We sat in a small café tucked away in a corner of the city, a place that seemed familiar to Jia. It was her suggestion to meet here, and judging by how the staff greeted her, it wasn't her first time visiting.
"This time with your boyfriend?" asked a female waiter with a thin smile, offering the menu.
"B-boyfriend? No, he's not my boyfriend," Jia stammered, a blush spreading across her face.
I probably looked no different. I couldn't hide my smile, feeling almost disbelieving that luck had finally turned in my favor after weeks of being battered by Minjae.
"Ah, really? Then why the shy blush?" the waitress teased.
Jia shifted her gaze, frowning slightly, clearly wanting to drop the topic. Though a little disappointed, I understood—right now, we were just friends.
"I'll have pasta with garlic and cheese, and an orange juice. How about you, Ian?" Jia asked.
I scanned the menu carefully, trying to pick something unobtrusive. Ordering the same as Jia would make it obvious that I was trying to match her choice.
"I'll take whatever's popular at the café this week," I replied without much thought.
"Alright, we'll prepare it right away," the waitress said before leaving.
We were alone again, in a quiet comfort. The café was simple, far from the luxurious impression I had imagined. I expected Jia to bring me somewhere fancy, but this humble choice contrasted with the aura she carried.
"Do you come here often?" I asked.
"Not often, but I like to come when I have free time," she said, her gaze drifting as if lost in thought.
Silence enveloped us while I wrestled with doubts that stifled my words. I wanted to bring up Minjae, but I realized the topic might be too soon. Jia probably wasn't ready to hear his name at the start of our conversation.
My hesitation was interrupted by the waitress bringing our orders. Jia received her food with a satisfied look, while I stared in disbelief.
"What is this?" I asked.
"Cherry secrets ice cream and rainbow cream cheese cake with cherry. Cherry is very popular because of the Idol Cherry craze sweeping our customers. Enjoy!" she said cheerfully, leaving me in mild awkwardness.
I didn't like sweets, especially cherries. Now I had two dishes I couldn't enjoy. What was I supposed to do?
Jia chuckled softly, the sound echoing amid the gentle clinking of cutlery and the quiet café ambiance. I looked at her, unsure what was so funny, then realized she was laughing at me.
"Anyone seeing you now would think you're a huge Idol Cherry fan," she teased.
I exhaled, scooping a bit of ice cream and offering it to her. "Want to try?"
Jia glanced at the spoon, then laughed lightly. "You must be joking," she said.
I suddenly panicked—had I really lost it? Sharing a spoon like this was probably unappealing to her.
"Sorry, I'll get another spoon," I said quickly, trying to fix the awkward moment.
Before I could move, Jia stopped my hand. She glanced at me briefly, then, without hesitation, took the ice cream from the spoon.
I froze, completely taken aback. A faint smile graced her lips, and she leaned back as if nothing had happened. "Hmm, it's actually good," she said lightly, winking.
I stared at the spoon in my hand. Had we really shared the same spoon? My heart pounded, my body weak, as if this happiness was too much to bear.
"Ian?" Jia's voice snapped me out of my daze.
I looked at her with a vacant expression, still caught in the euphoria that had just struck me. Jia smiled—a sweet, radiant smile that made my condition all the more intense.
After finishing, we stepped out of the café. The outside air was refreshing, the gentle evening breeze brushing against our skin. We walked side by side, our steps in sync on the quiet sidewalk.
I looked at Jia, my heart racing. She was only shoulder-height to me, yet stunning like a model. Thinking about that made it impossible to contain my excitement and admiration. Every second with her felt precious; I wished time would stop so I could savor our moments together.
"About our conversation the other day," Jia said suddenly, startling me. "I appreciate your concern for me, but my choices have nothing to do with you. I hope you won't interfere in my life again."
Her words pierced like a dagger. I lowered my gaze, trying to swallow the sudden disappointment. Then she continued, "The other reason I invited you here is because I'm grateful. No one has ever truly cared about me like you have. And we've only just met."
A brief silence followed before I dared to ask, "Is that genuine? Or are you just saying it because you're afraid Minjae will hurt me again?"
"No, it's genuine," she answered firmly.
My chest felt heavier. All the warmth I had felt moments ago now turned bitter, like cherries stacked on my tongue.
I stopped, staring at her retreating back. "What if your choices actually do involve me?"
Jia turned to look at me. "It's not about you liking me, but about you hoping we'll always be together."
I didn't want to give up. I stepped closer, trying to reach for her shoulder, but something inside me held back.
"Jia, we can be together," I said, full of resolve.
"That won't happen," she replied flatly.
She walked away, leaving me frozen once again. I chased her, this time gripping her hand tightly.
"Say you don't like me, and I'll leave your life forever."
She looked at me, hesitating. "Why should I say that?"
"Because you brought me to this café. Because you smiled at me and didn't mind sharing the same spoon. We even have matching phone charms."
"That's just because we're friends," she said softly.
I lowered my gaze, feeling every word cut deep. "I don't want us to be just friends."
Jia paused, then said, "I don't hate you, Ian. But I can't give you hope either. So please, stop demanding an answer that will never exist."