Finished You hungry? PV Hanako Tone

Date: April 23rd, 2023 - Blue in English, Red in Korean

Eun-ji was really trying to keep her composure so she wouldn’t give Hana anything to work with but he was way too good at what he was doing. “Well, since you like it so much, I suppose I’ll have to refrain myself from using it too much. Don’t want you hating the only nickname you liked~” Clenching her teeth, the witch immediately realised her mistake. “No, that’s not…” Why did he have to inspect her expressions so diligently? In the end however, she simply shook her head. Giving up on her explanation seemed easier. The witch honestly didn’t want to geek out on this particular Slytherin, he'd probably only start teasing her for it. Not to mention, it would be all in vain if he didn’t know the movies. No matter, I’ll just call him Gollum every time he calls me Precious that should make it less awkward. And it actually sounded quite amusing. I wonder if you’d jump into a volcano for me as well… Hah, what a ridiculous thought. However, it really was fun to think about it. Yes, Eun-ji was actually having fun interacting with this jokester. Who would have thought?

You are already plenty memorable, thank you very much….and stop smiling, it’s distracting. The Ravenclaw thought as she lowered her head and resumed eating. Still, the feeling of being watched prevailed. She was a very patient person but that didn’t mean she enjoyed being stared at. Especially while she was eating. The witch wasn’t annoyed per se but it did made her feel a bit self-conscious. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she could no longer ignore it and decided to call Hana out. “Take a picture it’ll last longer.” The laugh that followed her statement sounded somewhat unnatural but she decided to let it go. She'd already embarrassed him today, no need to do it again so soon. “Probably for the best, you’d most likely end up in a hospital wing.” Eun-ji could vividly imagine the boy running around school, taking numerous pictures of people he found pretty. There is no way somebody wouldn’t beat him for it sooner or later. He was already plenty infuriating on his own.

“You know, with how eventful this dinner was, I’m quite inclined to share something about myself. I understand you never asked but anyways -” Ah…now that was interesting. Hana hardly ever shared anything about himself yet now he was doing it without being prompted. Though she didn’t say anything, Eun-ji actually paused in her eating and looked at the boy again. Honestly, his explanation made sense to her. He definitely behaved like someone, who was constantly bored but it was nice to hear that he knew the limits. The witch nodded to show she understood and was paying attention to whatever he was saying. “So with that in mind, would you mind hearing a proposition of mine, as well? If not for my charm and good looks, why not hear what I say as a good host?~” Alright, now she was getting a bit nervous. What is he up to? “Well, unfortunately for me, I was indeed raised to be a good host so ask away.” Just in case, Eun-ji elected not to eat anything else until he was done talking. She didn’t want to end up being the one, who choked on the food today.

𝟸𝟹 . 𝟶𝟺 . 𝟸𝟹

𝚂𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚕 - 𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚎

Should he be flattered, or unnerved by how her eyes was solely on him? He certainly was the type to get pleased just by having someone else pay attention to them. Unconsciously, he returned the same gesture and momentarily leaned away from his dish, leaving the utensils and almost finished food in the bowl. “ I want to be more with you “ he said so, with a cheeky grin. “ Without actually, being anything with you - if you get what I mean “. He figured this wouldn’t be enough to explain his whole proposition. Hunt would have definitely needed much more explanation than that.

“I’m not really the ‘dating’ sort of person, you see. But I certainly know how to offer a good time for anyone who understands that. I’m hoping you’d be one of those people, Precious~. Then this-“ his eyes glossed over the meal they shared. “ Wouldn’t be the last time we do something like this, hm?” he laughed a bit before it died down to a more comfortable pause. From then on, his tone took a more serious edge to it as he glanced back towards the Ravenclaw with a shrug.

“This is just a request of mine. I don’t particularly care enough about you to bawl my eyes out if you reject it. Not everyone sees ‘fun’ the same way I do. Neither do they agree. This will come as a shock to you, but I can respect their opinion at the very least. Most of the time. So, don’t feel pressured to decline. I’ll just be enough satisfied to continue what we’ve been doing before~” he shrugged with a lighthearted smile.

The last part was a small lie, of course. He could see himself being a tad bit frustrated he couldn’t do more than just jokes. But it was nothing serious enough to be concerned about. There were always other people that he could have that kind of fun with.

His whole proposal was a risk, in all honesty. He hadn’t known Hunt for a long time, but she certainly seemed very…different from him. In more ways than one. Perhaps she would be appalled that he even suggested such a thing? She could very well just cut their tie’s right here and now, as dramatic as that may be. It would be a great shame to lose his best source of fun, right now. But what could he do?

Having this meal with her was a mistake, honestly. He got spoiled and now he wouldn’t be satisfied just going back to their previous interaction. If he never had given her this deal, he suspected he’d just get bored eventually. So why not take a chance? It’s not like he had feelings for her. He was entirely confident she would say the same about him. That was what Hanako wanted. Mindless fun, without commitment. He wasn't sure if she wanted the same.

“My interest in you is obvious “ he commented, surprisingly without a flirty tone to it. Much more like he was stating a well known fact. “ I’d be more than happy to express that beyond just harmless jokes. For fun, of course. Nothing serious. I promise you that “. He certainly didn’t look like he was joking. Promises are important after all. And promises like this especially? He'd do his very best to keep it. If not for her, then for himself.

If she took a while to come to her decision, he'll go back to eating - not wanting to make her pressured to give an answer now.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt

Date: April 23rd, 2023 - Blue in English, Red in Korean

Hanako leaned back, giving her the same amount of attention before he finally proceeded to voice out his proposition. “I want to be more with you.” Huh? Yes, Eun-ji was indeed glad to have stopped eating. She didn’t ask what he meant. She didn't think she could...at least not without stuttering and that just wouldn't do. Surely, the boy would elaborate further even without her encouragement. Which he did, but it wasn’t very helpful. Well at least the following sentence wasn’t. The next bit made much more sense.

“Then…what does Gollum suggest?” The witch couldn’t let that one go. If he was really going to use that nickname, he would get one in return. Perhaps he would understand the reference, perhaps he would not. Either way she didn’t care. He could figure it out on his own. In fact, she found that scenario rather amusing. Even then however, her focused expression did not change. The curiosity overshadowed any funny ideas Eun-ji might have had at that very moment. Truth be told, she was starting to feel rather nervous. Even his laugh that followed could not ease her mind. Oh no…why is he is getting all serious? At this point, she was slightly panicking though none of that reflected on her face. Eun-ji simply kept on listening.

Fun. Yes, the Ravenclaw could certainly see that. The little rascal was always running around, flirting with whomever he found attractive. Just two days ago, she had seen him do just that at the ball and didn’t find it odd in the slightest. Still, right now he didn’t seem to be joking. It would have been easy to just dismiss this as him teasing her but the tone of his voice suggested otherwise. Sure, he could be pretending but strangely, it didn’t feel like he was. It was rare to hear Hana’s voice lacking his usual flirty or jesting undertone. Eun-ji felt like dismissing his request immediately wasn’t the right thing to do. “I…” She didn’t want to give space for any uncomfortable silence. “I’ll think about it.” She said finally as she picked up her chopsticks once again. Would it be really that bad if she took him up on his offer? Right now, her life was a mess and every time she tried to make lasting relationships, it ended up in disaster. She didn’t want to get hurt again yet at the same time Eun-ji didn’t feel like she could handle the ever present loneliness for much longer either. “Finish your food.” She added as an afterthought.

The Slytherin would not get his answer today. She meant it when she said she'd think about it but it was not a decision she could make on the spot. The witch needed time. If she played along, it would be very unlike her. Perhaps that’s precisely what she needed but she wanted to be absolutely sure.

𝟸𝟹 . 𝟶𝟺 . 𝟸𝟹

𝚂𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚕 - 𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚎

That was the thing wth Eun-ji. She always had an iron grip on her facial expressions that it’s difficult to make out what was going on in her head. Which was the reason why he gets so exhilarated whenever she gives even the smallest sigh. It unnerved him that he didn’t receive any of that upon his proposal. Although that was appropriate and expected. Who in their right mind would ask such a thing after one meal together? Hanako would, obviously.

He had to nip things in the bud, fast. His feelings for Eun-ji, as surface level as they were- had to be addressed before they got worse. From experience, unresolved feelings was a harder pain to deal with in the future, than if he just were more honest now. He’d rather avoid more jumpscares when it comes to his feelings for others. Masking it under things like friendship would only make it easier for them to grow silently without him realising it. While their relationship wasn’t just ‘friends’, judging by how… at ease he can be with her, it was only a matter of time. This proposal was absolutely essential. A necessary gamble.

I’m gonna start missing her just a tad bit when she refuses though.

From the silence she was giving, a refusal seemed inevitable. But as usual, it was difficult to tell what she was thinking. Perhaps she was thinking of the most strategic ways to throw all the dish plates at him. Really, who could tell. Not him. Not even with how intently he glanced at her.

He started to gain more hope when she spoke again. “Then…what does Gollum suggest?”
Gollum? Was that supposed to be him? Did she mean Golem? Those big strong rocks that form together to make a human-like body? Oh okay, he saw what she was trying to do. He was neither tall, big nor particularly strong. Their nicknames were going to be based on things they weren’t. And she said we werent on nickname bases. The thought managed to make him pleased enough to show a satisfied grin. How could he not want to be more with her? More without actually being more, of course. If he did know the real meaning behind her nickname for him, he would not be as pleased as he is now.

Of course, he did get an answer to his proposal. Somewhat. “I… I’ll think about it.”. No plates thrown? No immediate rejection? Hanako raised an eyebrow at this. Clearly, he was expecting her to reject it immediately. His features softened a little. “ Sooo…” he started off slow, his all too familiar cheeky grin resurfacing “ It’s not a no? Awwww I knew under all stoicness, that you doooo like me ~. Somewhat. Not that I’m not complainin~ “. Perhaps she will stop liking him entirely after he made such a comment with his usual mischief demeanour. Completely dismissing her serious answer.

Well to be fair, if he hadn’t done it, he would feel worse. He didn’t care about her, but it was still disheartening at the thought of her being too awkward around him from his proposal. She may have said she’ll think about it, but Hanako doubted she’d accept it anyway. This was practically a rejection. One he didn’t mind much. Or to be truthful, he wouldn’t mind eventually. Right now? He just wanted to joke to ease up his nerves. It was his version of covering up what he didn’t want Eun-ji to see. If he had to do it by making her slightly uncomfortable, then so be it! Okay, so maybe he was lying about not caring too much. How could he? It was like his favourite toy decided to up and run away, toy story style. He was being dramatic about it. It’s alright to be petty for this moment, eventually I’ll forget her too. He assured himself, finding it easier to keep up his playful grin just as Eun-ji told him to finish his meal.

He gave an unserious salute, “ You got it, Boss “. It was a request he would happily accept, especially when he got to taste more of her food. This may be the last time he will be able to do such a thing anyway. Despite his reluctance, he gave in to his temptations and started eating slower. Hopefully she’ll see it as him being too unbothered about her rejection considering he still seemed fine with her presence. Once they had finished the food, if Eun-Ji started to clear up the dishes - Hanako took it as a cue to leave. He wasn’t going to stay and help around.

A heavy feeling settled in his chest as he was just around the door between outside, and the kitchens. He’d give Eun-Ji one last long stare as if contemplating. “ Hey “ he called out to her before he could stop himself. Thanks for the food? It was a good time? What was he? A simp? There was no way he could show her he enjoyed their interaction without joking. He closed his mouth once more and gave her a familiar grin. “ I’m just here for fun, Precious. But if you ever reach a conclusion to my proposal, you know where to find me. I’m sure it wont be long before you miss me anyway~” he said as he turned away from her after a quick wink before walking out. The lingering taste of her food still persistent on his tongue, as well as the slight heaviness in his chest. He ignored both.

All fun. That’s all it’ll ever be.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt

Date: April 23rd, 2023 - Blue in English, Red in Korean

I see…so he has no idea. Eun-ji almost smiled when she saw the boy’s grin. She didn’t know what his thoughts were at that moment but she was pretty sure if he actually knew who Gollum was, he wouldn’t be so happy about it. Well, the time will come… The witch kind of wished to be there to see his face when that happened. It was bound to be hillarious.

“It’s not a no? Awwww I knew under all stoicness, that you doooo like me ~. Somewhat. Not that I’m not complainin~” Alright, Eun-ji really wanted to roll her eyes on that one but that would just make Hana even more smug. “Keep spouting nonsense and it might just be…will save me time too.” She replied with a slightly raised eyebrow. It was probably clear that she wasn’t all that serious however. The Ravenclaw saw a flicker of surprise when she didn’t reject his offer so she decided to be generous and ignore the follow up. In fact, it was much better this way. If the boy remained serious, things would probably get awkward. This was already such a strange experience…though to be fair, it did make her forget all of her worries, which was nothing short of a miracle. Eun-ji was almost grateful for his sudden appearance. Of course, almost was the key word here. Who in their right mind would be excited to hang out with this hyperactive ball of mischief for so long? Not her, that’s for sure. Eun-ji was a very sensible person after all.

“You got it, Boss.” The girl had to put another piece of the vegetable pancake into her mouth to prevent the smirk that was creeping up on her face. “Oh, so you do know how to behave?” She commented offhandedly once she swallowed her food. She did a good job with all the dishes and Hana seemed to be enjoying them too. Eun-ji felt content. Or perhaps…perhaps even a little bit happy. When was the last time she had eaten with somebody else like this? And who would have thought it would be this guy? Alright, she was actually grateful for his presence but there was no way she’d ever tell him that.

The rest of the dinner was relatively peaceful. Once they were done eating, the witch got up and started clearing the table. Hana didn’t offer to help and Eun-ji didn’t want him to. If one knew her well enough, they would know she only ever asked for assistance once she was close with the person in question. Hana didn’t know this but it most likely wasn’t in his nature to stay behind and help. In a way, despite being polar opposites, they worked together quite well. The Ravenclaw was about to start washing the dishes when the call came from behind her. “Yes?” She acknowledged the boy without turning to face him. This allowed her to huff without Hana knowing. “Sure sure…now begone Gollum.” She waved her classmate away. This was just enough time to spend together. Why would I miss you. We’ll see each other in class. She thought stubbornly.