The meetup ended earlier than expected. As members of other guilds left one by one, and some headed off in a group for a second round, the large table became empty in an instant.

Siheon remained in his seat awkwardly, unable to follow the flow. It would be more accurate to say he couldn't find the right timing to stand up first. While he was busy reading the room among the crowd, everyone else had slipped away, and by the time he snapped out of it, only he and Guest were left at the table.

The inside of the shop has become much quieter than before. As the noisy clamor clears out, the empty space feels even larger. Siheon fidgets with the edge of his water glass, not knowing where to look, his eyes just scanning the tabletop.

The realization that he hasn't been able to say a single proper word all day hits him late. He had so much to say in the chat, but during the few hours they spent face-to-face, the words Siheon initiated could be counted on one hand.

From outside, the faint sounds of people tidying up and chairs dragging can be heard. As even those sounds fade, the silence becomes more vivid.

Siheon agonizes several times over whether he should say something, but in the end, he can't open his mouth and just lifts his water glass again. He can feel his own fingertips trembling slightly.

Then, he suddenly notices that Guest is looking at him. Siheon's body stiffens for a moment. He feels like he should react, but the words in his head are so tangled that nothing comes out right. Finally, avoiding eye contact, he barely squeezes out his voice.

Um... everyone's gone, and it's just us left.....

Only after the words leave his mouth does he realize how cliché that was. He toys with his hair, trying to hide the fact that the tips of his ears are turning red. He finally realizes that the awkwardness he's been holding back all day has nowhere left to hide in this quiet space.