Chapter 59: The Fennec Fox’s Demise
by GideonIt was huge, too.
Jubin knew Zion’s ambition was on another level, but to go straight for the biggest one… He let out a soft sigh and smiled.
“…I definitely tried to stop him.”
He’d even given a proper warning, but Zion had paid without a moment’s hesitation. Being tall, Zion’s line of sight was higher than the claw machine.
Can he see something better from up there? Curious about his perspective, Jubin stood on tiptoe.
The claw moved decisively to the target and descended.
As the open claws dropped, Zion clicked his tongue.
“Nope, not this time.”
What does he mean, ‘not this time’? Jubin muttered a complaint, feeling like they were just throwing money away.
“See? I told you this was hard…”
“I can get it in two tries.”
Whether it was bluffing or genuine confidence, I couldn’t tell. I was more curious why he was so determined to win.
“What are you even going to do with that thing?”
He didn’t even answer, too focused on the game. He just kept nudging the joystick back and forth, then slammed the drop button.
The claw opened wide again, this time gripping the fennec fox plushie in a vice-like hold.
“Got it.”
Got what? Cha Jubin expected the claw to slowly open and drop the plushie again.
But to his surprise, it didn’t just lift it—it held on tight and moved steadily toward the exit.
This is unusual. Before he knew it, the claw, still clutching the massive fennec fox, was hovering right above the drop chute.
“Huh…”
Thud, thud, thud.
The giant plushie tumbled down the chute, landing with a loud crash.
“It actually worked…?” Jubin muttered, his voice sounding dazed.
Zion leaned down, reaching into the exit chute to pull out the fennec fox plushie. He then tucked it into Jubin’s arms.
“Here. Hold this while you watch.”
“Was this for me?”
The plushie felt surprisingly soft. Jubin couldn’t stop stroking its fur.
“You’re scared of horror movies, aren’t you?”
“How did you know?”
“Word got around.”
So much for pretending to be cool, Jubin thought. It was useless after all.
“What the hell… I hid it for nothing,” Jubin sighed, resting his chin on the plushie’s head.
“Why’d you hide it?”
“Because you like horror movies.”
His pride was on the line, but it was always easier to just go along with her.
“I thought you only wanted to watch it so you could cuddle up to me.”
At his casual flirtation, Jubin hugged the fennec fox plushie a little tighter.
“This is enough for me.”
“Just don’t hug it more than you hug me.”
“You’re the one who gave it to me, anyway.”
“Is that plushie really the same as me?”
A touch of pleasant possessiveness and jealousy tinged his voice.
As he examined the plushie more closely, he found it blatantly adorable. He gently stroked the smiling fennec fox’s eyes with his fingertips.
“You only like things that look like you, Sunbae.”
The unexpected comment caught Jubin off guard.
“What do you mean, look like me?”
“Cats, foxes, cigarettes, milk tea, hanbok, blankets, Korean food… Even the clothes you’re wearing right now are so you.”
Jubin hated being analyzed by others, but feeling exposed made him blush. He softly denied it.
“…That’s not true.”
“Ah, right.”
He leaned in close, whispering right into Jubin’s ear.
“Your sex style is so you, too.”
I shouldn’t have called him during my last heat, Jubin thought bitterly. I should have just endured it. If I’d known he’d tease me like this…
Worrying that showing his embarrassment would only encourage him, Jubin tried to keep his voice steady.
“You’ve been doing this a lot lately…”
“That’s why I’m whispering, so only you can hear me.”
Jubin was dying of anxiety that someone would catch them, yet the other man seemed increasingly indifferent to the risk.
The imbalance was frustrating. Jubin’s voice dropped, laced with a wish that they would at least be careful together.
“I need you to be more careful in public and at work,” I said, my voice dropping. “We don’t need people getting the wrong idea.”
As I let my displeasure show, Zion took a small step back.
“I’ll be more mindful. Please don’t be mad.”
He pointed to the kiosk in front of the snack bar, quickly changing the subject. “Want popcorn and soda?”
“I’ll pay for those.”
The movie was about to start, so I hurried through the payment. There would be commercials, but I figured it was best to avoid running into people as much as possible.
“Tickets, please.”
Zion deliberately lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with the employee as they checked our tickets.
“Enjoy the show.”
The theater was newly opened, and I was impressed by the wide field of vision and the massive screen. Every seat was a recliner, and as I settled in, it felt plush and comfortable.
The only downside was the heartbreaking feeling that they’d rented out the entire theater.
“I’ll put the cola here.”
The seats were so incredibly comfortable, complete with their own cup holders, yet the lack of an audience was still disappointing.
“The theaters are so empty these days.”
“Everyone’s watching on OTT services now,” Zion replied, naturally popping a piece of popcorn into Jubin’s mouth. The rich, buttery caramel flavor spread through his mouth.
“It’s still so desolate, though.”
“…It’s kind of sad.”
As Jubin scanned the empty seats with a sorrowful gaze and pouted, Zion brought another piece of popcorn to his lips.
“It’s a weekday, after all.”
Jubin chewed the popcorn he’d been fed, his cheeks puffing out. “It’ll be crowded on the weekends, right?”
“Are you worried?”
“Yeah. I wish this place were packed.”
Zion swept his gaze across the vast, empty space, then leaned in close.
“Sunbae, don’t you think we could fill every single seat in here if we made a movie together?”
The empty theater felt vast and lonely.
“I don’t know…”
He wasn’t sure, but the mere thought of it was thrilling.
“It would be amazing if that actually happened.”
Zion settled into his seat. But his legs were so long that his toes poked out past the footrest. Even the spacious recliner seemed a perfect fit for his frame.
“Your legs are seriously long…”
Finally, the lights dimmed, and the trailers began.
The movie started off slowly, but as the plot unfolded, the tension shifted. Even the ominous music, designed to build dread, sent a chill down his spine, making the fear feel all too real.
My eyes were glued to the screen, but my hands were mercilessly squeezing the fennec fox plushie’s ears.
Whenever the terror became too much to bear, I deliberately reached for the popcorn bucket Zion was holding. I hoped chewing on the popcorn would help, but once I was swallowed by fear, there was no escaping.
I kept jumping at the smallest noises, squeezing my eyes shut and holding my breath. I turned my head, wondering if I was the only one terrified.
Zion was completely absorbed, his eyes fixed on the screen in a posture of utter relaxation. He looked like he was getting a massive dopamine hit. Then, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle. I couldn’t understand what part of the movie could possibly be so amusing.
Zion was scarier than the movie.
Right, as long as you’re the only one happy here, that’s all that matters.
Determined not to disturb him, I hid behind the doll I was clutching, using it as a makeshift shield. But the booming, surround-sound effects of the movie only tightened the grip of anxiety around my heart.
My damn imagination—always so vivid at the worst possible times—was running wild, making the tension even more unbearable. I needed popcorn. Constantly. Just to keep my mind from spiraling.
Still hiding behind the doll, I reached into the popcorn bucket. Suddenly, a warm hand clamped over mine.
“Aaaaaah!!!”
Startled by the sudden touch, I shrieked, and the popcorn flew into the air.
Swoosh. The kernels scattered across the floor like fallen stars.
The hand that had grabbed mine belonged to none other than Do Zion.
“…Senior?”
Zion stared at his own hand, which Jubin had just violently shaken off, though he’d done nothing wrong. Then, he called out to Jubin, his voice laced with bewilderment.
I seriously thought it was a ghost’s hand.
“Haha, s-sorry…” Jubin stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.
He was the type to always anticipate every possible mistake, living in a state of constant vigilance. Because of this, he rarely made such clumsy, everyday blunders.
“I’ll clean it all up later.”
He usually kept his composure by mentally preparing for any situation, but his self-control had completely crumbled before this horror movie’s unpredictable plot.
The fear kept building, blurring his sense of reality until he felt as if he were trapped inside the screen.
Even the darkness of the theater was terrifying. Though Zion was right beside him, Jubin felt utterly alone.
“Let’s go.”
Zion suddenly stood up and reached out his hand, as if inviting Jubin to take it.
Jubin felt a pang of guilt, worried he’d broken Zion’s immersion in the movie. “No, it’s okay.”
“You’re scared,” Zion murmured, his voice tinged with disappointment. “Even with me here.”
Jubin felt terrible that Zion was so concerned about him. Besides, if they left now, he wouldn’t be able to properly clean up the spilled popcorn.
“Come on, get up,” Zion urged again.
Desperate to keep Zion from leaving, Jubin reached out and grabbed his hand.
Zion flinched at the sudden contact and turned his head. His hand was incredibly warm compared to Jubin’s, which was damp with nervous sweat.
Forcing a smile, Jubin spoke in a low voice. “Your hand…”
The screen flashed with an indecipherable scene.
“I guess you can just hold my hand like this.”
0 Comments