The two of them had booked seats together.
Noah leaned back in his chair, the movie still hadn't started, and the screen was filled with trailers for other films.
"Excuse me, could I squeeze by?"
Hearing this, Noah pulled his legs inward and opened his phone, starting to play a game of Candy Crush. He kept at it until his energy ran out, but his luck was terrible today—he couldn't pass a single level.
"Excuse me."
It was the same boy from earlier. Noah thought he was going to leave, so he instinctively shrank even further into his seat.
"I didn't mean that," the boy said.
Noah turned to look at him. The boy's face was fresh and youthful, exuding the typical energy and vitality of someone in their teens, though his expression seemed a little awkward.
"What do you mean, then?"
The boy scratched his head nervously, but his eyes never left Noah. "I was wondering… could I get your contact information?"
Sitting beside them, Ethan, who had been quietly watching the interaction, nearly spilled his soda in surprise.
The tides had really turned.
Noah blinked in disbelief. "How old are you?"
Judging by his appearance, the boy looked at most 20, no older.
"I'm Howard, 18 this year. Can we get to know each other?"
As Noah had guessed, the boy was much younger.
Noah glanced at his big, bright eyes and felt a little guilty. "I'm 30."
Howard wasn't an idiot. He could tell from Noah's tone what he meant, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"Are you in a relationship, then?"
Noah shook his head honestly. "No, I'm not."
Ethan, meanwhile, had completely lost his usual composure. His hands kept shifting around, unsure of what to do. He didn't know what Noah was feeling at the moment, and he certainly didn't want Noah's Messenger contact list to include a potential rival.
Just as Ethan made up his mind to give up the popcorn he had been holding for so long, he hesitated, changed his mind, and grabbed a fresh handful.
But just then, Noah spoke again, and his hand froze in midair.
"I don't have a partner, but… I already have someone I like. So, sorry, I can't share my contact details."
Howard's eyes widened. "So it's the person next to you, then?"
When Noah mentioned someone he liked, Howard had clearly noticed that Noah's gaze shifted to the man sitting beside him.
Noah gave a nonchalant shrug. "I don't think I'm obliged to tell you all of that."
He didn't intend to explain further. After all, they were strangers, and there was no need to share so much.
"Sorry to bother you," Howard said, sounding a little flustered.
When Noah turned to look at Ethan, it was only his side profile that met his eyes. Just then, the lights in the theater dimmed as the movie was about to begin, so Noah pulled his gaze away.
"Coke."
Ethan's voice was soft, almost a whisper, and it carried a bit of an edge.
The fizz of the soda popped on his tongue, but after just one sip, Noah placed the cup into the tray beside him.
The movie began right away, diving straight into the plot. A police officer received a call reporting a dead body and discovered the victim.
The deceased had once worked as a saleswoman, but after marriage, she stayed home as a full-time housewife and hadn't been working. The report came from her former colleague and close friend.
The cause of death was suspicious. According to the initial information, the woman was six months pregnant. However, despite the pregnancy, her belly appeared completely flat, as if she had never been pregnant at all. The stitches used in the autopsy were meticulously detailed, unlike typical ones.
The police began by investigating the child, suspecting someone close to the deceased might have had a motive to harm her.
Soon, they narrowed down the initial suspect—the deceased's friend and the one who had reported the crime. The police found a medical report at the friend's house, which had a glaring diagnosis: infertility.
The initial theory was that the friend might have been jealous of the deceased's pregnancy and had become mentally unstable.
"Do you think she's the killer?"
Noah shook his head. Based on all the films he'd watched, the first suspect was rarely the real killer.
Since they were in a theater, Ethan had leaned in close to speak to him, his voice a soft murmur in Noah's ear.
The warm, intimate breath brushing his skin sent a subtle thrill down Noah's spine.
Oblivious to his effect on Noah, Ethan remained focused on the movie.
The second suspect the police considered was the victim's husband. They discovered from the deceased's phone records that she had been very close to a male friend. Close enough that the husband suspected the child might not be his.
Of course, these suspicions weren't just baseless. The husband had carefully calculated the dates of the pregnancy and discovered that during the critical time, he hadn't been intimate with his wife at all. The seed of doubt about who the real father of the child was quickly took root in his mind.
However, the husband's alibi cleared him of suspicion almost immediately. While he suspected his wife of infidelity, he hadn't reached the point of considering murder.
The case then stalled, unable to identify a third suspect.
Noah munched on some sweet caramel popcorn, the crisp sound of each bite filling the silence. He already had a pretty good idea of who the killer was.
To keep the audience engaged, the director had left a deliberate close-up shot early in the film. You have to believe that every frame in a movie has its own specific meaning.
The plot then shifted to trace the victim's past. Before coming to C City, the victim had gone on a blind date with a vet in her hometown. Later, with the help of connections, she found a job in the city, and her beauty led her to meet her future husband. Comparing the two, the victim quickly made her choice and kicked the vet to the curb.
But when the police visited the vet's clinic, they were told he had never left the town. The lead went cold.
The sugar from the popcorn stuck to Noah's fingers, making them feel sticky and uncomfortable. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and rubbed his fingers, but the paper itself got stuck to his fingers as well.
Noah sighed. He'd have to wait until the movie was over and then head to the restroom to wash his hands.
Just then, a wet wipe was handed to him. Noah took it and leaned in slightly. "Where did this come from?"
"I got it when I bought the popcorn," Ethan replied.
Noah wiped his fingers clean, making sure to get between every crevice, leaving no spot untouched.
By the time the movie reached its second half, it took a dramatic turn. The police officer in charge of the case ran into the vet on the streets of C City, the one who had been ruled out due to his alibi. It turned out the vet had a twin brother.
At this point, the case was nearing its conclusion. The vet finally confessed to his crime, explaining both his motive and method.
In the final scene, the camera focused on a specimen—an infant that was now visibly formed.
But as for who the baby's real father was, that mystery was left unanswered.