An update because why not? Comments for an update?

"Okay, I know you have to be rich to live where you do, and the way you do. You don't strike me as one living a fake life. So, don't you think this place is a bit... I don't know, rowdy?" Amina's lips curled upwards slightly in disgust upon standing in front of the small stall because she wouldn't even call that a restaurant. "I'm certain your standards are more than this."

When he agreed to take her out, after she pitifully explained her situation to him, or as pitiful as she could muster up, she didn't have the highest expectations.

But at least, she expected a medium place, not a downtown, rowdy stall in the midst of nowhere.

Just then, she saw two people duck out from under the set-up canopy, sporting big grins on their faces. It wasn't about the smile; it was something about their looks that made her stomach curl.

She subconsciously took a step back, only to bump into him. Upon realizing her mistake, she was quick to turn around and let out a string of apology. "Sorry... I'm sorry about that. I didn't realize—"

"You coming or what?" He cut her off, his tone dripping with boredom.

Amina's lips slanted into a frown, her mind going back to the first day they met at the airport. She'd been trying to put it behind her and leave it where it belongs, especially since he helped her then, but she's starting to regret it.

Seems he will forever be an asshole. Good to know.

Not waiting for her answer, he sidestepped her, one of his hands tucked in his pocket, reaching out to push aside the leather makeshift canopy and ducking in.

Amina had a quick double thought. She was weighing her options on whether to go into the place that's probably on the least list of places she'd ever gone to, or make a dash for it and take tea.

She should be able to make tea now. It's just to boil water and put a tea bag along with sugar cubes. How hard can it be?

She'd survive if she just lives off of tea.

The sensible part of her brain pointed out that it'll be a terrible idea. So, against the nagging part that's recoiling into a ball at the thought of eating at a place like that, she drew her lower lip between her teeth and pushed her feet forward.

Screw it. She's hungry, she cannot risk it for anything.

Even if it tastes bad, it's not like she has any reason to be picky. She has no right to.

So, a rowdy downtown stall it is. Yay.

Unlike him, she didn't have to duck under to get in, already of the right height or a bit shorter but she'd ignore that part. Upon stepping in, she was welcomed by grease-scented air and a row of tables that were surprisingly more than she expected the stall to fit.

Not to mention, half the place was packed already. The light hum of their voices filled the air, making it sound like a buzz of some sort.

She didn't have to look around far, spotting him already settled on a table by the corner, typing something away on his phone.

She took a second and forced a fake smile on her face before trudging in his direction. Her skin was crawling simply by being there, when it's even neater than she expected but still.

He made no comment on it as she settled on the chair beside him, not wanting to sit as far as being on the opposite side. Her mind would feel much better at least simply by being around someone she knows at the very least, even if she doesn't particularly take a liking to him.

"Order what you want," he mumbled, still typing away on his phone. He hadn't spared her a glance when she walked in. If not for her taking the spot beside him, she doubted he would've recognized her presence.

Amina's gaze shifted to the small menu beside her. It looked to be a couple of years old, or maybe, it's simply been months. Regardless, she flicked it open and skimmed through it with slight disgust.

Some of the food listed there, she'd tasted them when she attended a Korean-themed restaurant in Abuja, and in Lagos as well. But, she knew they stand nothing against the original. Wait, does the food there even count as original?

Others, though, she'd only seen them in Korean dramas. They make ramen, Kimchi, and the others all look interesting when it's far from that. She'd her own taste of Korean food and let's just say, they look better on it.

It's overhyped.

Not long after, she uncomfortably closed the menu and pushed it closer to him slightly, shaking her head in the process. "Order it for me, please," she offered him a tight-lipped smile, despite the fact that he still hadn't spared her a glance.

At least, until then.

He then raised his hand, and almost immediately, a waiter had come to stand beside him. He uttered a few sentences in Korean, none of which she understood before the guy disappeared. He didn't even look at the menu but went ahead to place an order as if he knows his way around the food there.

And maybe he does.

She tried to think with a positive mind that perhaps he didn't just randomly bring her to a place like that because he doesn't want to spend much on her. That maybe, he actually knows what he's doing.

Drawing her hands between her thighs, she rubbed them together in an attempt to get some warmth. She thought her outfit would be warm enough, but after being made to stroll longer than she hoped—a reminder that they did not drive there, he made her stroll all the way there though it only took about fifteen minutes.

When she complained, he ignored her, and she, on the other hand, wanted to accuse him of being stingy but held her tongue.

"I'm getting food," she reminded herself. "I should be grateful."

No words were exchanged between them till they arrived, and now, she was feeling chilly. She waited like they do in movies whether he'd even have the decency to lend her his coat.

Now, she wasn't trying to make anything romantic; God knows, she'd throw away her designer bags and coats in the Han River before that happens, but he should at least be humane, right?

None of that happened. He made no move to acknowledge her.

She could only purse her lips and roll her eyes. Why did she even bother to begin with?

While caught up in her thoughts, she didn't realize one of the waiters hastily trying to run past her to get to another table. The tray in the hands of the waiter tipped to the side, about to send the contents on Amina.

Her chair being drawn closer, and away from the impending doom, jerked her out of her thoughts. She yelped, only feeling the chair moving to the side on its own accord.

Thankfully, when one of the silver rice bowls on the tray fell, it did no damage to Amina's outfit. The waiter's eyes widened, and then he was quick to rush out apologies in Korean.

Amina couldn't focus on that, her mind was spiraling as much as her stomach was in knots. Her heart was beating wildly against her rib

cage; she could almost hear it loudly.

Her eyes slanted in the direction her chair was drawn, only to realize she was a tad bit closer to him than she realized. His gaze was no longer on his phone; heck, the device laid on the table while one of his hands moved from underneath the chair, whose legs he dragged to pull the chair closer.

Unlike her, he seemed unfazed though his heart raced for a moment. He feared he wouldn't have been able to avoid it in time, and then he'd listen to her nag for the rest of the night about how he dragged her there intentionally.

He blew out a small breath, letting go of the chair as he looked away, ignoring her gaze on him.

Thankfully, the waiter he placed the order with appeared then, easing the awkward tension in the air. Perhaps, the guy saw the little exchange between the two, because he gave Aahil teasing looks which he got a glare in return.

Then, his voice came, it sounded like a warning from how low his tone was. "Nei ibeseo hanmadi-do naoji maseyo; not a word from you." He said in Korean, clearly not wanting her to understand.

The waiter threw a quick glance at her before chuckling. "Manhee deuseyo; Have a great meal." He turned around and left quickly, before Aahil could throw another remark.

Clearly, they are acquainted.

Amina cleared her throat uneasily, rubbing her now sweaty palms on the sweatpants she adorned. Her gaze shifted to the food in front of her. She swallowed thickly. God, it looks nice.

But food that looks good don't always taste that great. Not in that place of all places.

"So... what's this?" She inquired hesitantly, her voice sounding a bit hoarse. She cleared it.

He shifted his gaze from the area where the guy from earlier disappeared, then met her gaze with a blank expression. "Bibimbap." He stated. "You've heard of it before, right?"

Of course, she had. It was one of the first Korean meals she'd learnt of when she started watching kdramas in her secondary school days. She recognized it almost immediately; she was just looking for excuses to start up a conversation with him after all that.

Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish that literally translates to "mixed rice." It is a bowl of steamed rice topped with various sautéed and seasoned vegetables, often including carrots, spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and zucchini.

Additionally, it may include a protein such as beef, chicken, or tofu. The ingredients are arranged in separate sections on top of the rice, creating a visually appealing dish.

It's typically served with a spicy red chili pepper paste called gochujang, which adds a flavorful kick to the dish. Before eating, you mix all the ingredients together thoroughly, ensuring that the gochujang is evenly distributed. This mixing process gives bibimbap its distinctive taste and texture.

In her case, she could spot abundant mushrooms and sautéed vegetables. She's always been a sucker for veggies; it made it all the more appealing.

However, instead of eating it, she simply sat there staring at it, with her lower lip drawn between her lips.

Aahil's eyes narrowed slightly, already sensing an issue coming up. "What is it now?" He inquired with a slight sigh.

She folded her lips in for a second before she met her gaze with a frown. "How can I be sure I won't get food poisoning?" She gave the place one repelling look. "You see, this place doesn't exactly look the healthiest."

He gave her a blank look. "Then don't eat." He just can't with this woman.

Her frown deepened, her eyes widening slightly. "But I'm really hungry, I swear."

"Then what do you want me to do?" Women can be confusing, really.

She pouted, not knowing what to say exactly. What does she even want? She doesn't know. Perhaps, just some sort of confirmation.

He stared at her for a few seconds longer, before he suddenly sighed again. His hand reached out to pinch the bridge of his nose before he threw a quick glance at the food.

Muttering something under his breath, he simply picked up the spoon and mixed the gochujang thoroughly while he silently watched. When he was satisfied, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before pushing the thoughts aside and bringing a spoonful to his mouth, swallowing it down. He took another, then the third before placing it aside.

"Satisfied?" He inquired after taking a sip from the bottle of water he asked for.

She smiled, then bobbed her head repeatedly. She won't lie, it looked scrumptious after he'd mixed it; she was salivating at the thought of eating it as well.

He nodded, then blew out a small breath. "Ask for another spoon." He pushed his chair back, then picked up his phone.

Her brows drew in. "Where are you going?"

"Out to answer a call. I'll be back." He slipped his phone into the pocket of his overcoat. "I'll ask them to bring you another spoon. Eat up." He didn't wait for her response as he walked away.

She watched as he spoke to the woman that seemed to be in charge, to which she nodded. After exchanging a few words, he stepped out.

Amina got her new spoon, and she ended up eating to her fill and surprisingly, it was actually good. Much more than she expected.

What she didn't expect though, was for him not to return. He left her stranded, with an unpaid bill for the food. She nearly screamed at the realization.

She was in deep water. Fuck.

***

Who has watched One Piece live action??? I absolutely LOVE IT!!

Of course, I found myself a new love of my like aka Ronoroa effing ZORO!!!!! The greatest swordsman to ever live(let's pretend Mihawk doesn't exist).

I've never been a fan of anime, and I don't plan on becoming one but this one, I live for this live action fr!

And Sanjiiii😍 Now, Zoro is my man but there's something about blondes. And Sanji my guy is blonde and a Chef!!! A man that can cook people. Did I mention he sabi fight? 🥺

Let me stop here before Zoro thinks I'm cheating on him. The man's comebacks rocks fr!

And Luffyyyyy. Am I the only one shipping him and Nami? I mean, I don't see any love sparking but sha, I ship them nonetheless. Usopp is useless, I don't like him much ngl😂

Do you even know what I'm talking about? No? Watch One piece and I promise, you'll love it in shaa Allah. It's so nice!

Moving on, I wrote a chapter for this book today and let's just say, I LOVE AAHIL!!! 🥺💞 It'll probably take a month or more before you read the specific chapter but anyways, it is what it is.

Comments for another update later on?

Speaking of Aahil, he left her in this chapter and you might hate him in the next few chapters but let me defend my guy. He means well, I promise🤭

Question of the day, let's hope I don't regret this😂🥲 am I nice??? 😂 Believe me, I try to be and I normally am but some people here aren't the nicest as well. Nonetheless, I'd like to believe I have a good relationship with 80 percent of my readers and that's more than enough, abi?

To most of yall, if not all reading this book, I believe we get along just well. Thank you for sticking with me, I promise, I don't take it for granted. Love yall❤️❤️

At this point, I'm ngl, I feel as though my days of writing on wattpad is coming to an end. Or maybe, I just won't write as much as before. Sha, this might just be another one of my drills😂 but there's something I'm working towards. If I get it, it's adios for yall here🙂 na to meet once a year or twice, dazzal. If I make it that is.

Regardless, time will tell. We'll see.

Before that, take care and stay tuned for more updates. Also, Comment!!! It's back to school for me this week but I believe I've written enough to not ditch this book in shaa Allah.

Stay safe.

Love, Jannah Mia.