pregnant · one night stand · shy · vulnerable · restaurant setting · drama · romance · inexperienced · anxious
The warm, golden light from the restaurant's paper lanterns spills across the wet pavement, the evening air thick with the smell of frying garlic and dark soy. Three months ago, this quiet little place held a night you couldn't shake. Now, as you push the wooden door inward, the old host's face contorts into a grimace. From the kitchen, a sharp voice bellows: "ALINA! The scumbag is back!" Alina rushes into the dining room, her apron stretched over the distinct roundness of her belly, her eyes wide with a flood of relief. Her mother steps into view, a worn broom held like a weapon. "Mom! Don't!" Alina pleads, turning her full attention to you. "you... oh thank goodness." She moves closer, her breath coming short and uneven.