Chapter 90 - Cruise Restaurant Flirting
We found ourselves in a lavish restaurant aboard the grand space cruise ship, where soft ambient lighting and the gentle hum of classical music set an elegant mood. Our table for two was situated at the edge of the ship’s dining deck, offering a breathtaking view of the sunset spilling across the endless sky.
The horizon burned with hues of gold and crimson, blending seamlessly into the deepening shades of twilight. Below, the curve of the planet shimred faintly, its atmosphere glowing as it t the black void of space.
Unfortunately, the als weren’t covered by the ticket, and for a brief mont, we both exchanged glances, relieved that we had brought so money with us. But before I could reach for my wallet, Myrrh flashed a confident smile and set her hands on the table.
"Feel free to order whatever you like. It’s my treat," she said warmly.
I hesitated, my fingers brushing against the nu pages. “O-okay… I’ll just have so beef curry and fresh sashimi, please. And one cup of rice,” I murmured, deliberately choosing the most affordable option. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough to keep full.
"I’ll have a loco moco with karaage," Myrrh added cheerfully, then, as if on a whim, her eyes glead. “Oh, and please add a mixed berries parfait.”
As the waitress nodded and disappeared with our orders, I turned back to the view beyond the glass. The sunset stretched across half the sky in a fiery embrace, while above it, the darkness of space had begun its quiet reign.
The first stars twinkled in the void, a srizing contrast of light and shadow. From this height, we were already breaching the edge of the atmosphere, caught between the world below and the vast unknown above.
“The view here is good, right?” Myrrh’s voice was softer now. She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze reflecting the celestial canvas outside. “It’s even more beautiful than our secret place on the hospital rooftop.”
"I don’t know," I murmured, my gaze lingering on the vast expanse beyond the window. "This is definitely more beautiful, but… I think I preferred the view back then. That rooftop had a different atmosphere—like ti had stopped just for the two of us."
I hadn’t realized I was speaking my thoughts aloud until I heard Myrrh gasp. A faint pink blood across her cheeks before she shot a narrow glare, her lips curving into a mischievous smirk.
"Eh? You’re throwing out pick-up lines now, huh?" she teased, tilting her head playfully. "Way to go! You have grown, just a little bit!"
"Wha—?" My face burned. "I-I’m not giving a pick-up line! I was just saying what I really felt at the ti!" I stamred, waving my hands defensively.
"Heh?" Myrrh leaned forward, her smirk deepening. "So that’s how you feel about ?"
"Shut up!" I cried, flustered. "I take it all back! The view here is far superior to your so-called secret place!"
Before she could fire back another tease, our food arrived, granting a much-needed escape. My plate of sashimi and beef curry looked mouthwatering, but as Myrrh’s loco moco and crispy karaage were set in front of her, I couldn’t help but glance at her dish with mild envy. Still, I stuck with my choices and took my first bite.
The beef curry was a comforting blend of savory and mildly sweet flavors, the spice adding just the right amount of heat to warm my senses. anwhile, the fresh tuna sashimi lted on my tongue, its delicate texture enhanced by the sharp kick of wasabi.
"Zaft," Myrrh suddenly muttered, twirling her spoon between her fingers. "I wanna try so."
"Sure," I said, offering her a piece on my spoon. "But only if you trade a slice of your loco moco and a piece of karaage."
"Fine, just take as much as you want," Myrrh said, offering her plate as well. We exchanged portions of our als, each getting a taste of the other’s dish.
"Wow, this is amazing!" I said, savoring the hearty bite of her loco moco. The rich, savory gravy blended perfectly with the tender beef patty, while the runny egg yolk added a smooth, creamy texture. I took a bite of the karaage next—its crispy, golden-brown coating gave way to juicy, well-seasoned at. "And this karaage? Super crispy!"
"Phew! That wasabi was intense!" Myrrh cried, dramatically exhaling as if trying to cool the fire in her mouth. The sight of her fanning herself in distress made chuckle.
"I'm honestly surprised you're willing to eat sothing from my plate," I said with a smirk. "I was sure you’d be disgusted by ."
Myrrh shot an indignant glare, her cheeks puffing slightly. "FYI, I don't really think you're disgusting! I know you’re actually pretty clean… even though you always look like a holess thug."
"Wow. That’s a next-level insult. I don’t even know how to take that," I grumbled.
Before she could tease further, the waitress arrived with Myrrh’s mixed berries parfait. It was an explosion of colors—red, blue, violet, orange, and yellow ice cream scoops layered atop a swirl of whipped cream and a dley of fresh berries. Myrrh wasted no ti digging in, spooning one scoop after another with visible delight.
Since I hadn’t ordered dessert, I just sipped on my soda, watching her enjoy her parfait. But the more she ate, the more my curiosity grew. Everything we’d eaten on this cruise had been delicious so far, and now I couldn’t help but wonder—what did that parfait taste like?
"That looks delicious," I muttered under my breath, not really thinking.
Myrrh paused mid-bite, her spoon hovering in the air. A slow smirk spread across her face, but her eyes held a dangerous glint—like she was plotting sothing. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was about to assassinate … in the most ridiculous way possible.
"Hey, do you want a bite?" she asked, her voice carrying that unmistakable teasing lilt.
"N-no, I’m fine," I said quickly, waving my hand in refusal.
Her smirk only deepened. "You just said it looked delicious. No need to be shy, Zaft." Without waiting for my response, she scooped up a spoonful of the blue ice cream and held it out toward . "Here, taste this. It’s blueberry."
I swallowed hard. "F-fine. I’ll have a taste," I muttered, feeling my face heat up. "But let get an extra spoon—"
"You idiot," Myrrh scoffed, rolling her eyes. "They won’t give you a spoon unless you order again. It’s the protocol in this cruise restaurant."
"R-really?" I asked, hesitant.
"No." Myrrh outright denied her own lie, her face turning a shade redder. "Anyway, this will lt if you don’t eat it soon. Say aaaaah!"
She pushed the spoon closer and closer until I had no choice but to comply. Hesitantly, I parted my lips and took the bite. The ice cream was rich and creamy, the blueberry flavor bursting on my tongue with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. But honestly? That wasn’t the most morable part.
The thought hit like a brick. That was her spoon. Her spoon.
An indirect kiss.
Sohow, the taste of that felt even sweeter.
"See? It’s good, right?" Myrrh said, her voice laced with amusent.
"Y-yeah. It’s… really sweet," I muttered, my face still burning. I couldn’t stop staring at her spoon, watching as she casually dipped it back into her parfait, scooped another bite of ice cream, and took it into her mouth—completely unfazed.
anwhile, my heart was still racing. I couldn’t believe we’d just done that. And what was more shocking—Myrrh didn’t seem bothered at all.
"I-isn’t that an indirect kiss just now?" I finally asked, my voice shaking slightly.
Myrrh paused, then glanced at with an exaggerated smirk. "You’re getting embarrassed over that?" She let out a short laugh. "Wow, Zaft. You really are pure and innocent… like the incel you are."
I clamped my mouth shut. Myrrh was ridiculously passive-aggressive today. One mont, she was flirting, and the next, she was throwing insults like darts at a board. Was she teasing ? Mocking ? Both? I couldn’t tell. Frustrated, I simply pouted and turned away, letting my gaze wander across the restaurant to avoid her piercing, judgntal stare.
That was when I realized sothing unsettling.
People were watching us.
Couples at nearby tables, waitresses passing by, even a few chefs peeking from the kitchen window—all of them were stealing glances at us, their eyes filled with amusent, admiration, or outright nosiness. The mont they noticed glaring back, the waitresses quickly averted their gazes and pretended to return to work, bowing slightly as if they hadn’t just been caught.
Before I could process the situation, a waitress suddenly placed a fancy, sparkling drink on our table—a tall glass filled with a fizzy pink concoction, topped with a delicate layer of whipped cream. But the real kicker? A pair of heart-shaped twin straws sticking out from the rim.
"Here’s the complintary couple’s drink for this cruise," the waitress said sweetly. "Belated rry X-mas to you both. And Happy Xyraxis New Year!"
"R-right. Thank you," I mumbled weakly.
"Wow!" Myrrh clapped her hands together, eyes gleaming with excitent. Without hesitation, she grabbed one of the straws and took a sip. "Mmm! This is actually pretty good!"
"Really?" I asked, leaning forward slightly. "Let have a taste too."
"Sure. Let’s drink together," she said nonchalantly, continuing to sip from her straw as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
I stiffened. Myrrh was going all out today—aggressive, relentless, and clearly enjoying every mont of my embarrassnt. And like an absolute fool, I kept taking the bait. But… it wasn’t like I hated it. If anything, it must have been obvious—to her and everyone else in this restaurant—that I was enjoying this ridiculous situation more than I cared to admit.
Sighing, I gave in. If this was how things were going to be, then fine. I leaned in and wrapped my lips around the other straw, preparing to take a sip.
But the mont I tried to drink, sothing felt… wrong.
There was no liquid. No sweetness. Nothing.
Instead, I felt an odd sensation, like the straw was pulling air from my mouth. Confused, I sucked harder—only for my tongue to get vacuud into the straw, a weird suction force yanking at it like so kind of absurd prank device.
"Uuuuuk!" I cried, jerking back and pulling the straw out of my mouth.
And then it hit .
The twin heart-shaped straws didn’t connect to the drink at all.
They connected to each other.
Which ant…
I snapped my head up, eyes wide with horror, just in ti to see Myrrh on the other end, her own lips sealed around the straw, smug as ever.
"Stop ssing with !" I roared, my face burning.
"Hahahaha!" Myrrh burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as if this was the funniest thing in the universe. Her giggles rang through the air, bright and unapologetic.
anwhile, I could feel the stares of every single person in the restaurant.
I was never going to live this down.
Reviews
All reviews (0)