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Shin had always been a cold person. Not emotionally cold, he wasn't like that once you got to know him. He was always physically cold. He wore his beanie and scarf every time he went out, no matter the weather. He wore layer upon layer of clothes on the coldest days, and even on the hottest ones he still wore a hoodie. He didn’t know why he was always cold, he thought it might’ve been some strange curse he’d gotten for having a good childhood. It wasn’t annoying, but it made people reject his touch a lot.
“You’re so cold,” they would say, retracting their hand from him. He didn’t like that, but he never said anything to them. Shin was someone who adored physical touch, even if he rarely got it. Hugs, high fives, arms around the shoulder, any type of touching made his heart swell. Yet because of his lonely nature, it was hard for him to make any friends, and even if he did, they’d recoil anytime they touched him. It made him feel lonelier when it happened, but he would never complain. His world was cold until he met the sun.
Sara had always been a hot person. It wasn't just her looks, it was her physically. She had warm hands, a warm smile, and a warm personality. She was always hot, no matter the weather. Some would consider this a blessing during winter, but she had to be very careful during the summer. She almost never wore more layers than necessary, at times just doing it because “She liked to look cute”. She never understood why she was a walking heater, but didn't think too bad of it. She was always warm until she met the moon.
On a fateful day, where the morning dew on the grass was still frozen over, both Sara and Shin decided to get some hot pot. Shin was graciously given a meal for one coupon by his parents, so he couldn't refuse the offer. It had been such a cold day and it'd be nice to wind down and heat up. Sara was just planning to eat something tasty, despite her aversion toward being near boiling pots and burners.
The two walked into the place near simultaneously, not paying attention to the other until they talked to the receptionist.
"Table for one, please?" Both said at the same time.
"Oh- sorry." The young man apologized and stepped aside. "You first."
"Ah, I'm so sorry." The waiter said. "There is only one table left. I'm afraid you'll have to wait about an hour, mister."
Classic Shin luck. He didn't mind giving up his table for the lady he'd just met, for some reason. Even if he arrived first. But it still sucked to have to wait.
"We can just share, right?" The young woman asked. "A table for one is good for two as well."
The waiter looked at Shin smugly, with a raised eyebrow. "I'll prepare the table then."
Shin didn't even have the time to accept or deny Sara's offer. It was a testament to how energetic and quick she was. The hacker had absolutely no problem sharing a table with her, however. She seemed nice and was very pretty. For a guy like him, it was like hitting the lottery.
Sara lucked out completely. Any other guy would've been selfish, especially after seeing that there weren't any other tables. But not him, not the reserved, sweet stranger she just met. After offering the last table to her, how could she not invite him to sit with her? It's not like these types of situations made her nervous, but something about the young man felt different somehow.
The waiter came back and ushered them to their table, a small little thing near the window. Shin and Sara took their seats across from each other, and the waiter left to go get their menus.
"Thanks for uh...letting me sit with you…" Shin spoke quietly. He was fiddling with his scarf again, trying to control his nerves. Sara gave him a smile, and he could feel his face heat up.
"It's no problem, really! You gave it up for me first, and you seem like a nice guy. So of course I wouldn't mind."
Shin averted his eyes, chuckling softly. Just a simple compliment was enough to get him flustered like a schoolgirl.
"Here are your menus," the waiter placed them down on the table. "Can I start you two with drinks?"
"I'd like some tea." Shin said. Sara was dumbfounded at how he could order something like that when they were at a hot pot place.
"I'll get some cold water." Sara said, more decisively. Shin was surprised at how she would go for a cold drink even on such a cold day.
“Alright then,” said the waiter, as wrote their orders on a small notepad. She left to get get them their drinks, and the two were left to discuss what they would get.
They decided on some simple things, like lamb, tofu, fish balls and various veggies. The waiter came back quickly and gave them their drinks, before taking the menus from them and promising to come back with their order. They were left to themselves once more.
Sara was about to say something, when suddenly she got a look of surprise.
“Have we introduced ourselves?” she asked, and Shin shook his head sheepishly. How could they have forgotten something so simple?
“Oh, well, I’m Sara. Sara Chidouin. Nice to meet you!” She waved at him.
“Ah, nice to meet you too, Miss Sara. I’m Shin Tsukimi.” He smiled, and she let out a scoff.
“Miss Sara? We’re like the same age!”
“Alright, here’s your order.” The waiter, seemingly coming out of nowhere, had dragged a little kart with her. She placed their bowls and other things on the table, as well as the hot pot itself. After ensuring they had everything they needed, she wished them a good meal.
“Let me know if you need anything else!” She said, and walked off to attend to her other tables.
“Thanks for the meal,” they both said, blushing a bit at their sudden synchronization. They served themselves, sharing excitement for their tasty meal. Shin let Sara serve herself first, even if she insisted he do it first. She gave in however, but made sure that Shin gave himself a good serving as well. Sara had already had a few spoonfuls of the soup, while Shin had just finished serving himself when they collided.
They reached for the chili oil at the same time. Much like how they were synched when talking to the waiter. Lost in how much they were enjoying each other's company, their hands met.
“You’re so…” Both said, simultaneously.
“Warm...”
“Cool...”
For a second, Shin was scared that Sara was masking her real feelings behind a cordial way to tell him he’s cold. He’d heard it before. He waited for her to pull away like everyone did.
Except, she didn’t. Shin even tried to get his hand away from her, as if to say “You don’t have to stay with me”. But she didn’t let go. Not for a second. Her burning grasp had found peace in his chilling body.
"Your hand feels...nice," she said, a bit dumbfounded by his cool touch. She's never felt like this with anybody else's hand. It was always warm, hot and sweltering. Yet Shin was different. He was cold. Like the autumn breeze that tells you winter is coming soon. She wrapped her hand around his, almost unconsciously, just wanting to keep the feeling there.
Shin had a fierce blush on his face. Even though at first he wanted to pull away, now he didn’t. He thought she was uncomfortable, but when her hand wrapped around his, all those thoughts melted away. Her hand was a summer’s day, the rays of sunshine embracing him and warming him up. He felt like he was holding the sun in his hands.
They stayed like that for a few moments until they became aware of their surroundings again. They both pulled away, albeit hesitantly, and laughed off the awkward situation. Sara looked over to Shin, who was hiding in his scarf.
“So, uh…” Sara said, a bit unsure what to say. She decided to just try to get to know him better. “Do you come here often?”
Shin looked up at her, scarf pulled up a bit. “Um...yeah, I really like this place. They serve good hot pot and it’s a great way to warm up...What about you?”
“Hm, well I really enjoy the food here, even if it’s really hot,” she laughed a bit, taking a sip of her water. “I don’t eat here often, but I look forward to every time I do.”
They enjoyed their hot pot together, talking and learning more and more about it each other. It was strange just how well they hit it off. Shin would patiently listen to Sara’s stories, adding in his own little thoughts and experiences here and there. Sara helped Shin to talk more about himself over the course of their conversation, egging him with questions and slipping in some compliments to see his face light up with a blush. By the end of their meal, both their stomachs and their hearts were full.
“So, uh…” Shin said, looking at her nervously. Over the course of the meal, he had started to gain a bit more confidence. “That was a really nice meal.”
“Yeah, it was,” Sara said, smiling at him. She had gotten used to his cues, and knew exactly what he wanted to say. “We should go out again, sometime.”
Shin looked at her hopefully, a smile gracing his lips. “Yeah...I’d like that a lot.”
Sara pulled out her phone, unlocking it and handing it over to Shin. “Here, put in your number.”
“Oh, okay,” Shin grabbed her phone, almost fumbling with it. He typed in his name and his number, checking again and again to make sure it was right. He handed it back over to her, and she sent him a quick text. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and then went to add her to his contacts as well.
They paid for their meal and walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, a perfect equilibrium.