Chapter 27
Watching movies was both a hobby and a job for Haru, but at some point, she had gotten used to watching them at home.
Because of that, it had been a long time since she’d gone to a theater.
When she heard that her favorite movie was being re-released, he happened to find out too and said he had already booked tickets—asking her to go together.
Going to the cinema, just the two of them. It really felt like a date.
It was the kind of ordinary date any couple might go on, but to Haru, that made it feel all the more special.
“Since Cha Seung-jae bought the tickets, I’ll buy the popcorn.”
Arriving first, Haru headed straight to the concession stand.
She ordered two drinks and a large tub of popcorn.
Balancing the big tub in her arm and holding the drinks in both hands, she was just about to turn around when she spotted him walking toward her.
The moment she saw him, Haru smiled brightly.
She couldn’t wave with her hands full, but he quickly found her and strode toward her with long, confident steps.
“Looks like you really like popcorn. You bought a lot.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Here, let me.”
Lee Han took the popcorn and drinks from her and headed toward the screening hall.
When they reached the ticket checker, he leaned closer and said,
“The tickets are in my jacket’s inner pocket.”
“Oh, okay.”
Since he was holding the drinks with both hands, Haru slipped her hand inside his jacket to fetch the tickets.
It felt a little awkward, reaching into his inner pocket.
As she fumbled around, her hand brushed against his firm chest beneath his thin shirt.
She flinched at the touch but pretended nothing had happened.
The staff checked their tickets and told them which theater to go to.
The one they entered was a premium screening room, with the seats arranged in pairs.
It was Haru’s first time in such a theater, and she looked around curiously before saying with some surprise,
“Huh? There’s no one here.”
It was almost showtime, yet not a single other person was inside.
Maybe because it was a re-release. It was an old classic, but still such a great film.
She felt disappointed that more people didn’t appreciate it, yet at the same time, it felt nice.
An empty theater, just for them—it was like something straight out of a drama.
“It’s like we’ve rented out the whole place just for us.”
She said it like a joke, but in truth, it was exactly what had happened.
Lee Han had arranged for the theater to be cleared out, knowing it was Haru’s favorite movie being re-released.
Since it was a GN Media-owned theater, it wasn’t difficult to make happen.
Even the ticket check had been a meaningless formality—something he’d gone through on purpose.
“Yeah, it does feel that way,” he replied casually.
But Haru, who couldn’t even imagine the truth, just smiled and followed him to their seats.
They sat in the middle, where the view was best. The extra-wide chairs were unusually comfortable.
As soon as they settled in, the lights dimmed, leaving the screen as the only bright glow in the room.
Though Haru had watched this movie over twenty times, she had never seen it in a theater before, since it was a classic.
Maybe that’s why it felt like watching it for the first time—her heart fluttered with excitement.
After the ads ended, the screen lit up with black-and-white footage.
As Haru fixed her gaze on the film, Lee Han asked,
“Not eating your popcorn?”
“Oh.”
She realized she hadn’t touched the popcorn yet, despite buying so much.
Reaching in, she grabbed a handful and popped some into her mouth. The sweet, buttery flavor instantly lifted her mood.
Smiling with renewed cheer, she turned her attention back to the movie.
She found herself smiling along with the heroine, sometimes even laughing out loud.
Even though she knew every line by heart, she always reacted as if it were her first time watching.
While reaching for more popcorn, her hand brushed against another inside the tub.
She froze.
Startled by the unexpected touch, she quickly withdrew her hand.
It was such a cliché scene from movies and dramas, but experiencing it herself made her heart race strangely.
It felt as though an electric current had run through her skin.
“You go first,” Haru said, gesturing with her chin.
Lee Han took a piece of popcorn, but instead of eating it himself, he suddenly held it up to her lips.
Startled, she glanced at him, only to see him give a subtle nod toward the piece.
Blushing, she opened her mouth just a little, and he gently placed the popcorn inside.
It was the same popcorn as before, yet the one he fed her somehow tasted sweeter.
Haru turned back toward the screen, hiding her shy smile.
After the movie, Haru rode in Lee Han’s car on the way home.
He drove the familiar route he had taken several times before, but this time, Haru held out her hand and spoke.
“I’ll get off here today.”
“Why?”
“I want to stop by the convenience store.”
Nodding, Lee Han pulled over nearby.
As Haru unbuckled her seatbelt, she thanked him.
“Thanks for the ride. Get home safe.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“…What?”
Undoing his own seatbelt, Lee Han cut the engine.
Haru blinked at him in surprise, silently asking why. He replied,
“It’s late and dark—it’s dangerous.”
And with that, he stepped out of the car.
Haru followed after him.
“It’s not far from here to my place. I’ll be quick.”
“Accidents happen in the blink of an eye.”
His protective tone warmed her heart.
Nodding in agreement, she entered the convenience store with him.
Haru went straight to her destination: the snack aisle.
“You came here for snacks?”
“Yes. I can’t concentrate on work without something to munch on. My brain and hands both work faster when my mouth is busy.”
She spoke as though snacks were the cure to everything.
Lee Han chuckled softly, nodding, while she scanned the shelves with sharp eyes.
Her hands moved fast, plucking bags of chips and cookies with practiced ease, stacking them into her arm.
Soon she was carrying quite a haul, when suddenly, she spotted a new product.
Her eyes lit up.
“Wow! I’ve been looking everywhere for this. Every store has been sold out, and there’s one left here!”
Clutching the last pack like a precious treasure, she called out excitedly.
“Cha Seung-jae!”
“Yes?”
Though he had been standing farther away a moment ago, suddenly he was right next to her.
Haru turned her head quickly and—bumped straight into his chest.
“Ow.”
“You okay?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Let me see.”
The impact with his firm chest made her squeeze her eyes shut.
Lee Han bent down, carefully examining her face.
“It’s red.”
He gently rubbed her eyelid with his fingers.
The touch made her shiver—her skin tingling with a strange sensation.
Feeling flustered, she turned her head away.
“I said I’m fine.”
“Just let me check a little more.”
He cupped her face in both hands, staring intently.
The closeness was unbearably embarrassing.
Her heart was pounding so hard she feared he might hear it.
Wanting to escape, she hastily grabbed the nearest item from the shelf without even looking.
“Okay, I’m done. Let’s go.”
“You’re… going to buy that?”
“Yes. I like strawberry flavor.”
Tilting his head, Lee Han peered at the small box in her hand and murmured,
“So you like strawberry flavor.”
“Yeah. Sweet and sour—it really has a nice chew…”
As she spoke, she glanced at the box in her hand and froze.
“W-wait, what is this…”
She had thought she’d grabbed gum, but in her hand was a box of condoms.
A bright red box with a strawberry on it, labeled ‘Strawberry Flavor.’
“Well, it is strawberry,” Lee Han remarked.
“Ahhh!”
Realizing what she was holding, Haru shrieked and tossed the box away as if it burned her.
