Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Her Scheme
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The original plan to just buy a cup of coffee shifted a little, and we ended up deciding to have lunch together.
I'd skipped lunch myself due to pre-meeting nerves, and Seoha noona hadn't eaten either, since she'd planned to grab a bite with an acquaintance.
"This place looks pretty upscale."
"I drop by occasionally when I'm in the neighborhood. Sound good?"
The Italian restaurant we ended up at didn't look like your average spot at first glance. Even the entrance screamed, 'We're expensive.'
Still, I'd been making decent money lately with no real expenses, so I figured I'd treat noona to a proper meal no matter the cost. I followed her inside with that in mind.
We found a suitable table and sat down. The waiter brought water and menus right away, and we placed our orders without delay.
"So, how'd the meeting go?"
"Pretty good. They seemed more positive about me than I'd expected."
I took a gulp of ice-cold water, and as noona rested her chin on her interlaced hands with a faint smile, I grinned back at her.
Her lips curved into an even deeper smile, and she let out a relieved sigh. I'd mentioned the meeting beforehand, so she'd probably been worried deep down.
"Really? That's great. If they'd been the type with no eye for talent, I would've..."
"...Huh?"
Very... what?
Her voice had spiked with sudden agitation, catching me off guard and making me blurt out something dumb. Only then did noona realize her slip, her face shifting to an oh no expression as she hurriedly backpedaled.
"Ah, no. I just meant I was worried they wouldn't recognize your true value, Cosmo."
"My true value? I'm not that special."
Like the saying goes, crabs stick up for their own kind. I appreciated noona defending me as a fan, but it was a bit embarrassing too.
I'd never thought of myself as someone worthy of VIP treatment anywhere.
"Tch. In my eyes, you're plenty amazing. So no more of that talk, got it?"
"Got it. I'll watch my words from now on."
"Good, as long as you know."
Noona pouted like she was a little sulky, but she was back to normal in no time. It was another new side of her, feeling surprisingly fresh.
At first, I'd pegged her as this calm, mature, pretty older-sister type. Turns out she had all sorts of hidden layers. People really do reveal their true colors over time.
And amid it all, I could feel how much she genuinely cherished me. It warmed my heart. I doubt I'll ever meet another fan like her in my lifetime.
"Oh, right. No word on that partnership contract? I've seen other streamers mentioning rumors like that on their broadcasts..."
"That's actually what surprised me most. I never expected a partnership offer."
In truth, not many streamers had brought up partnership deals on stream. Just the ones from big corporations whose names rang a bell.
First shock: that I'd gotten one. Second shock: their specific expectations for me.
I'd never imagined a low-tier streamer like me would get that kind of attention.
"Really? I figured you'd land one for sure, Cosmo."
"Me?"
But noona thought the exact opposite. She didn't seem surprised at all, just smiled contentedly.
Her words left me blinking wide-eyed, pointing at myself in disbelief. Seoha noona nodded calmly, like I was asking the obvious.
"Of course. You're my favorite streamer."
"Isn't that a bit biased?"
"So what if it is? I like you."
This noona had a shameless streak I hadn't noticed.
She knew I wasn't asking in that sense, yet she'd shrugged it off, saying she'd expected a partnership deal since she was my top fan.
I was ready to throw my hands up.
"Your orders, sir."
"Ah, thank you."
As we chatted with smiles blooming across our faces, our food started arriving on the table.
We'd ordered individual linguine pastas and aglio e olio, plus ravioli topped with tomato sauce to share.
Ravioli's like Italian dumplings. My first taste was last year when noona visited Korea. Pretty decent stuff.
"If I hadn't driven, we could've had some wine. Too bad. Feel free to have some if you want, Cosmo..."
"Nah, I can't drink alone if you're not. Next time, maybe."
Drinking alone with a woman was high-difficulty for me anyway. It was just a casual remark.
But her eyes lit up at that, and she fixed me with a predatory gaze, like she might devour me whole.
"You mean it?"
"Pardon?"
"You said there'd be a chance to drink together next time. That wasn't just polite talk, was it?"
Her sharp stare pierced right through me, making me flinch and look away on reflex.
Truth be told, it was the standard 'let's grab a meal sometime' line. I hadn't expected her to pounce like that.
If it'd been just dinner, I would've meant it. But booze? That's different. Especially not with a guy friend.
Hell, today was my first time even eating alone with a woman. Mom and sis don't count, obviously.
"Ah... y-yeah, sure."
But admitting the truth would've killed the vibe, so I nodded with effort.
"Hm... good."
She stared me down like lasers were shooting from her eyes, then finally broke into a satisfied smile and dug in.
Whew, that spooked me.
Never pegged Seoha noona as a drinker. Who knew she'd light up like that at the mention of booze? Guess hardcore fans like her are a different breed from a lightweight like me.
"The food here's good, right? The chef's from Italy."
"Ah, that explains why it tastes different from other Italian places."
I'm no foodie, so I couldn't pinpoint what, but it did feel distinct. Hearing this made it click.
Local chef, huh. Figures.
"Right? That's why I like it. Tastes just like what I had in Italy."
"You've traveled abroad a lot too, noona."
"Huh? Oh, y-yeah. A few times, like anyone else, for trips."
She sounded oddly flustered, answering like she was making excuses.
Had I said something wrong? I tilted my head, but she waved it off like it was nothing. Adorably so. Made me envy her boyfriend.
I hadn't heard confirmation, but no way a guy with eyes would let someone this charming slip away.
"Anyway, Cosmo, you eat well. Want more? They have tons of other dishes..."
"No, I'm good. Already stuffed."
The tension of dining alone with a woman had me scarfing it down, but I was maxed out. Portions were bigger than expected too.
"Pffft..."
"Hm? What's up, noona?"
I shoved the last ravioli in my mouth and chewed. Noona, who'd been watching, suddenly burst out laughing.
Thinking she'd seen something funny, I asked with a smile. She grabbed a napkin from beside her and leaned in close. Huh?
Wipe. Wipe.
"That good, huh? Sauce all over your mouth..."
I blanked for a second, not registering what was happening. Then my vision filled with noona's face.
She smiled gently, like a mom wiping her rowdy son's face, dabbing the sauce from my lips. My cheeks burned.
"Y-yeah. Your recommendation hits different."
"Glad you like it. I was worried it might not suit your taste..."
'Well, lunch is done. Shall we?' Noona stood first, grabbing her bag and heading to the counter.
I reached for my wallet in my inner pocket to pay, but she glanced back and gently pushed my arm away.
"Tch, I said I'd get this."
"You already covered coffee last time. Can't let you."
"I paid that back. Let me handle up to here."
She flashed a grin, showing my number saved on her phone, and softly rejected me while pulling out her card.
Ah, come on. A guy's gotta have some pride. Can't mooch twice.
"Noona, really, let me..."
She hadn't swiped yet, so I tried one more time. Noona tapped her finger to her chin, humming thoughtfully.
Her exaggerated gesture seemed to ask, What to do?
"How about this?"
"Huh? What?"
She closed the distance suddenly, startling me into stepping back as I asked.
Meanwhile, noona clasped her hands behind her back, chuckling softly. She'd already gotten the receipt and spoke in a sweet tone.
"Not ready to part ways yet, so buy me a coffee. At your favorite spot."
It was such a perfectly built trap, I wondered if she'd planned it from the start.
All I could do was nod dumbly.
"Hee hee."
She gazed at me with a triumphant smile, like mission accomplished, and sauntered out of the restaurant.