Chapter 26: The Unexpected Treat

“We’ve arrived.”

Upon pulling up to the visibly luxurious establishment, Kang Hae-il smoothly exited the car and entrusted it to the valet. He then walked over to Dohwa, who had been quietly observing, and, matching her pace, they slowly entered the restaurant.

The interior design was so meticulously crafted and distinctive from the entrance that Dohwa found herself questioning if it was truly just an eatery.

“Welcome. Allow me to show you to your table,” a staff member greeted.

“Yes…” Dohwa replied, consciously keeping her head straight. She surveyed her surroundings by merely shifting her gaze, acutely aware of Kang Hae-il walking silently beside her.

It wasn’t that she had never set foot in such an opulent establishment, but her relentless pursuit of efficiency meant she rarely had cause to. Her food delivery app ratings, she mused, spoke volumes.

Following the staff member, they were led into a private room, where a table was elegantly set for two.

“Are there any specific foods you cannot consume, beyond what you’ve already mentioned?” the staff member inquired.

“No, none,” Dohwa confirmed.

“Excellent. Please take your time to choose one of these two courses, and feel free to call us when you’re ready to order.” With a gentle voice and a kind demeanor, the staff member finished their explanation and departed.

Dohwa opened the menu to find two distinct course meals elegantly described on each page. As she scanned the enticing descriptions, a flicker of hesitation crossed her.

‘The prices aren’t listed,’ she thought.

Between the visibly high-end establishment and the elaborate course offerings, she found herself completely unable to estimate the final cost.

Nevertheless, Dohwa was not one to be stingy when it came to food. She swiftly composed herself, her expression neutral, and began comparing the two enticing options.

“There’s another restaurant I’d considered,” Kang Hae-il remarked suddenly. “Perhaps we should move there instead.”

“Pardon?” Dohwa questioned, pulling her gaze from the menu to look up at him. They were just about to place their order.

She flinched inwardly, caught off guard by the intensity of his clear, discerning eyes. Why hadn’t she sensed it earlier?

“Is there a particular menu you fancy?” he asked.

“Oh… well, honestly, both sound good, so it doesn’t truly matter,” Dohwa replied, a slight stammer in her voice. “But I do lean a bit more towards Course A.”

She had grown somewhat accustomed to the involuntary flinch she experienced whenever their eyes met. Despite her initial fluster, she answered his question with a surprising candor, unafraid to state her preference.

“Then, I’ll place the order,” Kang Hae-il stated, pressing the call button.

Dohwa stared, utterly dumbfounded. The man who had just minutes ago proposed relocating to an entirely different restaurant now calmly looked at the arriving staff member and placed their order.

“We’ll have one of each course, please.”

“Certainly. I’ll take these away. Please wait a moment,” the staff member replied.

As the menus were collected, a quiet stillness descended upon the room, leaving only the two of them in the private space.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but in this unfamiliar setting, Kang Hae-il’s presence felt remarkably more pronounced.

Dohwa blinked, her gaze settling on him. As if sensing her scrutiny, he met her eyes directly, without a hint of evasion.

What differed this time was that Dohwa, too, refused to look away first. It felt, inadvertently, like a subtle staring contest.

As she recognized his subtle thoughtfulness and considerate gestures, she began to perceive Kang Hae-il as a far kinder person than she had initially imagined. This newfound understanding allowed her to truly see him, rather than just her initial impressions.

“Is this place somewhere you chose, Hae-il?” she asked, a natural curiosity in her voice.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “I visited a few times myself and personally selected it.”

“And all the places we’re going to later?”

“That’s correct.”

To her surprise, she found herself able to initiate conversation with him quite easily.

“You’re not going to tell me where we’re going next, are you?” she probed playfully.

It was mildly annoying to witness him answer so readily, only to suddenly seal his lips and offer no further information.

‘He seems like the kind of person you could poke with a needle and not draw a single drop of blood,’ she mused, a wry thought.

His subtly resolute expression, she realized, was simply an inherent part of him.

The conversation paused as a chill began to seep into the room. Perhaps it was the strong air conditioning, but Dohwa started to shiver.

As her body cooled, she fumbled for the cardigan she carried, pulling it on. Once her arms were warm, she tucked her hands into the sleeves for extra comfort.

‘Perfect,’ she thought.

“Excuse me,” a voice announced.

Just as they were engaged in their light banter, a staff member arrived at the door. Two distinct appetizers were carefully placed on the table, instantly captivating Dohwa’s attention.

‘They say true food is tasted first with the eyes,’ she mused.

Even though she wasn’t particularly hungry, a consequence of her habit of not eating much after an early start, the sight of the delectable dishes made her mouth water. From that moment, her focus shifted entirely to the food, her anticipation for each subsequent course building steadily.

About halfway through the meal, as her stomach began to feel full, Dohwa’s chopsticks moved a little slower.

“Is it not to your taste?” Kang Hae-il inquired softly.

“Oh, no, it’s not that,” she quickly clarified. “It’s delicious, but I’m just getting full…”

“While you shouldn’t overexert yourself,” he responded, his gaze fixed on her plate, “I believe you could still manage a little more.”

Despite his seemingly unpersuasive words, Dohwa found herself, inexplicably, not putting down her utensils. She continued to eat, slowly but steadily.

Fortunately, the subsequent courses were few, and soon enough, dessert arrived.

‘There’s always a separate stomach for dessert,’ she thought with a grin.

The dessert was so charmingly presented, almost too cute to disrupt, that her flagging appetite instantly reignited. She savored each component, decided on the perfect sequence, and swiftly polished off her plate.

“Would you like some of mine?” Kang Hae-il offered.

While Dohwa was still clearing her own dessert plate, he, seemingly having not touched his, gently pushed his perfectly intact dessert towards her.

It was from a different course, a completely distinct treat from what she had just devoured. Though tempted for a fleeting moment, her stomach was already uncomfortably full from the unusually large meal.

“This is yours, Hae-il,” she said, gently pushing the plate back. “You should eat it.”

‘He probably doesn’t even dislike dessert,’ she mused.

Having no intention of snatching his portion, she firmly returned the plate. Then, gathering her bag, she rose from her seat.

“I’ll just be a moment, I need to use the restroom,” she announced.

“Go ahead,” Kang Hae-il replied with a nod, remaining seated.

Leaving him behind, Dohwa stepped out of the room. She walked down the corridor, vaguely trying to retrace the path the staff member had shown them. After a brief moment of confusion, she was relieved to spot the entrance and was greeted by a staff member at the counter.

“Is there anything you require?” the staff member at the counter asked.

“Yes, I’d like to pay the bill,” Dohwa replied.

“Just a moment, please.” A brief flicker of surprise crossed the face of the staff member, who had maintained a polite smile until then.

Dohwa waited patiently, realizing no bill had been brought to their table. ‘Had they even given us one to begin with?’ she wondered.

Hesitantly, she retrieved her card from her wallet and handed it to the staff member who offered assistance. Slipping away from the table to settle the bill beforehand was one of Dohwa’s preferred methods. She felt compelled to treat Kang Hae-il to this meal, especially after all the help he had offered her in such a short time.

“Were you satisfied with your meal?” the staff member inquired.

“It was wonderful, enough to make me want to visit again,” Dohwa enthused.

“Thank you.”

“Where is the restroom here?”

“It’s to your left.” Dohwa briefly checked the receipt, flinching at the amount, but then dismissed it from her mind. It had been a satisfying meal, after all. She crumpled the receipt and tossed it into a nearby wastebasket.

After a quick stop at the restroom, washing her hands, she returned to the room and met Kang Hae-il’s gaze.

‘He finished it,’ she noted.

His dessert was gone, leaving only an empty plate before him. “Shall we go now?”

“Sounds good.” Kang Hae-il was already holding his bag and outer jacket. Dohwa watched him stand, then took the lead, walking ahead down the corridor.

She might have a terrible sense of direction, but she hadn’t forgotten the path they had just taken. Walking confidently back the way they came, Kang Hae-il soon fell into step beside her, and they arrived at the counter.

As they reached the counter, Dohwa, having already paid, took a step towards the entrance. “It’s already been paid for,” she announced, seeing Kang Hae-il pause as he reached for his wallet.

“Come on, let’s go.”

His height difference wasn’t particularly noticeable when they were seated, but it became strikingly apparent when they stood. Kang Hae-il always looked down at her, which had initially made her feel a sense of pressure, and his presence felt immense.

Watching him slowly turn towards her, a small laugh escaped her lips.

He was usually a man whose emotions were hard to discern, rarely showing much change in expression.

“Surely our next destination isn’t outdoors, is it?”

Yet, his face now displayed such clear displeasure that Dohwa couldn’t help but smile. With a light step, she quickly exited the restaurant, leaving him behind.

‘Of course, a person would bleed if you poked them with a needle,’ she thought.