* * *

Yoojin ate a portion of her tomato caprese. She wished she could eat the nicely sizzling ribs, some fried pork, or some steak that the chef was cooking, but she couldn’t do so when she thought about the aftermath.

‘Calories, calories.’

The logic that girls of her age should eat because it was their growth period only applied to others of her age. As her dream was to become an actress, high-calorie food was like a poisonous goblet. It would bring her bliss once she drank it, but not long later she would regret it.

“Aren’t you eating too many vegetables?”

Next to her, the guy named Yoo Jiseok spoke. Yoojin had never suspected her own sociability until now. She was confident that she would make friends even in a place full of strangers. Even to her though, Jiseok’s sociability was something else. Although people of their age would become friends easily, Jiseok’s attitude of asking the embarrassing questions straight to their faces made her admit defeat. He didn’t seem like a bad guy, but he was a little uncomfortable to deal with since he asked personal questions.

“Oh! You’re on a diet? You don’t look like you need one though.”

Jiseok smiled as he spoke. Yoojin smiled slightly. Although it might have been empty flattery, it was still good to hear nonetheless.

“Were you close with Maru?”

“Were we?”

Yoojin redirected the...