One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 15

Francis' POV

The day felt like it was dragging on, each second passing like molasses. The tick of the clock seemed louder than usual as if mocking me. I paced back and forth in the living room, barely able to stay still for more than a few moments. My eyes darted to my phone every few minutes, checking for a message, a call-anything from Katarina. Why hasn't she contacted me yet?

Nathan and Daniel were seated on the couch, casually watching me with amused expressions. I could feel their eyes on me, and it only fueled my irritation. They had never seen me like this before-no one had, to be honest. This wasn't like me.

"Is that really Francis Kim?" Nathan snickered, his voice filled with mock surprise.

Daniel joined in. "He's acting like a lovesick teenager. I never thought I'd see the day."

I shot them both a glare, but it did nothing to stop their laughter. Damn them. I hated that they were right. I was anxious, and it was written all over my face. I was hardly ever like this-always composed, always in control. But something about Katarina was different. I hadn't felt this out of balance in a long time.

And then, out of nowhere, my phone rang.

The sound cut through the room, making both Nathan and Daniel go silent. I froze, staring at the screen. An unregistered number flashed across it. My heart jumped into my throat. It has to be her. Without a second thought, I picked up the phone. "Hello?" I tried to keep my voice steady, but I could hear the anticipation in it.

"Francis? It's Katarina."

Her voice was calm, but there was a tentative edge to it. I gestured sharply to Nathan and Daniel to shut up and moved to the far end of the room.

"I'm sending you my address. You can pick me up there," she continued, her voice as composed as ever. "I'm agreeing to the dinner."

I couldn't suppress the rush of excitement that came over me. My hand shook slightly as I gripped the phone. "Okay. I'll be there soon." I tried to keep my tone casual, but the relief in my voice was unmistakable.

"See you," she said, and the line went dead.

For a moment, I stood there, phone still in hand, trying to process what had just happened. Then, a grin spread across my face as I turned back to Nathan and Daniel. "She said yes. She agreed to dinner."

Nathan shook his head with a chuckle, standing up from the couch. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get ready, Romeo"

Daniel smirked. "Make sure you don't reek of desperation when you pick her up, man."

"Shut up," I muttered, flipping them both off as I made my way upstairs. My mind was racing. I couldn't believe it-Katarina had agreed. I couldn't screw this up.

I spent longer than I needed to in the shower, trying to calm the anxious energy coursing through me. When I finally stepped out, I went straight to my closet. I needed to look perfect tonight-nothing less would do. I picked out a sleek black suit, something that projected confidence and control, two things I needed to reclaim tonight.

A few sprays of cologne filled the air with a cool, crisp scent that I hoped would mask the nerves I was still feeling. As I buttoned up my shirt and adjusted my tie, I caught my reflection in the mirror. Man up, Francis. You've got this.

When I finally made my way downstairs, I could hear Nathan and Daniel laughing. "He's really pulling out all the stops tonight, huh?" Nathan commented.

"Must be nice to have someone get under your skin like that," Daniel added with a grin.