his movements were wary, unsure as to whether he should be getting up to greet her or stay seated. the answer should've been obvious, but he couldn't decide at the moment. like greeting a complete stranger, but unlike a stranger, they shared history. one that spanned more than two decades. it hadn't really occurred to him how long it's been, but seeing her again made him feel old, nostalgic even. reminded him when things were simple. "...are you waiting for him too?" there was no mention that there'd be a third person. it took donghyeon a little while to process before it clicked. so this was just a setup? he lets out an exasperated scoff, not directed at her, but at what jihoon did. he had words on his mind, but it was best not to share. "good—i'm good... better. yourself?" his responses came out dry, only because he was a little unfamiliar. so much had happened between the time they were apart, but it felt like there was so little to share. "if i had known, i woud've dressed better... when did you get here?" donghyeon had to ask when offering the menu to her.
“Yes, we were supposed to meet here. I guess we just got a rain check. He probably forgot to let us know.” She wanted to just say he clearly se them up there, for whatever reason he had in his peanut sized brain. It was weird trying to act as if they were mere acquaintances when in reality they shared a story together. They were younger, but it was all so intense that it was almost physically painful to keep a straight face while her mind flooded with thoughts of them. Of a different time. Different Bada. Seeing him was both comforting and unsettling. Sitting in front of Donghyeon as if it was a date brought even more memories to her mind. Difficult to forget. “I’m doing alright.” The fact she was back to the town was actually an indication she was, in fact, not doing alright. Overly stressed, her health took damage from it. “You make even rug look good, don’t act like you don’t know that.” She joked with that serious face of hers that was always difficult to know if she was being playful or not. “I arrived yesterday. Still getting used to things here and how they changed although some others seem to be just the same way from the day I left…” You’re one of them. You sure got older, but I feel like you’re still the same person. That she only said in her mind as if her eyes scanned through the menu, making her order as soon as the waiter got closer. “How about you? You have been living here all these years?”











