The flowerbed - Aespa's Giselle x M!Reader

The date

"Just trust me," I said, guiding Giselle through the early afternoon crowd. Her hand fit perfectly in mine as we navigated the quieter backstreets of Hongdae. "It's worth the walk."

"You're being very mysterious," she laughed, squeezing my hand. "Should I be worried?"

"When have my surprises ever gone wrong?"

"Do you want that list chronologically or alphabetically?" But her eyes sparkled with the kind of happiness that made my heart race.

The small art gallery appeared almost hidden between more modern buildings, its traditional architecture a stark contrast to the surrounding area. A discrete sign marked it as "Gallery 23" - a place I'd discovered through Winter's endless photography research.

"They're showing some pieces from that artist you mentioned," I explained as we entered. "The one who does the light installations?"

Her entire face lit up. "You remembered that? I only mentioned it once, weeks ago!"

"I remember everything about you."

The words slipped out naturally, making her pause in the entranceway to look at me. Something soft passed through her expression before she leaned up to kiss me quickly, public setting be damned.

The gallery was quiet, just a few other patrons drifting between exhibits. Light installations created ethereal patterns across the walls, transforming the space into something dreamlike. We moved slowly through the rooms, Giselle occasionally explaining technical aspects I couldn't begin to understand.

"See how the refraction here creates depth?" She gestured excitedly to a particularly complex piece. "It's like looking through layers of memory..."

I found myself watching her more than the art - the way her eyes lit up when explaining something she loved, how she unconsciously swayed closer to me when pointing out details. At some point my arm had found its way around her waist, holding her against my side as we explored.

A subtle movement caught my eye in one of the mirrored installations - something that might have been a camera lens quickly disappearing behind a pillar. But Giselle was already pulling me toward the next piece, her enthusiasm infectious.

"Hungry?" I asked as we finally emerged into the afternoon sun.

"Starving. Please tell me that wasn't the only surprise?"

"Have some faith," I smiled, leading her down another quiet street. The restaurant was small and elegant, tucked away from the main thoroughfares. No windows facing the street, just a discrete entrance that promised privacy.

"How did you even find this place?" she asked as we were led to a corner booth, partially screened by beautiful wooden panels.

"I know people who know people," I admitted. "Sakura's sister knows the owner."

"Of course she does." Giselle's smile was soft in the restaurant's warm lighting. "You planned all this?"

"Wanted it to be special." I reached across the table to take her hand. "You deserve special."

A faint blush colored her cheeks as she intertwined our fingers. "You make everything special."

Dinner flowed naturally, conversation weaving between comfortable silences and shared laughter. She told me about Ningning's latest cat café adventure ("She's created a spreadsheet ranking them by 'floof factor'"), while I shared Winter's recent documentation efforts ("She's started categorizing footage by 'emotional impact' now").

"Oh! Speaking of Winter," she said suddenly, "she's been suspiciously well-behaved lately. Usually she'd have at least three compromising photos of us by now."