Oh yeah he is, too. Why is he so hungry, actually, he didn't do any dung—oh. Right.

Yes, exactly. Yes.

"... we should probably... have some sort of... talk... about what kind of partnership we want?" she ventures, after they have both picked out things to eat.

Right. Yes.

"My backlash is psychological. Um. It's." The whole POINT of him wanting to do the partnership thing today was that he wanted to TELL HER THAT so that it would be FINE but it is instead NOT FINE because it seems like his mouth STOPPED WORKING.

"I-I-I mean it's at least partially physiological, though, it's why the - er - um. Y-you are my first but the impression I get is that it doesn't usually - stand at attention for quite so long -"

Okay he has to actually hide his face in his arms now.

Oh no she's scared him off with her inappropriate babbling she is terrible at this!!!

"- Sorry what I meant to say is that I - erm - have a decent guess as to the situation and you don't have to tell me anything more if you're not comfortable with it, I'm fine, I, was, I, um. No complaints, will get the birth control sorted as soon as possible."

Aaaaaaaaah!

"Emotions. Strong ones. Um. The. Hot ones, I mean. It's. I. That thing. Yes. And also—anger, or, or impulsivity, or, like—talking too much or. Things. Like that. But also. That."

"Okay! Gotcha. I won't tell a soul, obviously, and my whole - thing of being chilly and needing constant physical contact is, I mean, it just, it plays well into that I think? It already kind of did with how guiding works, but, you know, with, uh, your everything it's - I expect you can be impulsive or angry or - other things - and I will just be snuggly and." Blush.

"I'll be able to explain better when I'm less embarrassed," he mumbles, still hiding.

"Yeah. It's okay, no rush," she assures, even though she also kind of wants to hide.

Someone will knock on the door of their private room with their drinks before Tae-gun successfully recovers, which means he has to do a speed-recovery in just a second to be presentable.

Fortunately, his new partner will run some interference for him! See: she can smile and say thank you.

Oh, so can he, if a social interaction is required with the Public™ he goes from blushing to perfectly placid and in-control immediately.

And once the waiter is gone, he lets out a breath. "Um. Okay. Where was I..."

"You were explaining your backlash, and I pointed out it's not entirely psychological," offers Hye-jin.

"Ah. Right. Um. I'm not sure that's—physiological—there's a lot of variance in men's refractory period and—well I suppose that variance is physiological. Though, um, I feel like the main difference is just that—when I'm backlashed, um, doing it doesn't make me stop... wanting to do it. Like it does when I'm not backlashed. And the physiology just—reflects that? Like, um, when I start getting mad about dumb things even knowing they're dumb and doing things that ought to get it out of my system I'm still... mad... at the end."

Nod nod.

"Yeah, makes sense. Sorry, I didn't mean to - explain your own backlash at you, I'm just also, er, checking that. All that I know about male reproductive systems is not in fact wrong? Which it seems it's not, so, good!" Cough. "A-anyway, that sounds like it's probably hard to deal with if aimed at your emotions, are there things I should - do - to help with that? Besides handholding, and, other things, which." She offers him her hand if he would want that right now! (She's pretty sure he's still got some delayed backlash in him.)

Yeah handholding is good. He squeezes her hand.

"Um. Just. Don't take it personally? I can aim, to some extent, and I usually aim for—you know—because if I'm angry I can do a lot of damage and if I'm impulsive or talking too much I can do or say things I didn't think through and regret but if I'm—like that—then I'm just a mess and I'm not making it anyone else's problem."

"Iiiiii did not take it personally at all, at least not in a, a, being offended kind of way. It was, um, extremely flattering??"

"—no, I mean—yes, that—I mean if I'm angry at you or say something thoughtless—I meant all of that."

"Oh! Okay. Yeah. I'll do my best. Though if we're both backlashing at the same time, I kind of think I'll just want to nap on you? If, er, we're not, you know. Being efficient in handling backlash."

"U-u-unless you disprefer it I'd rather—do that—every time—but I know I can be a lot—"

"I-I-I am supportive in principle, it just seems like a bad idea to consent in advance to it every time without my future self's permission? ... and I do also like snuggles I think?"

"No, I know—oh me too—what I meant is that I know that I will always prefer that, so—what we do will be up to you."

Nodnodnod!

"...... it was very nice and you were very sweet," she says, because. Because. She wanted to, okay.