Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

thirty-eight

f i r s t  d a t e

As they're walking, Nam notices that Zhi is more tense than normal.

"Is everything alright?" she decides to ask, concerned.

Zhi looks down for a moment before responding, "I don't want to sour the mood."

"You can talk to me," Nam says, pulling a cute face. "In all seriousness, sometimes saying something can lift the burden off your chest... even if it's just a little bit."

"I saw my brother practicing in the park today, and the swing he was using is weird. He said Guan Yue taught it to him. It's a swing that's effective against left-handers, but he can injure his arm if he uses it," Zhi says, revealing what he learned after he had left practice.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asks.

"Yu is too angry to listen to me. I'll have to settle it on the court," he answers.

"Okie. Now... where are we going?" Nam asks, curious.

"How do you feel about going to an arcade?" Zhi asks, and the mood brightens.

"It's been a long time since I've been to one. It'll be fun for our, um... date." she responds.

Zhi softly chuckles at her. "Yeah. Are you nervous?"

"Well... I- I just... This is new for me," Nam confesses.

""It is for me, too," Zhi says, not having a girl catch his eye before.

"Really?" she asks, shocked.

"You don't believe me?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow while smirking.

"Have you seen the girls at school?" Nam asks, slightly annoyed.

"Oh?"

"It's just... they're... all over you," she says, voice growing smaller.

"Are you jealous?" Zhi teases, poking her cheek.

"No! But... you're very popular, you know? And I'm... me," she says, looking down in embarrassment because of her insecurity.

"Nam, listen to me. Maybe this is just the first date, but I already know this," he says, fondly looking down at Nam.

"What?" she quietly asks.

"Any day, I'd choose you. We may not have known each other long, but I choose you," Zhi proclaims, smiling big.

Nam pushes him lightly to try and compose herself after getting flustered. "Y- you don't have to be so cheesy," she says.

"But I think you like it," Zhi smirks.

-

Nam and Zhi enjoy their time at the arcade, playing games that bring back a bit of childhood nostalgia. On the way out, Nam spots a claw machine.

"Zhi! Look! It's so cute!" she squeals, pointing to a light-blue koala plushie.

He chuckles at his girlfriend's antics. You're cuter, he thinks to himself.

"Do you want to play?" he asks instead.

"It's fine," Nam answers, her initial urge to win the toy already leaving.

"We'll get it," Zhi decides.

"You don't have to-" Nam starts to say.

"I want to," he declares.

"Well, if you insist," Nam says, giddy on the inside.

Knowing how finicky the machine can be, Nam stays as still as a statue from the moment Zhi puts the coin in, to the claw dropping the plushie in the box.

"He's so cute!" Nam squeals as she hugs the koala to her chest.

"Shouldn't I be the only cute 'he' in your life?" Zhi asks with a small pout, deciding to tease Nam.

She stutters a bit before pushing the koala up to his face.

"I think that Kai can be an exception," she giggles, proud of naming her new plushie.

Zhi laughs softly with her, and they head out of the arcade to grab a quick dinner before Nam needs to be home.

-

Stomachs satisfied from steamed buns that Zhi bought for them from a food stand, the two walk side-by-side, Nam holding Kai under her arm.

Her free hand lingers between the two of them, and she glances at Zhi's hand, which is in his pocket.

Zhi notices and decides to grab Nam's hand. They bashfully look away from each other in their own fluster, but continue the walk to Nam's home with their hands intertwined.

-

At night, alone in her room, Nam snuggles Kai the Koala close to her chest, laying in bed and falling asleep remembering the events of the day.

A/N- the cheesiness in this chapter is so ridiculous it rivals mozzarella

also i don't know if i'm keeping to an update schedule anymore :/