Because We're Watching a Movie Together This Weekend (1)
I'm going to watch a movie with you this weekend, so—out of the blue, but what do you think is the standard people use to choose other people? I'd say my answer to that question is trust. The criterion for meeting friends to spend time with. The criterion for hiring talent at a company. And the criterion for choosing a lifelong partner. The reason we call them a "lifelong" partner is because the world I've possessed is a pure-love youth webtoon. In a world like this, anyone talking about harems, cheating, or affairs will either burn to death or get beaten to a pulp by the school's top beauty on the entrance ceremony day, so please understand.
"We should at least live in an apartment like this if you wanna hang with us." "You need to graduate from at least this kind of college to join our company." "You gotta meet at least this spec level if you wanna marry me." Looks, family background, academics, wealth, certifications, whatever. These "conditions" people cite as standards for choosing others are ultimately just side dishes that build trust that this person can make me a little happier.
Only those who can give trust without such things befriend anyone regardless of status and find their soulmate without checking specs. Conditions don't rule the world. Only trust surpasses everything. Huh? Why am I suddenly saying this?
"Uh... sorry. I ran as fast as I could, but it was my first time, and I didn't know the school building layout, so it took forever to find the vending machine."
"You think I'm mad because you were late?"
Let me say it again: the most important thing in choosing people is trust. And right now, Do Ha-min has betrayed the trust I've placed in him more than anyone.
"This is mango flavor!"
"Eek! That was all there was!"
The sin of ditching Zero Lime and bringing back mango. Accept your punishment. Sweet as aspartame.
……
"Do-youngie, come on, cool off. It's not like he came back empty-handed."
"Yeah, there wasn't any at the vending machine. Auntie must've forgotten to restock."
*Slurp*
*Gulp gulp*
After Ms. Mi-so's social studies class ended, during break time, Sa-hyung and Hye-rang slurped away at the grapefruit juice and blue lemon ade Do Ha-min had bought from the vending machine, saying that.
"Damn it... why does this world produce Zero Lime, only to uselessly spawn mango too?!"
"I thought mango was pretty decent. Isn't mango tasty?"
"Yoo Hye-rang. Quick, what's the name of your favorite soccer player? I'm in a rush—tell me fast."
Mango cola is decent? Even in a world where only the pure-love ending between protagonist Do Ha-min and main heroine Ban Do-young exists, isn't forcing the side characters' settings a bit too contrived?
"Anyway, impressive. Even using the full break time, round-tripping to the vending machine should've been tight, but he made it. Ha-min's faster than I thought?"
"Ah, r-really? I run a lot to catch the train on time... maybe that's why?"
"I figured you'd be hopelessly late. I was gonna make excuses like you went to the bathroom if Ms. Mi-so came first. Luckily, she's new to the school too, got lost, and came in later than you."
"Ah, so that's what happened."
"So what? It's mango, not lime!"
"But he was fast, right?"
*Gulp*
*Sluuuurp*
"Urgh...! Stop with the vacuum suction sounds!"
*Smooch smooch*
*Snort guuulp*
Sa-hyung and Hye-rang grated on my nerves with straw noises that were half air, half drink, like they wanted me to suffer more. Especially Hye-rang, who didn't even use her hands—just propped the ade bottle on her chest and sucked it down. What a sight. Ah, I wanna try that too. But not with mango.
"Sorry, n-next time I'll get it right."
"Next time...? Did you just say 'next'?"
"Uh, y-yeah... next."
"You're not gonna bring back pineapple flavor then, right?"
"W-well, if you put it that way, I got nothing to say..."
"Do-youngie's being too sensitive."
"It's right at the start of the month. That time for her."
"Uh... next time for real..."
"……"
I looked down at Do Ha-min's face as he hung his head. My focus unnecessarily zeroed in on the sweat droplets trickling from under his freckles to his chin. Faint white breath rising. Even the white shirt under his vest was soaked with sweat.
March mornings still wandered around pretending it was winter, full of biting chill. Now that class had started, the classroom had heating, but hallways and such? No way. Outside the classroom was still an ice rink in wind that forgot the season. No different from midwinter outdoors. And with them opening corridor windows for ventilation...
For a guy who'd just been out there to sweat like this, he must've run nonstop to the vending machine and back. From what Sa-hyung and Hye-rang said, he couldn't have made it on time without sprinting desperately.
Do Ha-min really wanted to say he was truly grateful to me. In the best way he knew how.
"...Phew, you're soaked."
"Uh, y-yeah..."
I pulled out a squished roll of toilet paper from my bag. Tore off a chunk, balled it up, and wiped the sweat trailing down Do Ha-min's cheek.
A high school girl's bag is full of sentiment. Basic skincare lotion, makeup, makeup remover wipes, toilet paper. Even gym clothes and a blanket to layer on secretly when it's cold, without the teacher knowing. Everything but textbooks.
I hadn't packed any, but I figured the main heroine of Half Half Island, Ban Do-young, definitely would have. And I was right.
"I-I can do it myself. Give it here."
"Stay still. You didn't even notice you were sweating?"
"Earlier you just told me to go get it like it was nothing..."
"Yeah, and?"
*Pat pat*
I smacked away his hand when he tried to take over, lifted the tissue ball, and dabbed his face.
"Your face is pouring spring rain, and you didn't notice?"
"Ah... I got so caught up looking for Zero Lime that when it wasn't there, I dug around for alternatives and forgot. Grapefruit juice and blue lemon ade were easy to spot..."
"Don't talk. The drop under your chin's falling."
"Ah, sorry."
*Pat pat*
After a few dabs and rubs, his sweaty face was somewhat cleaned up.
"Ugh, gross—throw this away yourself."
"Uh, yeah. Right."
I plopped the tissue ball soaked with his bodily fluids on his desk. The scattered tissues on his desk looked a bit weird, but whatever.
"I'll let it slide this once."
"Ah, uh-huh..."
This time, I'd back off. Betraying the trust I had in Do Ha-min was annoying, but that didn't mean other routes existed. Especially today, when Ban Do-young's body was at peak sensitivity. Even maintaining my mind fully, the hormones surging from the body could shake my emotions wildly against my will.
If I let emotions take over, things that seemed right in the moment could look different in hindsight. I might needlessly tank Do Ha-min's favorability over something trivial. That would only make the path to the ending longer.
Times like this call for generosity and leniency. If I get pricklier just because it's that day, I can't capitalize on the heroine's perk of starting as the protagonist's desk neighbor.
"By the way, didn't you get anything for yourself?"
Do Ha-min's hands, rushing back, clearly held two bottles and one can. One grapefruit juice, one blue lemon ade, and that damn mango cola.
"Ah, I skipped mine in the rush."
"……"
"I'm fine. Nothing I really wanted anyway."
"Sweating bullets but acting tough... hold on."
A high school girl's bag is full of sentiment. No surprise it had a pricey tumbler from a famous coffee brand, bought on the secondhand market for "vibes" but never used because it felt wasteful.
Classic Ban Do-young. Got everything. Except textbooks.
"Whoa, Do-youngie. Didn't you say you'd die before using that?"
"I told you. Reborn now."
*Click fizz!*
I cracked open the cola can Do Ha-min bought and poured half into the tumbler.
"I told you to buy it, but you objectively got it wrong, right?"
"Uh, yeah. Right."
"So it's our shared responsibility. You take half."
I slid the half-full tumbler in front of Do Ha-min.
"Own up and drink it all. I'll finish my half too."
"Uh, uh-huh."
Do Ha-min took the tumbler I handed him and chugged the cola inside.
"Tasty?"
"Phew... not as bad as I thought."
For a split second, Do Ha-min froze and pulled back the tumbler. Probably flinched thinking I'd pour the rest into his if he said it was tolerable.
*Thud*
Maybe from yanking the tumbler back too fast. The calendar I'd set on his desk fell to the floor.
"Ahh... keep dropping stuff today."
Do Ha-min picked up the fallen calendar and put it back on his desk. The impact flipped a few pages ahead, showing future dates.
"Ah, gotta mark Mom's birthday. Lunar October, right..."
As if remembering something, he scribbled schedules on the calendar while sipping his drink. Some parents go by lunar calendar for birthdays, so he was marking ahead.
"Gimme that."
"Huh? Oh, sure."
I took Do Ha-min's calendar, marked spots with a red pen, and handed it back.
"Remember these well."
"Huh?"
Do Ha-min tilted his head at the red circles checked every month.
"Um... what's with all these circles? Too many for birthdays... and today's marked too..."
"Ah, my menstrual cycle."
*Pffft!*
Mango cola burst from Do Ha-min's mouth, soaking his desk.
"Wha...?"
"I'll be extra bitchy on those days, so watch yourself."