“Huh? Uh… I…”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Ina stumbled over her words with a flustered expression. Siwoo let out a small chuckle.

“I’m just kidding. It was just a playful question, but seeing you so flustered makes me feel bad.”

“Oh. It was a joke? I thought you were asking seriously…”

“Did you think, ‘This guy is completely crazy’?”

“What? No. I absolutely didn’t think that.”

As Ina’s face turned red while strongly denying it and waving her hands, Siwoo laughed out loud.

“Ina, you seem like the type who’s easy to tease.”

“Huh? No, I’m not…”

However, contrary to her words, Siwoo looked at Ina’s face that had turned as red as a beet with amused eyes and asked,

“By any chance, are you free next week?”

“Next week?”

“Yeah. I was thinking the three of us could have a meal together with Hyunju.”

“Oh. A meal…”

“Yeah. Can you ask Hyunju and let me know? I’m good any day except Friday.”

“Sure. Okay. I’ll ask and let you know.”

“Great.”

Siwoo smiled with satisfaction and finished his remaining coffee. Ina also finished her coffee.

A little later, Siwoo, who had driven Ina to the villa where she lived, extended his hand to her.

“Ina. It was really nice to see you today.”

“Yeah. Me too, it was nice.”

As Ina reached out her hand, Siwoo’s large hand gently enveloped Ina’s small one.

She could feel the warmth from Siwoo’s hand.

“Go in safely, and have a good rest of your weekend. Enjoy the movie too…”

“Yeah. You go in safely too and have a nice weekend.”

“Okay. See you next week. Go on in.”

“Alright. I’ll go in first then.”

Ina waved to Siwoo and turned around to enter the villa.

After Ina went in, Siwoo quietly gazed at the villa for a moment before turning around and walking away.

* * *

Sunday morning arrived.

Ina, who woke up at 9 o’clock, had a simple breakfast of toast and then brewed a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa.

Just as she was about to turn on the TV, the phone rang. It was Hyunju.

“Hello?”

−Oh. Are you awake?

“Yeah. I got up a while ago. But why are you calling so early in the morning?”

−Hey. You need to report what happened after I left yesterday, don’t you think?

“What report?”

−You have to tell me what happened with Siwoo. I was dying of curiosity last night.

“What happened with what? We just had a cup of coffee and parted ways.”

−Hmm… Is that so? Siwoo didn’t say anything special?

“What special thing would he say? We just talked about this and that and said goodbye.”

−Really? That’s strange. But well, Siwoo isn’t the type to rush things at the first meeting.

“Rush what? Are you going to say weird things from the morning?”

−Anyway, did Siwoo not mention meeting again?

“He said the three of us should have a meal together next Tuesday or Thursday.”

−A meal?

“Yeah. When are you free?”

−Hmm… This seems like he finds it awkward for just the two of you, so he’s suggesting the three of us meet.

“Hey. Park Hyunju.”

−Okay, okay. Then let’s meet on Tuesday. What are you doing today? If you don’t have plans, want to have lunch with me?

“No. I have plans later.”

−Plans? Who are you meeting?

“I’m supposed to see a movie with Juwon.”

−What?

Before Hyunju could say something absurd again, Ina took the lead.

“You’re going to try to attach some weird meaning again, aren’t you? He helped me a lot recently, so I’m just treating him to a movie, that’s all.”

−No, hey. On this precious weekend, a man and woman are going to see a movie together, how can there be no meaning attached to that?

“You don’t watch zombie movies. We’re going to see a zombie movie.”

−Well, it’s true I don’t watch them, but still… Something smells fishy.

“Hey. If you keep talking nonsense, I’m hanging up.”

−Alright. Fine. Well, enjoy the movie and make sure to summon Lee Juwon soon. Got it? This unni needs to see him in person and judge for herself.

As Ina was about to say something else, Hyunju said goodbye first and hung up the phone.

Ina shook her head, feeling a headache coming on from Hyunju’s words, and brought the coffee to her lips.

When it was 10:30, Ina took a quick shower, dried her hair, and opened the closet.

Originally, she was going to wear the new skirt she bought, but Hyunju’s words about “a man and woman on the weekend” bothered her, so she just put on a light pink sweater and black jeans and did light makeup.

Just as she was putting on earrings, Juwon called.

“Hello?”

−I think I’ll arrive in about 5 minutes, can you come down and wait?

“Oh. Okay. Got it.”

As Ina went downstairs to the first floor, Juwon’s car pulled up in front of her.

Ina opened the passenger door and got in, turning her head to greet Juwon.

For some reason, his bangs that were always up were naturally down today, and he was wearing a white t-shirt with a beige cardigan. He looked so fresh.

It felt like a sweet melody would start playing at any moment and flower petals would rain down above Juwon’s head.

“Why are you staring like that?”

Juwon asked as if Ina staring at him was strange.

“Huh? Oh… You look kind of pretty today.”

“…What?”

Juwon asked back as if he misheard something.

“No, with your bangs down and dressed like this… You look really fresh.”

Juwon narrowed his eyes and looked at Ina.

“Fresh… you say?”

“Yeah. Fresh and pretty.”

Juwon blinked like a robot and spoke to Ina.

“Isn’t that… usually what a man says to a woman?”

“If someone’s pretty and fresh, what does gender matter?”

Ina answered with a giggle.

Juwon gave a fake cough and looked forward again.

“Did you think about what to eat?”

“You? Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Not really. Let’s just eat what you want.”

“Then, um… There’s a place near the theater that makes really good handmade burgers, want to go there?”

“Sure. Why not.”

Ina told Juwon the address and the car soon departed.

* * *

The handmade burger place on Sunday afternoon was bustling with people, and Ina and Juwon barely managed to find seats and sit down.

“I’ll go order and come back. Wait here.”

Ina stopped Juwon who was about to take out his wallet and quickly went to the counter.

After ordering the most popular couple set, she came back and sat down. About 20 minutes later, the buzzer rang.

Juwon got up, went to the counter, and came back carrying two trays.

As Juwon put the trays on the table, Ina looked at the burgers with an ecstatic expression.

“Juwon. The visuals are no joke, right? This place is super famous, it’s even featured in magazines.”

“Yeah. It looks delicious.”

Juwon nodded and brought the lemonade to his lips.

Ina picked up a French fry and ate it, then looked satisfied and held one out to Juwon.

“Try this. The fries here are much plumper and tastier than other places.”

Juwon, who was drinking the lemonade, took the fry from Ina and brought it to his mouth.

“Mm. It’s good.”

“Try the burger too. The patty is super thick.”

Juwon picked up the burger and took a big bite.

After chewing a few times, Juwon nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. It’s really thick and delicious.”

“Right? It’s good, right? I sometimes come here to eat because the burgers are so tasty.”

Ina grinned and took a bite of her own burger.

Ina savored the meaty patty and fresh vegetables filling her mouth, a blissful smile on her face.

“Ah, it’s just so delicious.”

A bit of burger sauce smeared next to Ina’s lips as she smiled ear to ear.

Juwon took out a napkin and gently handed it to Ina.

“Huh? Did I get some on me?”

Ina asked, her eyes wide.

“A little here.”

Juwon smiled and pointed to the right side of Ina’s lips.

“I always get it on me whenever I eat burgers.”

Ina laughed embarrassedly and brought the napkin to her mouth.

Juwon chuckled watching her.

* * *

After eating the burgers, the two went into the movie theater.

As soon as they printed the tickets, Ina grabbed Juwon’s arm and pointed to the concession stand.

“Let’s go get combo #3 now.”

Juwon looked at Ina with amazed eyes.

“We just ate burgers, that’s going to fit in your stomach?”

“Of course, there’s a separate stomach for popcorn.”

Juwon tilted his head and glanced at Ina’s stomach.

“Hey, where are you looking?”

Ina covered her cute belly with both hands.

“I’m telling you, things like popcorn disappear quickly when you eat them during the movie.”

Faced with Ina’s determination to secure combo #3 at all costs, Juwon nodded with a laugh.

“Okay. Got it. Let’s get it. Combo #3.”

Juwon handed his card to the employee and placed the order.

A moment later, Juwon received two cups of cola and nachos, while Ina took the large popcorn bucket.

A sweet caramel scent wafted up from the popcorn bucket.

Ina happily savored that aroma to her heart’s content.

The two headed to the escalator to go up to the 6th floor where theater 3 was located.

It was a narrow escalator that only one person could ride at a time, so Ina got on first and Juwon stood behind her.

Standing one step above, Ina picked up a piece of popcorn, ate it, and made a satisfied expression.

Then she turned around and looked at Juwon.

Standing one step below, Juwon’s eye level was almost the same as Ina’s.

“Try it. It’s good.”

Juwon stared at the popcorn Ina held out, then looked at her.

“I’m telling you it’s good.”

As Ina urged him to hurry and try it, Juwon smoothly leaned forward.

And the moment he tilted his head slightly and parted his lips, Ina’s eyes grew round.

She definitely thought he would take it with his hand, but his face came right up to her, and that sight looked momentarily captivating.

As Juwon’s approaching lips picked up the popcorn in slow motion, they lightly brushed Ina’s fingertips.

In that instant, Ina felt a tingling sensation as if she had been electrocuted.

Hiding her trembling fingers, Ina quickly turned her body forward.

‘What the! Why am I tingling and going crazy?’

And as her heart started pounding like mad, Ina’s nostrils flared.

‘No, why is my heart going crazy too? Hey. Are you crazy?’

Wishing she could rip out her heart and give it a piece of her mind, Ina hastily got off the escalator.

Juwon, who got off after her, looked down at Ina whose face had turned red.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh? It’s nothing!”

Ina, startled, quickly answered and shook her head.

Avoiding Juwon’s eyes that were looking at her puzzledly, Ina swiftly entered theater 3.

Juwon tilted his head and followed Ina up to row N.

Ina was about to go in first, but Juwon noticed two men sitting next to their seats. So Juwon lightly tugged on Ina’s arm.

“Hm?”

When Ina looked at him, Juwon said he would go in and sit first.

“Oh? Oh. Okay.”

As Ina moved aside, Juwon went in and sat down first, and Ina sat next to him.

For some reason, he didn’t like the idea of Ina sitting next to those men.

Juwon was smiling with satisfaction when a couple came towards row N a little later. The man came in first and sat next to Ina, and the woman sat next to the man.

Seeing that, Juwon furrowed his brow.

‘I changed seats, but another man is sitting next to her?’

As Juwon stared at the couple with dissatisfied eyes, he thought, should he reserve a couple seat next time where just the two of them could sit? Then he was startled.

Ina wasn’t even his girlfriend, but he naturally thought of a couple seat, which surprised himself.

As he looked at Ina with a slightly dazed expression, Ina, sensing Juwon’s gaze, turned her head and looked at him. And soon, she flashed a bright smile at Juwon.

At that smile, Juwon’s heart stopped with a thump.

Thump thump, thump thump…

In that moment, the flower bud of emotions that had been accumulating little by little without him realizing burst open.

And Juwon realized.

That he liked this pretty woman with chestnut-colored eyes.