Chapter 7: Falling For You

From the last chapter:

"Good morning, Hyejin," Haruna said cheerfully. "Are you feeling better now?"

"What happened?" Hyejin asked, still confused.

Haruna smiled and said, "Don't you remember? You passed out yesterday, and Mr. Yamada helped us to bring you home."

Mr. Yamada? Hyejin vaguely remembered the name.

——————

"Oh! Mr. Yamada Naoyuki?! The general manager of the Seoul Animation company?!", Hyejin asked surprisedly.

"Yeah! He carried you to his car and drove us home! He's such a gentleman!", Haruna said.

"H-h-he carried me?! Why didn't you carry me back home yourself??", Hyejin asked surprisedly.

"You're too heavy! I can't carry you back home myself. Anyway, I called every single person I found in my contact list already, and no one answered. Then, I accidentally called Mr. Yamada. So, it's not fully my fault!", Haruna insisted.

"So you're calling me fat?!", Hyejin asked, annoyed.

"N-no! That's not what I meant! What I mean is, I don't have enough strength to carry you!", Haruna said, avoiding a fight.

"You could've ordered an online Taxi tho.. Well, nevermind. Thank you for calling Mr. Yamada, where is he now?" Hyejin chuckled, her headache throbbing slightly as she did.

Haruna hesitated for a moment before answering, "Well, he stayed here for a while to make sure you were okay. But he had to leave eventually. He left a note with his number in case you wanted to thank him or if you needed anything."

Hyejin's eyes widened, and she quickly scanned the room for any signs of the mysterious Mr. Yamada. But there was no trace of him.

"He was here? When?" Hyejin asked, feeling a mix of embarrassment and curiosity.

"After he helped us get you inside. He even made sure you were comfortably settled on the couch. Honestly, he was really kind about the whole thing," Haruna explained, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Hyejin asked suspiciously.

"Well, let's just say he might have been a little... concerned. He asked a lot of questions about you—whether you had any allergies, if you needed water, and even offered to stay the night to keep an eye on you," Haruna said, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

Hyejin blushed. "Seriously? I don't even remember any of that."

"But don't worry, I assured him that you'd be fine and that I could take care of you. He left after that, but not before making me promise to call him if anything came up."

Hyejin sighed, both relieved and a bit disappointed that she had missed the chance to thank Mr. Yamada in person. "Well, it's good to know he's not just a random stranger. I should probably send him a thank-you message or something."

"That's a great idea! Maybe he can give you a recap of the night. I'm sure it would be entertaining," Haruna teased.

Hyejin shook her head, still feeling a bit groggy. "I don't think I want to know all the details. But I do owe him my gratitude. Can you pass me my phone?"

Haruna handed Hyejin her phone, and she quickly found Mr. Yamada's number in her recent calls. As she drafted a thank-you message and asked him to meet for dinner, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of impression she had made on the general manager of the Seoul Animation company. 

Unlike usual, today Hyejin decided to dress up elegantly for dinner. Since Naoyuki insisted on picking her up by car, she waited for Naoyuki by the main door of her house.As always, Naoyuki rolls up in his fancy white ride, all electric and high-end. He effortlessly pops open the door for Hyejin with just the press of a button.

Hyejin settled into the plush seat of Mr. Yamada's sleek car, glancing out of the window at the passing city lights. Clearing her throat, she mustered the courage to break the silence.

"Um, Mr. Yamada, I just wanted to say thank you again for helping Haruna and me last night. I really appreciate it.", Hyejin said.

Naoyuki smiled, his eyes briefly flickering from the road to Hyejin.

"No problem at all, Ms. Lee. I'm just glad everything worked out. How are you feeling today?"Naoyuki asked.

"A bit embarrassed, to be honest. I can't believe I got so drunk. Haruna told me you were really concerned and even offered to stay the night.", Hyejin said while looking away.

Naoyuki chuckled, a warm sound that put Hyejin at ease.

"Well, it's not every day I find myself playing the role of a knight in shining armor. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Ms. Takaaki mentioned you were out cold, and I didn't want to leave until I knew you were in good hands.", Naoyuki said

"I appreciate that. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble. And thanks for driving us home. I didn't get the chance to properly thank you last night.", Hyejin said while bowing, expressing her gratitude.

"No need to apologize, and you're welcome. It was the least I could do. Besides, it gave us a chance to chat a bit. How long have you been working in the comic industry?", Naoyuki asked.

Hyejin nodded, feeling a spark of excitement in the conversation.

Hyejin: "I've been working in the industry for at least 5 years, this is my first time working on an animation adaptation."

Being interested in the conversation, Naoyuki asked, "Five years, that's impressive! I can imagine the wealth of creativity you've accumulated in that time. And your first venture into animation? That's quite a transition. What made you decide to take that leap?"

Hyejin thought for a moment, reflecting on her journey.

Hyejin: "Well, I've always loved storytelling through visuals, and animation seemed like the perfect way to bring my characters to life in a new dimension. It's been a challenging shift, but I'm enjoying every moment of it."

Mr. Yamada nodded appreciatively, steering the conversation toward a shared passion for storytelling and creativity. As they continued to exchange thoughts and experiences, the car hummed along the city streets, carrying them toward the Korean restaurant where their dinner and newfound connection awaited.

When they started to order food, Hyejin found out that they have similar tastes in food. They ordered some tteokbokki, bulgogi beef, marinated crabs and spicy chicken legs.

"I never expected that you would like eating spicy food", Hyejin said surprisedly.

"I've been living here for awhile, I started to enjoy spicy food recently after going out with my co-workers! I found it very tasty!", Naoyuki said.

Hyejin smiled, finding Naoyuki's openness intriguing. The subtle exchange of surprises added a layer of familiarity to their conversation.

Hyejin: "Well, it's always great to discover new things, especially when you're living in a different place. Speaking of which, how do you find Seoul so far?"

Naoyuki: "Seoul has its own charm. Vibrant and full of life. The spicy food is just a small part of the adventure."

Hyejin nodded, appreciating his perspective. As they delved into discussions about their favorite spots in the city and shared anecdotes about their experiences, Hyejin couldn't help but notice the effortless way Naoyuki made her feel at ease. His genuine interest in her thoughts and the animated way he described his own experiences made her appreciate the connection they were building.

As they arrived at the Korean restaurant, the atmosphere seemed to buzz with a mix of laughter and the enticing aroma of grilled meats. The host led them to a cozy table, and Naoyuki held the chair for Hyejin with a small, courteous smile.

Throughout dinner, the conversation flowed seamlessly between spicy dishes and shared laughter. Hyejin found herself captivated not just by the flavors on her plate but by the person across from her. Naoyuki's stories were engaging, and his eyes sparkled with a passion for life that resonated with Hyejin.

As the evening progressed, Hyejin discovered that it wasn't just the spicy food that had left a lasting impression. There was a warmth in Naoyuki's presence that felt both comforting and exhilarating. She realized, with a flutter in her heart, that the unexpected encounter the night before was turning into something more than just a gesture of kindness.

By the end of the evening, as they stepped out into the crisp night air, Hyejin couldn't deny the growing connection she felt with Naoyuki. Little did she know that this seemingly ordinary dinner would mark the beginning of a beautiful chapter in both their lives.