“Hurry up, Zoey! It’s a date not the ball.”

“It’s not just a date. It’s your cousin!” screamed Zoey from her room while trying to decide if she should wear a dress or jeans to a first date.

Hyorin got up from the couch and headed to Zoeys’ bedroom, she popped her head into the little space between the door and the doorframe. There was her best friend talking to herself in the mirror and fussing with the hem of her dress she busted out laughing startling Zoey. Zoey turned around quick as lighting causing her to stumble on the pair of boots she had at the corner of her bed. Hyorin rushed to her side trying catch her before she would fall, it was usless there laid the two best friends on the floor dying of laughter.

“I hate you so much!” Zoey said in between laughs, kicking Hyorin’s leg off of her.

“Do you? Do you really hate me? I’m sorry but it is just so funny to see you get all worked up for a first date. I haven’t seen this side of you ever.”

Zoey sighed and played with the charms on her bracelet, “I’m not nervous jerk, I’m just you know.”

“Nervous.” Hyorin interjected. “Let’s get up and fix that hair of yours, come on.” She reached for Zoey’s hand to help her up.  Zoey looked at herself once more in the mirror before reaching for her leather jacket. “Nothing is wrong with my hair, I refuse to look like I put too much effort you know?”

“It’s your first date! Come on please at least let me do some type of romantic curl. PLEASE!”

Zoey grabbed her combat boots and purse off her bed and headed towards the door.

“No.” she turned and smiled at Hyorin whose expression was that of a five year old who didn’t get their way.

“Ya! You are so annoying.” Hyorin started marching over to Zoey, who was putting on her shoes near the door.

“I’m ignoring you, I’m fine like this you know. My hair is fine, my dress fine stop acting like my mother Hyorin. Go to the studio because I am pretty sure you have an album to work on. Goodbye I love you. I’ll text you to tell you where I’m at.” Zoey walked out her apartment leaving Hyorin in there speechless.

            On the elevator ride to the lobby, the only thing Zoey could think about was turning around and going back home. Wrapping her self in a blanket and not go on a date. This had been her first date in years and to top it off it was with a model, a very handsome man and Hyorin’s cousin. The elevator doors opened and she stepped out heading towards the black car waiting for her at the foot of her building. When she reached outside, out stepped from the car Hyorins cousin, Soo Hyuk. Zoey was taken back she wasn’t expecting him to look so good, well not that she didn’t know he was good-looking but she wasn’t expecting him to look like this.

“Wow.” Zoey said muttered.

 He had a white dress shirt, which the sleeves were rolled 3/4s of the way, paired with black pants, he had his hair combed back with a little bit of gel. She reached him and he extended his arm out taking her hand in his. Soo hyuk pulled Zoey into a hug.

“Hey, you look beautiful.” He whispered in her ear. Zoey smiled and felt something that she hadn’t felt in a long time..butterflies.

“You look beautiful too.” She broke the hug to look at Soo Hyuk, he looked down at her and laughed.

“Where to my dear?” Soo Hyuk opened the car door for her and Zoey replied before she got in. “Wherever you want handsome.”

Soo Hyuk and Zoey arrived to a fancy Italian restaurant, which was fairly crowded they took a seat towards the back of the restaurant in order to have some privacy. Soo Hyuk excused himself to go to the bathroom, while waiting Zoey looked down at her phone and saw nothing but text messages between Hyorin and Doki.

Group Text:

Hyorin: So how’s it going?? I’m still at your place, fyi.

Doki: You should’ve invited me over. ;) I would’ve kept you company.

Hyorin: LOL

Hyorin: Alright

Hyorin: Where are you guys?

Doki: He probably took her somewhere super classy you know that’s what Zoey likes nothing but expensive.

Hyorin: My cousin wouldn’t do that he’s not that cheesy.

Doki: No you’re right. Your cousin wouldn’t do that, but a man, a man would do that.

Hyorin: Yeah right. Zoey why are you not answering!

Zoey smiled and quickly replied as she saw Soo Hyuk arriving to their table.

Zoey: I’m at a restaurant. I’m alive. Get out of my house. You two get a room. Your cousin is that cheesy, but so are you Doki. Now stop texting me! Thank you and love you. Xx

Soo-Hyuk cleared his throat catching Zoey’s attention, His eyes were on her like if she was prey, she felt a little uncomfortable so she tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Stop looking at me like that .” She looked at him and then down at the glass of water that was at her side.

“I’m sorry it’s just I’m in shock. I truly am it’s been about two years maybe a year and a half since I’ve been wanting to go out with you. Now look the two of us on a date.” He let out a deep chuckle, the bass in his voice caused her to get goosebumps. She was so happy that she decided to throw on a leather jacket because he would’ve seen the effect that just his voice had on her.

“I think it was a year and a half? If I remember correctly Hyorin said to me that you told her, that I was an amazing woman, you had all my CDs, watched every show I was on and she even said I was your wallpaper.”

Soo-Hyuk who was sipping on some water slighty choked on it causing Zoey to laugh.

“Yah, I don’t know about that. But I was a fan, I am fan you always caught my attention but I think it was more so when I met you and had a conversation with you. I can’t believe that, that little girl told you this. I’m going to kill her.”

The two laughed and met eyes. They held their gaze for a good whole minute until Zoey broke it off.

“I’m glad that you came back to Seoul I could’ve sworn you were leaving for good. Hyorin tells me you are working on some music how’s that going?”

“Well I wasn’t going to stay away from here forever I have my whole life here, plus Hyorin would kill me if I left her. As per my music it’s going good you know writing everyday. I keep journals which basically help me piece together a song, I started out with 1 journal and that took me about 1 month to fill up? I’m half –way done with this new journal. Now the hard part is coming up once I’m done… the producing.”

“It’s always slow you know especially in the beginning but once you get your feet wet it’s cake.” Zoey nodded.

“Exactly. How’s the modeling business going? Where have you been?”

“Milan, Paris, Istanbul, New York you know the usual places. I actually will be headed to Egypt very soon, I’m excited about this trip.”

“I’m so jealous, I wanted to travel their myself. Is it work related or what”

“More like I just want to go because I’m in my twenties and have no responsibilities. I don’t know what to order and it’s bothering me any suggestions?”

Zoey looked at Soo-Hyuk who was too emerged in the menu and couldn’t notice her strong gaze on him. She was in shock that she is having a normal conversation and a normal date so far. Granted the scenery was a little too uptight for her liking but she felt comfortable, something she didn’t think she would’ve felt. A sudden wash of guilt came over her. All that was crossing her mind was Yongguk and if she should even be on this date. The way the two left things off before wasn’t actually clearing any air, if anything it brought up new questions, new feelings she had pushed away.

“Zoey. Hello, Earth to Zoey.” Soo-Hyuk waved his hand infront of her face.

She had snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to find the waiter in front of them. How long had she been daydreaming she thought.

“Zoey, what will you be ordering?” Soo-Hyuk asked her.

“Just fried calamari if you don’t mind.” Zoey looked up at the waiter, who had a slightly peeved look on his face.

“And bring a bottle of wine, please and thank you.” Soo-Hyuk turned his attention to Zoey.

“What were you thinking about, you were out of it for a bit.”

Zoey let out a nervous giggle, “Nothing really, just thinking about how this is my first date in a while. So, sorry if I don’t know how to attact I forgot how one is supposed to act.”

Soo-Hyuk reached over to grab her hand gently.

“Hey just think of it as you and hanging out. Don’t think of it as a date we are just two people in our twenties going out to have some food and wine. That’s it breathe in, breathe out.”

Zoey inhaled and exhaled feeling ten times better. She looked at Soo-Hyuk who had nothing but patience and kindness in his eyes.

“Thank you for being so nice most guys would’ve been mad or wouldn’t haven’t even cared if I was all blank spaced.”

“Well now that we are all relaxed let’s start the real date.”

Zoey smiled at him and looked down at their hands.

+Thank you to the new subscribers! And also thank you those who've been waiting patiently for this update. I've been super busy with work and life in general but I've had this chapter and two more in my note pad so expect a double update sometime today. Leave comments down below! Let me know what you think or what you would like to happen.+