Chapter 124: A Surprise for You

Having finished the carousel, their final activity at Lotte World, Chen Zhe and Krystal Jung walked out of the exit hand in hand, both looking thoroughly satisfied.

"Are you happy with the itinerary I planned today, my Krystal Noona?"

Though he was holding Krystal’s hand, Chen Zhe couldn't help but stretch his limbs; for him, the carousel had been truly boring. Even riding it with the person he loved only slightly mitigated the tedium.

"Hmm, lean your ear over. I'll tell you what I thought of today."

Glancing at Chen Zhe, who was staring ahead with a subtle look of fatigue, she hesitated for a long moment before gesturing for him to lean in. Though he didn't quite understand why she needed him to get so close, Chen Zhe didn't refuse and lowered his head toward her.

"Don't overthink it. This is a reward for your satisfactory planning today."

As soon as his ear was by her lips, Krystal quickly pulled down her mask, planted a quick peck on his cheek, and pulled the mask back up just as fast. After the kiss, she couldn't help but feel her cheeks burning with shyness. Fortunately, the mask hid her face, sparing her from him seeing the crimson flush spreading across it.

Krystal was well aware of Chen Zhe’s recent hectic schedule. The fact that he had spent his only day off taking her out—and even coming to pick her up at her house at six in the morning—made it impossible for her not to be moved. Though she had kissed him out of that very emotion, she wasn't about to admit it; she intentionally maintained an air of nonchalance, insisting it was merely a "reward."

"Very well, then I thank Miss Krystal for the favorable review. Now, permit me to escort you to our next destination. After you, my dear Miss Krystal."

Though momentarily stunned by her surprise attack, Chen Zhe quickly regained his composure and bowed, gesturing with the flair of a server.

***

Taking a taxi that Chen Zhe had called in advance, the two soon arrived at JK Haven Restaurant in Yeouido.

"Where is this?" Krystal tilted her head in confusion, looking at the long flight of stairs leading up to a building that didn't look like a restaurant at all. She turned to Chen Zhe, who was standing beside her.

"Heh, follow me and you'll see!" Chen Zhe felt a surge of emotion knowing they had reached the final stop. He took a deep breath, pushing aside his restless thoughts, and offered his palm to Krystal with a gentle smile.

Krystal looked at him deeply. Without a word, she chose to trust the young man before her and placed her hand lightly into his. Feeling the cool touch of her palm, Chen Zhe slowly closed his hand, enveloping hers completely.

"Let’s go, then." Holding her hand tightly, he adjusted his mood in a few deep breaths and turned to smile at her.

Looking at the three-story structure, Chen Zhe scratched his head, slightly bewildered. His first impression was that it didn't look like a restaurant, but rather a creative exhibition space. He didn't jump to conclusions, however, and walked up the stairs to the entrance. The first thing that caught his eye was a wooden sign hanging from the glass door handle, etched with the words "Sorry, we are closed."

"Old Bai, I'm downstairs. Why are you already closed? The door is locked—how am I supposed to get in?"

Chen Zhe pushed the door, but it wouldn't budge. He pulled out his phone to call his childhood friend; he had no intention of standing outside in the wind.

"Wait, didn't you say you wouldn't be here until after eight, or maybe even later? I thought you'd be late, so I locked up. Hang on, I'm coming down to open it."

The man on the other end sounded surprised. He had assumed Chen Zhe would be late, so he’d closed the shop to rest. He hadn't expected Chen Zhe to arrive just minutes after he’d sat down on the terrace to relax. With a sigh, he stood up to go let him in.

"You didn't open a restaurant; you opened an art gallery!"

Upon entering the first floor, Chen Zhe saw the space divided by folding screens into three sections, displaying minimalist sketches, oil paintings, and traditional Chinese ink wash paintings. As a former design student with an art background, Chen Zhe observed the techniques carefully and realized why they were placed together. While the styles were vastly different, they all shared a common effect: they brought a sense of peace and tranquility.

The restlessness in Chen Zhe’s heart slowly dissipated, and he felt much calmer. Still, seeing that the first floor was nothing but paintings and screens, he couldn't help but tease his friend.

"Well, it is a 'creative' restaurant. Yuzhe helped me come up with this idea. This small gallery in the lounge area is meant to help guests shed the noise and chaos of the outside world and enjoy the serenity that art brings."