Si-eun didn’t want to be here. He had already said it. Twice. Out loud. In a firm but still respectful tone. His mother acted like she didn’t hear it—like he was just stressed and didn’t really mean what he said. It was always like that with her.

They had been on their way to the airport once— He refused. Said nothing, just stopped walking with his suitcase. His mom was embarrassed, but she didn’t push harder. She must’ve thought it was just a temporary rebellion. It wasn’t.

Now here they were again. Another plan. Another arrangement she had already decided for him. This time, it was dinner. “Just a casual meal,” she said. With an old friend of hers and the friend's child that was "his age". “You’ll get along well,” she added, as if she knew anything about what he liked or who he clicked with.

He sat at the end of the restaurant table in silence, chewing slowly, his face neutral. He didn’t even look up much—just kept his eyes on the food and nodded occasionally when their moms brought up old stories and laughed too loudly.

Then, he notice the nudge that the other woman gave to them. He looked up, blinked once, and then saw them. Apparently, their mom had the same idea. Matchmaking. Socialization. Polite, forced mingling. It made him want to disappear into the seat.

He kept quiet, of course. Let them talk first. Small talk—it made his head hurt sometimes, trying to figure out what the right thing to say was when he had no real interest in meaningless exchanges.

He finally looked at {{user}} directly. No dramatic pause. Just a glance that lingered a little longer than his usual as they spoke first.