“Oh, one ‘just right.’ Nine more to go. But there are actually eight left since you said you preferred this over looking at the stars earlier.”

Waving two fingers like rabbit ears, Jiho suddenly approached.

“As a commemoration for your hard work, I want to receive a reward.”

“A reward?”

“As a reward that Lajin wants to give. I want to give it to the dog who cooked delicious ramen first… Hmm.”

He shook two fingers like rabbit ears, and then Jiho leaned in suddenly.

“I want a reward for making this fantastic movie theater.”

As she lightly touched his forehead while chewing on his firm jaw, Jiho’s shoulders twitched slightly. Lajin, who raised her cheek with a slight smile, kissed his lips like stamping a praise seal.
“Can the third one be a self-made award?”

Before she could respond with a “What?” his large hand wrapped around Lajin’s neck.

As if repaying a joke, Jiho lightly nibbled at the tip of Lajin’s chin. Then, as if applying ointment, he kissed her there again. A faint citrus scent wafted from the point where their noses touched and his chest met hers.

Whether intoxicated by the fragrance or melting into the atmosphere, Lajin’s body, which had been hanging on Jiho’s shoulder, suddenly felt light.

At the moment he gently touched his lower lip, a chill ran through Lajin. She hadn’t felt the cold because of the blanket tied around her neck. Strangely, though, she shivered at his warm breath.

The air touching her cheek was cool, and his hand on her neck was warm. His firmly pressed heart raced, and Lajin’s pulse, tapping her ear, was rapid.

Everything was contradictory, but that’s what made the night more perfect.

“Lajin.”

With a low sigh, he stepped back. Using his large thumb, he gently brushed Lajin’s lips once before pressing them together again.

“Are you okay?”

Instead of answering, Lajin rested her forehead on Jiho’s shoulder. Then, she nodded slightly.

“Isn’t it too heavy?”

“Do you want to watch a movie like this?”

“Not like this… with expectations.”

The bright light from the beam projector scattered from Jiho’s facial features. He, with a picturesque smile, guided Lajin back to her place.

“Just lean on me. How about that?”

“Okay.”

“Seven more to go.”

The man who spread the crumpled blanket like a joke handed her a snack as he spoke.

When Lajin extended her right hand to show her agreement, he seized the snack. Then, in the blink of an eye, he adjusted his posture and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“How about watching the movie I starred in last year?”

“No!”

“Why not? I want to watch it.”

“Next time. It’s awkward today.”

There was no objection to his question about whether she had something she wanted to watch.

Sharing warmth while using the blank screen as a background and occasionally looking up at the sky wasn’t bad at all.

“After a blind date, when you’re dating.”

“Yes.”

“Usually, you go on a movie theater date.”

Whether it’s a drama or a movie, the scene of the main characters sitting in a movie theater always appeared inevitably.

“Due to copyright issues, usually, only the lights blink like watching a movie, and then the protagonist is shown in close-up.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Doing something completely unrelated could be quite useful at times. He always listened well to any story, but when an unknown story came up, vitality returned to his eyes. Then, he poured out stories that only he knew even more.

“Trying to eat popcorn, our fingertips touched like this.”

Touching Jiho’s fingertips like tapping a camera, Lajin looked surprised.

“Or a busy female lead in the company leans on the male lead’s shoulder and falls asleep like this.”
Leaning her round head on Jiho’s shoulder, Lajin murmured.

“Lajin, are you sleepy?”

“No, I’m thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“About… what movie to watch.”

Was Jiho shaking Lajin’s bangs his laughter or the gentle night breeze? The moment Lajin leaned on Jiho’s shoulder, everything seemed distant.

“Any genre is fine. Take your time to think.”

Did she respond with an understanding to his words? What happened to the snack she was holding? Did she put it down? Drop it? She was about to clearly say that she preferred a comedy movie over a typical romance. As she tried to recall the title of a famous movie, her thoughts were drawn away.

Indeed, today, or rather since yesterday morning, she had a busy schedule. Before considering whether she was very tired, Lajin’s power went out.

At the time when a perfect blackout lasted for a while, a faint voice gradually became clearer.

“Lajin… Lajin.”

In the oppressive silence, his voice echoed. Even if Lajin tried to answer, her tightly closed throat produced no sound.

As she struggled to lift her thin eyelids, a world that seemed like night but not night unfolded before her eyes. Did she briefly doze off while thinking of a movie title?

Lajin blinked her unresponsive eyes, trying to regain her elusive consciousness.

“Are you okay?”

Whether unable to wake her or not, Lajin nodded her head only in response to his comforting touch on her back.

“Now… what time is it?”

“11 o’clock.”

“Is that all?”

Although relieved that she hadn’t slept for too long, wait a minute. It was definitely past 3 AM, how could it be 11 o’clock? Without flipping through the time, the reason for the darkness in front of her eyes remained unexplained.

Lajin rubbed her eyes with a puzzled look, then his voice came from the sky.

“I want to put Lajin to sleep a little more.”

“I’m awake. No, I’m waking up.”

“I’ve been getting calls continuously.”

At the mention of a call, Lajin furrowed her brow. A call in the morning with no schedule? Lajin reluctantly got up.

“Ugh! Sunlight.”

“If it’s too bright, close your eyes. I’ll get the phone for you.”

His left hand shaded the sunlight, and his right hand rummaged through a snack bag.

“Who’s calling?”

With closed eyes, Lajin asked.

“…It’s the manager.”