The lunch was superb. Fresh seafood linguine with a crisp salad. A perfect lunch for a perfect fine day with someone VERY special. On top of that, Jazz music playing on the background gave the whole place a right ambience.

We talked a lot about ourselves. Our studies, things you’d like to do on your free time and even about her modelling work. Sure, it was nothing deep but casual, a type of conversation with someone you just met. But to get know Minju in an ordinal way by having a flowing conversation was the most unexpected, surreal thing that had happened in my life. 

I gazed at my loving date dreamingly. It was even mesmerising to see the way she used her cutlery so gracefully. Falling under her enchanting spell, those simple trite items looked a classy silverware in her lithe hands.

Her face lifted from her plate and looked at me coyly, her hands resting the cutlery on the plate. Caught staring again. That recognition made my cheeks burn.

“U-uh, so yeah the game! We couldn’t go through earlier, You wanna do it now?”

I tried to hide my embarrassment by rediarecting her, a sheepish smile still plastered on my face. She nodded eagerly and placed her phone on the table, pushing her dish aside to make a sufficient space to work on. Her finger tapped the screen and the wallpaper flickered.

I knew that I was getting delusional lately when Minju is involved but were my eyes this delusional?

Because for a brief moment, I opined that I caught a glimpse of familiar person on there. A very familiar person at that. I spoke in confusion.

“Was tha-“Ahhh, wait! I-I’m gonna get the game ready!”

Minju swiftly snatched her phone and swiped it frantically. She looked very troubled.

After a few moments, she set her phone back on the table, flashing her cute smile that never failed to leave me swoon. I pushed back my delusional thought back to the back of my skull as she started explaining the things she had difficulties with with her lovely voice. Her voice had an effect to send me into a state of delirium. I tried not to get distracted too much so I could stay focused on our conversation properly.

We were pretty much engaged in my game tutorial for what it felt like an eon of time, but in fact almost an hour  had passed already. The whole time, her eyes were casted on her phone, listening to me attentively with occasional questions. 

She was so close to me as we both peering at the phone, our foreheads nearly touching one another. I couldn’t help but cast an occasional glance at her secretly again, wondering how her eyes looked so much like a shimmering crescent moon framed by ebony outlines when downwarded. The way her raven curled lushes fluttered and brushed her cheeks softly, the way she bit her rosy lip oh so lightly and turned it into slight pale. The way she chimed and reassured me by nodding attentively.
My ears muted the bustle of the cafe and all I could hear was the shuffles of her faint movements and her gentle breathing. Her plump lips went ajar as to whisper a blessing. My eyes trailed and registered every little detail of her motion rather than the busy cafe. Her beautiful face rose and our eyes met again. My mind was still processing her enthralling beauty when she smiled bashfully and cleared , slightly averting her gaze from me. She murmured.

“Uh, you are kind of embarrassing me with your staring.".

“O -oh, I -I’m sorry! I just couldn’t take my eyes off you”.

I stammered out my apology at my open bluntness. A tint of pastel pink flushed on her cheeks and made me realise what I absentmindedly just blurted out.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it! I mean, I meant it but there’s no ulterior motives, honestly! You are just too beautiful to look away!” 

My mouth ran by itself and her face turned into a bright red this time. There I did it again! I so wanted to whack my head at openly flirting with her by throwing such cheesy pick up lines (and a lie! I’ve gotten a dozen of motives!). I scratched my head roughly and tried to change the subject in fluster to clear the awkwardness in the air. She followed my lead eagerly.

“W-what were you saying by the way?”

“U-uh yeah, I was just wondering what you were talking about with Yiren and Chaewon unnie earlier”

Her voice still contained a hint of flusterness. Her eyes quickly travelled across the cafe and reached to the table where our friends were seated. I could see them laughing even from our table. 

The strange antics of my friends earlier flashed back to my mind and reminded me of the uneasiness I felt once again. I grimaced and shook my head to shake off the sense of foreboding as I was aware that I was getting paranoid lately. Pushing an incoming headache aside, I recalled our dumb deep breathing exercise. A dry laugh escaped from my lips.

“Nothing special. Yiren just mentioned that you were called by one of the teachers”

“That’s all?”

She uttered carefully studied my face intently (and oh my god! Her intense gaze would kill me someday!), leaving a mild frown on my face.

“Yeah, is there anything you wanted to us to talk or…?”

“Oh no no! I didn’t mean like that. Please forget I asked”

She quickly added and turned her face to look outside - a peaceful school campus through the windows. She looked conflicted, definitely not her usual self.  An awareness was downing on me giving our circumstance. I glanced around us. 

The lunch break is already passed and only a few tables were occupied. Luckily, we both didn’t have any classes to attend right after but the cafe looked a little vacant and quiet all of sudden. Maybe our lunch took too long and she started feeling tired or .. bored yet unable to mention that because of her polite, gentle nature. 
I really should let her go.

My shoulder slumped at the thought of wrapping up our first date. My eyes lingered on Minju in melancholy. 

The afternoon sun was kissing her flawless skin, her seemingly concerned side profile looked so ephemeral. My heart ached by just looking at her. 

I squeezed my eyes shut and took several deep breaths. The rules said that I should give her space and not pressure her into a second date. Well, screw that.

I had to ask her. I needed to ask her out again here and then. My cowardice and all the agitation, fear of being rejected dissipated after this irreplaceable time with her. There’s no way that I’d just give a casual good-bye and walk away from her without knowing if I would ever see her again like this. I couldn’t bear the thought of not able to talk to her anymore.

“Mi-”Sakura unnie”

Coincidentally we spoke at the same time. I gestured her to speak first. She looked nervous though cleared .

“Uh, I was wondering if you were still free after. Do you want to grab coffee somewhere?"

My eyes anchored on her and my whole body stopped moving all together. Did Minju just ask me out for coffee or were my ears also that delusional?!

“I found a nice cafe nearby and they have Japanese pastries!”

Quickly, she added up with tone of nervousness. Her eyes roamed around as if there’s no safe spot to lay on. I remained frozen. I was lost and wasn’t even certain if it was happening for real. Silence veiled opon us and the air between us had suddenly gotten thicker.

“Only if you’d like, of course”

Her voice trailed off timidly. She looked