. Late-night Escapades

[O]nce outside, Lee Ju-hee quickly released his hand, as if recoiling from a burn. Lost in her thoughts, she picked up her pace, trying to escape her own mind.

Yoo Jin-ho, who was trailing closely behind, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the sudden disconnection as it made him feel like she could vanish at any moment.

A gentle grasp on the edge of her sleeve brought her to a halt. Her blue eyes searching intently with a cold, detached expression from above her shoulder.

His face was faintly flushed, his cheeks and ears tinged in a light shade of pink. His eyes, deep brown and filled with drowsiness, gazed at her intensely, drawing her in. She couldn't help but find his handsome face even more captivating in his slightly sleepy state.

"Is this the moment we're suppose to bid each other's farewell?" he asked abruptly, his tone lacking any enthusiasm or interest.

It was as if he had transformed into a different person, devoid of the goofiness, clumsiness, and awkward speech.

Was it the effect of alcohol? Could it really alter someone's personality to such a degree?

He appeared more confident and direct, asking without hesitation, "Do you need to leave? Like, immediately?"

"Shouldn't I?"

"No!"

"No?"

"No!" He exclaimed, his voice carrying a hint of firmness and a touch of nonchalant charm. The alcohol had loosened his tongue, making him more direct as he pleaded, "Stick around! Just a bit longer!"

"Why should I?"

Refusing to back down, he countered with a question of his own: "Why can't you?"

He wasn't intentionally being persistent, but rather curious about her current thoughts about him.

Was his company such a bother?

Yet, for Yoo Jin-ho, there was an indescribable desire to hold onto that unspoken sense of solace, that bit of reassurance she provided.

"Okay," she finally relented, sensing the mixed emotions in his eyes, and suggested with a soft tone, "I actually had something else in mind anyway!"

He was intrigued and asked, "What is it?"

"An arcade!" She stated plainly. "I think I saw one nearby. Interested in giving it a try?"

He shrugged, feeling relieved that she wasn't leaving just yet, and replied, "Sure, why not!"

"Shall we go then?!"

"I'll lead the way!" He offered good-naturedly, walking ahead of her but keeping a gentle hold on her sleeve.

It was clear to Yoo Jin-ho that Lee Ju-hee was hesitant about any physical contact. He found it intriguing, as he wondered why she avoided it so strongly. However, he wasn't sure if he should ask her about it. He feared that she might get angry and leave if he overstepped his boundaries.

As they walked through the lively streets, with streetlights and neon signs casting a soft glow, a gentle breeze played with her hair, which peeked out from under her cap.

To her surprise, he navigated the streets with ease, leading them to their destination in no time.

They stood outside the entrance, observing the establishment that seemed popular among high school students.

She had never been to such a place before, and a hint of hesitation and nervousness crept in. It felt like crossing a boundary, stepping out of her comfort zone.

"What's wrong?" He inquired, noticing her slight discomfort.

"Oh, nothing."

"Have you never been to an arcade before?"

She shook her head in response, impressed by his perceptiveness. Then, curious, she asked, "Have you?"

"I've been to it a few times, nothing special," he replied nonchalantly, downplaying the significance of his arcade visits. Then he shifted the focus by commenting, "You're not much of a social person, huh?"

Curious about his casual address, she deflected the question by asking, "Why do you address me so informally?"

"Ah, really? I didn't think it bothered you," he mumbled, scratching his head in contemplation.

She sighed and decided to let it go, not wanting to appear rigid. "Yeah, I guess that's fine."

"Great!" he smirked, then returned to the original topic. "So?"

Pretending not to understand, she questioned, "What?"

"You're not very social, huh?" he asked again.

She shrugged and answered honestly, knowing he wouldn't let it go. "…No! I suppose no!"

"Have you ever been to a nightclub?" he asked, curious because he had a feeling she hadn't.

"No, I haven't," she replied, confirming his suspicions. He appreciated her honesty and authenticity, as she didn't try to hide her true self.

"I see! That would explain a lot of things!"

"Like what?"

He casually slipped his hands into his pockets and casted an earnest sideway glance her way. His action sent a slight shiver down her spine.

"Like why you get sorta nervous when you're in a crowded place!"

"Ah?" She let out a sheepish gasp, avoiding eye contact while her ears flushed involuntarily.

'Cute', he found her reaction endearing while she wondered how much he had observed about her.

He reassured her with patience, saying, "If there's anything that makes you uncomfortable, we can skip it. Just let me know."

Lee Ju-hee didn't want to appear uncool, so she mustered up her courage and replied, "No, I mean... I want to try something new for once!"

She couldn't help but wonder if it was a wise decision to try such things with a stranger.

"Shall we go in then?"

"Yes!"

"After you!" He gestured, allowing her to enter first.

As they entered, she was taken aback by a garish sight. The dazzling display of neon lights blinked incessantly, overwhelming her eyes.

The arcade was filled with rows of game cabinets, each adorned with glowing screens and colorful images. Coin slots, ticket slides, and exchange machines were scattered around. There were claw games with stuffed toy prizes, racing games with seats, dance pads, hoop games, and more that she couldn't quite make out.

The entire place was brightly lit and filled with a cacophony of sounds—beeping, blooping, shouting, laughing, cheering, and cursing—creating a chaotic atmosphere that overwhelmed her senses.

"Alright, what game do you want to try first?" he asked, breaking through the noise.

She was overwhelmed by the array of options and couldn't decide which game to try. Yoo Jin-ho, noticing her bewildered expression, suggested they start with the whack-a-mole game, assuming it would be easier for her.

"Let's try whack-a-mole first, okay?" he proposed. Not fully understanding, she nodded in agreement.

The Whac-A-Mole machine had two play areas, each with five holes filled with plastic moles. Players had to hit the moles as they popped up to score points. Lee Ju-hee lost in her first attempt, but determined to try again, she exclaimed, "One more time!"

"Sure!" Yoo Jin-ho agreed, ready for a rematch.

On her second attempt, she narrowly won the Whac-A-Mole game. They then moved on to the Claw machine, where Lee Ju-hee impressively won a white rabbit plush on her first try. Yoo Jin-ho took a couple more attempts to win a black rabbit, and the two plushies ended up looking like a pair.

In the racing game, Yoo Jin-ho had the most wins until they reached the House of the Dead 3 cabinet. The player with the most kills would likely win.

Initially, he expected to be the winner, but as she skillfully blew apart each zombie that approached, he realized that despite being a girl, she had an amazing talent with a hand gun.

"Interesting!" she exclaimed as they exited the arcade, carrying a tote bag with her essentials and clutching their plushies tightly.

Yoo Jin-ho detected a hint of a smirk in her voice. He thought she played the games like a pro, as if she were an expert in arcades. Her reflexes and strategy were impressive, he had to admit. He wanted to ask if it was really her first time, but decided against it.

"Yeah, I guess so," he reluctantly agreed, not wanting to appear like a sore loser. It wouldn't be cool for a guy to act that way.

She hugged her plushy against her chest, and then asked, "Are you going to call a friend now?"

"Why would I?"

"So you have somewhere to stay at least."

There was another pause as he realized he hadn't thought about this part. But he figured he could try now.

He took out his phone from his pocket to check the time and make a call, but then realized that his phone was completely out of battery.

Letting out a sigh and a slight frown, he admitted, "As you can see."

She thought to herself that he was quite troublesome, but she held onto his arm while making sure not to touch his skin. "Come with me!"

"Where to?"

Without saying a word, she pulled him towards the nearest convenience store.

He didn't protest and silently trailed behind her.

While passing through an area where people were smoking, she noticed his distracted expression. With a subtle movement, her fingers brushed against his wrist, inviting his thoughts.

'I'd pay anything for a good smoke right now,' he sighed inwardly. 'Should I call Yo-han? Ah, this sucks!'

Sensing his frustration, she suggested, "How about getting some coffee?"

He suddenly seemed hesitant. "You've done enough for me, don't you think?"

His unexpected response left her surprised.

"It's no problem," she reassured. "Think of it as my way of repaying you for earlier."

"You're being too careless about it!" He scolded. "What if, as you mentioned, I had intentions of robbing you?"

"If that were true, you would have done it by now!"

He couldn't come up with a response to refute her statement, so he remained silent.

"It's okay! Don't worry!" She tried to reassure him after a moment of silence, sensing his deep distress. Then she said, "We've arrived!"

They'd reached the nearest convenience store not that far from the arcade center. Yoo Jin-ho simply nodded as they entered.

"Let me borrow your phone."

"What for?"

"I'll ask the cashier to charge it for you!" She suggested as they approached the counter. Yoo Jin-ho followed her instruction and handed over his phone.

Leaving the phone in the cashier's care, they made their way to the seating area of the store. She placed her bag and plushy on a chair and went to get an ice-cup and some coffee.

Setting up the coffee machine, she returned to Yoo Jin-ho, who sat pensively by the window. She pressed the cup against his bruised cheek, using it as a makeshift cold compress.

The action somehow startled him, and he regarded her quite perplexed.

"You might want to use this! It's started to bruise!"

Understanding what she was doing, he stated calmly, "It's not a big deal, ya know!"

Then taking the cup from her hands, but not quite removing it from his face. The cool sensation against his skin felt pleasant.

She'd startled him with her actions, causing him to look at her with confusion.

"You might want to use this! It looks like it's starting to bruise," she suggested, her voice filled with a hint of concern.

He dismissed it, saying, "It's not a big deal, really."

Nevertheless, he accepted the cup from her, keeping it against his cheek. The coolness of the cup against his skin felt soothing.

"That's no reason for leaving it untreated!" She retorted back before moving to the coffee machine to pick up the cup she had left there to brew.

An elderly woman, who had been observing their interaction from one of the store aisles, approached Yoo Jin-ho with a kind smile and remarked, "You two make such a lovely couple, huh!"

Yoo Jin-ho was taken aback by the comment and didn't know how to respond.

He quickly clarified, "Oh, no! We… uhh… we're not in that kind of relationship!"

"Don't say, huh!" The old-aged woman couldn't believe her ears as she advised, "Tell you what huh, that girl is a keeper!"

By the time Yoo Jin-ho was about to respond politely, Lee Ju-hee had made it back from her coffee hunting trip and handed him the cup.

The old woman said again, "that's what I'm saying!"

Lee Ju-hee stared back and forth between the old lady and Yoo Jin-ho, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"I'll go now huh!" She said sweetly, making her way toward the counter.

Both Yoo Jin-ho and Lee Ju-hee uttered politely in unison, "Goodbye…"

Lee Ju-hee casually asked, "What did the lady say?" as she took a seat beside him. A pleasant floral fragrance wafted from her.

"Nothing important," he replied absentmindedly, savoring her scent and contemplating the old woman's comment. It was the first time someone had said something like that to him.

Ironically, he hadn't even seen her face yet. So hearing that they made a nice pair sounded amusing to him. A faint smirk formed on his lips as he took a sip of his coffee.

Without questioning further, Lee Ju-hee gently took the ice-cup from his hand, cleaned the damp area with a tissue, applied ointment, and wrapped it with an elastic bandage to reduce the slight swelling.

If her earlier act of applying the cold press to his face hadn't already made his heart race, the current one did.

He tried to brush it off as a reaction to the old lady's comment, but deep down, he wasn't entirely convinced.

The effects of the alcohol had finally subsided, leaving him with his current predicament.

Sipping his coffee silently, he ignored the pounding in his chest that seemed to echo loudly in his ears. He felt a tinge of embarrassment, worried that she might hear his accelerated heartbeat.

Thankfully, she seemed oblivious to it as she busied herself with tidying the table before heading to the counter to settle the bill.