Episode 12: Open Your Eyes Nicely
Seo Yuna rolled around on the bed, clutching her head.
“Crazy, crazy! What was I thinking, asking him out on a date?”
She buried her face in the pillow, then kicked off the blanket and pounded the floor.
“Aaaaah! Why did you do that, Seo Yuna!”
She threw a pillow with vigor, only to pick it up again and hug it while rolling around. Her mind was filled with Dohyun’s face from earlier.
‘Kim Dohyun definitely said to contact him, right? But what should I send?’
The hand holding her smartphone trembled. She opened the messaging app, then closed it again, repeatedly.
“How about, ‘I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow’? No, that’s so lame!”
“’Where should we meet tomorrow?’ Ugh, that sounds weird too!”
“’Wanna watch a movie tomorrow?’ No, that’s way too forward…”
Yuna buried her face in the pillow again and kicked her legs.
“Ugh, whatever! I’ll just send it!”
With her eyes tightly shut, she moved her fingers quickly.
[Meet me tomorrow by 10.]
As soon as she sent the message, she put her phone down and rolled around on the bed.
‘Aaaah! I sent it!’
Her phone vibrated just seconds later.
[OK.]
“What’s with that blunt reply?”
Yuna pouted but hugged the blanket tightly.
“But… it’s fine.”
Feeling inexplicably happy, she giggled to herself before suddenly leaping up.
“What should I wear? No, how should I do my makeup? My hair too! Ugh, I’m going crazy!”
She buzzed around by herself for a while before diving back under the blanket.
‘Tomorrow… I’m looking forward to it….’
With her mind racing, Yuna’s night slowly deepened.
*
The sunlight streaming through the window tickled my eyelids.
I squinted and burrowed deeper into the blanket.
‘Should’ve bought blackout curtains.’
Normally, I’d stay curled up in bed for another hour or two.
But the phone I’d tossed beside the bed buzzed loudly.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
I picked up the phone and checked the message.
[Seo Yuna: Are you ready? Don’t be late.]
I stared blankly at the screen and sighed.
‘Why did I say I’d have time?’
I’d made the plan in some kind of trance, but now that I actually had to go out, I felt lazy.
On weekends, blasting the air conditioner and lounging in bed while writing light novels was the real healing.
[Seo Yuna: Answer me.]
But if I canceled, who knows what kind of revenge I’d face at school.
[Me: Getting ready.]
I sent a half-hearted reply and jumped out of bed.
After showering, I stood in front of the mirror.
‘What should I wear?’
I opened the wardrobe and rummaged through it for a while before pulling out black slacks and a white shirt.
The fabric was wrinkle-free, and the lines were sharp, giving off a clean look.
Adding white sneakers that showed a bit of ankle made for a decent look.
‘Not bad.’
I tousled my hair and casually smoothed it with my fingers—it looked decent enough.
Harin, sitting on the sofa, stared at me.
“Oppa, where are you going?”
What is she, a gatekeeper?
Do I need her permission to leave?
I grabbed my wallet from the dining table and answered.
“Meeting a friend.”
Harin crossed her arms and stared at me with narrowed eyes before smirking.
“That friend… isn’t a girl, is it?”
Damn it.
Did someone hack my phone or something?
I should probably reset it just to be safe.
I was momentarily flustered but managed to keep my composure.
“No. I’m just meeting Jinyoung for a bit.”
“…You’ve been meeting that friend quite often lately, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, we’ve been playing games together a lot.”
I quickly put on my shoes and changed the subject.
“I’ll be back before dinner. See you later.”
Even as I closed the front door, I could feel Harin’s eyes still on me.
Women’s intuition is scary.
*
I took the subway to Hongdae. Since it was the weekend, the place was bustling with people, all of them looking cheerful and excited.
While on the subway, I checked the messages Yuna had sent.
[Seo Yuna: If you’re late, you’re dead. I mean it.]
The person who insisted on treating me to a meal yesterday had such an attitude… I should’ve just left her on the ground back then.
As I arrived at Hongdae Station and started climbing the stairs, I noticed an elderly woman struggling with a heavy load.
Without thinking much, I walked over and picked up her bags.
“I’ll carry these for you.”
The woman looked at me in surprise before expressing her gratitude repeatedly.
“Oh my, thank you so much, young man. These days, kids don’t usually help like this. Would you like a drink or something?”
“…”
Why is this making me think of urban legends all of a sudden?
I silently carried her bags up the stairs.
Though she kept thanking me from behind, I just nodded indifferently without saying much.
As I neared the top of the stairs, a familiar face came into view.
A guy fiddling with his smartphone glanced in my direction.
I didn’t think much of it and quickened my pace.
When I reached the meeting spot, Yuna was already there.
She was wearing a white sleeveless blouse, a flared skirt, and spotless white sneakers.
She looked undeniably pretty.
A few passing guys gave me envious glances.
If you’re that jealous, why don’t you try living under the same roof as a yandere little sister?
Yuna tapped her wristwatch and glared at me.
“You’re late.”
Late? No way.
I checked the time and responded calmly.
“I’ve got a whole minute left.”
Yuna pouted and grumbled.
“Who shows up exactly on time?”
“Me.”
“I’ve been here 10 minutes early!”
“Idiot.”
Yuna glared at me for a while before eventually averting her gaze and muttering under her breath.
“That’s so mean… really.”
Seriously, as long as I arrive on time, what’s the problem? What’s wrong with you, for crying out loud?
I casually slid my hands into my pockets and asked,
“So… what are you treating me to?”
Yuna seemed a bit flustered, her eyes widening briefly before she looked away.
“Treating you…?”
“Didn’t you say you’d treat me? Something about wanting to express your gratitude?”
Yuna tapped the ground lightly with the tip of her shoe and frowned a little.
“Didn’t you have breakfast?”
I glanced at my watch before replying.
“I did.”
“Then why are you talking about food the moment we meet!”
Yuna puffed up her cheeks and glared at me before sharply turning her head away.
“Since we both already had lunch, how about a… movie instead?”
Resting my chin on one hand, I looked at her.
“You said you’d treat me to food. Why the sudden movie talk?”
Yuna shrugged her shoulders and mumbled vaguely.
“I can buy you food later. Let’s watch a movie first… I mean, that’s… yeah, that’s the plan.”
The way she trailed off amused me, so I just nodded.
“Hmmm…”
Yuna cautiously glanced at my expression and asked,
“Do you not like it?”
I smirked and waved my hand.
“No, it’s fine.”
Only then did Yuna let out a sigh of relief before quickly picking up her pace.
“Then let’s go! There’s not much time left until the movie starts.”
I watched her back for a moment before following her at a leisurely pace.
The sunlight reflected off her hair, making it shimmer.
Though she kept walking ahead, she would sneak glances back at me every so often.
But how did it come to this? My relationship with Seo Yuna has gotten way too close.
‘What about the main event now?’
Shaking my head, I walked after her.
*
The movie theater on a weekend afternoon was packed to the brim.
The long lines from the entrance were filled with people holding popcorn and drinks.
“Hey, just let me pay for the tickets. I’ll buy them.”
“No way. Absolutely not.”
Faced with Yuna’s stubbornness, I gave up and asked her,
“Do you want popcorn and a drink?”
“No. I’m watching my weight these days.”
“Well, I don’t have to, so I’ll grab some popcorn, okay?”
“Do whatever you want.”
I headed towards the concession stand.
‘Popcorn is the soul of the movie theater. Does she not know that?’
Arriving at the counter, I scanned the menu.
“Welcome! Can I help you with your order?”
A young woman, probably in her early twenties, greeted me with a bright smile.
“One single combo, please.”
“Got it! Just a moment.”
The employee grabbed a popcorn bucket and glanced at me while striking up a conversation.
“You’re here to watch a movie?”
‘No, I came to buy popcorn.’ I thought sarcastically but kept my response neutral.
“Yes.”
As she filled the popcorn bucket, she spoke again.
“A single combo, huh? Are you watching the movie alone?”
“…”
“These days, a lot of people enjoy watching movies alone. I sometimes watch movies by myself after work, but I keep wishing I had someone to watch with. Haha.”
Her sudden chatter caught me off guard.
What’s this? Just fill the popcorn.
Why is she making conversation like this? It’s uncomfortable.
Just as I was about to give a half-hearted reply,
Yuna’s voice suddenly called out from behind me.
“I got the tickets.”
I turned my head to see Yuna holding two movie tickets, waving them in my direction.
But something about her expression seemed off.
Her gaze toward the concession stand employee was unusually sharp.
‘What’s her deal now?’
Yuna silently looked the employee up and down before walking up next to me and hooking her arm around mine.
Squish.
The soft sensation against my arm froze me in place.
Yuna, still glaring at the employee, had a fiery look in her eyes.
Apparently, no woman in my vicinity is capable of just looking kindly.
Please, just look normal for once.
“Is the popcorn ready?”
At Yuna’s question, I nodded, pretending to be calm.
“Yeah. Almost.”
The employee’s hands noticeably sped up the moment Yuna appeared.
“Here’s your single combo.”
The employee handed me the popcorn with an awkward smile.
I was about to thank her, but Yuna suddenly pointed at the popcorn and said,
“Excuse me. Can you upgrade this to the couple’s set?”
The part-time employee’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh? Oh, yes. Just a moment.”
I was just as taken aback.
“Hey, didn’t you say you wouldn’t eat because you didn’t want to gain weight?”
Yuna turned her head toward me.
“I got hungry all of a sudden.”
Without a word, the employee quickly upgraded the order to the couple’s set, handing over the popcorn and two drinks.
“Here’s your couple’s set.”
The employee handed over the popcorn with an awkward smile, and Yuna squinted her eyes as she took it.
“Thank you.”
I looked at Yuna, shaking my head in disbelief.
“So, how much time is left until the movie?”
“It’s starting soon. Let’s hurry inside.”
*
As we entered the theater, dim lighting greeted us.
Yuna plopped into the seat next to mine. She placed the popcorn beside her, stuck a straw into her soda, and mumbled to herself.
“I’ll just eat a little… I don’t want to gain weight.”
I chuckled and grabbed a handful of popcorn, popping it into my mouth.
“Then you shouldn’t have ordered it.”
At my perfectly reasonable comment, Yuna whipped her head toward me, narrowing her eyes.
“I said I’d eat a little, not that I wouldn’t eat at all.”
So pouty.
As the lights dimmed further, Yuna began nibbling on the popcorn while sneaking glances at me.
I could feel her gaze and slowly chewed my popcorn.
‘Why is this making me so nervous? Watching a movie alone with a pretty girl…’
The screen began showing ads one by one.
Yuna, instead of focusing on the screen, sat with her arms tightly linked with mine, as if that were the main purpose of being here.
“When are you going to let go?”
“Is it uncomfortable?”
“Not really.”
“Then just stay like this.”
I sighed and handed her the popcorn.
“Here. Didn’t you say you upgraded this to eat it yourself?”
Yuna hesitated for a moment, glancing at me, then eventually grabbed a handful and ate it.
“Ugh, eating like this is definitely going to make me gain weight…”
She puffed up her cheeks as she munched on the popcorn.
Internally, I muttered to myself.
Then don’t eat it.
You’ve already had five handfuls while I’ve only had two.
The lights on the screen shifted as the movie started.
The awkward tension between us seemed to gradually ease.
Throughout the movie, however, Yuna glanced at me more often than at the screen.
‘This is so uncomfortable.’
Unable to endure her blatant stares any longer, I asked her,
“Do I have something on my face?”
“Huh? Oh, no.”
“Then why do you keep staring at me?”
“I… I can look wherever I want. It’s none of your business.”
She had a point. I couldn’t argue with that logic and was completely defeated.
Because of the linked arms, I couldn’t get comfortable, and it was hard to focus on the movie.
Yuna also kept squirming in her seat.
And so, we quietly munched on popcorn and stared at the screen until the movie ended.