By Zephyria Yumin was anxious. Today, he had to tell Tae-jun about a date course, but nothing had been decided yet.
Last night, he had searched for over 30 minutes using keywords like “date course” and “date restaurant,” but too much information was poison. He couldn’t figure out where to go, what to do, or what to eat. Even using tips he’d seen somewhere like “restaurants with him,” “restaurants with lover,” or “restaurants with her” yielded the same result. Some of them were exaggerated advertisements, making it even more confusing.
Sighing, Yumin entered the business building and went into the Organizational Behavior lecture hall.
Students were already there, so only mediocre seats were left. However, he spotted a familiar face in the back row, considered the prime spot.
It was Hyeon-seok and Juwan.
“Yumin. Are you taking this class too?”
Hyeon-seok waved, pretending to be happy to see him.
Beside him, Juwan was dressed casually in ripped jeans, twirling a pen.
“Yeah. I added it during course registration. You guys are taking it too.”
Are Hyeon-seok and Juwan close? Why are they sitting next to each other? As Yumin wondered, Hyeon-seok explained first.
“Come to think of it, Go Yumin, Lee Juwan, you two know each other, right?”
“Yeah. By sight.”
“Mm. Roughly.”
Juwan seemed to recognize Yumin, as a fellow student.
“Juwan and I are high school classmates. Yumin and I live in the dorms.”
“Oh, really? Are you guys from Busan then?”
“That’s right. Juwan was supposed to move into the dorms too, but he wanted to live alone, so he left.”
“Oh… I see.”
As Yumin sat down, he looked at Juwan, who was sitting next to Hyeon-seok.
“Nice to meet you.”
Lee Juwan smiled brightly, revealing his teeth. His sharp canines added a youthful charm. Yumin, who expected a perfunctory greeting, was surprised by his unexpected friendliness and re-evaluated him.
“Yeah. Me too.”
“Speaking of which, Yumin, you finally managed to register for
Hyeon-seok patted Yumin’s shoulder in congratulation.
“Yeah. I snagged an open spot at the last minute.”
“Juwan and I are taking that too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. We applied during the first round. You didn’t see us behind the lecture hall yesterday?”
“Uh… I was a bit preoccupied.”
“Right, you were busy playing rock-paper-scissors in front of Beom Tae-jun, weren’t you? Looked like you won.”
Yumin felt a little embarrassed. Hyeon-seok spoke relatively calmly, but Juwan teased him as if it were hilarious. It was true, twenty people engaging in a passionate rock-paper-scissors show wasn’t exactly common.
“Yeah. I got first place.”
Still, what could he do? I’m the proud winner!
Yumin glared at Juwan, who was chuckling.
Lee Juwan, how long have we known each other, and you’re already teasing me? To dare to snicker right in front of me, this dignified and charismatic me… What a rascal.
Yumin pouted.
The three sat side-by-side and listened to the lecture. The Organizational Behavior lecture was quite difficult for first-year students, and the professor spoke too fast. Yumin flipped through his book, then back again. Accustomed only to the college entrance exams, his head spun from the completely foreign terminology.
Hyeon-seok, on the other hand, followed the lecture with ease. True to his sharp, model student appearance, he diligently took notes on his tablet, listening carefully to the professor.
The surprise was Juwan. After the professor finished a lengthy explanation, he asked a rather difficult question.
In fact, in university lectures, the important thing isn’t understanding or acceptance, but asking questions. You have to ask sharp questions to appeal to the professor that you understand their words well, while also extracting more information.
When a high-level question is posed, the professor tends to pay attention to such students. The professor found Juwan’s question interesting and gave a rather lengthy answer.
Hmm… Juwan’s smart? Juwan’s question was much cleaner and better than the seniors who asked earlier.
At that moment, Juwan suddenly turned his head and mouthed, “I’m cool, right.”
‘What are you saying?’
Yumin scowled. He detested arrogant men.
As expected, Juwan won’t do. I know he has good looks and a good head on his shoulders, but his personality is just awful.
Yumin retracted all the bonus points he had previously awarded Juwan. Thus, Juwan’s overall score significantly dropped at this point.
Appearance ★★★☆☆
Physique ★★★★☆
Character ☆☆☆☆☆ (Seems like an annoying personality.)
After class, as they packed their bags, Hyeon-seok asked,
“Yumin. Do you have plans?”
“No. Why?”
“Juwan found a decent restaurant, so we were planning to go. You should come too.”
“What do they sell?”Steak and hamburger.””
“Wow! Let’s go right now.”
At the thought of meat, Yumin swallowed.
“I’ll lead the way.”
Juwan said there was a nice neighborhood beyond the back gate’s bustling area and told them to just trust him and follow.
The three left the bustling area and walked for about five minutes. Then, they arrived at a rather quiet and clean neighborhood. Unlike the main street filled with jokbal places and pubs, they noticed foreign cuisine restaurants and cafes with emotional interiors.
“There was a place like this here?”
“I’m pretty good at finding decent places.”
Juwan shrugged. Soon, the three arrived at a restaurant located in a two-story detached building. It had a sophisticated feel, unbelievable for a place so close to the noisy university district.
They went up to the second floor and were shown to a window seat. The high ceiling gave a spacious feel, and the wooden tables were elegant. Natural light streamed through the large windows, brightening the overall atmosphere.
“This place is amazing!”
Yumin’s eyes sparkled. This was exactly the kind of place I was looking for.
He resolved to memorize the restaurant’s menu, prices, and phone number. He thought it would be a good place for a blind date with Beom Tae-jun.
“I’ll order.”
“Okay.”
“Yes!”
Juwan, as if familiar with the place, placed various orders with the staff. Before long, sirloin steak, hamburger steak, and sweet potato cheese gratin were served.
“Incredible… Let’s take some pictures.”
Yumin captured the mouth-watering visuals of the food on his phone. He had very little experience dining out in the human world. Especially coming to a place with such a nice atmosphere for the first time, everything felt novel.
Eating with a fork and knife was also new. While wildcat beastmen naturally knew how to use forks and knives, they didn’t often use them when eating meat. It was their food culture to eat meat in one bite, so they preferred using individual tongs.
“This looks really delicious.”
Yumin brought his knife to the steak placed before him. As he sawed away, perhaps due to his impatience, the meat didn’t cut easily.
Actually, to eat it properly, he should have just speared it with his fork and swallowed it whole, but the others would probably be shocked if he did that.
Yumin felt frustrated by the reality of having to eat like a human, maintaining a certain level of etiquette.
Just then, Lee Juwan’s hand suddenly reached out in front of Yumin.
“What is it?”
“I’m just frustrated because you don’t seem to be cutting it well.”
Without permission, he took Yumin’s plate.
“Hey!”
“Just wait.”
Juwan cut the steak cleanly. It was clear he had done this before, as he cut it into appropriate sizes without letting the juices escape.
“Oh… you cut well?”
“Eat it now.”
Juwan returned the plate. Yumin ate the small pieces of meat one by one. The texture was tender, and the medium rare was perfect. Each time the juices seeped out, his teeth tingled, and his wild animal instincts began to awaken.
He ate diligently, occasionally nibbling on some greens to keep himself grounded. Hyeon-seok brought Yumin a salad and ordered him a drink. Yumin was in a state of bliss. Then, Hyeon-seok pushed the sweet potato cheese gratin towards Yumin. It was a dish of mashed sweet potato, dotted with corn kernels, and topped with mozzarella cheese.
Ah… the scent of home.
Yumin was momentarily overcome with emotion.
In the wildcat village, they primarily farmed. While their nature dictated they should roam freely and hunt, modern society made hunting difficult. Instead, they evolved to farm and buy more meat.
In Yumin’s hometown, beastmen typically graduated from beastman school around the age of twenty. After that, most helped their elders with farming. Many families grew strawberries or grapes, and Yumin’s family grew corn. Sometimes, they grew sweet potatoes too. Because these were grown using natural organic farming methods, they could fetch a good price. The agricultural cooperative helped with distribution.
Since moving to Seoul, he hadn’t had much connection with corn or sweet potatoes, so seeing a dish reminiscent of his hometown brought a lump to his throat.
“It’s delicious…!”
Yumin eagerly scooped up the gratin with his spoon. Hyeon-seok occasionally smiled and wiped Yumin’s mouth.
“Are you getting choked up? Have some drink.”
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks.”
“I should ask for more water.”
As Hyeon-seok attentively took care of Yumin, Juwan suddenly snorted.
“Hey, Seo Hyeon-seok. You were always doing such cheesy things?”
“What’s your problem?”
“You were so stiff on your blind date.”
At the mention of a blind date, Yumin’s ears perked up.
“You guys went on a blind date?”
“Yeah. We told you we’re taking
“Oh, what did you guys do?”
Yumin began to question Hyeon-seok intensely. He thought he could get some hints from this.
“We were thinking about what to do, so we just picked something ordinary. We watched a movie and then ate.”
“Yeah. Having to watch a movie with this guy was nauseating, but it’s an assignment, so what can you do? We watched a passionate melodrama.”
Juwan grumbled. Hyeon-seok ignored Juwan and kindly explained to Yumin.
“After watching the movie, we had a lot to talk about regarding marriage. We could naturally discuss views on dating, marriage, and children, right?”
“Ah! That’s right.”
“Since the goal is to observe the other person’s views on marriage and sex and write a report, it’s best to watch something together to have plenty of topics.”
Yumin snapped his fingers, thinking, Got it. His fingers didn’t make a sound as they were soft.
Right. I’ll watch a melodrama with Tae-jun too. Then it will be easier to bring up topics like views on dating or marriage, just like them. I can even use the assignment as an excuse to ask how many children they plan to have and their thoughts on childbirth.
Besides, movie theaters are dark, aren’t they?
Yumin’s imagination took flight. In the pitch-black darkness, only their breathing could be heard. Their hands brushed against each other while eating popcorn. Haaak.
He concluded that if things went well, he might even hold Tae-jun’s hand in the popcorn bucket.
If we hold hands, what comes next? Grabbing each other’s dicks. Once we get that far, he’ll fall for my fatal charm, and soon we’ll be pounding away. Yumin suppressed his ragged breaths and swallowed, his throat burning.
After finishing their meal, the three left the restaurant. They split the bill one-third each, but Yumin took the restaurant’s stamp coupon. To be precise, Hyeon-seok and Juwan said they didn’t need such things and handed the coupon to Yumin.
“Collect ten stamps for a free 2-person full course.”
This is an amazing benefit! Since they ordered expensive items, there were already five stamps. If I bring someone else here to eat just one more time, I’ll reach ten stamps. Then I can treat Tae-jun to a meal.
Yumin shoved the coupon deep into his pocket.
Back at the dorm, Yumin immediately searched for movie tickets.
. He decided to watch the movie Hyeon-seok and Juwan had seen. The movie seemed to be doing very well, ranking number one at the box office.
He booked a ticket for a movie theater in a bustling area not too far from school. Although there were plenty of seats, he deliberately chose a 2-person couple’s seat.
Finally, he searched for a restaurant near the movie theater. A place famous for its T-bone steak was nearby. Looking at the photos, the atmosphere was fantastic, and the tables and lighting exuded a date spot vibe.
If I cut into some meat here while letting him hear my gentle voice, Tae-jun will fall for me quickly.
Yumin smiled wryly and quickly scanned the menu and prices.
“Gasp.”
However, T-bone steak was incredibly expensive. It was ten times the price of raw beef, which Yumin loved.
“It’s too expensive.”
Yumin was in a predicament. Unfortunately, Yumin’s bank account was thinner than paper.
Since being accepted into Korea University, he had earned pocket money by tutoring middle and high school students in his neighborhood. He also received small amounts of money when visiting relatives. However, he had splurged a large sum on leopard-print clothing. Although not very noticeable, Yumin had even gotten a straightening perm to make his black hair sleek. As a result, his funds were tight to last through the semester.
Sigh. Pathetic, Go Yumin. You shouldn’t be stingy with things like this. A true man shouldn’t hold back on delicious food for the beautiful man who will bear his children.
Yumin looked around his room, searching for any used items he could sell. But there were only wire racks, cardboard boxes, and washbasins. How much could he possibly get for selling such things?
“Mmm…”
As Yumin buried his face in his pillow in distress, a notification sound chimed from his internet banking.
My usually silent internet banking app chimed. Why?
Yumin quickly checked his phone. Millions of won had been deposited under the name 「Black-footed Wildcat Clan Association」. Yumin’s eyes widened.
“Could it be… allowance?!”
Soon, a text message arrived from his uncle.
Yumin. Are you finding a good groom?
The clan association decided to give you a congratulatory fund as a token of their encouragement.
They will give you a generous allowance every month, so dress well and be a wildcat who treats others to meals.
“Thank… thank you.”
Yumin bowed deeply on his bed.
Clan elders, Uncle, parents, Noona, and my distant ancestors. I will not waste this money and will use it to capture Beom Tae-jun.
Gaining courage, Yumin psyched himself up and logged into the messenger.
Knock knock*. Tae-jun, are you there?
After a while, Tae-jun replied.
Beom Tae-jun
Yeah.
Let’s watch a movie and then eat. I’ve booked tickets for at Sero Street Cinema and found a good restaurant. Here’s the link to the restaurant.
Tae-jun replied again after a long pause.
Beom Tae-jun
You worked hard looking into it. I’ll pay for the meal.
No, no! I should pay for this.
Beom Tae-jun
Why?
You just eat. Order whatever you want!
Tae-jun didn’t reply further.
Yumin scrolled up and began analyzing the conversation with Tae-jun.
He wanted to grasp the meaning hidden between the lines. He wanted to find out how much Tae-jun liked him.
“Mmm…”
‘First, he didn’t ignore me when I initiated contact. That’s a sign of positivity.’
Yumin interpreted the single-character reply of ‘Yeah’ to his liking, even though he had just received it.
‘Tae-jun didn’t object to the movie I booked. In fact, he said he thought it was a good movie. So, rather than liking the movie itself, he probably just went along with my suggestion.’
Yumin distorted and fabricated facts, making up things that hadn’t happened. Tae-jun hadn’t said a word about the movie.
“Hmph.”
‘Most importantly, Tae-jun insisting on paying for the meal. Isn’t that really suspicious? He wants to pay because he likes me. Even after I tried to dissuade him once, he insisted on paying again. This truly means he likes me.’
Hahaha, Yumin’s laughter resembled that of a perpetually single male contestant on a dating reality show. Someone who gets excited as if a couple has already formed, even when the other person hasn’t even considered it, and then gets called out for being pushy.
Yumin was doing exactly what one should absolutely avoid for a successful relationship.