Chapter 34: Lovely Girlfriend (2)

Actually, saying I become limp like a paper doll if I don't eat three meals a day is a lie.

I just needed a justification.

A justification to extend the time spent with Jin-wook even a little bit and hold onto him.

"Hm? Is it not good?"

"No, it's delicious."

Honestly, it wasn't really to my taste.

Jin-wook really loves Tteokbokki, so seeing him eat deliciously meant this place wasn't bad at all.

Maybe it was because I ate a hearty breakfast and wasn't hungry.

Seeing Jin-wook eat happily made me feel good too, but...

Even so, I unknowingly harbored the thought that I wished this time would pass quickly.

I wanted to finish the meal quickly and do something to cheer Jin-wook up.

"Ugh, I'm full."

"Did you eat well?"

"Yeah. But is it really okay for you to pay? It feels a bit like mooching off my girlfriend, so it's kinda..."

"You know I'm not an ordinary college student."

I smiled lightly at Jin-wook, who looked somewhat apologetic seeing me pay with my card.

Jin-wook-ah, for today at least, this Noona will handle everything.

You just need to follow.

"Where are we going now?"

"Hmm. Well?"

But what do I do? I haven't thought of anything.

I held onto him so he couldn't go home because I had to go somewhere with him.

But I hadn't planned the next step.

I came up with this hurriedly to comfort him, so where would I find the time to make a plan?

"I booked a movie tickets. Wanna go watch it? The timing fits perfectly."

But amidst all this, thanks to things I'd seen somewhere...

I recalled that a movie theater is usually included in a standard date course, and inwardly praised myself.

"Shall we?"

Jin-wook probably doesn't know.

That right now, behind his head, my phone and pen are moving in the air by themselves.

But since I decided to do something for a successful prepared-girlfriend role...

I decided to deceive Jin-wook just a little for today.

"But isn't it a bit early for a movie?"

"There are no people if we go early."

"Well, if you say so..."

Fortunately, Jin-wook seemed to have absolutely no interest in what was happening behind his head.

Perhaps because he hasn't adapted to the current me yet...

He looked a bit flustered trying to match my pace, having no room to pay attention to anything else.

"We can play a bit more after watching it."

Thanks to that, I managed to book a movie that looked decent without getting caught.

Pretending to know nothing, I held Jin-wook's hand and led him saying, "Then let's go."

We boarded the bus to go to the movie theater. Since it was lunch time, I thought there would be some people...

But unexpectedly, there were few people.

"Jin-wook's back seat, get-daze (got it)."

"Ah, don't touch my hair."

"I don't want to? I'm going to touch it?"

Rascal, I told you to get a haircut.

Sitting behind Jin-wook, I played with his hair with my fingertips. Jin-wook acted annoyed...

But perhaps he didn't entirely dislike it, as he didn't refuse as if he really hated it.

Rather, he leaned his head against the window next to him to make it easier for me to touch, as if enjoying my touch.

"So, how was it this morning?"

"What about the morning."

"Acting like you don't remember. Honestly, it was good, right?"

When I spoke with a playful smile, Jin-wook told me warningly, "Don't do that from next time."

You keep playing hard to get like that, huh.

I saw everything, how you slowly pitched a tent over your pants.

"Wasn't it?"

"No, honestly, I was fucking surprised."

"Eh, why?"

"Think about it. Whether you would have been surprised or not if I came out like that instead of you."

"Hey, are you and I the same? I'm the top beauty in the province, and you're just a college student."

But no matter if I was a 'One-day Girlfriend'...

Perhaps because we spent a long time as close friends without barriers, we treated each other too comfortably, so we couldn't really create a romantic atmosphere.

We needed to have at least a little fantasy, but even if we fluttered for a moment, it didn't last long. Eventually, only friends Hwang Eun-ha and Jung Jin-wook remained in that spot.

"She says that with her own mouth."

"Uh-uh? Denying this? My friend's eyes have finally gone bad."

"Your bullshit is severe today, Eun-ha-ya."

"Uh-huh! Saying bullshit to your girlfriend. You shouldn't use such bad words."

If we weren't old friends but really true lovers, could we have been this comfortable?

Could I see that look of Jin-wook, smirking even while looking dumbfounded?

Asking myself questions I couldn't solve, we headed to the movie theater.

And...

"Hey, Eun-ha-ya. Is this right?"

"Huh?"

"That... you weren't aiming for something like this, were you?"

"No, you crazy bastard."

When booking earlier, I just looked at the poster and picked a movie that couples seemed likely to watch.

But it turned out to be the kind of movie where lovers watch, get drawn to each other, and kiss or do this and that inside the theater.

I hiccuped unknowingly.

"If all these dream-like events from the morning were a buildup to go to a motel after drinking tonight, that would be kind of touching."

"Ah, damn it, I said no."

"Kik-kik. Accept the price of the prank you played earlier sweetly."

To those who just started dating, it will evoke excitement again.

To those who have been together for a long time, it's a movie that will make them recall past memories.

In fact, regarding the story, it was a typical melodrama, but the directing that unraveled it was unusual, so the reviews were quite good.

"But are you really going to watch it?"

"...Don't you feel it's a waste since we came all this way?"

"Everything else has already started screening. We'd have to wait quite a bit."

The problem is that the people watching it together are me and Jin-wook.

But since we came all this way, I felt regretful turning back.

Before we knew it, we were sitting side by side in a two-seat row in the corner, holding popcorn and cola, waiting for the screening to start.

"Ah, I should have come here with a girlfriend, not you."

"I'm right next to you."

"Is a one-day one also a girlfriend?"

"You little... Just when I tried to set the mood again, you shattered it."

Where did the real couple-like atmosphere go?

As if only comfortable friends remained before we knew it, Jin-wook was giggling as if finding it funny, throwing silly jokes.

What's wrong with matching the mood a little?

"Kuk-kuk, sorry. But with you, I really don't feel the dating vibe."

"Sigh, can't be helped I guess. Is it time to wake up from the fantasy?"

"There was no fantasy in the first place, spouting nonsense."

Still, perhaps he didn't forget the concept I set for today.

Jin-wook's arm touched my arm, which was gently placed on the armrest.

Jin-wook gently held my hand back.

Regardless of anything, although it's an event for just one day, right now, to anyone looking, we would be lovers.

"Movie's starting."

The interior became dark.

The moment everything turned pitch black.

Other people here who aren't Hunters would have felt that way.

But I, possessing senses different from civilians, could see quite a lot in the darkness under very dim light.

And among the things I could see, the expression Jin-wook was making while looking ahead was included.

'You are nervous too.'

And I could see.

The fact that Jin-wook knows I'm not just playing a prank right now, but really seriously immersing myself in my role.

Verbally, he kept throwing silly jokes as if it was nothing.

But he was also accepting this situation quite seriously.

'Should have done so earlier, why hide it again.'

Feeling heat rising slightly to my face.

I wanted to cover my lips with my sleeve, but fearing my makeup would get ruined, I couldn't.

Watching the intro where the male protagonist studies in a university lecture hall, I was inwardly nervous.

Usually, if couples come to a movie theater and watch a movie like this...

Nine out of ten times, they look at each other and kiss and stuff.

Wondering if Jin-wook would do that too if swept up in the atmosphere.

"Honey..."

To make matters worse, no matter how much I tried to control my senses...

There was a limit in such a quiet place, so even the sounds of a couple sitting quite far from us holding hands and exploring each other began to be heard.

I was already thinking about these things, and hearing that kind of sound made me want to destroy the theater and run away right now, but...

'He's focusing quite well.'

Seeing Jin-wook surprisingly focused on the movie, I suppressed that impulse.

If Jin-wook tried to kiss me...

Would I accept his kiss, faithful to the role of a girlfriend?

Or would I accept it sincerely? While pondering such things...

"Ah."

How much time had passed?

While a scene played where the female protagonist rejects the male protagonist's confession due to immediate circumstances.

Jin-wook let out a sigh momentarily.

Was he concentrating on the movie that much?

Strength went into Jin-wook's hand holding mine.

Flinching at the changed grip strength, I turned my gaze to the side. Feeling my gaze, Jin-wook asked quietly, "Why?"

"Nothing."

Must have broken his concentration because of me.

Trying to look forward so he could focus again, I listened to the monologue lines flowing out as the female lead shed tears with her back to the male lead.

'I like you too, Oppa.'

Hearing that, I suddenly wondered how I would act if I really received a confession from Jin-wook.

My feelings, which are a question mark when asked if I like him romantically even though I recognize him as a man.

Could I accept the confession for his sake and live as lovers?

Or would I reject the confession because of the fear still deep in my heart regarding the gender called 'man'?

Drawing the line saying we could go further than friends but not lovers earlier...

It was essentially a selfish defense mechanism for myself, declaring that Jin-wook's psychology didn't matter.

It was like pre-emptively rejecting a confession of feelings he hadn't even made yet, saying 'Even if you like me as a woman, I don't see you as a man.'

'Hah.'

It seemed I had gone quite crazy right now.

To be worrying about this regarding an old friend...

"Eun-ha-ya."

"Huh?"

Amidst those various thoughts.

I heard Jin-wook's voice calling my name quietly.

As I turned my head slightly, I saw Jin-wook's face saying "Sorry" and bringing his lips to mine simultaneously. I froze in surprise.

'Suddenly like this...'

However, knowing that if I moved wrong now, Jin-wook might get hurt, I suppressed the urge to flinch.

Even if I returned my Hunter license, I still possessed strength on a different dimension from civilians.

But.

While thinking that, somewhere in a corner of my heart, perhaps a little...

I had a brazen thought.

If I have truly gone a little crazy...

Maybe it's okay to match his feelings of liking me, just a little.