episode_0086

The movie was entertaining, but I just couldn’t focus at all.

Whether it was intentional or instinctual, every time the protagonist was in a life-threatening situation, Siwoo would tightly grasp my hand.

Every time I was startled and looked at Siwoo, he was focused on the screen, biting his lip.

I knew that feeling well. It was a habit of mine when I was focused on something, similar to mimicking the breathing of master pianists before playing the piano.

Yes, he probably didn’t have any thoughts. But I did. If Siwoo empathized with the protagonist’s peril, then my situation of being attached to Siwoo was an obstacle in itself.

Every time my small hand fit snugly into Siwoo’s large hand, it felt like my whole body was enveloped by him.

I couldn’t escape even if I tried. The difference in strength was palpable.

As I remained attached, various thoughts crossed my mind. What if Siwoo couldn’t bear it anymore later on? Would I be able to stop him with my own strength?

The defensive wall I had erected crumbled like wet sand, and the invading intruder would easily kidnap the princess.

“The sequel was better than the first one. It would have been even better if those ninjas didn’t show up so much.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

When I came to my senses, the movie had ended, and the theater was brightly lit. The audience that had filled the seats was gradually leaving.

“And come to think of it, Baek Cheongha…”

I had been so focused on defusing the bomb that I didn’t even notice Baek Cheongha sitting next to me.

I casually glanced at the empty seat while accidentally poking my foot into the shoe I had taken off. The seat was vacant. Maybe they had left early since they were in the last row.

“Did Cheongha leave?”

“They left before it ended.”

“Oh, really?”

“Well, it seems like the detachment worked. Maybe tomorrow won’t be so difficult.”

Fortunately, I wouldn’t have to kiss.

“… Don’t be disappointed.”

It’ll happen someday. Don’t rush it, Min Chaewon.

“I’ll take a look around while I’m taking lessons from the professor. I might have to endure Baek Cheongha’s annoyance.”

“That’s true.”

After tapping my shoe on the floor to put it back on, I stood up from my seat. Siwoo reached out his hand to me again.

“Hand.”

I’m not a puppy, Siwoo. Don’t treat me like Strelka.

“Okay, no need to hold hands if Baek Cheongha isn’t here.”

As I turned to leave down the corridor, he suddenly grabbed my hand.

Startled, I turned my head, and he hesitantly spoke.

“Um, well… we’re a couple. Even if it’s a contract. Um.”

Distracted by defusing the bomb, I barely managed to regain my composure and ran down the stairs, but Siwoo’s strength was too much.

In the end, my wrist was slightly twisted.

“Ah.”

“Oops, sorry.”

Siwoo was taken aback and closed the distance between us.

“Sorry. I should have followed when you pulled me.”

It was my fault. It was a mistake I made by rejecting Siwoo and trying to escape.

Why are you apologizing for that? I’m the one who’s acting strange.

My wrist was more tingly than severely injured, so I grabbed Siwoo’s hand while rubbing my wrist.

“I’ve done enough.”

Throughout the movie, I had been working on increasing the durability of the explosives in the arsenal.

Humans are truly fascinating. When the deadline for the assignment approaches, it’s as if they unleash superhuman strength, surpassing their limits as the crisis looms before them.

Explosives were handled as explosives should be, with a conveyor belt installed in between. Now, there’s no need to throw them manually. Just place them on the high-speed conveyor, and they’ll fly off on their own.

Come on, bring it on, Jung Siwoo. I wouldn’t mind holding your hand now at all!

“Is your wrist okay?”

It was fine to hold hands.

But I couldn’t bear it when he lightly touched my wrist with his fingers, tickling me.

Bang! A large hole was blasted in the explosives storage. It wasn’t because something exploded inside. It was because an overwhelming amount of explosives poured in through the hole that couldn’t handle it. They even caught fire as they poured in, and the pins were pulled out.

All hell broke loose.

“Hey, don’t touch me like that…”

“Huh? What?”

“Don’t touch me. I said… like that…”

How did we succeed in upgrading the facility?

And now we’re breaking it all over again. Stop it, you terrorist.

“Like this? Don’t touch me like this?”

A spider crawled up my wrist. A tiny spider, step by step. It delicately crawled up my skin. As it moved further away from my wrist, the small footsteps turned into larger ones.

By the time it reached my neck, it had already sent shivers down my spine.

“Eek!”

Startled, I flicked my wrist and started running towards the theater exit.

“Hey, watch out!”

Siwoo grabbed me. People are so careless. This guy is such a troublemaker.

As I leaped down the wide and low steps, thud.

“Ouch.”

I collided with a person entering from the exit and tumbled onto the theater’s carpet.

“Chaewon, are you okay?”

Siwoo, who rushed over, helped me up and looked towards the exit. There was a girl lying there.

With bright blonde hair styled in waves, she was clearly foreign.

As the girl, who rose like a zombie with Siwoo’s support, stood up and glared at us.

“Ugh…”

Then, with an angry expression, she stood up straight and approached us.

“Is this girl your type…?”

The girl asked Siwoo.

“Huh.”

Siwoo replied coldly.

There was no warmth in their conversation, as if I had never seen Siwoo treat the girl so coldly before.

“I… I’ll never be your type…”

The girl’s trembling hands clenched tightly.

Siwoo’s gaze turned towards me. His calm expression seemed to say, leave it to me.

I nodded. Siwoo was better at delivering the final blow than me. If I hesitated here, I would have to suffer again when I went for tutoring tomorrow.

“You’re my precious little sister.”

Siwoo began to drive the nail into the girl’s heart.

“Because you’re family, I cherish you. But you’re not someone I’d date.”

The nail went in, thud, thud. It dug deep into the heart of a fifteen-year-old girl who still didn’t understand love well. It was firmly embedded, impossible to pull out.

“I see…”

The girl nodded, then, thud, thud. She left deep watermarks on the dry carpet. We were silent for a while. Quietly, the flowing time filled the silence.

Her clenched right hand quickly brushed her forehead covered with bangs. Water droplets fell, and the girl raised her head with a wet face.

“Sorry for interrupting your date. Sorry, unnie.”

She bowed to me in apology and then turned to run towards the exit and the corridor.

I just stared blankly at where she had left.

Under the white sky, I heard all the apologies. Tomorrow, will the sun and the moon rise together hand in hand from the south?

“Um… are you okay?”

I slowly got up. I was so dazed that I almost forgot that Siwoo was still holding my hand.

“I’m okay, but… is this really over?”

Siwoo muttered with a disappointed expression.

“If I knew it would end so easily, I would have kissed you.”

Ah.

#

My precious older brother, who I thought would always be by my side, disappeared, leaving a huge hole in Baek Cheong-ha’s heart.

If I let him go like this, it will probably be difficult to meet again.

Living alone outside of home, and now Min Chaewon is taking over my tutoring, so even the excuse to meet has disappeared.

Although Professor Baek Jung-eon calls Siwoo to the house every Saturday to give him lessons, can we really face each other and have a proper conversation? It would be much more comfortable to just pretend not to see each other.

“… He’s so damn ugly.”

I ran out of the theater and cried alone in the bathroom for a long time. As a result, my eyes were so swollen that it was unbelievable.

I cooled my face with cold water and shouted loudly.

“Aaah!! Jung Siwoo, you jerk!!!”

The startled guests murmured behind Baek Cheong-ha, but she didn’t care.

“Ahaha. Ahahaha!!”

Why does it feel so refreshing? Is it because everything is ruined?

Or maybe because I finally shook off the lingering feelings I’ve been carrying for over 15 years today.

“What a joke. The difference isn’t really that big.”

Maybe Baek Cheong-ha was waiting for someone.

A woman like Min Chaewon who suddenly appears and grabs Jung Siwoo by the collar, making Baek Cheong-ha’s eyes widen.

After smiling at herself in the mirror, Baek Cheong-ha flipped her wet bangs back coolly.

She wiped her face with a paper towel and as she walked out of the bathroom, a man who had been waiting until this late hour handed her a business card.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Accepting the business card with KJ Entertainment written on it, Baek Cheong-ha asked with a surprised expression.

“I thought you were a casting manager at Deutbo Entertainment….”

Kwon Hanguil, who was taken aback, coughed for a while before finally answering.

“Uh, Cheong-ha student. Where should I redirect you?”