It had been two days since Jisoo's fateful encounter with Lee Kyo Jin at the art gallery, and the girls had practically been living on the edge of their seats, waiting for any sign of life from the man who had made her heart skip a beat.
They were in the loft, sitting on the couch with their phones, gossiping about everything and nothing. Jisoo had sent Kyo Jin a simple text after that night—something along the lines of "I had a great time at the gallery. Would love to grab coffee sometime."
But no reply. At first, Jisoo was calm, telling herself that maybe he was busy, or maybe he wasn't interested. She tried to push it to the back of her mind, but the girls were relentless. Every few hours, Vanessa would ask, "Did he text you back yet?" in the most over-the-top dramatic way.
Then, two days later, as the girls were lounging around, Jisoo's phone buzzed.
"Wait," Jisoo gasped. "Wait. He texted me."
Vanessa immediately jumped up, causing Chloe to spill her coffee. "I swear, if you spill that drink one more time—" Chloe began, but Vanessa was too distracted.
"Jisoo, WHAT DID HE SAY?" Vanessa screamed, dramatically clutching her chest as if her life depended on the text.
Jisoo stared at the message in disbelief. Kyo Jin had responded, and it wasn't just any simple reply. His message was clear: "How about dinner at 7 pm? I know a great spot. Let me know if that works for you."
"Dinner!" Jisoo squealed, unable to contain her excitement. "He said dinner! Dinner, not coffee! Oh my God, what do I do? What do I wear? Why does he want dinner? Is this a date? Is it a date??"
Vanessa, Chloe, and Asha immediately erupted into chaos, their screams echoing through the apartment as they jumped up and down, their excitement level suddenly matching Jisoo's.
"Oh my God! He said dinner! That's basically a date!" Vanessa screamed.
Chloe bounced up and down. "A dinner date! This is happening! It's happening!"
Asha, with a smirk, added, "It's been two days, Jisoo. The man is clearly into you. No one waits that long for just coffee. You've got yourself a real-life K-drama romance, girl!"
Jisoo was clutching her phone like it was her lifeline. "But wait! What if he just wants to be friends? What if it's not a date at all?"
"Jisoo, get out of here with that nonsense!" Vanessa screeched. "We need to get you ready. This man is clearly a high-class catch. He has a CEO title. You're about to eat dinner with a CEO, honey. Do you know how many women would kill for this?"
"Okay, okay!" Jisoo replied, shaking her head, "But I don't even know what to wear. I didn't pack for something this fancy!"
"Leave it to us," Chloe said, grabbing Jisoo by the arm. "We've got this."
The Chaos of Getting Ready
What followed was absolute mayhem. Vanessa had picked out a sleek black dress for Jisoo—something understated but elegant. But Jisoo was nervous. "What if it's too much?" she asked, looking at herself in the mirror. "What if I look ridiculous?"
Vanessa gasped. "Ridiculous?! Baby girl, you look like you just stepped out of a Vogue shoot. You're serving elegance on a silver platter. He's gonna be in awe."
"I look like I belong on Keeping Up With The Kardashians," Jisoo muttered, but Chloe was already reaching for her shoes, ignoring her friend's protests.
Asha rolled her eyes, handing her a pair of sparkling earrings. "Here. These will make sure he knows you're the one in charge."
But things started to get complicated when they reached the makeup section.
"I'm doing your makeup!" Asha announced, dragging Jisoo to the vanity. "I've watched enough YouTube tutorials to know exactly what I'm doing."
"Hold on a second," Vanessa said, stepping forward, hands on hips. "Asha, no. No makeup. I've seen your 'art' before, and trust me, this is not the time to experiment."
"But I—" Asha began.
"I will not let you do this to Jisoo's face," Vanessa interrupted, "I'm taking over."
"What?!" Asha protested. "You're not a makeup artist! You just slather on whatever's trendy!"
"I know how to work a smoky eye, thank you very much," Vanessa shot back, already pulling out her makeup bag with a flourish.
Jisoo, still sitting on the stool, couldn't help but laugh at their antics. "This is like a reality show."
"Oh, honey, you have no idea," Chloe said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The real drama's about to begin. Wait till you see these two fight over eyeliner."
It wasn't long before Vanessa and Asha started bickering over which lipstick shade would be "just right." Chloe had to intervene, holding up her phone to distract them. "Girls, focus. Jisoo's about to go on a date with a CEO. If you keep fighting over makeup, she's going to miss the whole thing!"
As Jisoo finally applied a light touch of lipstick, Vanessa took a moment to step back and admire her work. "You look perfect," she declared with satisfaction.
"You don't think it's too much?" Jisoo asked, worried.
"Girl, do you know what you're about to do?" Vanessa said, raising an eyebrow. "You're about to have dinner with a guy who probably drinks his water with gold flakes in it. You need to look like you've got your life together."
"I just want him to like me," Jisoo admitted, her voice dropping a little.
"He already likes you, honey," Asha said, looking at her phone. "You have no idea what kind of effect you've got on him. That text? That wasn't a 'let's just hang out' text. That was a 'I'm interested' text. Trust me."
Jisoo bit her lip, but deep down, she couldn't shake the excitement swirling inside her.
Dinner Date
The time had come. Kyo Jin's text had said 7 pm, and now it was 6:45. The girls were practically bursting with excitement as they ushered Jisoo out the door.
"Go, go!" Chloe yelled. "And remember: be confident. You're amazing."
Vanessa waved her off with a dramatic hand flourish. "Go get him, girl. Bring us back details. Every detail!"
Asha, less enthusiastic but equally as excited, called after her, "And don't let him order for you, okay? Assert your dominance. We want him to respect you."
Jisoo smiled nervously as she left, feeling like she was walking straight into a dream.
The restaurant Kyo Jin had chosen was impeccable. It was one of the top-rated spots in Seoul, with soft ambient lighting, polished wood floors, and a delicate aroma of fresh flowers. As Jisoo entered, she spotted him immediately—dressed in a tailored black suit, leaning slightly against the wall as if waiting for her.
His eyes brightened as she approached. "Jisoo," he greeted her, his voice smooth like velvet. "You look…stunning."
Jisoo's heart fluttered. "Thank you. You look great too."
Kyo Jin smiled and held out his arm. "Shall we?"
They were seated at a private table by the window, the view of the city lights adding a romantic touch to the evening. They spoke casually at first, talking about their favorite foods, their travels, and the things they loved about Seoul. Kyo Jin was charming, attentive, and effortlessly polite, listening closely as Jisoo spoke about her life and her dreams.
But as the evening wore on, the chemistry between them became undeniable. Kyo Jin's subtle compliments made Jisoo's cheeks flush, and his warm laughter made her smile more than she had in days. The conversation flowed, and the atmosphere became comfortable, like two people who had known each other for years.
"I'm glad you agreed to dinner," Kyo Jin said, his voice soft. "I wasn't sure if you were interested, but I'm happy you came."
"I'm glad too," Jisoo said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've enjoyed getting to know you more. You're…different. In a good way."
Kyo Jin's smile deepened. "I'm glad you think so. There's something about you, Jisoo. You're…refreshing."
Jisoo's heart skipped a beat. She looked down at her plate, suddenly shy.
After dessert, Kyo Jin stood and offered her his hand. "Let me take you home."
Jisoo hesitated. "Oh, you don't have to. I can just grab a taxi."
He shook his head, his eyes serious. "It's my pleasure. I insist."
She smiled, touched by his gentlemanly demeanor. As they walked outside into the crisp night air, Jisoo couldn't help but feel like she was walking into something special.
For once, the future seemed as bright as the city lights twinkling in the distance.