[Nagi! This Saturday, would you like to go on a date with me?]
Late at night, Arna lay in bed clutching a manga book.
The book she was reading was a new release that had generated a lot of anticipation even before it came out.
Of course, it was just as entertaining as expected.
“Would you… not go on a date with me…?”
She mimicked a line she’d just read from the manga. However, her voice didn’t reach anyone like it did in the story; it merely echoed around the room.
“Haa…”
With a sigh, Arna put the manga she was reading aside for a moment. She hadn’t even finished half of it, but her concentration was already slipping.
“What’s wrong with me these days?”
She muttered to herself, staring at the white ceiling. It was true; lately, it had been difficult to focus on anything.
Swish.
Next, Arna placed her hand on her chest. Her heart was beating at its usual rhythm.
“…”
But her heart wasn’t. Currently, Arna’s heart felt overwhelmingly hollow.
Recently, in an attempt to fill this emptiness, Arna had tried everything without discrimination: she’d exercised vigorously, sat down to study, and even sought out delicious food.
Furthermore, she had even tried reading manga like this.
Still, it didn’t work.
There was no sign of this void being filled. If anything, it only became more pronounced.
“What is this feeling of gloom?…”
It wasn’t because someone had scolded her or because she’d seen criticism of herself online. Why did she feel so drained?
What could possibly be troubling Arna so much?
“Ugh…”
Arna pushed the manga far away and hugged her pillow tightly. Clutching something soft like this was the only way she could console her desolate heart to some extent.
“I’ve never felt like this before… I don’t know what to do!”
Then Arna began rolling around on the bed.
After rolling around on the bed, it was the next morning.
“Hi, Arna!”
As soon as she opened the classroom door, Baek Joo-hee greeted Arna. Lately, it seemed that Baek Joo-hee and Arna had become notably closer. During the midterm exams, Arna never would have imagined they’d be on such good terms.
People are indeed unpredictable.
Anyway,
“Do you like watching movies?”
Baek Joo-hee asked suddenly that morning.
“Watching movies? I, uh… I do like them…”
“Do you? Then would you like this?”
Baek Joo-hee showed her smartphone screen. There, inside, was a QR code for movie tickets, and two of them at that.
“Are you giving these to me?”
“Yeah. Remember when you helped me with my practical evaluation? It’s a thank you for that.”
“Oh…”
I didn’t expect to receive a gift like this.
Yet why did Baek Joo-hee choose movie tickets as a present?
“There’s a reason. Originally, these tickets were booked to be used with my boyfriend.”
These weren’t tickets bought for Arna from the start. They were originally intended to be used for a date with her boyfriend.
“But this week, my boyfriend suddenly has something to do. There’s an open school event next week, and he’s really busy preparing for that.”
Arna remembered something she’d overheard during a meal with Baek Joo-hee. Her boyfriend was part of the school’s administrative corps, clearly quite busy with the preparations.
“I’ve already made the reservation, and since I can’t go to the cinema, I’ve decided to give them to you, Arna.”
“Ah, that’s what happened…”
“Oh, by the way, it’s a horror movie. Are you okay with horror movies?”
“Well, for a horror movie…”
Arna encounters monsters and lesser monsters every day; ghosts like this are nothing to her.
“Then, do you want me to send the ticket to your number?”
“Ah, thank you!”
Ring!
Soon, Arna’s smartphone rang. It was a notification that the message had arrived. Inside the message was the movie ticket Baek Joo-hee had shown her earlier.
“It’s happening this Saturday, so make sure to remember. Don’t forget or anything.”
“Yes, yes…”
“Alright, I’m off.”
Humming a tune, Baek Joo-hee returned to her seat.
“…”
Arna had unexpectedly ended up with movie tickets. Not just one, but two. The seats were, of course, a couple’s seat.
While it wouldn’t be a problem to go alone, it would be a waste of the extra ticket. Out of respect for the giver, Arna thought it would be appropriate to bring someone else along…
“If it’s this weekend… Is there anyone I can go with?”
Arna glanced around the entire classroom.
There were quite a lot of students in the classroom, but she didn’t see anyone she was close enough to watch a movie with.
“Ah…”
Then,
Arna’s gaze stopped at a certain point.
Specifically, at the first row of the classroom. Shin Yoon-seong was seated there.
“Surely not… Am I crazy to even think of inviting someone like him…”
No matter how few friends she had, Shin Yoon-seong seemed to be off-limits.
Suggesting they watch a movie together, especially considering that it could be seen as a date invitation, was quite the leap.
And what’s more, suggesting a date to Shin Yoon-seong of all people? Out of all the countless people available? Rather, she might grab a stray cat and watch a movie with it.
No matter what happens, Shin Yoon-seong was absolutely out of the question. No matter what.
Clomp.
But…
For some inexplicable reason, her steps were heading towards the front row.
Arna’s body had started moving on its own, contrary to her thoughts.
“…”
The practical test we had earlier is over now. Plus, the grade I received was better than I expected.
What was it? The TA mentioned something about showing extraordinary teamwork compared to other groups.
Well, calling it “teamwork” might be a bit awkward. All I did was ride on Rashid’s back and control the spoon. I imagine I might have looked embarrassingly silly to everyone. There must not be any awakeners in this world who fight the way I do.
Anyway,
With that practical test finished, there won’t be any more exams before the final exam. The next major event will be the open school event happening next week.
The event is just an event. There’s no need for special preparations like during exams. I just have to follow everyone else and enjoy it.
It’s finally the time for me to take a breather.
“Hmm!”
Clap!
But only for a little while. Someone came barging into the seat beside me.
It was Arna.
“What’s up? You’ve been giving me a grim look since morning.”
“Wha-When did I do that? That never happened!”
Arna turned her head sharply with a humph.
Why is she acting like this since morning? She’s exerting a lot of effort on her face. There’s a sensitive side to her somewhere.
It’s like she’s nervous or something.
“You sitting there?”
I pointed to the chair Arna had taken. It was unusual for her to come and sit right by me so suddenly.
It might be the first time something like this has happened.
“Wh, who says I’m sitting here? Why would I sit next to you? Why should I take lectures sitting next to you? I’m about to get up, so don’t misinterpret anything!”
“If you’re not, then why all the fuss? You’ve been strange since early this morning. Did you do something wrong?”
“Th, that’s…!”
Arna flinched and shrugged her shoulders. Then, her gaze shifted downward from mine.
With that, Arna fell silent.
“If you don’t have anything to do, you should get up. Class will start soon.”
“…”
But Arna didn’t get up from her seat. She was still clinging to the chair. Meanwhile, she was fiddling with her mouth alone.
I don’t know what she’s trying to do.
“Alright, I’ll just move to somewhere else.”
“Wait, just a moment…!”
As I stood up from my seat, Arna quickly spoke up. Now she was apparently ready to reveal her real intention.
“Uh…so…”
But it wasn’t that easy. Arna stumbled over her words while shifting her eyes around.
Let’s give her a bit more time.
“Movie…”
“Movie?”
“This Saturday! Shall we go to see a movie?”
“What…?”
I couldn’t help but feel bewildered when I heard her words.
What did she just say? Asking me to go watch a movie? What made her suddenly act like this? Did she take some kind of medicine?
“…I got a ticket for myself…”
Arna slightly extended her smartphone. Sure enough, movie tickets were displayed there. Shockingly, the seats were couple seats.
“I thought it’d be better to go with someone if I’m already going alone…”
“Why me?”
“Eh?”
“Why me?” I asked again.
Isn’t that right? We’re not exactly on terms where we’d watch a movie together nicely. Also, there must be plenty of people Arna could’ve asked instead of me.
I was extremely curious why she was making me this proposal.
“Ugh…Ughhh…”
Arna couldn’t give me a clear answer to my question. All she did was turn bright red and fidget her fists.
Afterward, Arna shut her eyes tightly and shouted at me.
“I don’t know either, just shut up and come out this Saturday!”
The impact was immense.
