“Huh?”
Did I approach too hastily?
But the suggestion to watch a movie ca from Eun-ha.
It wasn’t just a simple query, nor did it seem like a joke given her expression.
With a puzzled look, I glanced down at Eun-ha, and she swiftly waved her hand in the empty air.
“Sorry-! I was thinking to myself, and it just slipped out!”
What made her voice out that thought?
Did I do sothing off?
Was it because I had confidently said I liked soone yesterday?
“No, I don’t smile at everyone like this.”
Still, it seed right to give her an answer.
Vague, but enough to make her wonder.
“Huh?”
Eun-ha looked visibly taken aback.
I wanted to gaze at that surprised expression of hers for a while longer, but I too was feeling a tad embarrassed.
“So, I’ll go buy the popcorn? Will you wait here?”
“Huh...? Oh! Yeah! Go ahead!”
I quickly got up from my seat and headed straight for the snack corner next to the ticket booth.
“I’ll have a double combo, please. And for drinks, two cola.”
“Sure. What flavor would you like for the popcorn?”
“Caral popcorn, please.”
“Okay. Please wait on the right side.”
“Thank you.”
I waited for a mont as the popcorn order was being prepared.
From a distance, I saw Eun-ha playing with her bangs as she waited for .
Whether she had bangs or not, she looked pretty. I wondered why she seed so conscious of them.
“She’s truly adorable.”
“Your popcorn is ready~”
“Ah! Yes! I’m sorry! Thank you!”
I tried to carry both the popcorn and the cola at once, but it was too cumberso due to their size.
As I montarily pondered how to manage, Eun-ha tily approached from beside .
“I thought you might have trouble carrying it all by yourself.”
“You ca just in ti. Can you hold the popcorn?”
“Sure. Did you get the straw?”
“Yeah. Let’s head up.”
Eun-ha and I took the escalator together and entered the theater. Once we sat in the seats that Eun-ha had reserved, she began to take off her long padded coat.
“I’ll hold the popcorn for you. You’re taking off your long coat?”
“Oh- Yes, thanks.”
As Eun-ha took off her coat, I got a clear view of her casual attire. Light blue jeans paired with a white crewneck tee, a rather common outfit, but it looked distinctively special on her. My heart fluttered as I watched her adjust her hair.
“The theater is a bit warm, right?”
“Huh? Oh- Right. Wearing this coat does make it feel warr.”
Eun-ha settled into her seat beside .
“Did you see the trailer for this movie, Han-gyeol?”
“Yes. It looked interesting.”
The film was one of those occasional heartwarming stories about a young man, worn out and beaten by reality, who returns to his hotown. Such a movie would probably resonate more with working adults than high school students. But then again, perhaps that was just a stereotype?
“Han-gyeol, do you want to take turn in holding popcorn?”
“Huh? No, it’s okay. If I feel uncomfortable, I’ll just playfully poke your arm and give it to you.”
“Okay. Oh? It seems like the movie is about to start. Enjoy.”
“Yeah.”
Gradually, the theater darkened.
As the movie officially began, I stared blankly at the screen. The opening scene, as expected, was of an employee getting scolded by his boss.
The sight of the worn-out protagonist dragging himself back to his apartnt after a day full of scolding seed all too familiar to . I soon found myself engrossed in the film.
-Tap
While I was engrossed in the movie, Eun-ha gently tapped my arm with her finger. When I turned to look at her, she was staring intently at my face.
From her surprised expression, it seed she had accidentally touched while trying to grab so popcorn.
With a bashful smile, Eun-ha picked up so popcorn and popped it into her mouth.
After that, nothing particularly eventful happened.
There weren’t any youthful romantic events like hands touching while reaching for popcorn.
The film passed its midpoint and approached its climax, eventually coming to an end.
“Shall we get up?”
“Yeah.”
Eun-ha and I exited the theater together.
“How was the movie? You seed really engrossed.”
“Did I? It was interesting. It felt like a genuine portrayal of adult life.”
“Haha! What do you an? If soone overheard you, they’d think you’ve lived an entire adult life.”
“I just ant it felt that way~”
We accomplished today’s goal of watching a movie.
We could part ways now, but going ho directly felt a bit disappointing. However, suggesting to do sothing else here seed a bit daunting...
While I was lost in thought, I noticed an arcade next to the cinema.
“It feels a bit too soon to go ho. Want to stop by the arcade?”
“Huh? The arcade?!”
“We might as well drop by before heading ho.”
Taking the lead, I walked ahead, and Eun-ha promptly followed behind.
Of course, it made sense. Surprisingly, Eun-ha really liked arcades.
She had a backstory of frequently playing fighting gas with her older brother when they were young, so it seed she wouldn’t mind. The only concern was that Eun-ha was exceptionally good at them.
“Do you like gas, Han-gyeol?”
Eun-ha’s eyes began to sparkle.
“Huh? Not particularly? I don’t play them that much.”
“What do you usually do at ho?”
“Read novels, watch movies, read manhwa, or take naps.”
“Really? Did I accidentally interrupt your rare personal ti?”
“No! Absolutely not!”
I hastily corrected myself, worried that Eun-ha might misinterpret.
“Listen! Well... I do enjoy my alone ti, but it’s not like I particularly revel in solitude. I also want to watch movies with friends and play gas together...”
Co to think of it, I had many things I wanted to do.
It was just that I didn’t have friends or the ti to do them.
“Haha! Got it. Let’s head to the arcade. Han-gyeol, do you happen to play fighting gas?”
Eun-ha looked up at , her face lit up with a bright smile.
I had tried the gas Eun-ha liked before.
“Bring it on.”
“Huh? Are you good?”
“Well? I know the basic combos?”
“Really? Then I’ll also play for real.”
“Bring it anyti.”
“Okay!”
I took a seat in front of the gaming console, and Eun-ha moved to the spot opposite .
Because we sat with the ga machine between us, she playfully leaned her head to the side to get a better view.
“Which character do you pick, Han-gyeol?”
“? The one who kicks. What about you?”
“I just go with the high school girl character. Hehe.”
Though she was smiling, there was a certain ease in her grin.
With the thought of giving her a taste of defeat, the ga promptly started.
-Tap-tap! Tap-tap!
“Starting on the offense.”
There was no need to gauge Eun-ha’s skills.
Thinking that an all-out attack was the only way, I launched a combo. But just when I was certain my combo had landed perfectly... Eun-ha’s counter-move enveloped my character.
“Huh?”
Right after, she initiated a mid-air combo. Following that, my character never seed to want to touch the ground again.
What’s this? She’s even got the screw moving down perfectly.
As soon as my character got up, I threw a one-two punch, but it was effortlessly blocked by her counter. Watching my character spin helplessly in the air, its HP rapidly decreased.
Of course... Eun-ha had spent her childhood years imrsed in gas. I shouldn’t have expected to win without serious preparation.
From the second round, I too went on the offensive, with fire in my eyes.
Beyond the arcade machine, the clattering sound of controllers signaled the intensity of our fierce battle.
- Thunk...! Tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap!
Eun-ha was always ready with her counter, waiting for to make a move.
To outsmart one’s opponent, a thorough understanding of them is essential. Determined not to face defeat a second ti, I approached the match cautiously...
“Phew...! That was good.”
I took the second round.
Eun-ha, perhaps not pleased with the unfamiliar taste of defeat, leaned her head closer to the arcade machine.
“Honestly. Han-gyeol’s really good.”
“You’re not exactly holding back either, Eun-ha.”
“Ugh... I’m going easy on you?”
“You shouldn’t say that after losing, should you?”
Subsequent to that, Eun-ha took the third round, while I claid the fourth.
Before the final round, I took a deep breath and grasped the controller.
But then, Eun-ha’s combo suddenly changed.
Eun-ha’s previously cautious gaplay was nowhere to be found, replaced by unexpected techniques.
No matter how much I tried to throw punches afterward, Eun-ha aggressively pushed through. Seizing the mont I was taken aback, she finished off with a wall combo.
“Whew-! That was a close one. Han-gyeol, you’re good!”
“Even if you say that to a loser, it feels like pity... And what’s with that sudden change in combo at the end?”
“Ah-! It was still fun, wasn’t it? It felt great playing after such a long ti.”
Darn. I shouldn’t have suggested coming to the arcade.
“Huh? Han-gyeol, look! There’s a claw machine. Wanna try?”
“You seem really eager.”
“Huh? Oh- did I get too excited? It just feels like I’m genuinely having fun after a long ti.”
“Haha! I didn’t an it in a bad way. Should I try grabbing one for you?”
“You sure about that?”
“Is that a challenge?”
Eun-ha and I headed straight for the claw machine. Although I had faced defeat, seeing Eun-ha with a broad smile on her face sohow made it all feel worth it. Perhaps my being in this novel’s world was a gift from the gods, ant to let experience this kind of youth.
“Pick one. Which should I get for you?”
“That blue turtle over there.”
“Watch closely. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
I promptly inserted a ticket into the machine.
--- End OF The Chapter ---
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