Sushi

27 | Sushiria

*Any italicized dialogue means the character is speaking in their first language*

Rosaleen falls back onto the bed with a soft plop, staring at the glow in the dark animal stickers her dad bought her when she was younger. She disliked the dark back then, constantly fearing a horrendous creature would emerge from the darkness of the room and consume her. So, as a possible solution, her dad purchased a pack of cute stickers that glowed brightly in any kind of darkness.

"Ahhh...! What do I do, Bamboo?!" She directs her attention to the panda sticker, and squinting her eyes at it, waits for a response.

"You aren't sure either, huh..." she mumbles, letting my head drop to the side where she meets her dad's beaming face.

"Dad?!" she yelps, pushing herself upright. He's now laughing loudly, clutching his stomach as he's rolling around the bed. For her to not notice her dad come into the room is concerning; she must be really overthinking things again.

"Sorry, sorry! Your reaction just now was too amusing. I wish I could've gotten a picture to add to the album," he says while wiping his watery eyes with the back of his hand. Rosaleen takes the time to scrutinize her dad's features—the way his kind, dark brown eyes crinkle, along with the faint wrinkles that are present when he smiles or laughs.

He still looks as young as ever... she thinks with a faint smile gracing her face.

"Honestly, what are you even thinking about again? You know overthinking will make you grow into an old lady," he teases, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't say it's about your fictional boys again. I don't know if his 'I love you' is genuine or not."

"Hey! Overthinking about those kinds of things are understandable. Why should I date someone who lies, right?"

"Of course I wouldn't want you to date a liar, but... the guys you're talking to are fake."

"You don't have to remind me how fake they are." She pouts. "And what's with the sudden change to Korean? Are you about to whack some sense into me, or are you just doing it for fun?"

"It's just for fun, don't worry." He pats at the empty space beside him on the bed and leans his back against the wall. She obliges and nestles close to him, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Rosaleen knows what her dad is pondering about. Although he's an optimistic and playful person, the worries he has for her makes its appearance from time to time. He trusts her with the decisions she makes, and if needed, always offer advice to lead her onto the right path. That's one of the countless reasons why she loves her dad so much. His kindness and understanding never fades away after all these years.

"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" he asks after some time of comfortable silence. She heaves a sigh before sharing her troubles.

"Nick told me about this 'All You Can Eat Sushi Buffet' event that's being held tonight, and I told him I'll go, but..." she trails off, glancing up at the neutral expression etched upon her dad's face, "maybe I shouldn't have made the decision so quickly. I know you told me how I should keep doing the uncomfortable to make it comfortable, but being in a crowded space with so many people is nerve-wracking."

Mr. Song rests his own head against his daughter as he wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a sturdy and comforting side hug. "From time to time again, I always say this with confidence, and I'm going to say it again: I'm proud of you for doing the uncomfortable. Remember that change doesn't always happen like magic," he explains with a snap of his fingers, "every small step you take to improve yourself is important and adds up overtime. For this situation, why don't you give yourself an escape route, so to speak?"

Rosaleen ponders over his words carefully, trying to understand what he means, but to no avail. "An escape route? I don't think I understand."

"Go to the event, but if you start feeling extremely uncomfortable with the situation, let Nick know before leaving. Allowing yourself to leave the event once discomfort arises is your escape route."

"Of course...! Why didn't I think of such a simple idea...?"

He chuckles. "Sometimes when we get too worked up over something, we tend to forget to breathe, step back, and view the daunting situation in a simpler way."

"Thanks, Dad. Talking to you always helps me feel better and reassured."

"I'm always here for you, sweetheart."

The two sit in silence for a while longer, enjoying each other's presence while listening to the soft sounds of falling raindrops. Rosaleen checks the round clock above her study area—it reads 7:50. Ten more minutes before Sushiria's event begins.

"Gotta go?" her dad's voice fills the silence. She nods, forcing herself to sort through her closet for a casual outfit. A simple pair of white jeans with a striped t-shirt should suffice.

"Remember: breathe in, breathe out, and use the escape route method if you need to," he says gently at the doorway.

"Thanks, Dad."

A sudden thought crosses Rosaleen's mind, and she finds herself rushing to the doorway and calling out at her dad's departing figure going down the stairs.

"Can I have a jar of your homemade kimchi?"

♡

The delicate chimes of the bell resonates throughout the restaurant, which is a common feature in numerous businesses that Rosaleen dislikes a lot simply because it gathers attention to whoever just walked in.

In this case, her.

"I'll be right with you, okay?" a dark brown-haired male shouts from nearby. Rosaleen nods in response, lowering her head in an attempt to hide her face away from some of the customers' curious gazes. They're likely wondering why she's eating alone during a sushi buffet event, or perhaps they're judging her for eating as much sushi as she wants on her own.

The waiter's uniform covers her side view of the eyeing customers. Thank goodness...! This guy came in at the right time, she thinks, breathing a sigh of relief unconsciously. He gestures to the other side of the room with an open hand, making his way over to settle her down.

She follows him to a window seat, far away from the groups of chattering people on the other side. This area of the restaurant is much more serene and less congested—perfect for her. As a bonus, the overly large plants are acting as a barrier between her and the customers.

"Sorry about that. Our regulars at that table get really curious with any new faces they see. I hope I didn't startle you too much by covering your view." The dark brown-haired male laughs softly and places a menu in front of the now blushing female. "I was trying to make you feel less uncomfortable, but maybe suddenly seeing a guy's uniform made things weird."

Rosaleen shakes her head and shares her gratitude, "Oh, no. I, uh, appreciate your quick thinking. It wasn't weird; your uniform looks neat, and uh... that doesn't even relate to our conversation..."

As someone who indulges in one too many romantic games and stories, she feels her heart warming immensely when she encounters men who do or say something nice to her. It can be something as simple as picking up her dropped books to complimenting her smile.

Needless to say, this waiter with his dimpled smile is making her heart swoon.

He clicks his pen, closing it, and settles into the chair across from her. Propping up his elbows on the wooden table, he leans forward slightly and grins. "And... you must be Rosaleen, am I right? Nick's friend that's a girl."