When Shun Met Tatiana

She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Are you hungry now? Perhaps you can still order something. I will want dessert, there is still time." She put another ravioli in her mouth, chewing politely but quickly.

"I'm really fine," he insisted. "Eat whatever you want."

"Do you want just one ravioli?" she asked, unable to hold back a giggle. "You can ask, you know."

He finally gave in.

"Hand me the fork."

She stabbed one of the ravioli with her fork and held it up to his mouth.

"There you go. If you want alcohol, you should get your own, though." She sipped her cocktail with a straight face.

"I don't drink," he replied, before taking a bite of the ravioli. He smiled, even though the food tasted horrible to him. "I certainly don't drink in front of lovely ladies."

"I love drinking," she replied with a shrug. "Maxim and I have been doing it since I was old enough. You don't sound like much fun."

He chuckled.

"I am not very pleasant when I am drunk," he explained.

"I'm an expensive drunk," she replied, shrugging. "It's not the best way to be, but at least I get to drink a lot."

He chuckled.

"I'll pay for you to drink, whenever you'd like."

"Good, I am expensive," she replied, finishing her cocktail. "Can I ask you something, though? Why bring me to a restaurant if you are not hungry?"

Shun smiled at her.

"I asked you out, it's all for you, not me."

"I don't know if I trust a person who doesn't enjoy food," she said honestly, pushing her clean plate aside. "It's not natural. Maxim and I both go through plenty of food in one sitting, making ends meet is difficult."

He chuckled.

"Sorry," he replied. "I have a very specific diet."

She frowned.

"Are you vegan? I've always thought that was silly. Cows make milk and meat so we may eat it."

"Oh, nothing of the sort," he replied. "I simply have to watch what I eat because I have to stay in shape."

"Ah," she said, nodding. "I do not have that problem--I never get bigger. Maxim likes to joke that it all goes to my chest." She laughed a little nervously, taking a bite of her cake. She played with the cherry, rolling it around the plate with her fork.

"...So after this I am free to take the bus home?" she asked, more quietly.

"Of course," he replied happily. "When you're finished, we can set up another date and be on our way."

"Where do you want to meet next time?" she asked, nibbling her cake. "I do not go out much, so I don't know many places."

"The Chinese restaurant on Fifth, would be my choice, if you'd like to go," he replied smiling happily.

"Will there be other people there?" she asked suspiciously. "I refuse to be alone with you, if we're going to do this."

"Yes, but most of them will be...with my organization," he admitted.

"Then I don't want to go," she said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "My brother will never see me again if I agree--don't think I don't know what you people do with women."

"If not there, then you choose, again," he replied, smiling pleasantly.

"McDonalds is the only other place I can think of," she said with a shrug. "Is that okay?"