“... and last but not least, I would like to thank everyone here for attending the premiere of this movie. I didn’t expect such great enthusiasm for my first movie but I’m glad to see all of you here today. Hope you guys enjoy it and please support ‘One of These Nights’ with lots of love.” The audience claps as the young, handsome director bowed and took his seat.

The movie goes for 2 hours straight, and within that time span, there was a mixture of laughter, cries, gasps from the audience and some were even sobbing tremendously by the end of the movie.

As the list of credits started rolling at the end of the movie, the silent theatre thundered with applause and cheers from the audience, praising the wonderful movie. The director slash producer stood up at the front of the cinema as the lights lit up again and he started bowing to all directions. When the audience started exiting, some made time to approach the director and expressed their remark.

“Director Do! This was such an amazing debut movie.”

“This movie is such a refreshing concept! A beautiful happy ending is too cliché nowadays, this movie, on the other hand, ended with a cliffhanger.”

“Ah, Director! You should have just let Krystal end up with Kai. Why did you have to keep us hanging unresolved like this?”

Lots of them were compliments, some of them were disappointed with the not-so-happy ending.

“Well, I just want to be realistic with this movie,” the director addresses the small crowd that was suddenly formed around him, “in real life the boy doesn’t always get the girl. Not all movies should have a happy ending.”

Some of the younger audience were boo-ing at his statement.

“Well, that’s the reality. The truth of life. Sometimes the truth hurts more than the lies,” the director continues, “we’re scared of getting hurt, so we turn away from the truth.”

Bitter. But true.

~

Do Kyungsoo. 23 years old. Great interest in cinematography. Aspire to be a movie director. However, his parents wanted him to continue their business. Thus, a master’s degree in quantitative finance.

He was standing in line to purchase a movie ticket, watching one of the most sensational movies at the time. La la land. He heard so much great reviews about it and is triggered to watch the movie himself. Even though he hates sitting in the middle, he was lucky enough to pick a seat right in the middle of the studio because there were only 3 seats left, 2 being upfront. As he entered the cinema, with both nachos on one hand and a cup of coke on the other, he sat down on his seat. One seat away from the aisle. The movie was about to start, and the aisle seat beside him was still empty. He was sure there was someone sitting beside him, but even if the person decided not to show up, it would be better for him because he hates being in between people and he can just move.

The lights started to dim, and he saw a girl enter, a bit hurried. Apparently, she was the one supposedly sitting beside him. She sat on her seat, and Kyungsoo got a bit uncomfortable. He was about to ask to swap seats when the movie eventually started.

2 hours later, the credits of the movie started rolling, and almost the entire studio sobbed with such a sad ending. Almost everyone. Everyone but this girl that was sitting beside Kyungsoo. He finds it amusing. Kyungsoo entered the cinema, hearing great things about the movie but found it rather dull after he watched it himself. He found it weird that the girl sitting beside him, watching this romantic drama movie alone, possibly caused by a recent breakup he thought to himself, didn’t shed a single tear.

“You don’t like the movie?” Kyungsoo decided to start a conversation because it seems like the girl wasn’t moving an inch and he had to walk pass her to leave the cinema. The girl was sort of taken aback, so she stuttered her answer.

“U-um.. I-I do..” she said, hesitating whether to continue or not.

“But?”

“It seems lacking, like..like..uhmm..“ she was looking for the right word when Kyungsoo continued her sentence.

“Insipid,” Kyungsoo spoke. “That’s the word you’re looking for. It is rather lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate or challenge the audience.”

“Yes, that’s what I think,” Joohyun paused, “the ending was good though, it portrays the reality that not all people get their happy endings.”

Kyungsoo was surprised at her statement. He thought it confirmed his previous thoughts about this girl possibly experiencing a recent breakup. Her statement was bitter, but even so, he couldn’t agree any less.

“Yes. That was refreshing,” Kyungsoo was reluctant whether he should continue the conversation or not, but her eyes looked expectant as if she was waiting for him to continue.

“The cinematography’s great for sure, the way the camera angles were taken and the color scheme was pleasant to the eye. But, what’s good movie with such a dull story?” Kyungsoo ended up blabbing.

“Wow. You know a lot about movies.”

“Well, I take quite a bit interest in movie-making.” Kyungsoo can’t believe he’s actually telling a stranger one of his best-kept secrets.

“Ah..”

The