ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: apologies for the shortish chapter, everyone! but don't you all fret...we meet a certain someone next chapter and i'm very excited to write that part as well!
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- ͙۪۪̥˚┊❛ ❜┊˚͙۪۪̥◌
thankfully, y/n's mother, though it took some trial and error, finally found a restaurant that was able to take all three of them in for a late lunch. as the h/c-haired girl sat at the round table, her mom to her left and her brother to her right, she watched as people crowding past the window in all sorts of bright clothes, people selling souvenirs, people walking on stilts, and felt really excited, but inside the restaurant, the atmosphere was more subdued, with the clinking of cutlery and murmured conversations filling the space.
she wanted to go outside and join the fun, but knew it could wait. she glanced up occasionally, taking in the vibrant colors of the decorations and the bustling crowd beyond the windows. but her attention was mostly focused on the menu, torn between the tantalizing array of dishes. looks like she'll just have to wait until she's had herself a proper meal.
should she go for the seafood pasta or opt for the steak? maybe she should try something new, like the exotic curry dish that caught her eye. her indecision gnawed at her, and she sighed softly, wishing she could just order everything on the menu and sample it all.
as she wrestled with her choices, a voice interrupted her thoughts, deep and resonant. "what can i get you to drink?" her breath hitched when she heard a masculine voice ask this and rather hastily, y/n looked up from her menu only to see a man staring down at her. he had a warm smile playing on his lips, framed by a neatly trimmed beard, and his dark skin glowed under the soft restaurant lights. his short black curls framed his face, and his enchanting ebony eyes sparkled with amusement as they locked onto hers. but what truly caught her attention was his physique—he was incredibly well-built, his shirt straining against the muscles of his arms and chest in a way that made it difficult to tear her gaze away.
y/n felt her cheeks flush as she realized everyone at the table, including the man who she assumed was the waiter, was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to order her drink. she cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure, but found it difficult under the gaze of such a handsome man. "o-oh!" she stammered, her mind in pieces. "um, i'll just have water, p-please," she managed to say, inwardly cursing herself for not being able to muster a more eloquent response.
her mother ordered brandy, and her younger brother chimed in with a request for juice. the man—- whose name tag read "elijah"— jotted down their orders with a smile before excusing himself to fetch their drinks. as soon as he walked away, y/n let out a shaky breath. she couldn't believe she had been caught off guard like that, especially by someone as charming as elijah. she fidgeted with her napkin, stealing glances in his direction as she waited for him to return, secretly hoping for another chance to interact with him.
sadly though, her excitement was cut down like a tree when her mother, the axe, spoke up, "what was that all about?" she asked and by the way her voice sounded, y/n knew that her getting mad fun of wasn't too far behind. it's all because since the h/c-haired girl denied all of the marriage proposals that came to her, her mother thinks y/n has gotten too old and is no longer in her prime, so no man would want her and could instead opt for lettie, a sales clerk at a large café called cesari's in market chipping.
she's cheery and outgoing. not only that, but lettie is popular and adored by café's patrons...not to mention that she's beautiful, something that y/n could only wish to be. "what do you mean?" she didn't want to be hostile with her mother. not today. not when she was so close to having a nice meal. so, she played oblivious.
"you're all flustered over that young man. could it be that you're finally ready to settle down?"
y/n's cheeks flamed anew as her mother's words hit home. she hated how the older woman had to berate and make fun of her so much, whenever she got the chance, in fact. "mom, please," she muttered, her embarrassment melting into frustration. "you know i'm not interested in marriage right now."
her mother shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk playing on her lips. "suit yourself, dear. but just remember, you're not getting any younger. at this rate, lettie might snatch up all the eligible bachelors in market chipping before you even have a chance."
y/n clenched her jaw, biting back the retort that threatened to spill from her lips. she knew her mother meant well, but the constant pressure to settle down was suffocating. and the mention of lettie only added fuel to the fire.
as the teasing banter between mother and daughter escalated, y/n's anger bubbled to the surface and reached its peak. she could feel her temper fraying, the weight of her mother's words pressing down on her like a leaden blanket. with a heavy sigh, she pushed back her chair and rose to her feet, her movements jerky with pent-up emotion. "i need some air," she muttered, barely meeting her mother's gaze as she made her way towards the exit. she could feel her little brother's eyes following her, his expression a mix of concern and confusion, but she couldn't bring herself to turn back.
but when she peeled open the door and looked out, y/n no longer felt the excitement she did the moment prior. instead, she felt overwhelmed. there were too many people rushing past, and far too much noise and jostling. still, she'd rather be in this chaos than have to bear another minute of her mother's degrading.
finally stepping out into the cool evening air, y/n let out a shaky breath, her chest tight with emotion. she didn't know where she was going or what she would do next, but she knew one thing for certain—she couldn't stay in that restaurant a moment longer. she needed space to clear her head, to shake off the weight of expectations and find her own path forward.
and as she walked away from the bustling festival, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, it was time to start listening to her own heart instead of the voices around her.
