I never thought I'll live to see the day when the Queen deigns to consort with the Worker! But before we get our hopes up, alas! It's merely a befriending date, made on bequest of J. Well J, you know what the wise say. Be careful what you wish for! You know you love me.

XOXO Gossip Girl

***

I arrive at Theatre Q. I'm not familiar with this part of town so my driver got me here earlier than on schedule. Honestly, I'm secretly anticipating this date more than I expected! We're about to catch an adaptation play based on James Joyce's Ulysses masterpiece! I've been wanting to watch it for the longest time! But it's impossible to get Siwon or J to accompany me. They both loath the book. Says it gives them a headache. They've never got through to finishing the book so they'll rather not be subjected to the torture of watching an entire play based on it. And I have not forced any of my minions to watch it with me either as they probably won't be able to break down the play with me after. And post-performance discussions are what excite me the most! All the discursive discourses, lively discussions.

So when J informed me that Yixing has suggested to catch this play together, I was duly impressed. The date J has devised for us, is to catch a play together and have dinner later. J reckons that since we are both theatre folks, catching a play together will give us plenty of common ground to kick start some shared conversations.

Someone wolf-whistles in my direction. It's Yixing. He winks and saunters towards me... in what I can only best describe as a... "cocky swagger"? Seriously! What's up with his gait? Who walks like that? Even my Siwon who's well endowed doesn't walk as obviously as this! It's as if he's announcing to the whole world with his gait, "Look at me! I'm huge!" Show-off!

"Nice!" He wolf whistles again. "I see you got all dressed up for me! I love seeing girls decked out in white."

"Oh! Was that why J bought me this white dress and badgered me to wear it for our date? To please you? Geez!"

"Uh uh uh, we're off to a good start here! Don't spoil it so soon, Bo! In all fairness, I dressed differently for you too! J made me swop out my comfy slacks especially for you today!"

I study his outfit more carefully. Indeed! He's not dressed like some weird popstar/yogi/pyjamas-man today. Phew! Imagine if I were seen with him in his usual get-up! He actually looks... rather chic today? Jeans, v-neck T-shirt and even a blazer thrown on! Of course he's still garbed exclusively in black. But come to think of it, black actually complements his alabaster fair skin very well? 

"I had to squeeze myself into these jeans though, I'm so uncomfortable. They are so constricting. J should have gotten me a bigger size. She oughta know my size by now" He starts tugging at his jeans, pulling at the belt loops. 

When he said size, I immediately recall J mentioning how "huge" he is, and how "long and thick"... Ah! Mental imagery! Lalalalalala...

"Hey Bo! Are you feeling alright? You looked flushed. Too hot out here?" He reaches forward and touches my cheek with his hand. I feel my cheeks heat up even more. Yixing his eyebrow and looks at me quizzically.

"Hey, hands off! Urgh! I wanna go home already!" I swat his hands off me.

Yixing laughs heartily out of the blue. Yet again. Is this kid always high or something?

"Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home. Look, Bo. Let's just try to get along and enjoy our date shall we? We can start off by enjoying this play we're gonna catch. Cause, for today, consider us stuck together, you only have me. And me now." He winks. 

Haha, that's witty, he just slipped in two Ulysses quotes right there. I can't help but smile. 

Yixing catches my smile and smiles back with his dimpled grin, "She smiles! So, c'mon! We got a play to catch!" He pulls my hand and ushers me into the theatre.

***

The play was phenomenal! I can't stop talking it about it with Yixing since the play ended. We engross in an animated, lively discussion, all the way along our stroll from the theatre to this nearby cafe that Yixing wanted me to check out. 

"I must say, good choice on the play, Yixing!"

"Well, J just told me that you'll like anything highbrow and obscure, and this play came to mind!"

"It's not that I dig highbrow and obscure, I just have a penchant for...the"

"Esoteric", we both say at the same time.

"Haha, I get what you mean! I'm like that at times. It's not that we intentionally go seek out the recherché. It's just that some arcane stuff are just so compelling. They just lure you right in. And you gotta invest abit more care and attention  to fully appreciate them. There's an appealing quality to it. A magnetism. Attraction..."

I nod my head vigorously. That's exactly how I feel!

"Besides, Ulysses is not exactly obscure. It's James Joyce! And Ulysses is only like the number one English novel of the 20th century!"

"Yes!" I gush enthusiastically.

"It's a veritable ..."

"Masterpiece!" We both say at the same time again. 

"Ok, you gotta stop mind-reading me, Professorina X! You are creeping me out!" Yixing jokes.

"Haha. Very funny. So where are we?" I ask as I finally take in our surroundings.

"This is my favorite soup store. They serve really moreish soups and stews here. Wait till you try them!"

Well, the place does look rather ... unique? Very homey and understated. And it seems to be solely run by a husband-and-wife team. How quaint! A refreshing change I guess, from the modern chic fine-dining establishments I usually patronize?

"Ok, you do the ordering and I'll get the tab then. Since you already paid for the tickets earlier?"

"Sure!" "Two of the usual, Mrs G!" Yixing hollers.

"Sure, sweetie!" The lady chimes back.

***

Two bowls of steaming broth arrives at our table, together with a basket of bread rolls. I pick up a bread roll and break it in half, while I proceed to pick on the soft insides and finish it off, discarding the intact crusty shell on my side plate. 

"Interesting..." Yixing remarks.

"What?"

"You only eat the insides of bread rolls and not eat the crust?"

"Yep, I only like the soft fluffy insides, I don't really like eating the hard crusty bits."

"Ha! I on the other hand, abhor the soft, flavourless insides! I much prefer the crust! Do you mind if I finish up the crust you left intact then? You can dig out all the insides of these rolls here and I'll eat their remaining shells. How about that?"

"Sure?" I reply back curiously while Yixing gleefully reaches for the bread shell by my side and dunks it into his soup bowl with gusto. It's a curious sight. Siwon and I both go for only the soft insides of the bread rolls and I usually badger him to finish up the crusts as I loathe to waste food. Also I have this fantasy of my guy finishing up my food for me. I find it romantic. My guy and I share food together. Cause of my smaller appetite, he'll inadvertently finish up after me, cleaning our plates off with gusto. Scenarios like that. But it has never happened, cause Siwon dreads eating leftovers. And as for J? She doesn't eat bread, or any other carbs for that matter. Diet.

We finish up our meal and I take out my credit card to pay.

"Your card's no good here, Bo! They only accept cash here."

"Oh shucks. I don't have any cash on me!" I reply sheepishly.

"No worries! I'll get this!" 

"But.."

"No buts... You can just pay for the next round!"

"The next round?"

"Yeah, Ulyssess is an opus! There are more alternate adaptations coming up! I've hear there's another worthy one to check out. So how about we go catch it together too?"

"Sure?"

"Alright then. It's a date then." Did I just voluntarily agree to a second date with Yixing? What's gotten into me?!