Leona's Sunday # 3

Led by Leona's hand, I devoured plate after plate of sushi.

Leona picked out only the most expensive plates in the joint and set them in front of me, and as I ate, I couldn't tell if I was eating sushi or my own tears.

"Fufufu, Kim Geun-cheol eats well. Like a king, really."

"When someone's treating me this good, what kind of person wouldn't eat like a king?"

"Of course, you could say they're not a person at all!"

When someone's treating you, you're supposed to express how you feel and how good the food is, constantly. That's basic manners. And honestly, when I'm with Leona, I can't help but express how I feel.

"Ahh!"

I inhaled the expensive sushi until my stomach nearly burst, then we stepped outside. Leona just paid with her card without a single moment of hesitation.

"Did you enjoy the meal?"

"I seriously ate so well!"

A deep, warm fullness spread through my stomach. The kind of extreme satiety that comes from a youthful body brimming with power.

If you're even a little older, you'd feel bloated, but this inhuman high schooler body feels perfectly comfortable even after pushing my stomach to the limit.

To find peace through asceticism... I've achieved the mindset of a high monk.

"Right now, I feel like I could do anything. Leona. What do I have to do now? Should I go fight for you? Just say the word. I'll do anything!"

"Fufufu, you're full of spirit. No, was it really that good?"

"I've seriously never had sushi this good in my entire life!"

It was that delicious!

"But what was that heavy story about, do you think?"

"Ah... Sushi slaves. How awful."

"Right. How does something like that happen."

Superhuman dictators kidnap sushi masters and turn them into sushi slaves. Is there a scarier story than that? Just the words "sushi slave" sound hilarious as hell, but the reality is dark as hell.

"The Neo-Daimyo have completely established their rule. I've heard it's a very oppressive society."

Hearing that from Leona, who as a Mister Dominator is practically European royalty, really says it all.

Actually, Korea is ruled by an absolute monarch these days too, but this sushi slave story would probably horrify even Koreans. At least the Sovereign Commander doesn't enslave chefs like that.

Ever since superhumans appeared, the way of life in every nation has changed completely.

"Those in power among superhumans should uphold noblesse oblige. Sushi slaves... I truly cannot tolerate it."

"Me neither. Turning the people who make such good sushi into slaves...!"

I guess that kind of thing doesn't happen in Europe. We chatted as we walked for a bit.

"Ah, I'm full. But man, ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'm seriously full."

—Pat, pat.

I was sticking my belly out, patting it.

"Hey, Kim Geun-cheol. Please don't do that kind of thing in public, seriously."

"Yessir."

"Yessir my ass. Ah, what time is it now?"

"Lunchtime's just about to start."

"Hmm... In that case. Kim Geun-cheol? Since we're out, shall we watch a movie?"

A movie?

"I'm in! What should we watch!"

I immediately pulled out my phone and searched for current showings.

"Let's go and decide there. Come on, let's go quickly!"

"Hehehe! Let's do it! There's a certain fun in picking at the theater, too. Ah, but Leona. Don't be surprised."

"Huh? About what?"

Leona tilted her head.

"The movie's on me. Just bring yourself."

"Seriously, you're doing this crap again. I'm paying with my card, so just be quiet."

"If you buy me food and then the movie on top of that, what does that make me!"

"What do you mean? Just the usual Kim Geun-cheol. Anyway, gogo."

"Ah, seriously. Leona. I'm telling you, the movie's on me."

I said it in a manly way.

"If you keep acting up, Kim Geun-cheol..."

—Clench.

Leona showed me her tightly clenched fist.

"...I might just have to let this loose. Follow me while I'm asking nicely."

"What are you, some street thug shaking me down..."

"Come on!"

"Yes!"

And so, I headed to the movie theater with Leona.

* * *

"Wow. There are so many people."

It being Sunday, the theater was packed as hell. In the bustling crowd, I stood beside Leona and picked out a movie.

"Hmm..."

Leona was also stroking her chin, very seriously choosing a movie.

In that case, time to take the manly lead.

"Leona. This one. The one with aliens. Let's watch the aliens."

"What? Aliens?"

"Yeah."

"No, Kim Geun-cheol, why do you like movies with aliens so much?"

"What? Did I ever say I like aliens?"

"Huh? Ah, no! It was just a figure of speech! Anyway, alien movies are a pass! I ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠don't want to watch them as a movie when the real world is full of aliens."

"Ah, is that how it is?"

Come to think of it, the monsters and monsterkin from the otherworlds could all safely be called aliens. Monsters are the Aliens, and monsterkin are the Predators.

But the sensibility of watching movies or picking one seems really different from my original world. This world is a place where superhumans actively operate in reality, so it feels completely natural.

Since that's the case, the movies are also way different from my original world.

"Oh! Kim Geun-cheol! Let's watch this one! This one!"

"What?! No way!"

The moment I saw what Leona was pointing at, I was horrified!

"This is a horror movie!"

Even at a glance, the background is all gloomy and dark! The title is [Poryu Hunter], how could this not be a horror movie no matter what!

"What? Kim Geun-cheol, can you not watch horror movies?"

"No! Why would you watch something scary!"

"You could. This looks fun. Let's go with this."

"No, no! Leona! Have mercy! Let's watch something else!"

I immediately folded my hands like a fly and begged.

"Fufufu, our Kim Geun-cheol is a total scaredy-cat."

Leona looked down at me with eyes that seemed to see something utterly insignificant, laughing "fufufu" like a wicked woman...!

This isn't my archangel Leona!

It's ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Deadly Leona!

"Let's watch something else, something else!"

"Ah, Kim Geun-cheol. Didn't you say you'd do anything today? Hmm?"

"That's—!"

"Hmm? Weren't you going to do anything?"

—Poke, poke.

Leona, covering her mouth with one hand, was acting like she was dying of laughter, poking my side with her elbow repeatedly!

Seriously, what is it with girls trying to torture me with horror movies—first Yu-ri, now Leona...!

"Ah, Leona! Cut me some slack!"

"No! Today, Kim Geun-cheol has to watch a horror movie with me!"

"Please!"

"And no matter what, do you think you can just tremble in fear of a horror movie in front of a girl and beg with your hands folded? This is training! Let's go watch!"

"Saaave meee!"

In the end, I couldn't change Leona's mind.

"Just come on in. And what's so scary? What could you possibly fear when I, Leona, am right next to you? Just trust me, me alone!"

"Hurk!"

I clutched an armful of popcorn and cola and pathetically followed behind Leona, who looked like she was about to die of joy, into the theater...

* * *

The ads ended and the movie started.

The atmosphere was eerie and unsettling from the very beginning, and I was already cowering, chewing my popcorn.

"Is it really that scary?"

She was talking like she thought I was pathetic, but for me, a horror movie is a very serious issue.

"Leona. You try being me. If I watch ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a horror movie and go home to shower alone, it's scary as hell."

"Kim Geun-cheol, just how old are you that you can't even shower alone!"

"I can shower alone! But when I watch something scary, I think of ghosts while I'm showering!"

"Just how much of a child are you, Kim Geun-cheol...! And acting all cute like that isn't cute at all!"

"I'm not acting cute!"

"There's no helping you! Anyway, let's just watch the movie!"

We were whispering, but at this point it's a public nuisance. I chewed my popcorn again and focused on the screen.

"Oh."

Looking at it, the movie did a great job of capturing the life history of this world.

Hunters, a superhuman group with no obligations but also no benefits. They form a team and enter a dungeon, fighting monsters and mining otherworldly minerals. It was showing that kind of everyday scene.

But then, suddenly.

—Boom!

One of the hunters exploring the dungeon, through an unexpected accident, falls alone into an unknown outer dimension.

"Aw, shit."

The very appearance of the outer dimension space looked deeply ominous and bizarre. A dark, strange space. A disgusting, intestine-like maze created by a monsterkin species that had formed a civilization.

Alone in this place, the hunter gripped his weapon tightly and tried to hold his mentality, but he couldn't help trembling at the disgust this bizarre space evoked. Yet he mustered his courage and took a step to find an escape route.

But.

Walking in this maze so narrow a fat guy couldn't even move, relying only on a portable light...

—Goooo.

—Ooooo.

—Hiiiiiiii.

From somewhere, low, small shrieks and bizarre sounds began to be heard... It was from this point that I started getting scared as hell! Seriously, why is this so damn gloomy!

"Tremble, tremble."

The tension accelerated. Listening to the sounds, I somehow got the feeling they resembled human voices. The moment the tension reached its peak!

—Kieeeeeeeeh!!!!

Suddenly, some monster jumped out and screamed.

"KYAAAAAAAH!"

"KYAAAAAAANG!"

Leona and I grabbed each other's hands, pressed our cheeks together, and screamed!

"Save me! Save me, Kim Geun-cheol!"

"Leona, you save me!"

—KYAAAAAAAH!

—AAAAAAAH!

I was so surprised I couldn't even tell what I was saying! Even the other audience members were screaming like crazy!