***
At my bold words, hyung laughed for quite a while as if dumbfounded. Honestly, if he’d said no, I would’ve had no choice but to obediently go home.
But surprisingly, hyung was cooperative when I was honest. Hyung turned the car toward the movie theater without any conditions. I had to calm my shocked heart the entire way to the theater.
Hyung even bought me the large popcorn and cola at the movie theater. I was so nervous I felt like I could drink both colas, mine and hyung’s.
When I sat side by side with hyung in the movie theater seats holding popcorn, I felt like my heart would burst.
No matter how much I tried to calm down, I couldn’t. This felt way too much like going on a date with hyung.
While the ads were playing, I took selfies from various angles to include hyung in them.
“Hajin-ah, how many are you going to take?”
Hyung, who had been staying still without paying attention as if my antics were funny, finally burst into laughter. I took advantage of that moment to take about 17 more.
“Hyung-nim, I really wanted to see this movie. I have to brag to my friends tomorrow!”
“When was the last time I watched a movie with Hajin? Was it when we saw Pupu and Rami’s Adventure Diary 2?”
It would’ve been perfect if not for that comment.
“……I don’t remember.”
I want to look only toward the future with hyung without the past, but whenever hyung sees me, he always talks about the past.
The last movie we watched together was ‘Pupu and Rami’s Adventure Diary 3’. Hyung’s memory was pretty close to the correct answer, but I didn’t respond.
While eating handfuls of popcorn and watching the movie, I suddenly had this thought. It would’ve been nice if it was a romance movie!
But the movie I’d picked without thinking earlier was a run-of-the-mill Hollywood action movie. The only romantic scene was when the protagonist suddenly kissed an old lover about 50 minutes into the movie.
On the way home after the movie ended, the night air was cold. So hyung stopped the car midway and bought warm rosemary tea and placed it in my hands.
“Hyung-nim, thank you for today. It was really, really fun.”
As I sipped it, my body quickly warmed up. As expected, I couldn’t help but love hyung. How could I not like him when he’s like this?
And hyung seemed completely determined to lift my mood before going home. While driving, he suddenly started complimenting my hair.
“The more I look at Hajin’s hair, the more charming it is. You’ll probably be really popular with kids your age. Go to school tomorrow. Everyone will only compliment you.”
Kids my age.
I immediately stared out the window with a complicated feeling. The person I want to look good to is 31-year-old hyung-nim, but kids my age……
“So I’m telling you to cheer up now, how about it. Did you?”
“Not yet.”
“Hajin-ah. Give hyung a break.”
Now hyung let out a sigh mixed with laughter. Even I could see my grudge-holding was excessive, but I’d just gotten upset again at the mention of my peers.
“It’s because hyung-nim always says I’m young, so that’s why I’m acting spoiled too.”
“How did you survive all this time unable to show when you were sulking?”
Hyung shook his head. The expression of letting out a laugh mixed with a sigh looked happy. That smile made my heart flutter somehow, so I had to stare out the window again to calm my heart.
“Oh? We’re almost there now.”
Before I knew it, while talking, we’d arrived in front of the house. The car stopped at the park right in front of the officetel. I looked around at the unexpected location.
I don’t know for sure, but taking a walk in the park would complete the date. I started racking my brain on how to coax hyung into getting out of the car.
“Hajin-ah.”
But that’s when it happened.
“If I do the bucket list with you, will you cheer up?”
“……!”
I quickly raised my head.
My heart thumped.
Tree shadows swayed under the calm streetlight. Only a few people enjoying walks passed by on the street here and there.
Fallen leaves flew in the quiet wind. I asked blankly.
“……Really?”
The light inside the car cast shadows on hyung’s face. Neatly combed-back hair, distinct features, and softly smiling lips.
“But…… you said you didn’t know what I might add.”
“Even so, I think it’s better for you to cause trouble in front of me than to go somewhere else and cause trouble.”
Hyung’s gaze still lingered on me.
“And hyung did wrong to Hajin today.”
“……”
“Aren’t you too surprised? This is getting a bit scary.”
I reflexively thrust my fist toward hyung so as not to miss this rare opportunity.
Hyung raised one eyebrow.
Ah, that’s not it. I extended only my pinky finger while keeping my fist clenched.
“Hyung-nim, then please promise me.”
Hyung moved slowly. A much larger hand approached, and the long fingers hesitated for a moment before lightly wrapping around my finger.
“Okay, promise.”
Hyung’s hand was warm. I let out a trembling breath.
“Stamp too.”
“Stamp too.”
At my words, thumb immediately touched thumb. Then hyung asked.
“Should we copy it too?”
I nodded as if entranced. Hyung’s eyes curved slightly.
Soon after, our palms overlapped, and skin brushed against skin with slight weight.
That’s it!
“The things I want to do before I die…… hyung-nim will do them with me. Anything.”
“Yeah.”
My heart beat like crazy. I didn’t know hyung would promise so easily. It was a tremendous opportunity for me who had always only watched hyung from afar.
“What should we start with? Looking at what I saw earlier, it’s not something we can do right away today, so we’ll need to set a separate date.”
“There is something I want to do right away though.”
“Really? What is it?”
Eating meat with hyung today was good, and watching a movie together while eating popcorn was good too. And my heart fluttered when we were driving while I drank the rosemary tea hyung bought me.
So today felt like a date with hyung that would never happen again, the first and last.
So I wanted to make it perfect until the end.
No matter what happened later, I felt like I could endure just by thinking about today.
Even if it was just a date in name only, it wasn’t a love that only failed, and I could comfort myself like that.
“Hajin-ah?”
I’d clearly tried not to think about my miserable future for the time being, but my eyes naturally became moist. I hurriedly blinked.
“Actually, there’s something that’s been added in the meantime……”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“I think I can do it right now.”
Hyung asked generously as if waiting for my words. There was no sign of rushing at all. Encouraged by hyung’s warm gaze, I slowly opened my mouth.
“A second kiss.”
Hyung’s face instantly hardened.
“Please kiss me like last time, hyung-nim.”
Silence filled the car.
“……I said I forgot what happened before so I don’t remember.”
I watched carefully in the continuing silence, and hyung had eyes deeply absorbed in thought.
At that moment, hyung unbuckled his seatbelt. As hyung’s upper body, grabbing the passenger seat headrest, came closer, the familiar scent rushed deeply into my lungs.
“Hajin-ah.”
“Yes……?”
“Are you serious?”
I could see hyung’s eyes slowly scanning my face. During that time, not knowing where to put my gaze, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“This one doesn’t know how scary alphas are since last time.”
“……”
I barely opened one eye. As expected, way too close. Moreover, hyung’s eyes right now looked like he’d kiss me at any moment.
“Didn’t you feel anything last time? I’m the person who raised you, shouldn’t I not do this, I can’t handle this, things like that.”
Handling or whatever, my desire to kiss hyung was the greatest.
Seeing hyung’s face up close still felt like my heart would burst. But I mustered courage and slowly raised my gaze.
Finally, when I stared straight into his eyes, a crack formed in hyung’s brow.
“……Anyway, hyung-nim doesn’t see me as an omega either. So I think it doesn’t matter.”
A breathtaking silence flowed. Actually, I know too that I made an unreasonable request.
As the silence continued, the crack in hyung’s brow deepened. I quietly swallowed dry saliva.
My stomach gradually tingled. I didn’t know if it was because of nervousness or some other reason. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to back down.
Hyung still had his arm propped by my head. His gaze slowly scanned my face again.
Eyes, nose, and lips.
Hyung was like a troubled parent before a whining child.
But at the same time, he also looked like he was holding something back. Maybe it’s just my delusion again, probably certainly so……
But at least that’s how it looked to my eyes right now.
