Chapter 35

There were probably three types of people in a restaurant, Jisoo concluded, after she spent an ample amount of time looking around.

First were those who would dig their food without so much as looking up. Not because they were hungry. But because they could not resist food. Their love for food was unparalleled and they would gush and shed a tear, even, because the taste of gastronomical wonders was heavenly on their taste buds. Like how the two women were doing so, sitting three tables away from them. Best of friends on a night out, probably. Or food bloggers, Jisoo thought, considering how they seemed to passionately discuss the food that they ate after long periods of silence, when they were so engrossed with what was on their plates, one after another.

The second type were those who could not seem to touch their food because talking and keeping up with each other's lives was more important. Which was what a group of people sitting on the table next to their's were doing. Probably resulting to wasting a good amount of delicious, sweet smelling food, which Jisoo thought would be a lot useful if given to the hungry, unprivileged children of the world. The thought of them had created a twisted knots on Jisoo’s stomach.

And the third type, and this was funny because she was never aware that these people still exist in this world full of unabashed and colorful amalgams of people and their idiosyncrasies, were those who seemed too awkward and too shy  to even do the first two types. Like Chaeng, who was sitting across Jisoo and had seemed to practice herself the ability to offer Jisoo a smile--an awkward, shy smile that it made her look like she was suffering from a toothache--whenever their eyes would met. Which didn't happen often, considering that the redhead would choose to look around the restaurant, rather than engage herself in a conversation, for the fourth time now. Probably memorizing on her mind the nooks and every little details of the interiors of the place. The wall color was as blue as the Mediterranean Sea.

They were inside a cosy Italian restaurant called Ciuri Ciuri in Sangsu-dong. Chaeyoung particularly asked Jisoo that they shouldn't want to go farther from the district because of her bar. She didn't want to miss the first act later, she reasoned.

“This is weird,” Chaeyoung Park said for the fourth time and settled her eyes on the woman sitting across her.

She would speak those three words after a round of looking around and would then set her eyes on Jisoo between the ‘r’ and ‘d’ whenever she would utter the third word.

And for the fourth time now, Jisoo would respond with a smirk and raised her eyebrows to Chaeyoung Park and would ask:

“Why?”

Not because Jisoo thought it was a necessity to make a conversation happen, although that wasactually what she really wanted, but because she realized she was looking forward for the answer.

The best part about Chaeyoung Park saying “this is weird”, Jisoo realized after the first round of their banter, was her reply to Jisoo’s “Why?” It was amusing how the redhead would seem to have found another reason why she thought the whole setup was weird, after when she was done looking around the whole interior of Ciuri Ciuri.

Perhaps, by looking around and discovering the little things that made the place interesting, in a way that it made you feel like you were actually on a holiday in Sicily, was Chaeyoung’s way of gathering her thoughts and providing herself a list of reasons why she thought it was weird.

The redhead shrugged and said, “I don’t know. This just feels weird,” Chaeyoung answered and laughed this time. “I’ve passed by this place perhaps more than a couple of  times and I’ve never imagined sitting on one of these cosy chairs--,” she tapped the wooden cushioned chair, painted in a lighter shadeof  blue, that she was sitting at, “staring at those straw-hut lampshades above--,” she pointed the small lampshade made of straw-hut, that would remind you of the tropics, that were hung on the ceilings, providing light and aesthetics to the place, “and inhaling all this sweet, delicious, mouth-watering scent of food--,” she inhaled  the strong aroma of saffron and spices from the kitchen, “which I really really like, by the way. I mean, I like food. I love food. Not necessarily the Sicilian food, by the way. And this is just…weird,” Chaeyoung concluded.

Jisoo nodded and smiled. That was the best and long answer yet that Chaeyoung had given to her ‘why?’ The first three were a jumble of words, half of it were incoherent, and awkward series of chuckles.

“Will it make less or not weird, at all, if I wasn’t the person sitting across you?” Jisoo asked.

The redhead looked shocked and a little scandalized. “No,” Chaeyoung said, shaking her head vehemently to emphasize her denial. “I think it would be a lot weirder if I’m here with Lisa,” she added and laughed a little.

Jisoo raised an eyebrow. First, because she didn’t mean it to be Lisa. But then again, of course, it had to be Lisa. Because Lisa was the only person who Chaeyoung had fallen in love with and probably the only person in the world who Chaeyoung had given her consent to take her out on dinner dates. And secondly, because what Chaeyoung  said had piqued her interest. Because why would Chaeyoung thought it was weird to be sitting inside a cosy restaurant with the love of her life? That was weird. And so, Jisoo was starting to get curious. Like how she always would whenever something interesting would come across her mind.

She had ways to feed her curiosity, of course. Reading a book would be the first option. One time, she had been reading a book about history because she was curious. It was interesting and informative but it only made her more confused. She realized that the chronological order of the events wasn’t done accordingly. And so she changed it. By writing down the dates and events in a chronological order on a notebook and made her own history textbook.

But there wasn’t a book about Chaeyoung Park she could found. Not even on the Internet. Which was her first option, by the way, when she wanted to feed her curiosity--read a book. Or a PDF, if there was any available. Or maybe a book of guidelines--the tips of do’s and don’ts, questions to ask and not to ask, etc.--on how to deal with someone like Chaeyoung Park being in love with Lisa since God knows when. And more specifically, how to deal with someone like Chaeyoung Park, in general. And so, Jisoo resorted to her second option: By asking.

“What do you mean?” Jisoo asked, stirring absent-mindedly the contents of her tea cup.

They decided not to place their orders yet. They were offered wine but they ask for tea, instead. Perhaps because both of them had still on their minds the things that happened between them when they had both consumed alcohol. They wanted to stay sober as much as possible.

“All these years that I have been harbouring this feeling--this love, whatever, for Lisa, but I have never once imagined myself going out on an actual date with her on a place like this. I mean, I’m not saying that this is some sort of a…a date,” Chaeyoung added the last part hastily when she saw how Jisoo’s eyebrows raised a notch higher about the ‘date’ word. “She just isn’t really the type,” she concluded.

“So, you’re saying that Lisa isn’t the romantic type?” Jisoo asked.

Chaeyoung shook her head and said, “Oh, no. No. She is. But maybe not the typical type, I guess?”

Jisoo had read a hundred books about romanticism. About love and the idea of it. About the vulnerability and susceptibility of the human heart. About how exhilarating it is to be wooed and be swept off your feet by gestures and sweetly-weaved words about the grandiose of it all. About the inclination of becoming stupid because love would make you.

But in conclusion, Jisoo, herself, didn't know what was romantic. Or love, in general. Because she had never given a thought about it. Not once. And because there was really nothing for her to compare it from. Although, she could read the symptoms. But not the diagnosis.

She had once thought that liking someone should equate to going after them. Pursuing them. And by going after them, she meant to be assertive about it. That was why she had repeatedly asked Jendeuk about whether she and Lisa had already kissed and why she tried to kiss Chaeyoung. Which was really silly. She was being stupid and so she told herself that she would never do such things again. She had learned her lessons.

“What’s the typical type of romantic for you, then?” Jisoo inquired.

“I don’t know. Flowers and chocolates? Dinner and movie dates?” Chaeyoung answered tentatively. Like, she, herself, didn't know what her personal definition of romantic was, until her soul had poked her out of nowhere. “But, I'd say romatic people should have a way with words and music. I think those two are important factors,” she said and sipped her tea.

“And you think Lisa isn’t one of those?” Jisoo asked.

“No. But she’s got her own style. I mean, she would take me to dinner and stuff, would give me trinkets from her travels or a bouquet of flowers because she knows I'm a flower person, but without this whole romantic vibe thing going on around,” Chaeyoung explained and laughed bashfully. “But why are we talking about Lisa again?” she asked, as though she had just realized that the most obvious.

But Jisoo dismissed it, the bashful look of sillyness or whatever it was that Chaeyoung was showing all over that pretty face. It wasn't silly to talk about Lisa or whoever, Jisoo wanted to say. Just as long as Chaeyoung Park was talking, nothing was ever silly.

Besides, wasn't it silly of her to boldly  invite the redhead inside this cosy restaurant-- “to look around,” she said casually on their way in half an hour ago--and asked the redhead to check on Lisa if she was joining them for dinner, like she had promised?

“Because you've brought her name up? Like, again? For the--,” Jisoo raised her hands and pretended to count with her fingers, “I’ve lost count. Sorry.”

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung said, laughing. “Sorry,” she added and fell in silence. Her gaze wandered once again on the straw-hut lampshade above their heads, which reminded Chaeyoung so much of a vacation she had never went to. Again, weird.

“You know what? By the rate that you’re going, you’ll definitely be paying for dinner,” Jisoo said and chuckled. She was trying to keep the conversation going.

They had made a deal. No. Chaeyoung Park came up with an idea while they were walking side by side from the bar towards the restaurant half an hour ago. Jisoo was persistent in declining it, saying that it was stupid, to begin with. But the redhead was adamant.

“But it is a good deal,” Chaeyoung insisted after Jisoo had said no repeatedly. “Plus, it's going to be a good exercise for me not to talk a lot about Lisa while we're there.”

“That's actually the point because nobody ask you not to talk about Lisa. Why would you not want to talk about Lisa? That's weird,” Jisoo pointed out.

“It's not like I don't want to. It's more like I need to?” Chaeyoung Park reiterated and breathed out in frustration. “I just realized that I've been dropping Lisa's name on you, like, nonstop, today. Lisa likes this, Lisa hates that. Lisa this and Lisa that. It's like I'm--,”

“Finally liberated from keeping it to yourself all these years? Your love for her? Because you know that I know about it, so you feel like you can talk to me about her all you want. Plus the fact that Lisa and I aren't that close yet, so you're secret is safe with me?”

Chaeyoung halted on her steps and looked at Jisoo with a fleeting look of surprised and impressed.

“Sort of?” she said, burying her hands deeper on the pockets of her overcoat.

It was still past five in the afternoon. The sun was still up, but the neon lights of the districts was already lit up. They were taking a stroll along the cold, dry streets of Hongdae. They were searching for a good place to dine and stopping at a particular corner at one point because Jisoo wanted to take a picture. Which, Chaeyoung permitted, just as long as she wouldn't be asked to be in the picture. Not because she didn't want to. But because she had never once stand in front of someone else's camera other than Lisa's. It was sortof habitual. Something that couldn't be shaken off easily.

“There's actually nothing wrong with that, you know? It's okay if you want to talk about Lisa with me. I'm willing to listen. I'm actually quite a good listener,” Jisoo said with a hint of pride on her voice.

“Thanks. But I don't want to make it too obvious anymore,” Chaeyoung replied with a meek smile and resumed their pace.

“Don't you think that's a bit late for that? I mean, you already did a pretty lousy job of keeping it to yourself. Well, except from Lisa. And Jendeuk. But Jendeuk is smart. She'll catch on eventually,” said Jisoo.

“Which is why I need to stop talking a lot about Lisa. I don't want them to know. Especially Jennie,“ said Chaeyoung.

Jisoo sighed and asked, “So, what do you suggest?”

The redhead fell silent. She scrunched her face to think of something and after a few seconds, she said, “How about you keep tab on how many times I'm dropping Lisa's name once we find a place to settle in? Ten should be the limit.” She raised her hands in front of her, spreading it as she did so, showing Jisoo her ten fingers.

“I'm sorry but that's stupid and a bit childish. No, I won't do it,” Jisoo said, but her eyes fell on the unusually short pinky of Chaeyoung’s left hand. She thought it was cute.

“I'll be paying for dinner when I hit eleven,” Chaeyoung offered.

“That's still stupid,” Jisoo insisted. “Besides, I invited you and Lisa for dinner and I promised that it's going to be on me. And if I'll agree on this deal, what's that going to make me?”she asked, craning her neck to get a better view of the tall figure beside her.

“Okay. Fine,” Chaeyoung said, stopping on her tracks once again and falling behind. “How about we'll split the bill--me and you, when I hit the limit?” she suggested.

Jisoo paused and turned around. The “me and you” did it. It sounded so good that it made Jisoo feel like she belonged. As stupid as it would sound like. But like, it made her feel like she was now part of a secret covenant or something. Like, she was in for a secret with Chaeyoung.

“Okay,” Jisoo said almost instantly, nodding once and resumed her pace. The cold was biting on her face, making it a little numb. But a smile was slowly cracking on her lips when she made sure that the redhead wasn't looking.

“Deal?” Chaeyoung proffered her hand to Jisoo for a handshake when she was walking beside the black-haired beaut.

Jisoo rolled her eyes to the towering Chaeyoung, as if telling the redhead that she was being ridiculous, but took it anyway. She smiled despite herself after she looked away. The handshake felt good. Or rather, Chaeyoung's palm on hers felt good. It was soft and warm. It reminded her of those smiling lips on her... Okay, no. Not that again.

“Like I have a choice,” Jisoo said sardonically, but holding on to the handshake anyway.

“And if I hit more than fifteen, dinner will be on me. No but’s,” Chaeyoung Park said with a wink before she released the other woman's hand.

“A deal is a deal, anyway,” Chaeyoung said, her fingers now slowly tracing the jagged lines of the mosaic that was made of tiny colorful tiles on the surface of the table.

“Is Lisa still coming?" Jisoo asked after she took a glance at her watch. The analog hands said it was already quarter to seven. They had been waiting for quite a while now.

"I don't know," Chaeyoung said and took her phone fron inside her pocket. "Wait, let me check," she said and fiddled on the screen. It lit up and came to life, Chaeyoung’s eyes were scanning on it and finally said, "Oh, no. No, she said she couldn't come. Jennie's with her and they're cooking."

Chaeyoung showed the screen to Jisoo, where Lisa had sent a photo of a kitchen counter littered with peeled vegetable and fruit skins, a variety of spices and whole lot of mess behind an apron-clad laughing Jennie, whose hair was tied into a bun and holding a laddle. Looking like a beautiful homemaker.

Jisoo stared at the screen and laughed. "She finally found a way to thwart her security," she said, looking impressed. "Anyway, looks like it's just going to be me and you. We can leave, if you want?" she told Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung looked at Jisoo quizzically, considered her for a moment and shook her head. "No. I want to try their famous arancine. I heard it's really good," she said.

"Are you sure?" Jisoo asked, surprised and unsure, but somewhat hopeful.

"Uh-huh," Chaeyoung nodded and squinted her eyes on the chaebol in front of her. "But why do I feel like you're not comfortable being with me right now?"

"What? No! No. Of course, not," Jisoo denied vehemently and chuckled.

"I'm sorry. I know I made you a little awkward a while ago. It's just that, I thought this whole thing was--,"

"Weird?" Jisoo provided in gist. "Yeah, you've said that four times."

"Yes. I mean, this is the first time we went out together and you know, after everything that happened..."

"Do you want to leave? We can leave, like, right now. It's fine with me,"

"No. I'm just saying--this is new. And we never really started in good terms, did we? But I think we've passed that already. Anyway, shall we order? I'm hungry,"

"Okay. Excuse me?" Jisoo called the attention of the passing crew.

They ordered eveything. From the deep-fried saffron-flavored rice-ball with spinach and mozzarella stuffing, called arancine. Whose outer layer was so crispy, that you would need to crack it using a table knife by cutting it in half. To the special creamy small ring pasta called anelleti. They even tried the Gnocchi Gorgonzola--gentile Gragnano spaghetti, with black olives, anchovies, capers and white tomato. Among other authentic Sicilian dishes that they wanted to try, and paired it with an Italian wine.

Yes, they finally both agreed to ask for a bottle of wine because it was the most perfect compliment for all the food that they ordered.

Chaeyoung was gushing on every food being served, wafting the aroma towards her by fanning her hands over the served dishes and inhaling all its deliciousness to her heart's content. She was excited and giddy, that Jisoo could only laugh at her because the redhead's attitude towards food was cute and contagious.

And at one point, Chaeyoung couldn't stop the tears from pooling on her eyes because the food was so good and she had a habit of crying over good food from pure bliss. Which shocked and worried Jisoo at first but laughed about it eventually. Because Jisoo Kim had never met anyone who would cry over delicious, mouth-watering food. It was something new to her. Like, how it was new that she was sharing and enjoying a delicious, sumptuous Sicilian meal right now with someone like Chaeyoung Park, when she could have just head home and join the family dinner.

"What time are you going back to the bar?" Jisoo asked afterwards.

"We," Chaeyoung muttered after taking a bite from the slice of pizza she was holding.

"What?"

"What time are we going back to the Orange," Chaeyoung corrected her. "You promised Lisa you'd be there for the show later. I have a strong feeling that she and Jennie will head there later tonight," she said and gushed, "Oh my god! This is so delicious!" She was pertaining to the pizza.

"So, you want me to be there because Jendeuk and Lisa will be there?" Jisoo inquired. She was quite unsure what to feel if Chaeyoung would decide to say yes.

But the redhead directed her eyes straight towards Jisoo and looking as though she was offended with the idea.

"No. I want you to be there because you haven't seen my band play without grudge or hostility being furtively thrown at me," Chaeyoung said and smirked. She was in the mood to smirk now that she was indulging in good food. "Besides, you and Chahee should talk it over."

"Okay, first of all: I wasn't throwing 'furtive grudge or hostility' at you the first time I was there. I was doing fine until you snarl at me just because I asked who named the bar 'Orange'," Jisoo said defensively. "And secondly: Talk what over?"

"Things. Make peace or something," Chaeyoung replied and took a sip of wine after she finished the slice of pizza.

"Your friend is setting a ridiculous list of things before she can forgive me. As if I did something terrible to her. And why do I have to kneel down? Like, seriously? We're not in the Game Of Thrones," Jisoo complained.

Chaeyoung waved her hand impatiently. "You don't have to kneel down in front of her. That's just ridiculous. And Chahee won't allow it. I know her. She was just bluffing," she told the chaebol.

"Why do I have to talk to her, then?" Jisoo demanded.

Okay, so maybe she felt the need to apologize to Chahee and everyone from the Orange. But she didn't have to talk to them, like 'talk' talk, did she? What were they supposed to talk about?

"Because I have a feeling that tonight won't be the last time you'll be at my bar?" Chaeyoung responded, sounding unsure.

"You feel a lot of things, don't you?"

"Uh-huh," Chaeyoung nodded. "And I'm usually right, especially now that I'm full," she added with a smirk. "Which, leads me to a question, by the way. I hope you're up for answering?"

"What question?" Jisoo asked, totally unaware that she was staring at the ghost of the smirk that was still visible on the corner of the redhead's mouth.

It was, uhm, cute. And sexy. And Jisoo reminded herself that she should never look at that mouth again. Or anywhere near it. Because the last time she did... Well, it didn't end up well.

But still, she was internally battling with herself the urge to tell Chaeyoung how pretty those lips are. Especially when it would curve into a smile. It was beautiful. From one woman to another, Jisoo thought that Chaeyoung Park's lips were to die for.

"Do you like me?"

Jisoo choked and spit out the wine that she was about to slide down her throat. She knew she heard it right the first time. Despite the fact that her mind was elsewhere and she wasn't listening attentively. But she heard it right--those intricately-woven four-word question. And the amused tone laced around it.

"Excuse me?" she asked while dabbing the table napkin on her chin.

"Well, I remember you telling me that you like me that night, after the kiss? Before you walked out of the bar?" Chaeyoung said. And there was that smirk again, which slowly transformed into a smile, while maintaining eye contact. "I mean, it's not necessarily like anything kind of 'like', right? Just, like. So, do you?"

Jisoo had sworn to herself that she would never, ever, admit it again. Especially to Chaeyoung. Because there was no point and she was sure that it was only fleeting. It was just a stupid crush. She was just girlcrushing on the redhead. But on that moment, she felt bolder. Maybe it had something to do with the wine. She should say yes, she told herself pompously. But instead of saying 'yes', she asked:

"What if I do?"

There. Not admitting nor denying anything. Jisoo decided to play safe. She was safe from the interrogation.

"I don't know, really," Chaeyoung shrugged. "I just want to know, I guess? For now, at least."

Jisoo didn't say anything and just resolved to watching Chaeyoung trying to gather her thoughts and string words together. She was sure that the redhead was still not done talking.

"I mean, I never had anyone telling me they like me. Like, 'like' me. You know what I mean? Perhaps because I was into Lisa all this time and I never really paid enough attention to anyone before?" Chaeyoung tried her best to explain.

"And you're paying attention to me? Is that it?" Jisoo asked calmly. She had regained her composure.

"Look, I know that I've stupidly proclaimed in front of you and everyone about me and Lisa kissing--," she hissed the word between her teeth because she didn't want to be overheard, "because of a stupid game. But I'm not the kind of woman who would just go around kissing another person..."

"Oh my god! So, we're still not passed that, are we?" Jisoo reacted rather sardonically and regretted it almost instantly when she saw the look on Chaeyoung's face.

"No," Chaeyoung said with a straight face. "We won't ever. Unless you give it back to me or I'll get it back from you."

Jisoo furrowed her brows in confusion. She was sure they were talking about the stupid kiss. But what did she have to give back again?

"What are you talking about?" Jisoo asked.

"The kiss that you stole from me, what else?" Chaeyoung replied impatiently and leaned back to her chair. Her arms now crossing across her chest.

She was looking at Jisoo like she was evaluating the chaebol. Her eyes were sharp and scrutinizing. Her lips were pursed. She was waiting for an answer.

"Are you drunk?" Jisoo scoffed in disbelief. There was humor with how she laced those three words together. It was evident with the way she formed her lips into a loopsided grin.

"No," Chaeyoung replied.

"Of course, you're not. The wine isn't that strong," Jisoo commented casually. "What were you saying again?" she asked, because she still had not, in any way, confirmed what they were talking about.

"You have to give it back," Chaeyoung reiterated.

"Give you back what?" Jisoo asked. She was starting to lose her cool. Okay, so maybe the wine had something to do with it. Really.

Chaeyoung kicked her feet rather impatiently on the floor and raised herself from her seat. She was moving so quickly that Jisoo barely had the time to react and understand what was happening.

Until Jisoo heard Chaeyoung's voice on her ear, whispering to her a word that were audible enough for her to hear, amidst the cacophony of cutleries against the plates and the chatters and laughters inside the Ciuri Ciuri.

"That," Chaeyoung said.

Jisoo blinked several times, with her mouth agape. She was staring at Chaeyoung and had slowly brought her hand on her lips.

It was only fleeting, she remembered. It lasted only a second. It was feather-light, like the small wings of a butterfly grazing a little too softly against the sensitivity of the tissue on her lips.

Chaeyoung Park just freaking kissed her! And everyone around them did not seem to even notice. At. All!

"Now were even," Chaeyoung Park said and returned to her seat with a haughty smile painted across her lips.

Satisfaction was all over her pretty face, while she was looking at how Jisoo was still unable to recover from the shock.

Chaeyoung was never really the vindictive type but she felt it surprisingly rewarding to get even. Just this once, she told herself. She brought the glass of wine to her mouth and sipped from it.

Okay, so maybe she was a little drunk.