Chapter 10: Cozy Evening (1)

[Want to have a cozy dinner together today?]

A single, absurdly brief sentence. It was truly an outrageous suggestion made in just one line.

I typed back with a sense of bewilderment:

[Are you out of your mind?]

[Nope.]

Well, it seems to me that you are.

I couldn’t even begin to fathom what nonsense she was talking about. It was so absurd that I didn’t know how to respond.

While I was still processing this, So-yul’s messages continued:

[Of course, I don’t mean eating together in the cafeteria.]

[Obviously that’s not possible. Everyone would see us.]

[Right. We can’t have a cozy dinner if other students are watching.]

That’s not the point… Well, the conclusion is the same, so let’s move on. The important part is elsewhere.

[Then what? Are we supposed to jump over the fence and go to an outside restaurant?]

[No. I’ve got it all figured out.]

Oh my, how impressive that you’ve got it all figured out. I’m not sure if it’ll actually be useful, but I’d like to hear this idea of hers. I decided to wait silently for her explanation.

Soon after, a message containing So-yul’s brilliant strategy arrived:

[Let’s order in secretly!]

I was a fool for expecting anything better.

◎

Surprisingly, there are a few things allowed in this school despite its many restrictions on students.

One of them is ‘bringing in food from outside delivery services.’

There are quite a few students in the sports track at this school. Since they use their bodies all day, they naturally need more calories. They can’t perform well if they eat the same cafeteria food as regular students.

As a result, the school allowed delivery food for sports track students.

So if you ask a friend in the sports track, it’s possible to order delivery food. Then you can receive it and eat together somewhere hidden. How about that? Am I right? Aren’t I smart? …That was So-yul’s explanation when we met after school.

There was just one point I wanted to question.

“Didn’t they ask why you ordered for two people?”

“They did. I told them I eat a lot because I’m still growing.”

So-yul answered, patting her chest, which seemed far from growing.

It was an unconvincing answer, but fortunately, it didn’t seem to raise much suspicion. Her friend probably just accepted it out of sympathy.

Anyway, through this process, So-yul and I ordered pork cutlet and spaghetti respectively. So-yul was supposed to receive the food when it arrived and bring it to me.

The next challenge was figuring out where to eat this food.

For this, I had an easy solution.

I opened KakaoTalk and messaged Juho:

[Can I borrow the club room for a bit?]

[Sure. Use it as you like.]

Then Juho told me where the key was without asking any questions. I was grateful he didn’t even ask why I wanted to borrow it.

And so, a place for So-yul and my cozy dinner was arranged.

I still wondered why we had to go to such lengths just to eat dinner, but…

As I opened the club room door and stepped inside, So-yul looked around, turning her head left and right.

“Wow, it’s my first time in the film production club room.”

“It’s my first time too.”

“Even though you’re a member?”

“I’m just a member in name.”

I answered curtly and looked around myself.

A few chairs around a meeting table. One carefully maintained camera. A clapperboard for filming. One wall was messily decorated with props like wigs and mannequins, partially hidden by a large screen as if to cover them up.

I wondered how they managed to buy all this stuff when they’re so short on money.

“I love watching movies. It’d be fun to watch one here.”

So-yul said, pointing at the screen. Yeah, sure. Just don’t ask me to watch one with you.

I put my pork cutlet on the desk and slumped into a chair. So-yul took a seat opposite me. For the record, her menu was tomato spaghetti.

“My stomach’s growling.”

So-yul muttered briefly before opening her package without hesitation and picking up a plastic fork. She tucked her long amber hair behind her ear and started twirling the spaghetti with a strangely excited look.

Then, as she was about to bring it to her mouth… for some reason, she looked up and met my gaze.

She smiled with her eyes and said:

“Enjoy your meal.”

“…Yeah. You too.”

My lukewarm response seemed to amuse So-yul, who chuckled mockingly. Every single thing she does is annoying.

Then So-yul started devouring her spaghetti.

“Mmm~ It’s delicious~”

She mumbled as she chewed, letting out this sound as soon as she swallowed her first bite. It must be exceptionally tasty. Well, considering the quality of our school’s cafeteria food, it’d be hard for anything to taste bad in comparison.

Watching her, I took a bite of my pork cutlet. The outside food I hadn’t eaten in a while was indeed stimulating and delicious.

At times like this, I think it was a good decision to break the rules.

Across from me, So-yul was inhaling her spaghetti, not paying any attention to my presence.

She eats a lot for someone so small. From the looks of it, her appetite seemed much better than mine. Her eyes sparkled as if emitting light.

She looked like a hamster eating sunflower seeds, which was a bit amusing.

“Is it that good?”

When I asked briefly, So-yul answered, raising only her eyes:

“It’s super delicious. I rarely get the chance to eat this. Obviously not at school, and at home, they control my diet saying I can’t play piano well if my body gets sluggish.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

So-yul smiled brightly without reserve. There was sauce on the corner of her mouth, but she didn’t seem to notice. I decided not to point it out because it was funny.

Having your diet strictly controlled at home just so you can play piano well… I wonder how suffocatingly she’s been living. No wonder she wants to break free.

Well, regardless of her background or my relationship with So-yul, seeing someone enjoy their food always makes you feel good. Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to watch So-yul while eating my pork cutlet.

After a while like this, So-yul looked up.

“Why have you been staring at me?”

“Just thinking you’re really enjoying your food.”

“Hmm~”

So-yul made an ambiguous sound, then:

“Maybe you want to try some spaghetti too?”

“No, not really. I’m not that hungry anyway.”

“Don’t deny it.”

I’m not denying anything, I really don’t want to eat it.

Of course, she’s not the type to listen to such objections. So-yul smiled at me, then started twirling some spaghetti around her fork.

Then she held out the fork towards me and said:

“Here, say ah~”

She’s doing this now.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a bite because you want to steal your girlfriend’s food but can’t say it honestly.”

“You’re not my real girlfriend, I don’t want to steal your food, and I am being honest.”

“Come on.”

Stop with the ‘come on.’

“Besides, even if I did want to try it, eating from your fork would be a bit…”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why…”

I was dumbfounded by her obvious question. My mouth moved wordlessly, unable to produce sound.

Then So-yul touched her lips with her free hand and said:

“We’re dating… so an indirect kiss should be fine, right?”

“…What are you…”

“Heh. You’re flustered.”

Finding my reaction amusing, So-yul chuckled and brought the fork to her own mouth. She chewed and swallowed the spaghetti, a smile lingering on her face the whole time.

As expected, it seems she was just teasing me again this time.

I was exasperated that So-yul couldn’t stop her annoying behavior even while eating.

“Why do you like playing pranks so much?”

I asked, feeling incredulous. So-yul blinked her large eyes.

According to Juho, So-yul often played pranks on others normally too. Not just that, but most of her behavior towards me was playful as well.

I was curious about why she had this kind of personality.

So-yul covered her mouth as she answered my question:

“I told you before, didn’t I? I play pranks because it’s fun. Plus, your reactions are… particularly entertaining, so I can’t help teasing you more.”

Right, she did say that. Thinking back, I remember hearing something like that. At the same time, I recalled vowing never to react again. Yet I forgot and fell right into So-yul’s scheme. It was partly my fault too.

I should ignore her from now on.

Just as I made this resolution, a mischievous look appeared on So-yul’s face again.

“By the way, how’s the pork cutlet? Is it good?”

“…It’s decent enough to eat.”

“Hmm~”

So-yul drew out the end of her word, then:

“Then let me have just one bite.”

“What?”

“Ah~”

With this sound, So-yul leaned her face towards me.

Her eyes tightly closed. Her moist-looking lips slightly parted. With an expression as if expecting something.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m asking you to feed me a bite.”

“I know that’s why I’m asking.”

“Why?”

So-yul opened her eyes slightly and gave me a probing look.

“We’re dating, aren’t you willing to feed me?”

“No…”

It’s impossible to communicate with her. At this point, I should just ignore her completely as I decided earlier. If it stops being fun, she might reduce her teasing.

Even as I thought this…

At this level, I couldn’t help but feel a bit competitive.

“Heh.”

Interpreting my silence as a sign of victory, So-yul let out a small laugh and looked at me with narrowed eyes.

Meeting her gaze directly, I said:

“Fine. I’ll feed you.”

“What?”

“Come on, say ah~”

“Wh-what?”

So-yul flinched in surprise. At the same time, she hunched her shoulders and lightly bit her lip. It seemed she hadn’t expected any counterattack at all.

Of course, I had no intention of backing down. I picked up a piece of pork cutlet with my chopsticks and held it in front of So-yul’s mouth.

“What are you doing? I said say ah~”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

I nodded slightly and smirked.

“What? Don’t tell me you’re worried about an indirect kiss?”

“What? No way!”

So-yul strongly denied my words, then immediately leaned her head forward.

Then once again, she tightly closed both eyes and slightly opened her mouth.

Unlike before, she clasped her hands together on her chest. Her pink lips trembled slightly.

I put the pork cutlet between those tiny lips.

So-yul’s shoulders jerked for a moment, then she opened her eyes and started chewing the pork cutlet in her mouth. Her chewing motions seemed almost angry.

I raised one corner of my mouth and asked:

“How is it? Tasty?”

So-yul spoke with a face full of resentment:

“…Annoying.”

That’s not an answer.

She teases me all the time, but when the tables are turned, she gets annoyed. Her expression was full of irritation, her lips even pouting out. She looked quite fierce.

It was a reaction rarely seen from So-yul until now, so I found it quite funny and refreshing.

As I was enjoying this novel amusement while looking down at So-yul…

For some reason, the sound of clicking heels could be heard from outside the club room.

“…”

“…”

So-yul’s and my faces froze instantly.

Is someone just passing by? All the other club rooms on this floor had their lights off, though. Then is it a student coming to visit a club room? But in our school, the only people who would wear heels are the teachers.

Then could it be… a teacher on patrol?

Not long after this premonition crossed my mind…

The tightly closed club room door suddenly burst open.

And there stood… the notoriously strict head of student affairs.

—