This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 26

Suffering between awkwardness and slipperiness, I somehow made it to the movie theater.

I arrived, but… why is everyone lingering outside instead of going in?

‘Could it be…’

Is it because the floor is dirty with spilled drinks, and the theater manager is blocking entrance for everyone’s sake?

No way, unless the theater manager has gone completely mad.

So then, what is it?

Did something happen inside?

“Why is everyone doing this outside?”

“Who knows? Isn’t something going on inside?”

It turns out I wasn’t the only one curious about this strange sight, as Yoonseo voiced the same thoughts I had.

And perhaps she determined that if something truly was happening inside, she could do something about it.

Yoonseo pushed her way through the group of kids gathering at the entrance to the theater.

Following her, what came into view was…

“Ugh… wow… what is this…”

It looked like someone filmed a parody of “Welcome to Dongmakgol,” with popcorn rolling around the theater floor, emitting a savory scent.

“What the heck is this?”

It was such an unexpected sight that I couldn’t help but mutter, and as I did, one of the kids who had stepped aside to let Yoonseo in slipped in beside me.

“I heard that a part-timer messed up while making popcorn and it exploded.”

“So everyone was hanging out here because of that?”

“Yeah, the manager or someone came out earlier, begging for understanding from the teacher.”

Considering the state of the path on the way here, it might actually be natural for the theater to act like that.

With the floor in such a condition, it would be a total disaster, especially with middle school kids stomping around in wet shoes that were soaked in melted popcorn.

Imagining myself as an employee working there sent shivers down my spine.

Well, judging by how things were, I figured we’d have to wait here until the popcorn field turned back into a theater floor.

However, there was just one tiny problem…

‘…it’s a bit chilly.’

That was it, but…

After Yoonseo bought an umbrella at the convenience store, she had been using it to move around, but until then, I had been getting soaked as I walked.

With the melted snow soaking my clothes combined with the biting cold wind, I was getting goosebumps.

It was exacerbated because my scarf, which usually kept me warm, was with Yoonseo.

So, without realizing it, I kept rubbing the forearm where the goosebumps were popping up.

As I was shivering, not being able to go inside didn’t sit well with our would-be hero, who also looked a bit displeased and swished her umbrella around as if throwing a tantrum.

Though Dogun mistakenly assumed Yoonseo’s actions were out of frustration, it was actually for a reason.

What more could I say?

Yoonseo was highly displeased with the situation just moments ago.

How could she feel good when Dogun was shivering from the cold right beside her?

Yet, even though they couldn’t let us in right away, the theater staff acted as if they were meticulously cleaning, and that just intensified her irritation…

‘This is annoying…’

Yoonseo definitely found it unbearable.

That’s why she swung the umbrella she was holding toward the inside of the theater.

The timing was just right.

The warm air flowing out from the theater turned the snowy debris on the umbrella into raindrops.

Thanks to that, as soon as she swung the umbrella, the droplets splattered everywhere, and in that moment, they all seemed to freeze mid-air.

Now that she had secured her hands and feet?

It was time to move.

‘…I hope this works.’

Yet, a hint of worry crept in.

She felt confident about blocking something coming her way with liquid or stopping it mid-air since it was something she had been practicing steadily since childhood thanks to Dogun’s recommendation.

But trying to lift an array of droplets all around her at once was something she had never attempted before.

Dogun had suggested that if such skill were possible, it would come in handy in certain situations, and she had continuously trained for it, but it was not as easy as merely saying it.

It would be better to manipulate a large volume of liquid all at once than to try to control countless droplets at the same time, which required insane focus.

Not to mention, it wasn’t just moving them; it involved interfering with something, which was a whole other level.

Although she had been training as Dogun suggested, the truth was she didn’t feel particularly confident.

Even after all this practice, her success rate was merely fifty-fifty.

She might fail.

But if she succeeded?

Not only would she impress Dogun, but she might also leave a great impression.

Surely, he wouldn’t have forgotten that he recommended she train in the first place.

With such thoughts in mind, she began to manipulate the raindrops suspended in the air… and as expected, it was tougher than she anticipated.

Still, she couldn’t stop controlling the droplets because the murmurs around her began to rise.

That, coupled with Dogun’s reactions, quickly filled her mind, but she focused desperately to maintain her concentration.

Of course, that wasn’t easy.

Especially the fact that her heart was pounding like crazy didn’t help at all.

But thanks to the good condition she was in today, she managed to keep her focus until the end.

The droplets she guided began to gather the scattered popcorn.

She lifted them back up and sent them flying toward the trash cans between the theater employees.

Then she released the force holding them, causing…

Pock—! Tink, tink—!

The saturated popcorn poured into the trash can like rain.

“Whoa…”

At that moment, a familiar voice filled with admiration right next to her stirred something inside.

“Did you practice a bit?”

“Hmph, this is nothing.”

Although it was far from easy, she had to say that to look cooler.

“Anyway… it was a bit chilly standing outside, but now we should be able to enter.”

True to my expectations, the moment those words escaped Dogun’s lips, someone likely the theater manager apologized for making us wait in the cold.

He bowed deeply as he addressed the younger kids in front of him.

Then, they provided us with a combo discount coupon, which unexpectedly allowed us to buy popcorn.

“By the way, what movie are we actually watching? Aren’t you going to spill the beans already?”

“Exactly.”

As we chatted while awaiting our turn, it was time for me to order what I had picked earlier.

Just as I turned my head to ask what Dogun would have, I heard…

“Make that a couple size, not a single.”

Before I could even turn my head, that comment pierced my ears first.

The one ordering was B, but suddenly A who had been standing next to him demanded a modification.

From the perspective of the part-timer manning the register, it was absolutely a confusing situation, prompting a natural question.

“Excuse me? So, should I give you the couple size instead of the single?”

Couple size.

Given the day’s circumstances and what had transpired before we got here…

Even knowing it didn’t hold a special meaning, I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.

The heart that had barely settled down began to pound again.

Perhaps that’s why I…

“Four, right?”

My voice jumped uncontrollably.

It finally hit me when I realized that.

‘Idiot…’

So, chiding myself in my mind, I nodded my head to hide my burning cheeks beneath my scarf.

At the same time, I thought to myself how glad I was that my scarf was red.

If it had been another color?

Surely, my flushed cheeks would have been obvious!

While caught up in those thoughts, our order rapidly came together and was neatly placed on the counter.

Just then, as Dogun and I were about to divide up what we had, a teacher’s voice echoed from near the entrance of the screening room.

“Alright, everyone make your way in!”

Immediately, I headed toward that voice with Dogun.

“So, what exactly are we watching?”

“…I wonder.”

Though I acted nonchalantly in response to Dogun, internally I was feeling pretty nervous.

There were all sorts of noise-makers surrounding us as we moved, but at anyway, here we were, two of us watching a movie in a theater.

Of course, I had done this several times before… but back then, I was lost in confusion, while now, my feelings for Dogun were fully conscious.

Besides, we were on the verge of a significant moment in my life.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel more aware and tense.

Could this count as our first date?

“But can we just go in and sit anywhere?”

“…I think so? From what I heard from other class kids, they rented the whole theater so others wouldn’t be bothered.”

“Oh, what a rare treat! How awesome.”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it’s graduation they’re trying to make it special.”

“Anyway… so we can just sit wherever we want?”

Heaving a sigh of relief at hearing Dogun’s response, I braced myself for the next part.

That we could really sit anywhere felt oddly liberating.

“Where are you going to sit?”

“Well… I guess the middle would be the best, huh?”

While I agreed that the middle was ideal, I wanted to avoid it.

There would absolutely be kids from our class crowding around, and that would be… uncomfortable.

“Don’t you think it’ll be noisy?”

“Hmm, true… Then how about the very back?”

“Sounds good. We could race to grab those seats when we get inside.”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. If someone spills soda, what then? I’ll be the one sprinting.”

“Then I’ll just hit the restroom first.”

“Go on, as you wish.”

After a quick strategy meeting with Dogun, we walked into the screening room and headed straight for the back.

Just as I was about to sit down, I realized…

I couldn’t.

That back seat… in its true sense… was far too intimidating.

At that moment, I was caught off guard when Dogun’s voice came from behind me.

“Aren’t you supposed to secure a seat? Why aren’t you sitting down?”

“Um, well…”

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“What’s with this? Isn’t this a couple’s seat?”