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"Hello, are you... Joo Hyun, the one I was supposed to meet?"
"...Sir? What are you doing here?"
"What about you? ...Well, looking at you, I can tell."
Muchan's gaze dropped casually from head to toe. A bright-colored dress, far from her usual casual attire, caught his eye. It was an outfit that fit the TPO perfectly, needing no further explanation. Even the lipstick held in her hand, which froze the moment she saw him, was evidence more solid than any testimony.
"No, I mean, I am, but... I'm asking why you are here, sir?"
"Why? What. Am I not allowed to be set up on a date?"
"I mean, why would you, of all people..."
Hyun's expression as she watched Muchan plop down in the opposite chair suggested she still hadn't grasped the context. I know she's smart, but she's always so slow on the uptake in situations like this. Tsk.
"It seems like it's me. Your blind date."
He had always thought this, but her expressions were truly diverse. It was quite entertaining to watch them flicker through several changes within seconds. Still, was there a need to be that horrified multiple times?
"That's, I mean, that's impossible...!"
"I don't know either. No wonder they wouldn't show me a single photo."
"Right? If you had known, you wouldn't have come here, would you?"
"Not a chance."
"Pardon?"
"It was an introduction from a senior's wife from the police academy, and that senior is a very important connection to me. I would have shown up no matter who it was. Even if it was you."
Of course. Seeing the soul slowly returning to her dazed face, it seemed she was somewhat convinced. Hyun nodded unconsciously and offered a new reaction.
"...If that's the case. I'm in a similar boat. It was my former boss."
"Is that so? You've put in quite a lot of effort for something that's just a sense of duty for networking. You must be the type to give your best to everything."
Hyun, naturally looking down at the flowing hem of her dress, let out a small exclamation—"Oh, geez"—and lifted her head. I knew I was overdoing it. I should have just worn pants! Recalling her deep dilemma from the morning, Hyun ultimately ended up regretting it.
"Clothes like this, well, I wear them often. Just because you haven't seen them doesn't mean anything, sir. You only see me when I'm working, don't you?"
"True. But not today. So, is the plan just to drink that Americano and then part ways?"
...That, that. His skill at changing the subject. He had a knack for making people strangely irritated. Under Hyun's rough touch, the innocent straw was crushed and crumpled among the remaining ice.
"Then what, should we watch a movie and eat dinner? It's not like it's a date."
"Why isn't it? We're on a blind date right now."
"...Are you serious?"
"Do facts need seriousness? As for a movie... it's too late to book one now. I saw an arcade nearby on my way here; let's just go there. There's some time to kill before dinner."
"An arcade? We're not high schoolers dating. Is the claw machine perhaps your hobby?"
"Unfortunately, shooting is my hobby. As for dolls, well. I'll win one for you if you want."
"Ugh, no thanks. That's creepy!"
While Hyun, who had been recoiling in disgust, was being tinged with a faint sense of defeat as she realized she was being drawn in, Muchan was already handing his card over to the counter. Only then did Hyun snap out of it and block him.
"What are you doing right now?"
"Can't you tell? I'm paying."
"I know that. You haven't even had a sip of water, so why are you paying for the two cups of coffee I drank?"
"You can buy dinner then. How about pasta?"
"...Ah, so you meant you're going to get a free ride?"
How simple-minded. He had no intention whatsoever of being treated by a junior much younger than him, especially on a blind date. Muchan gave a vague nod and stepped out of the cafe. It was a good day for a walk.
***
"Ah!! What was that? If you had just hit that one, we would have won. Ah, seriously. Are you sure shooting is your hobby?"
"Hey, you try it. See if it's that easy."
"Ha. You think I can't? Just you wait, I'm definitely getting that rabbit! Just so I can give it to you, sir."
Muchan handed over the BB gun with an incredulous look and shook his head. Seeing how he kept missing from this close range, it really did seem like he was being strange. Although he didn't realize that while the first ten of his thirty shots hit perfectly, his aim had started to go strangely awry from the moment an excited Hyun began cheering him on, standing close behind his back as he took his shooting stance.
"Oh my god, look. I did it!"
"...Really?"
While he was pondering his strange physical state, Hyun, who had hit all thirty shots in the meantime, turned around with a flushed face. A long black BB gun, which didn't suit her pale yellow dress at all, swayed in her hand. Twenty-eight hits. Since she only missed two, she had finally won that silly-looking rabbit doll.
"Here, take this."
"No, what would I use this for? You keep it. Or give it to that high schooler at your home."
"No thanks. High schoolers these days wouldn't even look twice at this. Besides, I'm not giving it to you because I like you, but as proof that I won, so you better keep it. Understand?"
Muchan looked down at the small rabbit doll in his hand. Looking at it again, the tiny thing with only its plastic eyes gleaming seemed to resemble its owner—no, wait. I'm the owner. Anyway, it did look a bit like her. Without him noticing when she had wandered off, Hyun was already hovering in front of the basketball arcade machine. Joy radiated from her back as her half-tied curly hair, styled neatly to match her outfit, swayed back and forth. It was enough to make his own smile, which had slipped out before he could even register it, blend in naturally. It was funny, he thought, that a detective from the violent crimes unit could laugh so easily after losing to a cyber team member at a shooting game.
"Wait up, will you?"
"Why are you just standing there? Aren't you coming?"
"Hold on. I'm actually pretty good at basketball, you know?"
"You said that earlier, too. I don't believe you anymore."
"Your faith in your team leader is awfully thin," he grumbled, stepping up beside Hyun. It was just an arcade basketball game, after all.
***
"Tomato? Cream?"
"Just order whatever."
"You know that's the hardest thing to ask? Whatever. Excuse me! Two cream pasta, and a margherita pizza, please."
It was quite amusing to watch her order the pizza so confidently after looking at him like a thief when he told her to pay. Not that it was surprising anymore.
"Oh, this place brings back so many memories."
"You've been here before? No wonder it looked familiar."
"Of course. Back in my senior year of high school. High schoolers don't have much money, right? We’d just buy tteokbokki, go to the convenience store, that kind of thing. But one day, my boyfriend..."
"What?"
"Why?"
Boyfriend? That was quite a thing to hear on a blind date. Even if it wasn't a "real" blind date.
"Nothing, the food's here. Keep going."
"Oh, right! Anyway, I followed him without knowing why, and he told me it was our 100th day. I mean, what's that even worth? How could a kid like that afford to buy dinner at a place like this?"
Muchan, who was busy re-slicing the already cut pizza, nodded. A typical, youthful, and somehow irritating story. That kind of story.
"I've come back here every now and then when I think of it. Even though it didn't end well."
"Just eat—wait, it didn't end well?"
Just as he was about to feed her a slice of pizza to cut through the boring narrative, the last sentence echoed in his ears. Did a high school romance really have such a bad ending? Didn't they usually just fizzle out? Over college, or something like that?
"You know how it is. My parents passed away right after I turned twenty. I was in such a daze, and honestly, I wasn't in any position to date. So when I went to tell him that..."
Two neatly sliced pieces of pizza were placed onto the empty plate in front of Hyun. Muchan just gestured for her to continue. He had an idea of where this was going, but he wanted to hear it from her.
"...he was with my friend."
Judging by that bitter expression, it was obvious that "with" meant more than just hanging out. Why bother remembering that? Such a waste of memory. She was surprisingly foolish. Muchan chose his words carefully, trying to keep his tone light.
"First love, was it? How poignant."
"Oh, no, it wasn't my first love. It was just an older guy from the church I went to in middle school. I wonder how he's doing."
"Yeah, alright, I get it. Why don't you eat while you finish the story? It’s going to get cold."
On an actual blind date—though he had long forgotten that this was never a normal one to begin with—he didn't want to hear about her ex-boyfriend, let alone her first love. Only after he personally handed her a fork did a satisfied smile touch his lips. It was even more so when he saw Hyun begin to put the pasta in her mouth with a bewildered expression.
***
"Ah, that was a good meal."
"Oh, you finished it all. I thought you'd leave some."
"How could I leave food behind? You know that's just environmental pollution."
"Sure, let's go. Get up."
"Oh, the bill..."
Hyun's gaze darted busily toward the counter. Did she really think he was going to get a free meal out of her? Muchan gave her a "you’re totally handful" look and started walking first. He could feel her scrambling to catch up after looking around, even without turning back.
"You told me to pay, so when did you do it?"
"You wanted me to get a free meal from my subordinate? Wow, what kind of person do you take me for?"
"No, what do you mean? I took you for my team leader."
It was a secret that she had left out words like "jerk," "psycho," and "weirdo." Yes. Hyun pressed her lips together tightly.
"Forget it, forget it. Just tell me which way your house is. I'll take you home."
"Is that necessary? You know it's close."
"The streetlamp. It's out, isn't it?"
"Whoa. When did you even notice that?"
"When would I have? When you were dragging me around so recklessly. It’s not even an apartment complex, you should be filing complaints about things like that promptly."
"Oh, I've been busy. I was lucky just to make it home. Come to think of it, it's almost over now, isn't it?"
"Yeah. That's why we're here doing this, living the good life. On a golden weekend, no less."
"Oh, right. I didn't exactly want to spend my 'golden' weekend with the team leader either. Do you think I was having fun?"
Her sharp tone, which had become prickly at his words, was transparent. Hyun grumbled as if she wanted him to hear it. So, why didn’t he ask to part away earlier...
"I had a good 'golden' weekend. Thanks to you."
"......Excuse me?"
"Are you not going in? Your younger sibling seemed like quite the nag last time."
"Yes, she’s a bit, well. Yes. That's right, yeah. I'm going!"
Unnecessary interjections kept slipping out. Hyun blinked her eyes once. She just nodded, as if her response system was broken, even when Muchan asked, "So, this way?" The strange scene of the person escorting her staying a few steps ahead continued until they reached her front door.
"Oh...... Goodnight. Sir."
"Yeah, get inside."
Hyun thought: if one could be suffocated by an atmosphere, this was definitely that moment! It had been torture while walking here, but facing him directly was even worse. Muchan was standing there idly, clearly intending to watch her go inside, and he was so incredibly annoying. He was unnecessarily tall, too.
"......Aren't you leaving?"
"You go in first."
"It would be better if you went first, yes."
"You're that eager to get rid of me? Fine, I'm going."
Muchan shrugged and turned around. She felt like she had been dragged into something again, somehow. Seriously, what is up with today? Is it me, or is that guy... weird? Muttering irritably, Hyun slammed the door shut. It was loud enough for the person walking away, who was pretending to be calm, to hear clearly.
"At least don't break it."
It would be a headache to fix. Muchan let out a foolish worry before glancing back inadvertently. Yellow light was spilling out from between the curtains. It was especially visible because the streetlamp was out. As Muchan turned around again, an even more foolish thought followed him. Something like, yellow really suits her.