"Wanna try this?"
Ethan caught her gaze and asked with a smile.
He'd seen plenty of people's reactions to poke for the first time, especially those who were squeamish about raw fish—it always made them hesitate.
Even locals sometimes needed convincing.
He himself had only tried it once in his previous life, but that unique fresh taste and umami were always unforgettable.
Right now, Sarah had never tried it yet, but she didn't seem scared—just curious.
"Sure."
Sarah nodded, a little anticipation in her voice.
They bought one to share.
Ethan picked up a small cube of fresh tuna with his fork and held it toward Sarah's mouth:
"Careful, it's raw fish, but it's super fresh and clean. Tastes amazing."
Sarah looked at the glistening piece that was clearly raw fish, hesitated for half a second, then gathered her courage and leaned forward to take a small bite from Ethan's fork.
The cold, slightly chewy texture instantly melted in her mouth, blending with the tang of the soy-sesame dressing and the unique umami of fresh tuna, surprisingly refreshing and delicious.
"So?"
Ethan looked at her with a teasing smile.
Sarah savored it carefully, her eyes crinkling slightly—this was her way of expressing genuine pleasure:
"Mm! It's really good! Different! I've always been too scared to try it, but this is my first time."
Ethan took a piece for himself and nodded with satisfaction:
"Yeah, this is the real deal."
Next.
They followed an even richer aroma and found a taco truck.
They watched the chef skillfully laying out fresh tortillas on the hot griddle, cracking eggs, then spreading a generous layer of seasoned beef and shredded cheese, sprinkling bright green cilantro and jalapeños—with a sizzling sound, the aroma exploded instantly!
The golden cheese melted over the perfectly seasoned meat, sizzling on the griddle with crispy edges forming.
"We HAVE to try this!"
Ethan immediately ordered one.
The freshly made taco was steaming hot and incredibly fragrant.
Ethan carefully wrapped a corner with a napkin and handed it to Sarah:
"Careful, it's hot."
"Thanks."
Sarah took it carefully.
At the moment of passing it over, their fingers inevitably touched again.
This time, Sarah didn't pull back as quickly as before—her fingertips curled slightly, lingering.
Ethan also clearly felt the sensation of her cool fingertips grazing his skin.
The two made eye contact, then quickly looked away, the air filling with an unspoken sweetness.
Sarah blew on it gently and bit into the crispy edge. The savory beef mixed with melted cheese and the slight kick of jalapeños made her eyes close in satisfaction.
Ethan watched her pleased expression, smiled, and took a bite of his own portion.
"Getting full? There's a dessert truck over there that does amazing shaved ice—super refreshing."
Ethan pointed to a popular stand with a line not too far away.
"Yes!"
Sarah nodded immediately.
They bought two cups of shaved ice topped with fresh fruit, condensed milk, mochi pieces, and crushed Oreos, with colorful fruit syrups drizzled over mountains of finely shaved ice.
The two found a relatively quiet spot with stone steps near an old brick wall and sat down.
The evening breeze carried away the day's heat and the richness of the food, mixing with the coolness from the old walls and the distant buzz of the lively market.
They sat side by side on the stone steps, taking small spoonfuls of the sweet, refreshing shaved ice.
The historic old downtown blended harmoniously with the modern street market bustle in this moment.
Sarah ate her dessert quietly, acutely aware of Ethan's presence beside her.
The evening breeze blew a few strands of hair across her cheek, but she didn't brush them away.
Ethan would occasionally point out a store with a quirky sign, or a vendor selling interesting handmade goods, whispering a few comments to her.
His voice wasn't loud, carrying that clear quality and subtle relaxation characteristic of young guys.
This leisurely time together—just the two of them—far removed from academic pressure and SAT stress, gave her a long-lost sense of pure peace and contentment.
She rarely took the initiative to ask people out, and there were very few moments when she felt this completely relaxed and present.
Looking at his profile so close beside her, looking particularly clear in the dim lighting, and listening to his slightly upbeat, warm tone when he spoke, a warm and secret feeling quietly grew and spread in her heart, like vines winding around her thoughts.
Being with him... feels really good.
Sarah thought silently, her fingertips unconsciously stirring the cold, sweet ice in her cup.
Just now in the theater... his hand... it was so warm... This thought made her just-calmed heartbeat flutter again.
She quietly turned her head slightly, looking at Ethan's clean jawline, and an unprecedented courage seemed to be quietly building.
What if... what if right now... I held his hand again?
This thought startled even herself. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she quickly looked down, pretending to focus intently on scooping up a mochi piece with her small spoon, but her cheeks flushed uncontrollably—fortunately the night covered it.
Ethan was also enjoying this quiet moment.
Sarah's quietness didn't make him feel awkward or bored—instead, there was an indescribable comfort and stability to it.
She wasn't like Ashley—bubbly and chatty like a songbird—nor was she like Diana with that powerful, magnetic presence.
She was like the clear moonlight falling across the old downtown walls—calm, gentle, and reserved, with a quietly reassuring quality.
With her, he didn't need to deliberately search for conversation topics. Even silence felt comfortable.
He took a spoonful of cold dessert and looked at the dimly lit streets in the distance, feeling peaceful.
Time passed quietly in the evening breeze and sweet ice.
"You full?"
Ethan asked, his voice soft.
"Yeah, I'm full."
Sarah set down her empty cup and exhaled softly with satisfaction.
"So... want me to walk you home?"
"Okay."
Sarah stood up.
The two walked back slowly along the concrete path they'd come from.
The noisy voices gradually faded behind them, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long—sometimes clear, sometimes blurred, occasionally overlapping.
Neither spoke, only the soft sound of shoe soles on pavement and the rustle of leaves in the evening breeze.
A silent understanding and gentle warmth flowed between them.
When they arrived at Sarah's building, the dim streetlights illuminated the quiet residential street.
Ethan stopped.
"Thanks for inviting me to the movie."
Ethan said with a smile, looking at her with gentle eyes.
"Thanks for getting dinner with me too."
Sarah looked up. In the night, her eyes were like polished obsidian soaked in water—clear and bright, distinctly reflecting his image.
"Today... I had a really good time."
Her voice was very soft, but carried real weight.
"Me too."
Ethan responded seriously, his smile genuine.
The two stood under the streetlight and looked at each other quietly for a few seconds.
The street was very quiet—you could hear faint TV sounds and crickets in the distance.
There was a subtle, sweet quality floating in the air.
Sarah's fingers quietly curled and uncurled at her side, her fingertips slightly warm, and that courage that had been building on the stone steps seemed to surface again.
"So... I should head up."
She finally said softly, with a hint of barely detectable reluctance in her voice.
"Yeah, get some rest."
Ethan nodded, his eyes still on her face.
Sarah turned and walked toward the building entrance. The moment the motion sensor light "clicked" on, she couldn't help but stop and turn around.
The warm yellow light outlined her graceful silhouette.
Ethan was still standing there, smiling and waving at her.
"Good night."
Ethan's voice was particularly clear in the quiet night.
"Good night."
Sarah responded softly too, her voice light as a feather.
She turned and quickly walked upstairs. Only when she reached her apartment door and closed the heavy security door, leaning her back against the cool metal, did she feel her frantically beating heart finally calm down a little.
The heat on her cheeks hadn't completely faded. She walked to the window without turning on the light, quietly lifted the corner of the curtain, and looked down.
The street below was empty—Ethan's figure had already disappeared.
There are 70 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439