Chapter 17: An awkward lunch

So awkward...

Yohan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling the weight of their prolonged silence. They had been sitting inside the hotel restaurant for a good ten minutes already and yet they hadn't exchanged more than a few words. After they had placed their orders, the atmosphere grew awkwardly tense as they both waited in anticipation for their meals to arrive.

Finally unable to take it anymore, Yohan cleared his throat and asked hesitantly, "So...what do you want to talk about?"

"Let's wait until we finish eating," replied the man simply, before falling silent again.

With that, another round of uncomfortable silence descended upon them once again. Yohan couldn't help but feel disappointed, he thought this man would be different from his previous life when he was invited out to eat with him. But apparently not, he still remained a man of few words.

Yohan tried not to let it bother him too much since he didn't mind quiet people, but it was hard not to feel uneasy around the man.

He remembered that even when they were close in his past life, this man only spoke when necessary, making conversation with him difficult due to his tense aura. Yet Yohan remembered glimpses of warmth beneath the surface – rare smiles and moments where he seemed almost… vulnerable.

Meanwhile, the man himself observed Yohan closely without him noticing. He had seen how Yohan would stare off into space while lost in thought, a habit that didn't go unnoticed by the sharp-eyed man.

The man couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort either. Even though they were essentially strangers to one another, but he knew Yohan's name after picking up his ID card. A sense of obligation tugged at him - it would be rude not to introduce himself properly. However, in a strange turn of events, their interactions over the past few days, had left them both at a loss for words and feeling awkward.

"I'm sorry I haven't properly introduced myself." the man suddenly spoke, interrupting Yohan's thoughts. "My name is..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yohan interrupted him unconsciously.

"Oh, I know what your name is..."

The man was taken aback by Yohan's response and gave him a strange and cold look. His heart sank as he had hoped that Yohan wasn't like the type of person he thought he was, but Yohan's answer confirmed his worst fears.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Yohan tried to backtrack and clarify himself. "Don't think weirdly... I only know you because you used to be a famous athlete before you resigned. I like you back then."

In truth, Yohan knew about this from their conversations in their past life.

Upon hearing this explanation, the man's gaze changed again, similar to the look he had given Yohan the night before. Although it was still a little unsettling, it wasn't as cold and unwelcoming as his previous expression. Yohan couldn't help but feel relieved that the atmosphere at their table seemed to be easing up somewhat.

Thankfully, the awkward moment was interrupted as the waiter arrived with their food, breaking the strange atmosphere at their table and allowing them to focus on something else for a while.

Alas, Yohan's momentary relief was fleeting and short-lived...