READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 6
3
I arrived at the meeting spot about ten minutes early.
She wasn’t there yet. Wondering if I had gotten the time wrong, I double-checked the message she’d sent me, detailing the location and time to make sure I wouldn’t forget.
It seemed I was in the right place at the right time.
Even though it was still early, the streets were bustling with groups of people.
The weekend was clearly in full swing, despite the heat.
Sitting on a bench beneath the small, three-meter-tall clock sculpture made of thin steel, I waited. Before long, I saw her walking toward me from a distance.
She waved enthusiastically, and I lifted a hand in a small wave to avoid making her feel awkward.
She wore an oversized black T-shirt paired with white shorts that stopped just above her knees.
A black polyester bag with long straps hung from her shoulder, and a silver heart-shaped necklace reflected the approaching midday sun.
Her hair had more of a curl than usual, and her makeup seemed slightly different. The change gave her a subtly different vibe from her usual understated self.
A small, star-shaped earring glittered on her left ear.
“What? You’re already here?” she said, slightly surprised. “I thought I’d definitely get here first.”
“I just got here too,” I replied.
“You sure don’t sound like someone who just arrived.”
“…What’s wrong with the way I talk?”
“Nothing. Let’s go,” she said, chuckling softly as she started walking.
Watching her cheerful demeanor, I could only follow with a perplexed expression.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” I asked casually, catching up to her with a few quick steps.
“Well, I was thinking we’d start with lunch. Did you already eat?”
“Yeah, around seven.”
“Seven? On a weekend? You wake up way too early.”
“…Isn’t that normal?”
“Are you sure we’re living on the same planet?”
“…Probably.”
“‘Probably,’ he says,” she muttered, laughing in disbelief. “Anyway, if you ate at seven, you must be getting hungry again by now, right?”
“…Not really.”
She sighed dramatically.
“Well, I am, so just follow me.”
Arguing seemed pointless—she wouldn’t take no for an answer anyway.
Besides, with the heat beginning to rise, I didn’t mind the thought of getting indoors quickly.
As we walked through the crowd, the streets presented a colorful variety of people.
There was a girl with vibrant purple hair and a man whose hair was dyed half-red, half-blue, resembling the Korean flag’s taegeuk pattern.
What could’ve easily looked garish somehow suited them, which was oddly annoying.
Songs filled the streets, from the latest idol group’s hits to foreign pop tracks I vaguely recognized.
We deliberately stuck to the shaded paths, dodging the blazing sunlight, until we reached a tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) restaurant.
As always, the choice was hers—she’d insisted on it.
Morning wasn’t the ideal time for spicy food, but I didn’t argue. I lacked her level of enthusiasm, and besides, I wasn’t as decisive.
The restaurant wasn’t very big. Inside, a few girls around our age and a couple in their mid-20s were scattered about.
I immediately chose a seat in the corner. Ignoring her attempt to sit elsewhere, I claimed the spot for myself.
She stared at me blankly for a moment before chuckling softly and sitting across from me.
The corner wasn’t significantly different from the rest of the space, but having a wall beside me felt oddly comforting—like a cat settling into a box.
She hummed lightly as she flipped through the menu, then glanced at me before sliding it across the table so I could see it too. Tilting my head slightly, I skimmed through it.
The menu was packed with various types of tteokbokki, mostly served in silver pots filled with broth. A few pages in, I noticed thin pizzas baked in stone ovens.
After a moment, she spoke.
“See anything you like?”
“Not sure. It all looks the same to me.”
“Hmm, how about this?” Her finger danced across the menu before landing on a picture. “This one’s pretty good.”
“Have you been here before?”
“Yeah, a few times with friends.”
“…Makes sense,” I replied, easily believing it. It’d be stranger if she didn’t have friends to bring here.
“Okay, so we’ll get this for the tteokbokki. What about the pizza?”
“You’re eating pizza again? Didn’t we just have that yesterday?”
“You can never get tired of good food,” she said with confidence.
As usual, she placed the order. She picked the pizza, too—something with an unusual name, probably a type of cheese.
The staff member, a young man who looked like a college student, awkwardly confirmed our order before leaving. Judging by his demeanor, he seemed new.
The restaurant had a clean, simple interior with wooden furnishings and large, open windows that provided an unfiltered view of the bustling street outside.
She glanced around briefly before casually opening a side cabinet to grab silver chopsticks and spoons, handing me a set.
I took the water bottle from the table and poured water into our cups.
“Thanks,” she said as she reached for her cup. But as her fingers brushed it, the cup tipped over, skittering across the table and splashing water everywhere before landing on the floor with a loud clatter.
Every eye in the restaurant turned to us. It was like setting off fireworks in the middle of the street.
Flustered, she jumped up, grabbed some tissues, and began wiping the table.
Startled, I quickly retrieved the rogue cup and handed it back to her.
The awkward staff member rushed over with a rag to help clean up.
She apologized profusely, and the staff member smiled kindly, reassuring her it wasn’t a big deal.
When the mess was finally cleaned up, we returned to our seats. She gave me an embarrassed grin.
So clumsy. Watching her darting eyes, I couldn’t help thinking that.
The sudden activity seemed to amplify the heat still lingering in the room.
She fanned herself with one hand while holding her tied-up hair with the other.
As she tucked her hair behind her ear, the star-shaped earring caught the light, reflecting a faint silver gleam.
It was surprisingly pretty. From afar, it had seemed like a simple star shape, but up close, I noticed a small cubic zirconia embedded in the center, giving it a more sophisticated look.
She really does love stars. Even in the smallest details, her fondness for them was evident.
Without thinking, I asked,
“…Is this the first time you’ve worn earrings?”
“Hmm? Oh, these?” She smiled, clearly pleased I’d noticed. “How do they look? They suit me, right?”
Caught off guard by her request for feedback, I awkwardly replied,
“…Yeah. They suit you.”
“What’s with that reluctant tone?” she said, pouting. “You’ll never get a girlfriend like that.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course.”
She sighed, adjusting her hair and clothes near the earring.
“I’ve always wanted to try wearing earrings, but our volleyball team banned accessories, so I never got the chance.”
“Even accessories? They were that strict?”
“They were training us to go pro, so yeah, pretty strict.”
“…I see.”
“I bought these a while ago but never wore them until now. It feels weird, like I’m trying to look edgy or something.”
“Earrings are pretty normal these days.”
“Really? I’ve never met anyone else who wears them.”
“…Maybe we really do live on different planets.”
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