jealousy toward the girl who'd felt this first, until it became routine for her.
These emotions confirmed it once more.
I like Seonwoo Oppa. Irresistibly so.
His pleased smile as I ate, his polite refusal to come home despite my invite, his constant thoughtfulness—my heart pounds every time.
How could such an amazing guy get dumped?
If I go to Jinhan University, she probably won't be there. Oppa's missed a year and a half, so she'd be a senior by now.
What a shame.
I want to stand by his side, showing everyone our real love.
Dating him first, obviously. But I'll make it happen.
Maybe wishful thinking, but I keep imagining myself as his girlfriend.
I just hope it comes true. Desperately.