During their walk, Su-Jin kept stealing glances at the man next to her. From what she could see at first glance, he was feeling just as awkward as she was.
He took small steps, trying to accommodate her pace, while fixing his eyes ahead. It wasn't clear what he was looking at, but Su-Jin noticed his gaze dimming slightly.
'This is so damn awkward! Should I say something? But what? I just met this man, so I know nothing about him apart from what Mi-Suk told me. Hmm, should I ask him about work? What was it that Mi-Suk said… creative assistant for a gaming company?'
Just when Su-Jin was about to open her mouth, she noticed the man stopping abruptly. She was startled into looking up at him.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
Instead of immediately replying, Jeong-Ho shifted closer towards Su-Jin's side. When he was close enough for their shoulders to touch, he raised his arm, pushing the elbow towards Su-Jin.
"Uhm… If you want… It's alright to hold on…" he squeezed out the words with difficulty.
Su-Jin stared at him in bafflement. It actually took her a few moments to realize that he was trying to offer his arm, just like Do-Yeong had done for Mi-Suk.
The only difference was that Do-Yeong's movement had been smooth and natural, while Jeong-Ho's seemed to be strained, like he was forcing himself.
As if to prove his nervousness, his eyes kept shifting all over the place, not settling on anything, as though he was afraid he might catch someone's eye. In fact, he couldn't even bring himself to make eye contact with Su-Jin despite having addressed her directly.
Seeing him act so skittish like a frightened rabbit, Su-Jin almost burst into giggles.
All of a sudden, the restlessness she had been feeling melted away, leaving behind a jubilating sentiment. She keenly sensed that this person was very similar to her, hence her chest swelled with compassion towards him.
'Could it be that we're both sacrificial pieces for those two up ahead? We might be here just to smooth things over for them.'
With eyes filling with mirth, Su-Jin finally decided to spare the poor man from the trouble.
"You really don't need to do this. It might seem strange, but I'm not impressed by this kind of behavior." She raised her head, gesturing with her chin towards the other two, who were now getting farther away from them. "Mi-Suk is the romantic one, so I must congratulate your friend for knowing exactly what to do in order to get into her good graces."
Jeong-Ho laughed nervously. The arm he had raised slowly dropped at his side and, just like before, he avoided Su-Jin's eyes.
"Yes, Do-Yeong is indeed a true gentleman." he admitted, directing a small smile towards his friend's back.
There was a peculiar glint inside Jeong-Ho's eyes as he spoke those words. Looking at the man attentively, Su-Jin thought she saw a small flash of anguish, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
The next moment, Jeong-Ho turned his head and finally looked at Su-Jin properly.
Shortly after that, the group of four finally reached their destination, a place called Moonlight Pavilion.
From the outside, the two-story building was very eye-catching. The architecture was intricate, appearing like a mixture of old and new. A traditional name plaque hung above the entrance, and both the stairs and porch were made of wood. Upon closer inspection, though, there was no doubt that its structure was anything but old.
The rest of the building, as well as the open area around the restaurant, combined newer styles and materials, giving it a rather posh appearance.
Despite being so close to her working place and having passed by it numerous times, Su-Jin had never stepped inside this restaurant.
But now that she had seen it with her own eyes, Su-Jin didn't regret not visiting this restaurant earlier. After all, it didn't seem like the kind of place one would simply go to have a quick lunch during work hours.
The place was an unconventional combination between an upscale eatery and a barbeque restaurant. It was not too fancy, but not too cheap either. Though, judging by the clientele, the prices may not have been low.
Rising up to its name, Moonlight Pavilion also provided a pleasant atmosphere, with low background music and impeccable service. The tables were separated by folding screens in order to create a feeling of privacy, and they were split evenly on both floors. Some of them were placed next to large windows overseeing the city.
Depending on their table's position, the clients could see different angles of the neighborhood, while those who stayed on the second floor could even see further into the distance.
Su-Jin and Mi-Suk felt impressed at first glance with the place.
As soon as they entered, a waiter asked about their reservation. Once Gu Do-Yeong gave his name, the waiter bowed and asked them to follow him.
They were taken to the second floor and guided towards a table next to a large pair of windows. If one looked carefully into the distance, they could see the Han river cutting through the city like a massive water snake, as well as the bright colors of the Banpo Bridge.
In order to facilitate the dialogue, they chose to sit face to face. As such, the two women took the right side of the table, while the men took the felt one.
Mi-Suk was getting ready to take a seat on the outside chair, when a hand unexpectedly came forth and pulled the chair out for her.
"Please allow me." Do-Yeong said.
He was so close that his deep voice poured straight into Mi-Suk's ears.
"Mn, thank you." she said quietly, giving him a blushing smile.
After doing his part as a gentleman, Do-Yeong walked around the table and sat across from Mi-Suk.
Meanwhile, both Su-Jin and Jeong-Ho fell into their chairs without even looking at each other. They were too embarrassed by what they had just witnessed to even say a word.