Chapter 3: An Unplanned Dinner

The voices outside had faded, but Asiya waited a few more minutes before peeking through the window. The street was clear—no fans lurking around. It seemed safe.

She turned back to Kian, who was still sitting awkwardly on the edge of the couch, fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie.

"You can go now," she said simply, crossing her arms.

Kian exhaled in relief and stood up, adjusting his cap. "Thanks. And, uh… sorry for barging in." He walked toward the door, but just as he reached for the handle—

GRRRR.

A loud, unmistakable sound filled the quiet room.

Asiya blinked. Kian froze.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, realization hit—and his ears turned red.

His stomach had betrayed him.

Asiya pressed her lips together, fighting the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Kian rubbed the back of his neck, clearly mortified.

"I should go," he muttered, suddenly flustered, trying to make a quick escape.

"Wait."

She sighed, shaking her head. She wasn't planning on having guests, but it wasn't like she was going to let him leave hungry. Especially when he looked this embarrassed.

"Sit down," she said, already moving toward the kitchen.

Kian hesitated. "Oh, no, you really don't have to—"

"Just sit," she repeated, shooting him a look that left no room for debate.

He blinked at her, then slowly lowered himself back onto the couch.

Asiya pulled open the fridge door and stared inside.

Silence.

She sighed.

A bottle of water. Some eggs. A lone bell pepper. A couple of things she had grabbed earlier, but nothing that screamed meal.

Kian tilted his head, watching from the couch. "That bad?"

Asiya closed the fridge with a dull thunk. "Let's just say I didn't exactly stock up yet."

She walked over to her suitcase, crouched down, and unzipped it.

Kian frowned.

"Did you just move in?"

"Yeah, you could say that," she replied, pulling out a jar of harissa, a small bag of spices,a can of tomato sauce and some dried herbs she had packed from home.

Kian raised a brow. "You carry food in your suitcase?"

She glanced up at him. "You live away from home long enough, you learn to come prepared."

Kian smirked. "Noted."

She ignored him, heading back to the kitchen. After a quick check in the fridge, she grabbed a few eggs and the pepper. In a wide pan, she let the oil heat before tossing in the chopped pepper, letting it sizzle until soft. The sauce followed, bubbling gently as she stirred in a pinch of spice and herbs. Finally, she cracked the eggs right into the mixture, letting them settle and cook slowly in the thick, fragrant base. It wasn't anything fancy, but it would be warm, filling, and full of flavor .

Only when she started cooking did Kian really take a good look at her.

She wasn't dressed up. Her outfit was simple—loose gray cotton pants and a soft navy and white shirt. His eyes flickered toward her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulder.

Even in that comfy, casual wear, there was something quietly graceful about her—quite the beauty that didn't try to stand out, but somehow did anyway.

Asiya stirred the simmering tomato sauce, the harissa's smoky aroma blending with the sizzling peppers. It wasn't perfect—back home, her mother would have added a handful of olives and some merguez sausage or shrimp, the spicy lamb lending its richness to the sauce. But this would do.

Kian inhaled deeply as the aroma filled the air. "That smells really good."

"It's nothing special."

Kian stood from his chair and leaned forward, curious. "What's this called?"

"Ejja (عجة)," she said, pronouncing the Arabic clearly.

"Eeeja?" he echoed, testing the syllables on his tongue.

"Close enough it's actually an alphabet you don't even have so you can't pronounce it," she smirked.

"eeeeja"

"Pfft, Ejja Or at least, my lazy version of it." She nodded toward the fridge. "Normally there'd be more… everything."

"Still looks good."

As he got closer a drop of sauce splattered onto his wrist, and without thinking, he licked it off—slow, casual.

Asiya froze for a second, her eyes following the motion.

She blinked, then quickly looked away, tossing him a napkin without a word.

"it's hot,"

"yeah i figured."

She plated the food, then set it down in front of him with some bread on the side. "It's not much, but it should keep your stomach from growling at least."

Kian chuckled and picked up a piece of bread, scooping up some of the eggs.

He took a bite—and blinked in surprise. "Whoa. That's actually good."

She tilted her head slightly. "You sound surprised."

"It's got a little kick," he said, going in for another bite. "Not too spicy… just right. I like it."

She smirked, arms crossed. "You're turning a little pink, though."

He coughed once. "Okay, maybe a tiny bit spicier than I'm used to."

"You're not great with spice, are you?"

"Not as bad as one of my friends, but yeah… I struggle a little."

She laughed softly, then walked over to a small bag near her belongings. From inside, she pulled out a small box and placed it gently on the table in front of him.

Kian blinked. "What's this?"

"Try one."

He opened it curiously and took a bite of one of the sweets.

A hum of approval left his lips. "Okay, this is amazing. What is it?"

"Something from home," she replied, sitting across from him.

"Home?"

"Yeah—Tunisia."

He blinked. "Where's that?"

Her smile widened, amused. "North Africa."

"Oh." He paused. "Wait—so, like… near Egypt?"

"Not exactly. It's west of Libya, across from Italy. Mediterranean coast, lots of sunshine, olives, and loud family dinners."

Kian laughed softly. "That actually sounds… really nice."

She leaned back, resting her arm on the table. "It is. Chaotic sometimes, but warm."

He took another bite and nodded appreciatively.

"You speak Korean pretty well, though," he added, glancing at her curiously. "Not a lot of people could've pulled off what you just did earlier."

"I've been learning," she replied. "But I still… lack a lot."

Kian tilted his head, smiling. "Yeah, I noticed. It's kind of cute though."

She gave him a dry look, but her lips twitched

"So… this place is all yours?"

"Yeah. My cousins are arriving in two days. I came ahead to settle in first."

There was a short pause before Asiya asked, "What about you? Don't you get tired of running from fans?"

Kian sighed, setting his spoon down. "Sometimes. I love them... I really do. But… there are days when I just want to be a normal person. To walk outside without being chased."

Asiya nodded in understanding.

Kian leaned back in his chair. "But really… it's a lot sometimes. The attention, the expectations. I knew what I was signing up for, but I don't think you ever fully prepare for this kind of life."

Asiya listened, her expression unreadable, but she didn't interrupt.

Kian glanced at her again, noticing the way she listened—really listened. No judgment, no excitement over his fame, Just quiet understanding. It was rare. And… kind of nice, How natural this whole exchange felt. She wasn't trying to impress him. Didn't take photos.

She was just… there.

And for some reason, it made him want to keep talking.

But before he could say anything else, his phone buzzed. He checked the screen and sighed.

"I should go. They're waiting for me."

Asiya stood and walked to the door. "The coast's clear now."

Kian hesitated like he wanted to say something more, but instead, he just gave her a small, genuine smile.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Asiya waved him off. "Don't get caught on your way out."

Kian chuckled. "No promises."

As he stepped outside, Kian took one last glance at the house. The warm glow from the kitchen window softened the edges of the small space, making it feel strangely inviting. The faint hum of the fridge, the lingering scent of spices in the air—it was nothing extravagant, but it felt… real. A place where time moved at its own pace, untouched by the chaos outside.

Then, his gaze shifted to Asiya. She stood in the doorway, one hand resting lightly on the frame, her expression unreadable. The dim light caught the loose strands of her hair, and for a brief moment, he wondered what she was thinking.

Kian exhaled, gripping his hoodie. "See you around."

Asiya raised an eyebrow. "Will you?"

He blinked, then let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head as he pulled his cap lower. "Guess we'll see."

And with that, he stepped into the night, disappearing into the quiet streets.