Childhood Friend (3)
Inside the dark movie theater.
Only the faint glow of the screen illuminated our surroundings.
In the event of a fire, we would like to inform you of the emergency exits.
It was the standard announcement before the movie started.
It looked like we had made it just in time.
"Hyunseong, over here. Over here."
"Yeah, I'm coming."
Clutching drinks and a bucket of popcorn in both hands, I sat down next to Jiwoo.
"This is the first time we've watched a movie together, just the two of us."
"Y-Yeah...!"
"I'm excited. Aren't you?"
"Y-Yeah...!"
I answered automatically, but I couldn't care less about the movie.
I'm so freaking nervous...
We were just watching a movie together, but why was my heart pounding like this?
To calm my nerves, I decided to read the pamphlet I'd grabbed earlier.
Let's see... the movie we were watching.
My Girlfriend is a Childhood Friend.
The genre was romance.
Out of all the genres, r-romance...?
What was the meaning of this?!
"Hyunseong, are you okay? You look pale."
"I-I-I'm fine!"
"If you say so..."
Jiwoo looked at me with worried eyes.
I was perfectly fine. Just nervous.
To reassure her, I forced a smile.
But since I looked anything but calm, the worry didn't fade from her eyes.
Because I was overly conscious of her, cold sweat began to pour down my face.
My eyes darted around. I felt dizzy.
Would I even be able to focus on the movie?
"Oh... it's starting."
Jiwoo turned her gaze toward the screen.
A smile played on her lips. She really seemed to be looking forward to it.
Come to think of it, maybe Jiwoo didn't see this as a date. Maybe she just came to watch a movie with me as a classmate.
I'm such an idiot.
Friends watch movies together all the time. I was the weird one for mistaking it for a date.
Once I looked at it that way, I felt a bit disappointed and embarrassed, but... the tension slowly began to melt away.
There was no way Jiwoo was interested in me. Let's just relax and watch the movie.
I turned my eyes to the screen along with her.
"Siwoo... should I be honest with you?"
"Yeah. I'll be honest with you too."
"Actually... I've loved you for a long time."
"Me too. I love you, Hyeonjeong."
Childhood friends of ten years who had hidden their feelings for each other...
Siwoo and Hyeonjeong finally confirmed their feelings and shared a deep embrace.
With that final scene, the lights in the theater flickered back on as the ending credits rolled.
Wait... that's it? How ridiculous.
The plot of the movie was basically this:
A boy and a girl, who had considered each other just friends for a long time, actually liked each other. But because they took each other's presence for granted, they didn't realize their own feelings.
Then Siwoo took an interest in another girl. On the day of their first date, however, it wasn't his date who filled his mind, but his childhood friend, Hyeonjeong. He realized that she was the one he truly loved.
So, Siwoo rejected the other girl's confession and laid his heart bare to Hyeonjeong.
Hyeonjeong was the same. She had only thought of Siwoo as a childhood friend, but she had unconsciously fallen for him as he stayed by her side despite her inability to be honest.
Upon hearing that Siwoo was going on a date with another girl, her chest tightened, and her desire to be with him grew so intense that she realized she loved him.
In the end, the two of them confessed their hidden feelings and transitioned from childhood friends to lovers.
...Or so the story went. And this was supposed to be popular? It was so childish. And incredibly predictable.
It was such a trash romance movie that I would have preferred to read Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet one more time.
"Hyunseong... I was so moved. What did you think?"
Jiwoo's eyes were brimming with tears. She actually seemed touched by this garbage movie.
"I thought it was pretty good too."
That was a lie. I never wanted to see a trash movie like this again.
But if I showed my distaste here, it would only make things awkward for her.
"Right? I guess we have similar tastes. Hehe."
"I guess so... Haha."
Jiwoo's friendly laughter was cute. So freaking cute! My heart fluttered.
Sia's smile is cute too, though...
"Look at the time. Let's go grab lunch. It's my treat, just like I promised."
"Sure. I'm starting to get hungry."
I pulled out my phone to check the time. It was already 12:16 PM. Perfect timing for lunch.
"Jiwoo...? Are we really eating here?"
"Yeah, is there a problem?"
"No, it's just... this is a steakhouse. Isn't it expensive?"
Indeed. The restaurant Jiwoo and I were standing in was a steakhouse famous for its steep prices.
The menu only listed premium tenderloin steaks. The prices were... unbelievable. My hands trembled.
"It's fine. I won a contest, so I have plenty of money."
"N-No, that's not the point... Wait, a contest?"
"Ah, I guess I didn't tell you. I'm planning to go to art school. I won the gold prize at the Youth Illustration Contest recently! Hehe."
Gold prize...? That was the second highest award after the grand prize!
Jiwoo... drew. I felt incredibly envious of her.
I had failed miserably in the Yutonovel contest...
"R-Really? Congratulations, Jiwoo!"
But I couldn't let it show. I offered a bright smile to the girl I liked and congratulated her on her award.
"Thanks, Hyunseong. Anyway, to celebrate my gold prize, it's on me!"
"Thanks. I'll enjoy it."
Still, it was strange. Even if she received prize money, why was she treating me to such an expensive meal?
Wait... could it be that I wasn't misunderstanding? Does Jiwoo actually l-like me? If so... it would make sense for her to buy this...
"Hyunseong, do you happen to like anyone?"
"Huh...? Someone I like...?"
Jiwoo asked, gazing at me intently. Her look was slightly sultry, a stark contrast to her usual gentle impression.
I was slightly flustered by this side of her that I had never seen before.
"Yeah. Because actually... I like you."
What. Seriously? No way. Wait, really?
Jiwoo's bold confession made my head spin. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my face flushed red.
I was amazed by how relaxed she looked compared to me. How could she confess so coolly?
"I want you to distance yourself from Sia."
Jiwoo really seemed to like me.
Sia was my childhood friend. My precious friend who had always been by my side. But Sia was also a girl. It made sense that Jiwoo would feel uncomfortable about her.
"Jiwoo... I..."
I wanted to agree right away, but the words wouldn't come out.
I liked Jiwoo, but... I didn't want to distance myself from my precious friend. Because I wanted to stay by Sia's side...
"Don't tell me... you like Sia?"
"What...? No... Sia is just my childhood friend..."
"Hyunseong, we're high schoolers. There's a limit to childhood friendship. Sia is a girl, and you're a boy."
"What do you mean by that...?"
"You two are practically glued to each other at school. Did you know there are rumors going around that you and Sia are dating?"
"T-That's news to me...?"
Because of her prickly personality, I was Sia's only friend. We only hung out because of that... but it had turned into a rumor like that?
Do I not like Sia...?
"If you don't like her... I wish you'd start keeping your distance. As someone who likes you... it makes me uncomfortable..."
"Jiwoo..."
Jiwoo toyed with her dark hair, looking slightly embarrassed. She was incredibly cute. Yes! This was the normal reaction for a confession.
But...
"I'm sorry. I can't do that."
"Are you really okay with those rumors spreading?"
"Yeah, I don't care."
Jiwoo seemed genuinely worried about me—or rather, us—but it didn't matter. They were people I'd never see again after graduation anyway.
I really didn't know my own heart. Sia and I were just childhood friends. But if I left her side... Sia would be all alone. I absolutely didn't want to leave her by herself.
Wait... alone...?
"Jiwoo, I'm sorry. Buy me lunch next time. Something suddenly came up."
"Huh...? We haven't even ordered yet..."
"I'm sorry!"
"Hyunseong...? Where are you going?! Hyunseong!"
Jiwoo called out to me desperately. Without looking back, I ran straight out of the restaurant.
I was out of my mind. Leaving my date behind to go see another girl.
Still, Jiwoo would understand. I had to go to Sia right now. I had no intention of leaving her alone.
Ding-dong.
I pressed the doorbell at Sia's house, and the cheerful chime rang in my ears.
Creak...
The front door opened immediately, revealing Sia.
She was wearing dolphin shorts and a comfortable white short-sleeved t-shirt.
"Sia, happy birthday."
"H-Hyunseong...? Why are you here? Weren't you busy with plans...?"
Sia couldn't hide her surprise at my sudden appearance. I handed the neatly wrapped gift to the flustered girl with a smile.
"Yeah, it wrapped up earlier than I thought."
"S-So... what did you come here for? To give me a g-gift...? I told you I d-didn't need one... but I'll take it..."
Sia tried to act indifferent as she took the gift, but a smile spread across her lips. She already looked happy, even though she hadn't checked what was inside yet.
"What is this...?"
"It's the new edition of Blue Marble. You like board games, right?"
Sia looked even more flustered when she tore open the wrapping paper. Did she not like it...?
"W-Well, it's not bad... I kind of want to try the Blue Marble you got me... but there's no one home right now... N-Not that I'm saying I want to play it with you, Hyunseong..."
Sia glanced back and forth between the board game and me. Her cheeks were flushed red, as if asking me to play together was the most embarrassing thing in the world.
"Sia. Let's play Blue Marble together."
"I-I had no intention of playing with you... but if you insist... I guess I have no choice. Hurry up and come in!"
Sia gestured for me to enter with a bright smile, clearly pleased with my answer. Had it been three years since we last played Blue Marble? Sia really looked best when she smiled.
Haha... I guess I'm no different from the guy in that trash movie.