Episode 3: First Date Jitters

The week leading up to Sunhee and Jieun's first official date was a whirlwind of nervous excitement for Sunhee. She spent hours agonizing over what to wear, trying on every outfit in her closet. She consulted her friends, who offered a mix of helpful and hilariously unhelpful advice. She even considered canceling, convinced that she would somehow mess everything up.

Finally, Saturday arrived. Sunhee, after what felt like a hundred outfit changes, settled on a cute but casual dress. She checked her reflection in the mirror one last time, smoothing down her hair and applying a touch of lip gloss. Her heart was pounding like a drum.

Jieun was supposed to pick her up at 2 pm. At 1:55, Sunhee was already pacing by the window, watching for Jieun's familiar figure. Every passing minute felt like an eternity.

At exactly 2:00, Sunhee saw Jieun walking towards her house. She was wearing a stylish denim jacket and a pair of comfortable jeans. Sunhee felt a wave of relief wash over her. Jieun looked just as nervous as she felt.

When Jieun rang the doorbell, Sunhee took a deep breath and opened the door, a nervous smile on her face.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," Jieun replied, returning the smile. "You look… nice."

"You too," Sunhee said, blushing slightly.

They walked to the cafe downtown, chatting nervously about school and their favorite music. Sunhee noticed that Jieun kept fidgeting with her jacket sleeve, a sure sign that she was nervous too. It made Sunhee feel a little better. She wasn't the only one with first date jitters.

The cafe was cozy and filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. They ordered their desserts – a chocolate cake for Sunhee and a strawberry tart for Jieun – and found a quiet table in the corner.

As they ate, the conversation flowed more easily. They talked about their dreams, their fears, and their favorite books. Sunhee discovered that Jieun was a huge fan of classic literature, and Jieun learned that Sunhee secretly wanted to be a writer.

Sunhee found herself relaxing, enjoying Jieun's company. She was funny, intelligent, and kind. And she had the most beautiful smile Sunhee had ever seen.

At one point, Sunhee accidentally spilled some of her chocolate cake on her dress. She gasped, mortified.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed.

Jieun laughed. "Don't worry," she said, handing Sunhee a napkin. "It happens to the best of us."

Sunhee dabbed at the stain, feeling her cheeks burn. She was so clumsy! She was sure she’d just ruined the date.

But Jieun just smiled at her. "It's okay," she said. "It adds character."

Sunhee looked at her, surprised. And then she started to laugh too. The tension that had been building up inside her finally dissipated.

They finished their desserts and decided to take a walk in the nearby park. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the trees. They walked hand in hand, the silence between them comfortable and natural.

As they reached a quiet bench, they sat down, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

"I had a really nice time today," Sunhee said.

"Me too," Jieun replied. She looked at Sunhee, her eyes full of warmth. "Thank you for… for going out with me."

Sunhee smiled. "Thank you for asking me," she said.

They sat there for a moment longer, enjoying the peaceful silence. Then, Jieun turned to Sunhee and gently took her hand.

"Can I… can I kiss you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sunhee's heart skipped a beat. She nodded, her own voice lost in her throat.

Jieun leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a short, sweet kiss, but it sent a shiver of excitement through Sunhee's entire body.

When they pulled away, Sunhee's face was flushed, but she was smiling.

"Wow," she said.

Jieun laughed. "Wow is right."

They walked back to Sunhee's house, hand in hand, the silence between them filled with unspoken feelings. When they reached her door, Jieun turned to her.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said.

"Yeah," Sunhee replied. She leaned in and kissed Jieun again, a little more confidently this time.

"Goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight," Jieun replied, smiling.

As Sunhee watched Jieun walk away, she couldn't help but grin. Her first official date with Jieun had been perfect. She had been nervous, clumsy, and awkward, but it didn't matter. Jieun liked her for who she was. And Sunhee liked Jieun even more than she thought possible. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.

Sunhee practically floated into her house, a goofy grin plastered on her face. She couldn't wait to tell her best friend, Mina, all about the date. Mina had been her confidante throughout the whole ordeal, offering pep talks and fashion advice.

As soon as she got to her room, she grabbed her phone and frantically texted Mina: "IT HAPPENED!!!"

Mina responded almost immediately with a string of excited emojis and a "SPILL THE TEA!"

Sunhee proceeded to recount every detail of the date, from her outfit crisis to the spilled chocolate cake to, of course, the kiss. Mina responded with a mix of "OMG"s and "I KNEW IT!"s.

"I was so nervous," Sunhee typed, "but it was actually… perfect."

"See? I told you!" Mina replied. "Jieun likes you, duh. Now, about that kiss…"

Sunhee blushed, even though Mina couldn't see her. "It was… nice," she texted back, trying to play it cool.

"Nice? Just nice?" Mina teased. "Come on, tell me everything!"

Sunhee giggled. "Okay, okay, it was amazing. My heart was pounding the whole time. I think I’m really falling for her, Mina.”

"I'm so happy for you!" Mina texted back. "You deserve to be happy."

Sunhee smiled. She knew Mina was right. She had been so afraid of rejection, but taking that leap of faith had been the best decision she'd ever made.

The rest of the weekend flew by in a blur of happy thoughts and anticipation for Monday, when she would see Jieun at school again. She replayed the date in her head countless times, savoring every moment.

Monday morning arrived, and Sunhee found herself getting ready for school with a newfound spring in her step. She chose her outfit carefully, wanting to look cute but not too try-hard.

When she arrived at school, she scanned the hallways, searching for Jieun. She spotted her by the art club room, chatting with some of her friends.

Sunhee approached, her heart doing a little flip. "Hi," she said, trying to sound casual.

Jieun turned, her face lighting up when she saw Sunhee. "Hi," she replied, her voice warm.

They exchanged a quick smile, a silent acknowledgment of their shared experience from Saturday. The butterflies in Sunhee's stomach fluttered happily.

The day passed quickly, filled with classes and stolen glances. Sunhee and Jieun didn't have much time to talk, but they made sure to meet up after school.

"Want to get bubble tea?" Jieun suggested.

Sunhee grinned. "Definitely."

As they walked to the bubble tea shop, they talked about their day. Sunhee learned that Jieun had been working on a new piece for the art club's upcoming exhibition.

"It's inspired by… well, it's inspired by new beginnings," Jieun said, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

Sunhee smiled, understanding exactly what she meant.

They got their bubble tea and found a quiet spot in the park to sit. As they sipped their drinks, they talked about their plans for the week. They made tentative plans to study together and maybe catch a movie.

Sunhee felt a sense of contentment she hadn't felt before. She was happy, truly happy. She had found someone who understood her, someone who made her laugh, someone who made her heart race. And she knew, deep down, that this was just the beginning of something wonderful. The first date jitters were gone, replaced by a comfortable sense of belonging. She was with Jieun, and that was all that mattered.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***