Now and for the Last Time

36 장

"The thing is," Taehyung said, leaning over the table, closer to me, "what most people don't realize is that discounting alien life isn't just foolish. It's arrogant."

I picked up my Thai tea, taking a sip. In the first fifteen minutes at the Thai restaurant, we'd covered the basics - school, family, music - just like every other date I'd gone on so far. Then, suddenly, we were talking about other space. It hadn't been a natural transition, either. Taehyung, the nephew of one owners beside our office, just plunged right in.

"I'm sorry?" I said, as our waiter paused by me, refilling the tiny bit I's already consumed.

"It takes a lot of guts to just assume you are the only form of life in the universe," he explained, taking off his cap and brushing against his hair. "That's what my talk is about this weekend. The full title is "The Pride of Earthlings: How Narrow-Mindedness Endangers Our Understanding of the Universe.' "

His uncle, Hoseok, had mentioned he was in town for a conference at the university. That's what I got for being so worried about the bet that I didn't ask questions. When she said he was my age, a nice guy, and looking for someone to hang out with, I'd just jumped right in.

"So you're, like, an expert," I said now, as he checked his phone - lighting up messages regularly - on the table. "You must be, if you're speaking."

"Well, anyone can give a talk if you sign up early enough," he said, typing a response while not looking at me. "But, yes, I consider myself a scholar when it comes to outer galaxies. We should all be students of the greater world, though. it's our job. To do otherwise, honestly . . ."

He looked down at his phone again as a new message came in.

"Arrogant," I finished for him. He didn't hear me.

After the entrees arrived, I excused myself to the restroom, where I took as long as possible to wash my hands and reapplying lipstick. If I had to kiss a few frogs to find another prince, I was definitely working my way through the amphibian world. Why was it so hard to find someone I actually liked to talk to? Although really, at this point, I would've taken some continuous eye contact. Or, well, attention.

Just as I thought this, my own phone beeped. When I pulled it out, I saw a text from Sehun. CHECKING IN, he wrote. We'd agreed on this, for safety's sake, as it was date not a party or with another couple. YOU GOOD?

HE LIKES ALIENS, I responded.

WHO DOESN'T?

I sighed, ignoring this, then put my phone in my pocket and headed back to the table. I knew the drill now. All I had to do was get through dinner, politely decline dessert, and then offer a firm handshake before going home. I had to admit, though, that even week and three dates into the bet, I was already kind of over it. But I couldn't quit, after all my big talk. Even if August seemed ages, even galaxies, away.