Chapter 12
[Jiwoo: If you go toward Exit 8, there’s a path that connects to J& Tower!]
[Jiwoo: From there, take the elevator to the 6th floor, it’s faster hehe]
[Junki: Oh, thanks!!]
[Junki: Already there?]
[Jiwoo: Yup, came a bit early while getting ready]
[Hansol: Thx]
Jiwoo checked the time. It was 20 minutes before the movie started.
Since it was the weekend, the theater was crowded. With the movie about to start, there were long lines at both the restrooms and the snack counter.
Jiwoo stopped a passing theater staff member and asked:
“Excuse me, are the restrooms only on this floor?”
“No, there are restrooms on each floor.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Jiwoo muttered to themselves while looking around.
“So… meet here… since it’s Theater 4, we can take the escalator up there… anyone who needs the restroom can go first… if I want to buy snacks before that… time’s going to be tight…”
Then Jiwoo sent a message in the group chat with Noul and Hansol and Junki.
[Jiwoo: The theater’s crowded, maybe we should buy snacks in advance?]
Jiwoo took a photo of the menu and posted it in the group.
[Jiwoo: Take a look and let me know what you want, I’ll get it for you~]
[Hansol: Whoa… we should’ve met a bit earlier]
[Junki: Right… poor Jiwoo]
[Hansol: Then I’ll ask for a favor. I’ll have sparkling water]
[Junki: I’ll take popcorn and cola. Jiwoo, if you want popcorn too, let’s get a big one to share]
[Jiwoo: Ah, I don’t eat popcorn hehe]
[Junki: ㅠ Then small size…]
[Hansol: Let’s settle the bill together later]
[Jiwoo: I’ll get it! Hoho]
[Junki: Eh, why? You used your points to book the tickets anyway]
[Jiwoo: Points needed to be used anyway hehe. Since I suggested meeting, I should at least do this]
[Hansol: You didn’t have to…]
[Hansol: But I’ll enjoy it, thanks]
[Jiwoo: lol yep]
[Jiwoo: Noul, what do you want?]
[Noul: I’m good]
Jiwoo read Noul’s reply a few more times, muttering with a hint of regret.
“Tch… I wanted to buy it for you…”
Jiwoo sent another message.
[Jiwoo: Okay! Take the elevator down, go straight to the right, there’s a Deadman poster. Wait there]
[Noul: Got it]
Jiwoo stared at Noul’s reply for a moment, then went off to buy snacks.
With both hands full of snacks, Jiwoo stood in front of the poster.
Five minutes before the movie started, Noul appeared walking from the elevator side.
Jiwoo couldn’t wave because of the snacks, so they swayed side to side.
Noul approached Jiwoo.
“I knew you’d be the first to arrive,” Jiwoo said.
“Yeah. Give me some,” Noul replied.
Noul reached out to take some snacks.
“No, it’s fine. Do you want a zero cola? I know you like it,” Jiwoo said.
“No… I said I was fine earlier,” Noul replied.
“Yeah, but I bought it in case you wanted it. If you don’t drink it, I’ll have it.”
“…Oh…”
Soon, Junki and Hansol appeared.
“Oh, you got here together?” Jiwoo said.
Hansol replied, “Yeah, we met in front.”
“Hey, that earring suits you so well. It really looks good on you.”
“I really wanted this, bought it through overseas shipping. Thanks for noticing.”
“Oh, I see. Just keep it on you then.”
Hansol chuckled.
Jiwoo shared the snacks with Junki and Hansol.
“Thanks a lot. I’ll get dessert later,” Junki said.
“No, it’s fine. Are we out of time?” Jiwoo asked.
“Yeah. Where should we go? It’s too crowded to think,” Junki replied.
Jiwoo led the way.
“Take the escalator up one floor over there,” Jiwoo said.
Hansol said, “I need to stop by the restroom first. You guys go ahead. I’ll wait in line and the movie will start.”
“There’s a restroom upstairs too! It shouldn’t be crowded,” Jiwoo said.
“Really? Good.”
As they talked, Jiwoo met Noul’s gaze. Noul seemed to be staring blankly at them.
“Let’s go, Noul,” Jiwoo said.
Noul nodded as if suddenly snapping back to attention.
When they entered the theater, the commercials were playing.
Junki whispered, “Where are our seats?”
Jiwoo replied, “K row, 10, 11, 12, 13. Follow me.”
Jiwoo found row K and let the others in first. Noul and Junki sat in the middle, and Jiwoo sat at the end.
Junki looked around. “Jiwoo, isn’t this too far to the side? Can you see well?”
“Swap with me,” Noul said, standing up.
Jiwoo grabbed the armrest and leaned back. “No, no, no. I’ll watch from here. Sit, Han Noul. Quick, sit. The movie’s starting.”
Noul glanced at the screen. “They’re showing the emergency exits. What’s starting? Just swap.”
“Nope, I want to watch that. I like those Geum-oh Tire mascots,” Jiwoo replied.
“Ah, stubborn… fine, do as you like,” Noul said, sitting back down.
“This place is supposed to have really good fried chicken with sauce,” Jiwoo said while setting forks on the table.
Junki said, “Looks like a real popular place. The wait was insane. If you hadn’t booked, we couldn’t have eaten.”
“The blog said to reserve in advance. Draft beer? Noul, draft or zero cola?”
“…I’ll have draft.”
“Okay. One fried chicken with sauce, what about the other? Hansol, what do you like?”
Hansol looked through the menu. “Me? I eat everything. What’s good… hard to choose.”
“Then normal fried?”
“Sure.”
“Okay, boss~”
Jiwoo placed the order.
The four of them made small talk while waiting for the food. Noul joked and laughed but was noticeably quieter than usual.
Being with them like this reminded Noul that people didn’t really enjoy being around them unless there was some fun involved. If there was none, there was no reason to include Noul, especially if it meant losing the group’s image. On top of that, someone had to even ask, “Are you okay today?” out of courtesy, which made taking Noul around a hassle.
Noul had learned from an early age: to belong in a group, they had to minimize the “cost” of their presence and maximize the “benefit.” They never complained of being sick, always said they could do something even if they couldn’t, and said they were fine even if they weren’t. That fear of being abandoned was deeply rooted.
But now, Noul was acting against that instinct. From meeting at the theater to having dinner, they behaved passively and slightly apart from the group, which made them anxious. Every moment, Noul felt they were drifting away. Yet, they couldn’t act actively. Every time they looked at Jiwoo, or when Jiwoo did something, Noul felt a jolt of nervous energy.
“Oh, it’s here,” the server placed the food and drinks on the table.
Jiwoo handed out the plates. When placing a plate in front of Noul, they hesitated, then gave Noul a different plate, keeping the damaged one for themselves. Noul stared at the chipped plate.
Every time Noul saw something like this, they felt unbearably embarrassed. To think they were looking up at someone so good, someone they shouldn’t dare to admire… yet they even expected Jiwoo might like them back. That thought alone shamed them.
If you secretly did something wrong to someone and had a conscience, you couldn’t act normally in front of them—too guilty, too embarrassed. That was how Noul felt around Jiwoo.
From the moment they saw Jiwoo at the theater, they thought: how could someone so beautiful even like me? Even among all the people, Jiwoo stood out, not even wearing anything flashy, just jeans and a T-shirt. Noul didn’t want to go near them. The closer they got, the more their own flaws seemed visible.
Jiwoo smelled good. A sweet, intoxicating scent, like honey. It made Noul gloomy. They never fully enjoyed beauty because it reminded them how far they were from it.
Yet they couldn’t stop noticing Jiwoo’s beauty: the white neck, hair swaying near shoulder blades, skin soft like pudding, slender fingers, plump earlobes with earrings swinging… they couldn’t look away.
-
“Do you want a zero cola? I know you like it.”
-
“I bought it in case you want it. If you don’t drink it, I’ll have it.”
When Jiwoo said that, Noul thought: why do you have to go so far? If someone’s beautiful, just enjoy their beauty. Why take care of everything? Why do it all alone? Why don’t you think we should be grateful just to meet you? Why not take the best seat in the theater for granted?
Why does being such a good person push Jiwoo further away from Noul?
They weren’t meant to be here from the start. Every moment between Jiwoo, Junki, and Hansol was a time of self-loathing for Noul. Humans never see themselves independently; they always see themselves as part of a group. If the background is bright, the individual seems darker. Noul was in a dazzling background, like a sunspot: black, stark, glaring. That was them.
“Are you okay, Noul?” Jiwoo asked.
Junki and Hansol looked at Noul. Noul closed their eyes tightly and opened them.
“Why am I so sleepy… my body has no strength,” Noul said.
Junki jokingly said, “Ah, Han Noul, you’re killing the vibe.”
Hansol said, “How can someone always be energetic?”
“No, Noul is always energetic. Cheer up! Revive the mood!”
Junki placed his hand on Noul’s chest like performing CPR. Noul bounced along, playing along.
Hansol said, “Why make Noul do it? You lift the mood.”
“Me? That’s Noul’s specialty.”
“What’s your specialty?”
“Me? Uh…”
“Your face?”
Noul’s pupils wavered.
Junki waved his hand, amused.
“Ah, the face again…”
“True. You’re handsome, you just sit and it’s enough,” Noul said.
Noul’s expression hardened. What was this feeling? Betrayal. In Noul’s imagination, Hansol wouldn’t have said that. They wouldn’t flatter someone for appearances or to gain favor. Noul had wrongly expected that from Hansol.
Noul laughed at themselves silently.
Junki said, “Hey, that only works in our department. In Gangnam, there are tons better-looking guys.”
“Have you ever tried making others laugh?”
“Hmm… maybe?”
“You’ve never adjusted to anyone, right? Never tried to read the room?”
“Why bother? Live boldly.”
“Yeah… still oblivious, huh.”
“What? Did I just become an idiot?”
“Not at all. You’re a face genius.”
Junki and Hansol kept joking. They seemed closer today. Handsome and pretty people must bond fast; first impressions create immediate liking. Unlike Noul, who has to repair and rebuild impressions.
“Are you two just talking? Hey, let’s toast.”
Jiwoo raised a glass. Noul, Hansol, and Junki followed.
Jiwoo, smiling, said, “Today was really fun. We’ll keep hanging out. Cheers~!”
