"I'm sorry, I feel like I've made you uncomfortable for no reason…"
"It's okay, we should clear up any curiosity."
Yoomin took me to the audio-visual room, but given that it was Victory Academy, the grandeur of it was quite something. They had a variety of rooms, from private ones to group viewing spaces, and a comprehensive collection of the latest movies, all officially purchased. The fact that they even had a supply of snacks and drinks made it resemble more of a miniature cinema rather than an audio-visual room.
"I'll pick the movie; you can just bring the snacks and drinks."
"Sure thing!"
Even if she tried to put on a facade, the forced cheerfulness was evident.
I pitied Minsoo, but my sympathy tilted even more toward the girl who would usually have zero to do with someone like him. Here she was, the classic Instagram influencer type, entangled with a meek character solely due to the novel's whims. It's only fitting to step in and rescue her.
Wow, they even have adult movies here.
It's perfect to set the mood.
The movies didn't seem to differ much no matter where I looked. The descriptions on the back of the DVDs were all quite similar. Among them, I found one with a sex scene around the middle, using my phone, and I went into the room.
The group viewing space turned out to be smaller than my expectations. I couldn't say for sure if it was intentional, but the seats were snugly close, and there were no armrests, reminding me of cinema-style bed seats.
For some inexplicable reason, the trash can in the corner appeared to contain two or three used condoms when opened. The academy didn't seem to prohibit this, so it felt even more like an adult space.
Yoomin, too, seemed to have an idea of what was going on, as she covered her skirt with a knee blanket. It was amusing how she stretched her legs as naturally as possible, casually took off her cardigan to reveal her shirt, and tapped the seat next to her.
"That… So this is the only place we can have some privacy? Is it… alright?" The moment I uttered those words, the awkwardness hung in the air like a heavy cloud.
Well, if it were that natural, we wouldn't have ended up here.
I smoothly took my seat, subtly inching a bit closer to Yoomin. We shifted back and forth, getting just close enough for our hips to slightly touch, and I could see her flinch.
"Of course, it's fine. I'm the one who suggested we have our conversation here in the first place."
Now was the moment to drop breadcrumbs without reservation.
"But why are you curious? Do you happen to be in a relationship?"
This question is pivotal.
"Uh, no, I'm single, of course. It's just that a friend of mine has been going through a tough time with this lately… so I offered to lend an ear and provide some advice…"
It was fortunate. If she confessed, "Yeah, I'm dating Minsoo, and he wanted to keep it a secret, so I'm feeling troubled," things would have taken a complicated turn. It would have indicated a proactive intent to bridge the emotional gap by confessing that she was dating Minsoo.
As I began the movie, I lay diagonally, using my hand as a makeshift pillow, and inquired, "Oh… a friend? So, how far have they gone with their partner in their secret relationship?"
"How far?"
"I mean, even in a secret relationship, when there's a lot of love, people tend to become quite forward, even wanting to kiss and such."
"Do guys really think that way?!!"
That's the reason I put my hands behind my head. In a split second, I needed to shield my ears because she was practically shouting. I could predict the decibels she was about to hit; otherwise, my eardrums would have been in serious trouble.
Was that the motivation for choosing this movie theater? It certainly seemed like it. It must have top-notch soundproofing.
"Yoomin, I haven't gone deaf… You can speak softly…"
"Oops… my bad…"
It was all calculated. I gestured, observing Yoomin slightly lowering her body. It was an invitation to come closer, to lie down nearby.
It would have been rather awkward to directly ask her to lie down right from the start. Even if someone lacked awareness, how could they share a bed with a stranger in a private room when they already had a boyfriend? Not feeling uncomfortable was the strange part.
However, the quickest way to get close in a short time was through physical proximity. Sacrificing my eardrums was a small price to pay.
"Well, um… So, my friend's boyfriend… They're in a secret relationship, but how far have they gone… Isn't it different for everyone? And he might be a bit… shy about it…"
"So, how far have they gone?"
"They… they held hands…"
Honestly, it would be embarrassing to say it openly. Even kids in kindergarten held hands with their playmates. But for adults to have only gone as far as holding hands, even if she pretended to be talking about her friend's story, it would still make her cringe.
Well, I can solve that problem.
I suddenly grabbed Yoomin's hand. She seemed surprised, with her eyes widening as if she hadn't expected it. I didn't hesitate and immediately wrapped my fingers around hers.
"Look at this. Just because we're holding hands right now doesn't mean we're dating. It's not like that."
"Y-Yeah, you're right…"
If Kim Minsoo caught wind of this, I'm pretty sure he'd storm over here, yelling his lungs out. Witnessing his girlfriend with two shirt buttons nonchalantly unfastened, revealing some cleavage, lying beside a guy who seemed like a total delinquent…
Maybe he already knows. Perhaps he's waiting outside the school gate, fully aware but unwilling to confront the situation, simply because he doesn't want Yoo Min to hate him.
"In my opinion, your friend should probably consider ending the relationship soon… I don't have much dating experience, but honestly, it does seem a bit fishy, don't you think?"
Yoomin nonchalantly fixed her hair, casting occasional glances my way. Each time I nodded slightly, my attention was inevitably pulled in her direction. I struggled to avert my gaze from her chest, though I couldn't help but toy with the temptation of slipping a finger into that inviting valley.
"Well… they haven't even kissed or anything. If the guy can only hold her hand like this, maybe he's not that invested because he's seeing someone else…?"
"Should she ask him?! Maybe he'd confess?"
That was definitely a bad idea. There was a high chance that it would just lead to a minor lovers' quarrel. What if Yoomin asked Kim Minsoo, and he suddenly kissed her passionately, saying, "That's not true! My feelings are like this!"?
I can never have Yoomin all to myself.
Right now, I needed to prevent Yoomin from talking to Kim Minsoo about this dilemma and clearing up the misunderstanding.
"He won't be honest. He'll just claim it's a misunderstanding."
"But he doesn't have another girl… I can tell…"
"So, he's running a whole fishery, essentially, casually dating around. It's a much bigger deal, you know."
"Oh, no way… Min—I mean… Her boyfriend isn't like that…" Her assurance faltered as her voice grew shaky.
Yoomin's once-confident expression now took on a darker tone, as she slowly realized that the conversation was deepening with every exchange.
At the beginning, it might have been playful, a jest or an act of feigned anger. But as the dialogue continued, it began to sound strangely convincing. She might even find herself revisiting past memories, attempting to assemble the puzzle on her own. Relationships do tend to crumble in such a fashion.
My hand is the one you're grasping now.
I contemplated releasing it, fearing it might become uncomfortable, but Yoomin, on the contrary, held my hand firmly. The uneasiness permeated through my skin, and the sensation was oddly pleasurable.
The movie provided an apt backdrop of sound. Typically, when two people find themselves in a quiet space together, no matter how well-acquainted, it often grows awkward. Yet, the movie effectively served as a white noise generator.
On the screen, the couple appeared on the brink of getting down and dirty as they shared a passionate kiss.
"Still, fortunately, it's not happening to you."
Am I being too selfish? As I voiced that, I naturally released the hand I was holding. The moment it was let go, Yoomin's slightly disappointed expression was quite evident.
I could see the relationship between the class representative and the transfer student was gradually shifting toward a more romantic dynamic.
I gently placed my hand on Yoomin's shoulder, pulling her closer as if to comfort her. I looked into her eyes, conveying the sentiment that I was glad she wasn't going through such a situation.
"I'd be so sad if anything like that happened to you."
"Why… Why would you say that?"
Her eyes reminded me of Puss in Boots from the movie.
It was the moment when she had rationalized everything herself. Even if she thought Kim Minsoo couldn't be that kind of guy, her thoughts kept escalating minor issues into the worst possible outcomes. She was more afraid of being abandoned than not knowing if they'd break up, more terrified of not feeling warmth again. And that's why she asked.
With hope filling her eyes, she lifted her gaze towards me as if to say, "Could you bring the warmth if it were you?"
Nestled in my arms, she held onto my body with one hand, yearning for more. It's incredible how the atmosphere can completely transform people. The dimly lit room, the faint sound of flesh mingling echoing from the screen.
Eternal love doesn't exist. We merely pray for it.
We kissed as if we were in a movie scene. Our lips met, our tongues danced, and we shared breaths as our bodies drew closer. The sensation of her chest beneath her unbuttoned shirt flowed seamlessly. Without hesitation, we were consumed by desire.
Maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, or perhaps a way to get back at her boyfriend. However, I had no intention of letting the woman who straddled me, her mouth locked with mine, her hands cupping my cheek, slip away easily.
I grasped her thigh and moved her body slightly down. Right where my manhood and her most intimate area met, we fervently exchanged saliva.
Moving my hips, I gently rubbed my penis against her pussy through the fabric. Maybe due to her lack of experience, her hips trembled, as it had only been moments since we made contact. Her eyes slowly opened, but our lips continued their passionate dance.
"Taeyang, I… I… actually…"
She struggled to speak as her breathlessness made it difficult to suck and lick.
It was obvious what she was going to say, "I have a boyfriend, I'm dating Minsoo." It was likely going to be that kind of story. Once she said it, there was no going back. Until she uttered it, officially, Yoomin was single.
"Give me a chance, Yoomin."
With an expression that seemed to anticipate her every word, I raised my upper body. We were so close that our breaths nearly mingled. Her eyes met mine. Pupils shook in surprise at the unexpected situation, saliva dripped from her slightly parted lips, and even my fingers traced the edge of her skirt, hesitating.
More than her boyfriend, who never trusted her, today, in front of the dependable guy she had just met, Yoomin eventually nodded her head.
With a gesture that seemed like permission, our lips met again, and our bodies intertwined. We mixed tongues and sucked each other's mouths, moving our bodies together.
I laid Yoomin on the bed, looking down at her and gently stroking her hair. She tilted her head slightly, as if embarrassed as I grabbed the hem of her skirt and slowly lifted it up.
She pleaded for more, even as her inner curves of her breasts, which her bra couldn't conceal, protruded as her shirt buttons came undone.