Pfftt.

Go with what flow?

Moon Chaewon should have known that she was absolute rubbish at being spontaneous. Regret was seeping into her bones but it was all too late now. She had already invited one Lee Joongi over to her place for dinner. 

Her part-time cleaner had just left the house, and the house was thankfully spotless without Chaewon having to lift a finger. She made a mental note to add a little extra to her payment this month considering how last minute this job request was.

Honestly, it was not that Joongi would care about the state of cleanliness at her place - actually, she was quite sure he would not even notice. It was probably more for Chaewon's sake than his, if she was honest with herself. It gave her something to distract herself with.

She huffed loudly, stray strands of her hair fluttering in her exhalation. There was barely anything left to do but she still felt jittery.

Her hands did not stop though. Her fingers continued its repetitive motions, gently removing the yellowed leaves from the pot of Golden Pothos in her guest toilet. 

There was something in Chaewon that wanted to ensure that everything in the house looked perfect. For Joongi. And she was finally allowing herself to acknowledge it, whatever it meant. 

Outside her window, the sun was starting to dip lower into the horizon, painting orange and pink streaks across the darkened sky. It was a balmy day and the neighbourhood birds were chirping their sweet melody. 

It was the perfect sort of evening for Chaewon to relax into, if her nerves would only stay still and stop its tingling under her skin. Tendrils of excitement had crept up her chest gradually across the course of her day, like a vine plant finally given a trellis, and Chaewon was relieved - yes that's the word, relieved - that she could finally allow herself to face her feelings for Joongi.

Not that she was very good at the actual facing of feelings.

Chaewon knew herself well - she would describe herself more as cautious and avoidant. If she could, she would avoid trouble, avoid scandals and any potential heartbreak.

Yet the thought of Joongi back in her home got her excited. She had known it went beyond just platonic interest, had known not just from the heated on-screen intimacy they have shared, but also because this felt very different from her friendship with Kwangsoo, or with Joo Won.

A low bubbling sound on the stove came to her awareness. 

The mushroom soup was almost ready.

Chaewon concluded her impromptu gardening, adjusting all her plant pots so that the prettiest side faced outwards before heading to the kitchen.

Breathing in the wonderful aroma of mushroom and spices, she gave herself a pat on the back and turned off the fire. Chaewon had made the soup from scratch, following the first recipe that she had found online.

Lucky for her it was a simple recipe, and easy to follow. And the repetitive actions of chopping, measuring and blending of the mushroom, onions and potatoes had calmed her, and she felt a little less frazzled.

She hoped that Joongi would enjoy the soup. Perhaps they could just talk about that. The soup. Because Chaewon was still not very sure of what she would say to Joongi. 

How did one go about saying things like these anyway. Didn't these things happen naturally? An accidental slip of tongue, a casual caress or a drunken kiss? Why didn't she follow all the drama scripts like she had always done? 

Why was she being so adult about this and decide to have a conversation instead? 

The doorbell rang and she glanced quickly at the clock. Seven o'clock. Joongi was right on the dot.

Chaewon sighed. Well, it was too late for regrets now. It must have been all the strong and assertive female characters that she had been typed into all these years. It must have influenced her, somehow.

The man was smiling and waving brightly at her doorstep camera, and she buzzed him in. At least the man of the hour was a really good looking one. 

On her way to the door, she checked her appearance. Chaewon was dressed casually in a navy tunic dress, with minimal make up. Flipping her loose hair over her shoulder, she smiled into the mirror. Her hair was falling across her shoulders in glossy waves. She had combed through it about fifty times to ensure that. 

 Looking good, Moon Chaewon. 

"Hello there," he said simply when she opened the door.

Joongi was dressed in an oversized black tee and camel coloured slacks. It was an understated look, a change from his usual choice of bright vibrant colours. His eyes were friendly and open.

And he was clutching a petite bouquet, which he ed towards her.

Hydrangeas, in dusty shades of blue and purple. Chaewon looked up from the flowers to find that his eyes had arched into dark crescents.

His smile was blinding. 

"For you, Chaewon-ah."

Flowers.

Does this mean we're on a date? 

"Wow, they're my favourite," she said, before taking a deep breath, allowing their fresh scent to assault her senses. "I love them. Thank you Oppa." 

Joongi stepped into her house, moving towards her kitchen w