“No, No NO!”

A few heads turned to look at the girl who was currently forwining at her phone screen, her eyebrows scrunched together in a look that could only be described as devastated. The girl brushed her brown bangs off to the side as she scrolled through the texts that had just been sent by her friend.

Wheeimple: Are you coming?

HamsterByul: Uh, about that…

Wheeimple: Oh no. I don’t think so. You CANNOT cancel on me now.

HamsterByul: Well...I can’t come.

Wheeimple: I can’t just watch this movie on my own!

HamsterByul: Oh come on Wheein. It’s just one horror movie. I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Wheeimple: I’m not talking to you anymore.

The girl, Wheein, shoved her phone in her pocket as she shuffled forward to get her popcorn she had already ordered. Once she had it in hand she trudged over to where the usher was collecting movie tickets. Wheein pulled the crumpled ticket she had bought out from her pocket. She wouldn’t have been in this stupid predicament if Byul had just kept her word. Wheein and Moonbyul had decided to go see a horror movie together, something Wheein would never do without someone by her side. Heck, if Wheein so much as looked at a horror movie cover, she would have nightmares that only her fuzzball cat could help her get through. Now she was all alone about to watch something she wasn’t sure she could handle.

“Next please.” The bored toned usher said, holding her hand out for Wheein’s ticket.

Wheein stood there dumbly not sure what to do.

“Are you going in or not?” The usher asked, the girl’s gum she was chewing smacking as she spoke.

Wheein gulped. She had to break out of her shell, right? She stepped forward and handed in her ticket as though she were handing over her life. Wheein walked through the doors and into the theatre, the sudden plunge into darkness making the situation all more real. Wheein eyed the seats, people sprinkled here and there. She decided to sit near the front in case she wanted to make a quick exit. No one would sit next to her she thought. Only weenies sat near the exit and Wheein was definitely not ashamed to say she was one. The commercials were playing, the surround sound booming all over the place. Wheein gripped her popcorn bucket as she warily watched the trailers for the upcoming movies. She was so busy watching the screen she didn’t notice the raven-haired beauty that came and sat down next to her until the movie began to start. Wheein had stiffened up and the lady next to her placed a hand on Wheein’s shoulder nearly startling Wheein out of her wits.

“This your first time?”

Wheein turned and she felt her breath catch in . The woman before her had long cascading raven black locks and soft, yet sharp brown eyes that were looking at her in playful concern. The woman chuckled at Wheein’s reaction figuring that she was just embarrassed about it. Wheein on the other hand quickly closed and nodded feverently.

“I was supposed to come with a friend but she bailed last minute…” Wheein said softly.

The woman nodded.

“That wasn’t very fair.”

Wheein nodded her head in agreement. For some reason, this woman’s presence was quite comforting. It almost even made her forget the fact that she was watching a horror movie. However, just as that thought came to her mind, a big jumpscare happened on screen causing Wheein to jump slightly, her popcorn spilling over the top. She heard a small chuckle off to her right and Wheein felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. As the movie went on, Wheein found herself glancing off to her right more than she would've liked to admit. The woman next to her was extremely beautiful and luckily for Wheein, she was watching the movie intently reacting only slightly to the scary moments. But Wheein was of course bound to get caught staring at one point or another. When the next jumpscare happened, Wheein quickly looked to the side to watch the pretty woman instead. When she looked at her though, the woman’s brown eyes were already looking at Wheein, as small smirk playing across her lips.

“You don’t want to look?” Wheein squeaked hoping the woman wouldn’t ask why she had been staring.

The woman shrugged.

“I’ve seen this movie multiple times already.”

Wheein’s lips formed a small o of knowing as she ate a few pieces of popcorn.

“What about you? You don’t seem like the type to watch horror movies that often.”

Wheein sighed as she placed her now almost empty container on the floor.

“I don’t. I don’t even like them.”

A moment of silence passed  before the woman spoke.

“Is that why you’ve been staring at me throughout the movie?”

Wheein froze like a deer caught in headlights. She wanted to say something cool but all that came out was a very unconvincing “no?”

The woman let out another chuckle, the sound like music to Wheein’s ears. It was as this point that a few people that were seated around them hushed them with a mix of glares and crass words. The woman bit her lip slightly to keep herself from laughing even more. Wheein had completely forgotten there was even a movie playing now, her attention all on this woman.

“It’s alright. I’ve been staring at you as well.” The woman said with a wink that sent butterflies into a frenzy in Wheein’s stomach.

Wheein looked back at the screen fully shocked. She had been looking at her? She felt herself smile slightly as she moved in her seat to a more comfortable position. She placed her hands on the armrests as she watched, her mind not even processing the movie because of how elated she felt. A couple minutes later after a big jumpscare that had Wheein shaken, the woman tentatively placed her hand on Wheein’s giving her hand a supportive squeeze. Wheein looked over and smiled. They sat like that for the rest of the movie hand in hand and as soon as the lights came on making the two women blink to adjust to the light.

“Well, that was something.” The woman said as she stood.

Wheein got up as well after she picked up her container to follow the woman out of the theatre. The two walked into the lobby where everyone was chattering excitedly about the movie. Meanwhile, Wheein had followed the woman out to a quieter area. The woman turned around and Wheein could see her features more clearly. She had golden tanned skin and her lips were painted a beautiful maroon color that matched her blouse she wore.

“Well, I think I rather enjoyed that.”

“The movie?” Wheein asked before blushing.

The woman giggled.

“Yes, the movie was good, but I would be lying if I said watching it with you hadn’t made it better.”

Wheein’s fingers absentmindedly played with her hair as she smiled.

“Well, I don’t know if you’d like to take this offer but I was wondering if I could have your phone number in case you have to watch a horror movie again.”

Wheein’s eyes widened as she hurriedly got her phone out of her pocket before opening the contacts and handing it over. AFter the two exchanged numbers and the woman introduced herself as Ahn Hyejin, they parted ways with a promise to meet again.

-----------------------------

Wheein practically skipped into the shared apartment she rented with Moonbyul, her friend. Moonbyul rushed out of the kitchen in her work clothes.

“Wheein! I’m sorry I couldn’t make it! Please don’t give me the cold shoulder.”

Wheein stopped and patted Byul’s shoulder.

“No, I should be thanking you. That was the best movie of my life!”

Moonbyul’s brows raised in confusion.

“You liked the movie?”

Wheein scoffed.

“No, I hated it. It was horrible.”

Moonbyul was super confused now.

“Then why do you-” she started before Wheein interrupted her.

“I met someone amazing!” With a squeal, Wheein raced to her room, no doubt to text Hyejin, leaving a confused Moonbyul in the living room trying to make sense of everything Wheein told her.