DPGR 171

The movie they planned to watch was a new release that had been getting attention lately. Since it was the weekend and the weather was clear, many people had come to see it.

“There are so many people.”

“Yeah.”

Dojin nodded and he checked Jiho’s expression. He thought Jiho would be nervous in a crowded, unfamiliar place, but Jiho was calmer than expected.

“Hyung! I’ll go buy popcorn and drinks!”

“No, I’ll…”

“Hyung, stay here!”

Dojin thought Jiho would rely on him at this point, but Jiho walked off briskly through the crowd with that same ‘mature’ look. Dojin lost sight of him in an instant and looked at his retreating back with a blank face.

Would it be alright to let Jiho go alone, or should he follow him? He worried about it, then soon shook his head.

‘I’ll just watch for now.’

Dojin saw Jiho arrive safely at the snack stand and set aside his needless worry. Whenever Jiho turned his head searching for him, Dojin waved to let him know where he was.

‘He’s managing well alone.’

Since Jiho knew Dojin was still there, he acted without hesitation, full of confidence. Dojin quietly watched Jiho tell the clerk his order and receive a ticket.

Then a girl who looked about her late teens quickly walked up to Jiho, who was waiting for his popcorn.

“……?”

She asked him something, and Jiho nodded. He pointed with his finger in a direction, so it looked like he gave her directions.

Even though this was Jiho’s first time here too.

The girl looked where he pointed and nodded. Then she said something else and held out her phone.

‘What’s that trick supposed to be?’

Dojin’s eyes narrowed. Jiho waved his hands with a slightly flustered face. The girl looked regretful, then she held out her phone again. Jiho shook his head firmly. The girl nodded and went back.

A while later Jiho returned, his arms full with popcorn and drinks.

“Hyung! Here!”

“I saw you talking to someone earlier….”

“Oh! She asked me where the theater was, so I told her.”

“……”

“Why?”

Jiho tilted his head innocently. Dojin wanted to ask if it was really only that, if they hadn’t talked about anything else, but he swallowed it.

“…Nothing.”

He did not feel good somehow.

Before, he wanted Jiho to interact with others his age, to experience different things.

Now that it happened, he did not feel happy at all. He found himself wishing Jiho would only look at him, talk only to him, spend time only with him. It was selfish, but he only could think of that.

Dojin was a little unsettled by himself.

“Hyung?”

“…Nothing. It’s almost time, let’s go in.”

“Okay.”

Dojin forced a smile. He did not want to spoil the good day by making Jiho anxious with ugly jealousy.

But…

“Oh? We meet again.”

They had gone into the theater and sat down when someone spoke to Jiho. Dojin glanced and saw the same girl sitting next to Jiho with a smile.

“Uh….”

“Did you come to watch this movie?”

“Yes.”

Jiho looked very flustered. The girl must have noticed but she whispered anyway.

“I’m excited. I’m actually a fan of Yeon Juha, the actress. I’ve been waiting for this movie for a long time.”

“I see….”

“But this is funny. Our seats ended up together. Doesn’t it feel like we came on a date? Ah, I’m joking.”

Even over the loud advertisement music in the theater, Dojin could hear her whisper.

‘I should have sat there.’

Dojin regretted putting Jiho in the inside seat and his brow furrowed. He was about to lean over and switch seats.

“Jiho….”

“Ah! Are you Esper Baek Dojin?”

“……”

“It’s you, right? Oh my god! I’m a fan!”

When the girl saw Dojin’s face properly she showed interest. Her voice rose a little, and people around them started whispering.

“Esper Baek Dojin? What, where?”

“Hey, they say Esper Baek Dojin is here!”

“Should we ask him for a picture later?”

As people stared, the girl covered her mouth and apologized. Dojin pulled his cap lower and smiled awkwardly.

“Sorry…. I’m just such a fan. Actually, after that dungeon incident, you disappeared, so I really worried a lot.”

“…It’s alright. Thank you for worrying.”

“Could I maybe get a photo with you later?”

“I came here to rest today….”

“Then! At least a handshake…!”

The girl stretched out her hand toward Dojin, ignoring Jiho now. Dojin couldn’t refuse and reluctantly took her hand and shook it lightly.

The girl squealed and hopped. “Oh my god, what do I do! I’m never washing this hand!” Dojin did not know whether to be glad or sad that her attention had moved away from Jiho.

–Kugung!

Just then the ads ended and the movie began. The lights in the theater went out and the girl leaned back quietly in her seat.

Dojin glanced at Jiho, who had suddenly gone silent, and he offered him popcorn.

“Jiho-ya, have some popcorn.”

Maybe it was the dim light, but Jiho’s face looked dark. Luckily it seemed to be only Dojin’s imagination, because Jiho smiled shyly and took a handful of popcorn from the tub in Dojin’s arms and ate.

He kept eating popcorn bit by bit, so Dojin placed the tub in Jiho’s lap altogether.

“Hyung, you’re not eating?”

Jiho whispered in his ear with a slightly surprised look. Dojin nodded, since he usually did not snack.

“Yeah. Eat as much as you want.”

“…Okay.”

Wait. Was that wrong?

Dojin looked at Jiho, who had drooped in an instant, with an nervous look. He wanted to ask why, but just then the scene came where the male lead had the accident.

–Screeeech! Bang!

It was a car accident scene. Jiho flinched at the loud crash. But as the fast development followed, he soon forgot his sulky mood and became absorbed in the movie.

Dojin felt relieved when he saw Jiho concentrating. Jiho really did want to watch this movie, because he did not take his eyes off the screen after that.

‘It must fit his taste.’

At funny parts Jiho laughed out loud, and at touching parts his eyes grew wet. Dojin barely blinked as he enjoyed Jiho’s changing expressions.

The movie itself was not bad, but Jiho’s expressions suited Dojin’s taste more.

While Dojin watched Jiho’s face without noticing time pass, the movie finally reached its climax.

–Jihyeon-ah, I’m sorry…. Can’t you forgive me just once? Please?

The male lead, who had regained his memory, came to the female lead’s house, knelt, and begged. Some people laughed at the pathetic crying, while others were moved and wiped their eyes.

Jiho was the latter.

“Sniff….”

From what Dojin knew, Jiho’s tear glands were weak. Even when a scene was not that sad, he cried when someone on TV cried.

Dojin had expected it this time too, so he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out tissues. He was about to wipe Jiho’s face when—

“Use this.”

“Thank you….”

The girl next to him handed Jiho a handkerchief. Jiho took it with thanks and dabbed at his tears. Dojin’s expression soured in an instant.

‘On a date, and he accepts a woman’s handkerchief?’

Who did Jiho come here on a date with?

Maybe she noticed his gaze, because the girl looked at him and smiled brightly. Then she winked playfully, like she was flirting.

Of course, it was aimed at Dojin and came from being a fan, not from romantic interest.

But Dojin, caught in jealousy, did not see it that way.

-♩♪♬

Not long after, the movie ended. The main couple confessed their wrongs, apologized, reconciled, married, and went through it all.

As their wedding photo appeared, the credits rolled. When the lights finally came back on, people gathered their things and stood up.

Dojin picked up the half-empty popcorn tub from Jiho’s lap and was about to get up.

“Excuse me, Esper Baek Dojin! This is a gift!”

Two young women sitting in the front row turned around and held something out. That started it, and soon people crowded around, taking pictures, talking to him, handing him little envelopes as “gifts.”

While Dojin had been distracted watching Jiho instead of the movie, they had also been distracted, secretly watching him.

Dojin had not noticed, so he was caught off guard and accepted what they gave him. Then he had to shake the hands that reached out one by one. He stood shielding Jiho with his back while Jiho froze in place, unable to stand up.

“Jiho-ya, sorry. Go out first.”

“What? But….”

Jiho hesitated, but the crowd frightened him and he had no choice but to nod.

Dojin let out a sigh of relief when he saw Jiho slip away unnoticed and unharmed.

***

A long while later, Dojin managed to get away from the people and stepped out of the theater. He called Jiho.

The phone rang a few times, then clicked on.

“Hello? Jiho-ya, where are you now?”

Jiho was not in front of the theater as Dojin expected, and he grew anxious. Fortunately Jiho’s voice sounded bright.

–Hyung! I’m at the first floor cafe.

“Ah. Good. I’ll come there.”

–Yes. No need to hurry!

Dojin hung up and quickened his steps. He had planned to take Jiho to a big bakery cafe he might like, but since Jiho was already in the first floor cafe he would have to change plans.

‘Too bad…. The bakery cafe will have to wait.’

Worried others might recognize him again, Dojin pressed his cap down low and kept his head lowered. Thanks to that, he did not meet anyone who noticed him and arrived straight at the franchise cafe on the first floor.

“Really? You’re twenty-one?”

“Yes….”

“But you look so young! I thought you were in high school.”

“Th-thank you.”

The cafe inside the theater was crowded and noisy. Through the noise, Dojin caught Jiho’s shy voice. When he turned his eyes that way, he saw the girl from the theater sitting across from Jiho, drinking coffee.