Chapter 191: Your First Love Isn't Beautiful (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 191: Your First Love Isn't Beautiful (8)
The movie she had been so eager to see was a remastered re-release of a film that had been a hit before I was even born.
The genre was a romance mixed with fantasy elements.
The main plot revolved around a man who, for some reason, had lived for hundreds of years without dying, and the love and trials he faced after meeting the heroine who would finally free him from his tiresome life.
In short, it was steeped in the kind of fated love that Kim Eun-bi so desperately yearned for.
Which also meant it was a story that didn't resonate with me at all.
"Hmm…"
I glanced around and noticed quite a few female audience members dabbing at their eyes.
They must have been deeply moved by the final scene where the male protagonist was dying.
“……”
Among them, surprisingly, was Ryujin.
That was a little unexpected.
She didn't seem like the type to have such a sensitive side, crying over a movie like this.
I took out the handkerchief I kept in my coat's inner pocket and gently held it out to her.
“…Thanks.”
After a moment's hesitation, she snatched the handkerchief and carefully dabbed at her eyes, making sure not to smudge her makeup.
Then, she tucked the damp handkerchief into her own pocket.
“I’ll wash it and give it back to you later.”
Seeing the faint blush on her face, it seemed her offer was more than just a polite gesture.
Was she subtly creating an excuse to meet again?
After watching the post-credits scene, where the reincarnated hero and heroine met again and fell in love in the distant future, we got up and left the theater.
Time to get ready.
“I need to use the restroom.”
Perfect timing. Ryujin also stepped away.
“I’ll wait for you near the entrance.”
After telling her that, I moved to a spot near the entrance, not far from the restrooms.
About a minute passed.
A familiar face walked out of the men's restroom, staring down at his smartphone.
Kim Jeong-hun.
Seeing his face in person sent a sharp pang through a corner of my chest.
It felt like I was finally confronting the enemy I had spent a lifetime searching for, the one responsible for my parents' fate.
The bastard stood there, leaning against a wall and tapping on his phone, completely oblivious.
It seemed Kim Eun-bi was also in the restroom.
In that case, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
I strode directly toward him.
On the way, I cleared my throat and called out his name in a cheerful tone, as if I was completely surprised.
“Kim Jeong-hun?”
His head shot up instantly.
Meeting my eyes, he frowned and tilted his head.
“…Who are you?”
“You don’t remember me? We were pretty close in high school.”
His brow furrowed even deeper.
It was only natural. No matter how hard he thought, he wouldn't have any memory of being close to someone who looked like me.
After staring at me for a long moment with narrowed eyes, his eyes slowly widened.
Right.
He wouldn't be completely clueless.
He must have seen my face on social media.
The picture and my actual face were probably starting to click into place for him.
“You… Kim Do-jin…?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
Hearing my answer, his face twisted into a scowl.
“…What the hell are you?”
“What do you mean, ‘what the hell’?”
“What are you doing here?”
What a strange question.
“What do you think I’m doing at a movie theater? I came to watch a movie.”
I countered his primal question with a primal answer. He bit his lower lip, clearly displeased about something.
Well, he was probably reminiscing about the old days.
The guy who used to grovel at his every word was now standing tall and talking back. It must be pissing him off, right?
“If you’re done with your movie, you should just fuck off. Why the hell did you come up to me, you bastard?”
Oh.
His true colors were starting to show.
Before I could even reply, he curled one side of his lip into a sneer.
“Ha, right. I heard you’re doing pretty well for yourself these days. So what? You think you’ve got some power now, that this is your chance for revenge?”
He’s sharp.
That’s exactly it.
I couldn't find a single reason why I shouldn't get revenge on you.
Of course, what truly sparked my desire for revenge was your disgusting attempt to covet my woman.
Hiding my true intentions, I laughed awkwardly and waved my hands dismissively as if to say that would never happen.
“Hey, revenge? Come on! That was all when we were kids. We’re adults now. The word ‘revenge’ is a bit much for some childish pranks, don’t you think?”
I’m really not holding a grudge!
As I expressed that sentiment with my entire body, the tension in his muscles slowly began to ease.
Not completely, but he seemed a little more relaxed.
Not yet.
I needed to talk with him a little longer.
At least until Kim Eun-bi saw the two of us together.
“I just saw you after a long time and came over to say hi because I was happy to see you.”
I tried to lower his guard with a genuinely friendly attitude and tone.
Actually, it wasn't much of an act.
I was genuinely happy to see him.
Because I was extremely curious to see just how much you, who still haven't changed your snarling ways, would be forced to change from now on.
The strange tension between us had lessened, but it hadn't completely disappeared.
Just as the guy, who clearly found me uncomfortable, was about to tell me to get lost, I brought up another topic.
This time, one that would surely pique his interest.
“Oh, by the way, do you keep in touch with Yu-jeong? You two were pretty close.”
He knew from Jo Yun-kyung.
He knew that Shin Yu-jeong and I had a serious relationship.
I wondered how my question sounded to someone who knew that.
Perhaps he saw me as some jealous psycho trying to pry into his woman's private life.
At my question, he seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before that familiar, unpleasant smile spread across his lips as he bragged.
“Ah~ Yu-jeong? Well, we’re both busy, so not that often… maybe just two or three times a week?”
“…Two or three times?”
“Yeah, not that much, right?”
This was the crucial part.
I had to look like I was extremely bothered but trying to act nonchalant.
“I… see.”
A slight bite of my lip to finish it off.
Reading my expression, his face grew even more smug.
“Are you still living in Yu-jeong’s rooftop room these days?”
“Yeah, I am. I haven’t made enough money to move out yet.”
“Really…? I heard your name a bit recently, so I thought you’d have made a lot, but I guess not.”
“I’m still just an aspirant.”
“Hehe, right. You’re still just an aspirant, yeah.”
The little shit was starting to get on my nerves.
Because I was speaking humbly, he now casually draped his arm over my shoulder.
Should I just deck him?
Just as I was wavering with the sudden impulse…
“Oh…!”
A familiar voice let out a short gasp, piercing my ears.
The sound came from the direction of the women's restroom.
Kim Eun-bi and Ryujin were standing there side by side, staring this way.
One with a look of utter shock, the other with a look of utter confusion.
Kim Eun-bi approached us, looking dumbfounded. She pointed back and forth between me and the guy, her voice dazed.
“You two… know each other?”
At that, the guy who had his arm arrogantly slung over my shoulder asked with an expression not much different from his sister's.
“‘You two’…? Sis, you know this guy?”
“Huh? Oh… j-just a little?”
Kim Eun-bi made a tiny gap between her thumb and index finger.
Which was true, that was about how much she knew me.
At her answer, the guy’s head whipped around to glare at me.
“Hey… you know my sister?”
To his question, I replied with a startled expression and an innocent tone.
“That person is your sister?”
My god, what a coincidence!
I looked back and forth between the two of them with that expression.
Kim Eun-bi’s jaw dropped in the same way as she pointed at us and asked again.
“A-Are you two… friends by any chance?”
“Ah, Jeong-hun and I are… mph.”
As I started to say something, he quickly clamped his hand over my mouth and spoke up in my place with an awkward smile.
“Yeah, we’re friends! High school classmates. We were pretty close back then but lost touch, so I was a bit sad, haha! What a coincidence meeting here, right? It’s great to see you! Right?”
Such a gentle expression and kind tone.
For a moment, I almost got goosebumps all over my body.
Shouldn't this be considered a talent in itself?
His eyes demanded an answer from me.
Well, I had no intention of revealing everything just yet either.
“Haha, yes. That’s right. Jeong-hun and I were quite close in high school.”
After playing along for a bit, I bowed my head toward her, who still looked unconvinced.
“I didn’t realize you were Jeong-hun’s sister. I apologize if I was rude.”
“Oh, n-no! It’s fine! That could totally happen, hehe…”
As we exchanged friendly greetings, the guy cut in again.
“So how do you and this guy know each other, Sis?”
“Uhm… well, I was about to get into some trouble the other day, and this person… I mean, your friend saved me.”
“What? No way, did that really happen?”
“Yeah, sorry… I couldn’t tell you because I thought you’d worry, hehe.”
“Sis, really…”
“Aww, I’m sorry! It’s my fault, okay?”
Kim Eun-bi acted cute toward Kim Jeong-hun, who was pretending to be angry.
Well, look at that.
And look at him caving in less than three seconds.
But I couldn't really blame him. If I were in his shoes, I probably would have caved right away too.
It wasn't that he had no backbone; Kim Eun-bi's charm was just that adorable.
After confirming her brother's anger had subsided, Kim Eun-bi looked at me.
“Ah, um… can you tell me now? Your name…”
Was her slightly flushed face because she was asking for the name of her brother's friend?
Or was it because this was our third meeting?
Personally, I hoped it was the latter.
“It’s Kim Do-jin. I look forward to getting to know you.”
“Ah, in the future…? Uh, hehe, okay. I’m Kim Eun-bi. I… look forward to it too?”
A lighthearted laugh and a cheerful conversation.
In the middle of it all, one scowling face was staring daggers this way.
Don't make that face already.
We haven't even started, you punk.
