“So, how is Geonsu treating you?” she laughed, letting some smoke seep out between her teeth. This was now a more direct way of letting me know.

“What did Geonsu tell you?”

“That you were an acquaintance and to drop it. So, are you just an acquaintance?” she leaned in, smirking and looking me directly into my eyes.

“Well, I guess…” the question asked was a good one.

There was this tension I felt between us. He was careful, more than you would be with a friend or someone you met for the first time. So, I was just as confused as her. She seemed to only tease me, because she changed the subject.

“Is there any dessert you like?”

“I am not picky with desserts, but I adore coffee. So, any dessert with coffee is the best.”

“You adore coffee? So, you like those infused coffee drinks, like those coffee experts make? I only had a brief course on coffee in university.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Okay, wait a second.”

She stood up and walked inside the kitchen. From where I was seated, I could see inside if I leaned a little bit back, so I followed her with my eyes. She walked past Geonsu’s station and exchanged a few words with him before walking further to the right of the kitchen, where my eyes could not follow anymore. As she disappeared from my view, Geonsu turned around and looked at me. He waved and motioned an eating movement with a questioning expression, mouthing “Did you eat?” at me. He was asking me if I had eaten, just around 2 hours after he previously already asked me if I ate the first time I came to the kitchen today. He made me laugh, and I nodded my head, affirming. He stood there, put his hands down and mouthed “Good”. Then he turned around and started working again, peeking twice to see if I had moved or was still looking at him in a span of 30 seconds. The third time he turned around, I stuck my tongue out. He laughed, looking at me over his shoulder, propping himself with both of his hands on the workstation. He turned around and kept on working, giving orders. Seconds later, Amara was approaching, holding a plate in her hands.

“Here. This is a Panna Cotta al Caffè. I need to wrap up some orders and clean my station. “

He handed me the plate and rushed back inside. Visually, it looked elegant and understated smooth, pale caramel-colored dome with a glossy surface that reflected the light. When I nudged it with a spoon, it trembled softly. It intrigued me. The top was finished with a drizzle of coffee syrup, chocolate shavings and a dusting of cocoa powder. I took a spoonful and tasted it. The texture was impossibly silky, somewhere between custard and cream, melting on the tongue almost instantly.

The flavor was rich but delicate. The cream softened the bitterness of the espresso, creating a smooth coffee taste that lingered pleasantly without being harsh. Warm, velvety, slightly sweet, with just enough bitterness to keep it sophisticated rather than sugary. Needless to say, I was a fan. I finished it immediately. Amara sure was talented. I checked the time after standing around for a while, and it was now 10:26. I looked inside and saw the staff cleaning the kitchen all over. Floors, counter tops, sinks, the top of the exhaust hoods, everything was getting scrubbed and cleaned. I remembered I still had the plate next to me on the bench and stood up to bring it back inside. As I wanted to call out to either Geonsu or Amira to take the plate, someone already saw me and approached me.

“Oh, give it here. I’ll take it.” And then left.

No one seemed to be bothered by my presence there, which made me 100% sure that that Ray server was being hostile for personal reasons. Amira approached Geonsu after she saw me step inside and took the mop out of his hands, nudging him to leave.

“If you’re not out of here in 20 seconds, I leave before you.”

Geonsu patted her shoulder and sprinted towards the front right of the kitchen, where he changed clothes last time. He thanked her and stepped up to me, putting his jacket on.

“Wanna leave together?” he smiled and walked in front of me.

“Why else did I wait?” I responded.

Walking around in the cold in complete silence, we left the alley and were walking aimlessly around downtown. The silence didn’t feel heavy or awkward. Given the fact that we didn’t know each other for long and our interactions were spontaneous, I felt comfortable in his presence, talking being not necessary.

And we didn’t talk at all. I soon realized he only left earlier to walk me to the subway entrance.

“I just wanted to set you off myself. I am excited for Christmas.” He said after we stopped at the subway entrance.

“Me too.”

We parted ways and started walking, but as if we sensed it, we turned around at the same time after we took some steps, to confirm that the other was not just an illusion. Our eyes locked and our steps slowed. I looked him directly in the eyes. He broke eye contact first and while looking around at the buildings, he added

“Text me when you get home, please.”

He looked like a husky, pleading and whimpering, not wanting to depart. I chuckled and promised to text him. I arrived home an hour later and as I walked through the door and took my phone out to text Geonsu, I heard my mom make a fuss in the living room.

“No, you need to put that on the shelf. I don’t like the way the Christmas tree looks, I told you a week ago.”

“Darling, I genuinely don’t know how to help… oh, Kento is home.”

“What are you doing, mom?”

“I am preparing the house for tomorrow, what does it look like? People come over and of course it’s only me who cares about the state of the house. I do it all alone! Next year, I’m not moving a finger. You’ll see!” she spouted these words out every year, even though she was always the one inviting people over. And I helped just the days before. I cleaned the windows and dusted all the surfaces. I even cleaned the entrance door and the staircase.

I looked at Alex, who was pleading with me to save him. It was his turn to help, so I raised my eyebrows at him, signaling that I could not help him out and went to my room. I wanted to warm up a bit, so I decided to take a bath. I ran the hot water and put dried lavender and salt in the bathtub. As the water filled the tub, I brushed my hair and took my clothes off. As I stepped in the water, the more I submerged myself in the hot water, the more my skin reacted and I got goose bumps. I shook with pleasure as I submerged my collarbones in the water. After a while, I put my hair fully inside and tilted my head backwards, the water standing around my head, my ears submerged. Suddenly, I heard my phone ring. I stand up, clean my hands of water quickly and answer before having a chance to look at who called. I thought it was Romina, confirming 7 pm as a meeting hour for tomorrow like every year. But the voice surprised me, being deeper than the one I expected.

“Are you home?” it was Geonsu. I forgot my promise.

“Yes. I forgot to text you. I got distracted when I arrived home.”

“I’m sorry for being so clingy, hahaha. I got home myself later and after I did some stuff around the house, you still didn’t text. I was worried... There's a weird echo on your end.”

“Oh, that may be because I am in the bathroom. I’m taking a bath right now.”

There was silence on his end. Suddenly, my skin felt hotter than before, even though the water cooled down.. I felt as if he was waiting on the other side of the door, calling for me. I felt dizzy from the heat and stood up more, only having the water cover my legs and reaching my belly button. I must have made splashing sounds, because Geonsu cleared his throat and answered finally.

“Ahem… I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Geonsu.”

“Yes?”

“See you Sunday at 7 pm. I’ll text you the address.”

“Yes… Good night!”