18, I Have Become a Stage Actress [03]
The weekend I had been desperately waiting for finally arrived.
I had spent the entire night agonizing over where would be the best place for a date. Since it was a rare day off, I felt it would be a shame to just visit the same park we always went to.
I scoured the internet and even asked the local residents. After days of searching, the conclusion I painstakingly reached was a traditional Japanese shrine. It was only a twenty-minute walk away, and apparently, it was quite famous among couples.
Once the location was set, the next problem was what to wear. What could I wear that would make her happy? I woke up early in the morning, my heart fluttering with excitement.
I washed every inch of my body with hot water, sat down in front of the vanity, and slowly finished my makeup.
A blouse? No, I’m sick of those.
Jeans and a jacket? I wore that last time.
Was there nothing new?
It was while I was rummaging through my closet that Seorin pulled a yukata out of a white box.
“I prepared the clothes. Let’s wear these.”
“…It’s a yukata. When did you prepare this?”
“I received it as a gift from a business partner. The design and the colors—aren’t they to your taste, Yuna?”
It was hard to argue with that.
Because it wasn’t wrong.
The two yukatas were different in color. The pink one was shyly scattered with small white flower petals, while the black one had white flower patterns clearly embroidered over a deep base.
One was as soft as a spring day, and the other was as deep as the night sky. The more I looked at them, the more extraordinary they seemed.
“Let’s change quickly. I’ll wear the black one, and you wear the pink one. How about it? Will that be okay?”
“Yeah. I love it.”
We each took a yukata and went into our rooms. I immediately took off my clothes and slipped into the yukata. Was it thanks to my modeling work? My hands moved on their own. Wrapping the fabric, grabbing the sash, and adjusting it to fit my waist…
Finally, as the red sash held my waist firmly, the lines of my body, which usually went unnoticed, naturally came to life.
The fabric was soft yet had a slight crispness to it.
It wasn’t bad.
Actually, it suited me better than I thought.
The sensation against my skin was surprisingly silky. Where on earth was this yukata made?
The fabric was far too luxurious for a standard yukata.
It felt so light I could barely tell I was wearing it.
“Are you done?”
Seorin was leaning against the doorway.
She had loosely tied up her black hair.
The neckline revealed between the folds of the yukata drew my gaze.
If I were to press my lips against that spot…
I stared for a long time before belatedly looking away.
Lately, I’d been having these thoughts more and more often.
It was troublesome…
“…Yeah. Let’s go.”
When we stepped outside, the air felt different. A light breeze blew, and each time it did, the hem of our yukatas swayed slightly.
Every step we took, eyes followed us.
Glancing back and forth.
The people on the street were secretly stealing looks at her. It was understandable. I hadn’t even known that a black yukata would suit her this well.
The dark base made her white skin stand out even more, and her loosely tied hair completed the atmosphere. Walking side-by-side with her, I found myself puffing out my chest for no reason.
If I could, I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs right there: I am married to this person. Everyone would be shocked, right?
I could clearly picture the passersby stopping in their tracks, their eyes wide with surprise. I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing.”
Just then, Seorin reached out without a word and took my hand. I gripped her hand tightly, too.
Because I didn’t want to let go. Our warmth mingled within our palms.
That was how we made our way out of the alley.
An old red pillar came into view.
A stone path stretched out long beneath it.
We’re here. So that’s the entrance to the shrine.
We walked slowly, looking around side-by-side. It was quieter than I had expected.
Even though it was the weekend, there weren’t many people, and there was none of the typical noise of a tourist spot. The only sound was the chirping of a bird from somewhere nearby.
If anything, I liked it that way. It was the perfect opportunity for just the two of us to enjoy ourselves.
“It’s quieter than I thought.”
“It is.”
She walked ahead of me.
Every time the hem of her yukata fluttered, her slender wrists were revealed. They were white and translucent. So much so that I could see her veins through the sunlight.
With arms that thin, how does she manage to lift me up so easily? I’ve never even seen her work out…
Does she have some special way of taking care of herself?
Should I ask her once? She’d answer me, right?
One step. Another step.
I followed her back as I walked.
As we went deeper, the air changed little by little.
The deepening scent of trees. A cold, damp breeze.
Moss grew densely between the old stones.
It was a shrine that had been built hundreds of years ago.
It was old and weathered, but there was a certain romance to that. It felt as if time itself had seeped into the place.
I could understand why couples sought out this place.
Like this shrine, they must be wishing for something that never changes. Since we’ve come all this way, should I make a wish, too?
We’re right in front of it, so let’s walk a little further.
At the end of the stone path, the worship area sat quietly. Seorin was the first to toss in a coin.
Clink. A clear sound spread through the silent space.
She closed her eyes and pressed her hands together.
Her profile was quiet.
What could her wish be?
Health? Business? Love?
I stood there, watching her from the side without doing anything.
Even with her eyes closed, she looked so composed.
It was fascinating how she didn’t waver at all.
Come to think of it, I had a wish, too.
I secretly tossed in a coin.
I pressed my hands together and closed my eyes.
The person right next to me came to mind.
I wished that we could stay together like this for a long time. That was the only thing I prayed for.
Tomorrow. And the day after that.
Even in ten years, even in a hundred years…
So that we could be together.
When I opened my eyes, Seorin was already looking at me.
“What did you wish for?”
“It’s a secret.”
“Is that so?”
She didn’t ask any further.
Instead, she curled the corners of her lips into a smile.
I looked away from that face for no reason.
She didn’t have to stare at me so intently.
Honestly, it was a little overwhelming.
I tried to push her shoulder, but she clung to me persistently. I lost. I lost. I let my body go limp and trudged along. How long had we been walking?
Next to the worship area, there was a small space selling fortune slips. Seorin was the first to pick one and unfold it. She scanned it with her eyes and then folded it back up without a word.
“What did you get?”
“A good one.”
“That’s all you’re going to say? A good one?”
“Yeah.”
She was calmer than I expected.
I guess she just accepts it without worrying too much. I picked one up and unfolded it, too.
It was full of Chinese characters.
I was staring at it blankly when…
“It’s not bad. It means it’s good if you’re careful.”
“That’s the same thing as saying it’s bad.”
“Look at it positively.”
What is that supposed to mean? I was so dumbfounded I started laughing. She took the slip from my hand and read it out line by line. It said my love luck was good, but I should be careful about my health.
We walked around the area slowly.
Old trees covered the sky.
It wasn’t uncomfortable even though we didn’t talk much.
That was the strange thing about being with this person. Silence wasn’t awkward.
Just being by her side was enough.
I didn’t need anything else.
After walking for a long time, our footsteps came to a halt.
At the end of my gaze was a small pond. The surface was calm, and a single flower petal floated slowly across the water.
“It’s pretty.”
The words slipped out before I knew it.
“It is.”
Seorin replied briefly.
But she wasn’t looking at the pond; she was looking somewhere else. I noticed, but I pretended not to.
Because if I looked that way, I felt like I’d make a strange expression. My body felt a little flushed.
The petal on the pond was pushed by the wind, then returned to its place. Time flowed slowly.
After watching for a while, we started moving again. We’d seen enough, so let’s go somewhere else.
On the way back, there were wooden plaques where people wrote their wishes and hung them up. Small pieces of wood were swaying in the wind.
“Should we hang one up before we go?”
Seorin suggested first.
“Sure.”
What should I write? I thought for a while and then wrote a short sentence. Seorin wrote something, too. When I tried to sneak a peek, she covered it with her hand.
“You’re not going to show me?”
“It’s a secret.”
She threw my own words back at me. I chuckled and hung up the wooden plaque.
When we left the shrine, the sun was high in the sky.
It was much warmer than when we had entered.
As we walked, our shoulders brushed against each other.
It’s already lunchtime.
Time really flew by.
I wonder if there’s a restaurant nearby.
Just as I was looking around, Seorin spoke up.
“Are you hungry?”
“A little.”
“There’s a noodle shop nearby. I had my eye on it.”
“When did you have your eye on it?”
“On the way here.”
After saying that, she walked ahead as if it were nothing. I followed behind her.
The noodle shop was tucked away inside an alley.
It was a small, old shop.
The wooden sign was so worn that the letters were faint.
The savory smell of broth wafted out from inside. Perhaps because I was hungry, my pace quickened on its own.
“Here it is.”
Seorin pulled the door open.
As we stepped inside, a narrow and cozy space unfolded. There were only a few tables, and there weren’t many customers.
I sat at a table by the window and picked up the menu. The characters were all in Japanese.
I scanned them roughly, and I could read them well enough. However, Seorin took the menu faster than I could, and pointed to a line with her finger.
“They say this is their signature dish. The broth is rich.”
“Let’s have that.”
After we finished ordering, I took a sip of water.
I could see the narrow alley outside the window.
People passed by sporadically.
Are they all heading to the shrine?
I noticed people dressed in yukatas.
…*Yawn*.
Was it because I woke up too early? I felt sleepy.
It felt like my eyes were about to close.
Seorin rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin in her hands. Her eyes were fixed quietly on me.
“Are you okay? You look tired.”
“A little.”
“Because of practice?”
“No, I think it’s because I woke up early today.”
“Is that so? Well, as long as it’s nothing serious.”
Seorin didn’t ask anything else after that. Instead, she quietly placed her hand over mine on the table.
Lightly. As if it were really nothing at all.
Our fingertips felt warm where they touched. I was about to say something, but I just closed my mouth.
This was enough as it was.
That was when it happened.
The shop door swung open with a bang.
“Big Sister!”
A high, clear voice filled the narrow shop. Before I could even react, a small body flew into me.
I felt an impact on my side.
Whoa, you startled me.
I almost fell over. Thank goodness I had been bracing my legs.
…Honestly, I can’t live with Aya like this.
It would have been a disaster if I hadn’t caught her.
“Ah, Aya?”
“I thought you would be here, Big Sister!”
“Why are you here?”
“I had business nearby. And then I just happened to see you!”
Aya wrapped both of her hands around my arm. Her red eyes sparkled brightly. Her cheeks were slightly flushed.
“It’s a yukata. Oh my, it’s so pretty. You look good in anything, Big Sister.”
“…It’s just because it’s a date today.”
“A date?”
Aya’s eyes went wide. Her head turned slowly toward the other side of the table.
Seorin was sitting there with her arms crossed.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kurosaki Aya. I’m acting in a play with Big Sister.”
“Han Seorin. Yuna’s lover.”
What’s going on?
Aya hesitated for a moment. Her complexion didn’t look very good, either. Was she feeling sick or something?
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Big Sister. That you’re someone Yuna relies on a lot.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. After practice, she always talks about Seorin.”
Wait a minute! You don’t have to say that much! I barely managed to swallow the words that were about to burst out.
…Oh, what if Seorin hates that? I felt a needless worry.
Seorin looked at me once. Our eyes met. I lowered my gaze for no reason.
I wanted to say something. Even if it was just an excuse…
But I couldn’t bring myself to say it. This is a disaster. What should I do?
“I really like Big Sister. So I was curious. What kind of person you were.”
“…What?”
The air changed just a little bit. Seorin’s gaze lingered on Aya. Her expression was still calm. But that calmness felt somewhat flat.
Huh. For some reason, the atmosphere felt ominous. Should I stop them? What should I do…
“To what extent?”
“Pardon?”
“You said you liked her. To what extent.”
Aya blinked. Then, she clung tightly to my arm and said,
“I like her the most in the whole world.”
“The most in the whole world?”
Seorin repeated the words exactly. She didn’t smile. She didn’t frown. She just picked up her teacup and took a sip.
“She’s a taken woman.”
“I know. But does that matter?”
I just drank my water. I had completely missed the timing to jump into this conversation.
“…It’s a nuisance to Yuna.”
“Not at all.”
Aya clung even closer. I tried to pull her off, but it was no use.
“Actually, Big Sister is the one who hugs me first.”
“…I see.”
Seorin’s gaze turned back to me. This time, it was a little different. She didn’t say anything, but the pressure weighed me down. I broke into a cold sweat for no reason.
Aya added with a smile,
“Let’s get along well in the future. So that Big Sister doesn’t get sad. You want to see Big Sister’s smiling face too, right, Seorin?”
Her words were sweet. But I felt an invisible line being drawn right there. What on earth were they both talking about?
Seorin set her teacup down. Very quietly.
“Then I’ll ask you one thing, too.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“What do you intend to do when the play is over?”
Aya narrowed her eyes.
“Who knows.”
The smile was still there.
“I’ll have to wait until then to know that.”
A silence flowed between the two of them for a moment.
Just then, the noodles arrived. Steam was rising from them.
I picked up my chopsticks.
“…Let’s just eat first.”
Both of them looked at me. Seorin was the first to quietly pick up her spoon. Aya smiled brightly and clung closer to my side.
Aya on my left.
Seorin across from me…
The shop was excessively quiet.
I took a spoonful of the broth. It was warm. But I couldn’t really taste it. I lifted my spoon and then set it back down. I lifted it again.
This narrow table felt particularly cramped today.
…I’d rather have had practice a hundred times over.