“Hyung! I missed you so much!”
At the sound of Kang Biso’s cheerful voice, a cold sweat trickled down my back. He usually had decent fashion sense, so why the hell did he show up today looking like that?
Noticing my gaze locked onto his outfit, Kang Biso puffed out his chest, proud as ever.
“It’s our first date, so I dressed up a little. What do you think? Do I look okay?”
Okay? Not even close.
“…Just get in the car first.”
“Don’t be like that—come on, take a proper look! I spent all morning getting ready because I was so excited to go on a date with you. Well? How is it? Does it suit me?”
“Let’s just get in the car, okay? Please?”
Despite my urging, Kang Biso kept rambling about his outfit. He had no intention of stopping, and the curious stares from people passing by made it even worse. Naturally, I was the one dying of embarrassment.
I couldn’t take it anymore. Ignoring him completely, I slipped into the car. Kang Biso looked slightly startled but followed suit, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Hyung, were you embarrassed because there were too many people? That just means I looked too good. So, seriously, what do you think? Doesn’t it look amazing on me?”
Where the hell did all that confidence come from? That red suit?
He kept pestering me with “What do you think?” over and over. I had plenty I wanted to say, but I bit my tongue.
“Let’s… just get moving first.”
“…Okay.”
I stayed silent and stared straight ahead. Only then did Kang Biso seem to realize something was off. He started the car with a crestfallen look. I felt a bit bad seeing him so deflated, but there was no way in hell I could lie and say he looked good.
Why the hell did he show up dressed like that… Ah…
As I wondered why he was suddenly acting so out of character, a thought hit me.
Come to think of it… did Kang Biso ever go on a proper date in the book? Even with the main character Kim Yong-ha, it was always kidnappings or lock-ups—nothing even close to a normal date. And knowing Kang Biso’s personality in the novel, he forced whatever he wanted into his hands, no matter what.
Wait… is this actually his first date ever?
I glanced over at Kang Biso, my eyes filled with quiet dread.
He drove on, completely confident, like nothing was wrong. That only made me feel worse.
I had a sinking feeling today was going to be exhausting…
I silently prayed this date wouldn’t spiral out of control.
***
The car stopped in front of a department store.
“Why are we… here?”
“To go shopping together. I can buy you anything you want, Hyung. Just name it. I can get you something way better than the ring Kim Seong-gyeong gave you.”
So much for a date—was this just an excuse to flaunt his money?
With a sigh, I pinched the bridge of my nose and asked, “…Mind telling me what today’s plan is?”
Kang Biso lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, clearly waiting for that question.
“You’re seriously going to be blown away. Just wait! First, we’re gonna stock up on gifts here. Then we’ll head to the fanciest restaurant nearby. After that, we’re checking into the nicest hotel in the area for a quick Guiding session, and then—”
“Hold it.”
What the hell kind of gold-plated fever dream was this? Honestly, arranging a schedule like this was a talent in itself.
“What? I haven’t even gotten halfway through the plan yet!”
“Do you… not have anything a little more normal planned?”
“…Oh. You don’t like it? I picked all the most expensive, top-tier places just for you.”
I sighed again, harder this time. I really did want to go along with whatever he’d planned, but this was a bit much.
“We don’t have to go to fancy places. Just wandering around downtown sounds fun enough.”
“…Then what do we do? I didn’t really plan for anything else…”
His shoulders sagged, lips drooping. I couldn’t let this continue.
First things first, I reached out and took off those damn sunglasses. They’d been annoying me from the start.
With the glasses gone, Kang Biso’s big eyes met mine, looking visibly downcast.
“Let’s start with those sunglasses… and that suit. Didn’t you say you’re rich? Great. Come with me.”
“H-Huh? Okay…”
Step one: change his clothes.
The car was one thing, but that blood-red suit? Absolutely not. Even a Villain would know better than to draw that much attention.
I dragged him into a nearby clothing store and picked out a casual sweatshirt and jeans—something similar to what I was wearing. I held them out to him.
“Try these on.”
“Okay…”
While he went to change, I made up my mind—if it’s come to this, then I’d just give him a full day of new experiences. There was plenty to do around here anyway. Movie theaters, arcades—no need to worry about what to do next.
“I’m done changing… How do I look?”
I turned to see Kang Biso stepping out in his new outfit.
“You look good.”
As expected, with a face like his, anything looked great on him. The deep gray sweatshirt complimented Kang Biso’s bronze skin, and the relaxed-fit jeans looked way more comfortable—and stylish—than those suffocating black pants from earlier.
Come to think of it, he was only twenty, wasn’t he? He always called me “Hyung,” but I never really felt the age difference. Dressed like this though, he looked exactly his age—young and boyish.
“Yeah. Way better. But…”
“…But?”
Kang Biso tilted his head, curious. I stepped up and ran my hands through his slicked-back hair, roughly messing up the waxed strands.
“W-What are you doing, Hyung?! You’re ruining my hair!”
He sounded panicked, but didn’t pull away. That made me laugh a little. I didn’t stop until the gelled hair had fallen naturally over his forehead.
“There. Much better.”
Honestly, this kind of natural look suited him a whole lot more.
“…But I put so much effort into my hair for you this morning.”
“This is way better.”
“Really?”
His lips had been stuck in a pout, but one compliment lit up his whole face.
He’s seriously adorable.
“Let’s leave the car here and walk around a bit. I saw a bunch of fun places on the way over. How about starting with a movie?”
“I… I’ve never been to a theater before.”
“Well, now’s the perfect time.”
I hadn’t been to the movies much myself, but hearing that he hadn’t—at age twenty—was surprisingly endearing. There was something kind of exciting about sharing that first with him.
We headed toward the movie theater.
Since it was the weekend, the place was packed. A lot of people were staring at us—or rather, at him. Most of them were women openly checking him out.
I turned toward Kang Biso, following their gazes… only to find him staring straight at me, like none of the attention around us existed.
“What’s wrong, Hyung?”
“…Nothing.”
The way he looked only at me sparked a strange, inexplicable warmth in my chest. I tilted my head. What the hell is this feeling?
Before I could think too hard about it, he asked which movie we should watch.
Of course, all the available options were romance films. I’d never seen one before, and it felt awkward as hell—but with no other choices, we bought tickets, grabbed popcorn and soda, and headed inside.
The movie opened with a soft, nostalgic tone—a classic first love story between a boy and a girl.
The guy falls head over heels at first sight during high school and starts pouring all his energy into winning the girl over. But the girl, unfamiliar with love, avoids him. Still, the boy doesn’t give up. He keeps expressing his feelings, slowly teaching her what it means to love.
[“I fell for you the moment I saw you.”]
[“Fall for me? I don’t even know what that means. Can that really happen?”]
[“You don’t have to know. I’ll show you. Just stay by my side and let me show you how I feel.”]
How does he say those kinds of cheesy lines with a straight face?
Every one of the male lead’s lines was painfully sweet, the kind that made your skin crawl from secondhand embarrassment. The girl didn’t feel the same intensity at first, but over time, his unwavering affection began to wear her down.
Then came their first date.
[“That outfit looks really good on you.”]
[“What about this one?”]
[“That one’s cute too.”]
[“You’re just saying they all look good.”]
[“That’s because they do. But really? You’re the prettiest one here.”]
The guy kept picking out clothes for her, and though the girl pretended to be annoyed, she clearly didn’t mind. She kept trying on what he brought, asking how they looked. Every time, he showered her with compliments, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
[“I don’t usually like romance movies. I don’t get what’s so fun about them…”]
[“Watching it with me will make it feel different.”]
[“Yeah, right.”]
[“I mean it. It’ll be fun, I promise.”]
The girl reluctantly agreed. She munched popcorn and sipped her soda, watching the screen with a bored expression—until she stole a glance at the boy next to her.
And froze.
He wasn’t watching the movie. He was watching her.
Even in the dim light, his gaze was clear and unshakable. And that was when her heart, which had only seen him as a friend, began to tremble.
[‘What is this feeling? Is this what he meant by love? My chest feels tight. I can’t look away.’]
Watching that scene, I suddenly wondered—
What’s Kang Biso thinking right now?
Was he just staring blankly at the screen like I was? Was he blushing? Nervous?
Maybe it was because the scene felt strangely familiar. Our date didn’t have the same innocent charm, but it was weirdly similar.
On impulse, I turned my head—and my heart nearly stopped.
Kang Biso was looking right at me.
Just like the male lead in the movie.
Our eyes met. He smiled softly, lips curving upward in a gentle arc.
His eyes, framed with deep double lids, curled like crescents. His nose was sharp, his lips slightly parted and glistening in the dark. His entire face seemed to glow in the dim theater.
[‘Was he always this handsome when he smiled?’]
[“Q-Quit staring. You’re the one who wanted to watch a movie.”]
[“But I like you more than the movie. Watching you’s way more fun.”]
The female lead’s inner monologue might as well have been mine. Seriously, why the hell was he smiling like that?
“Watch the movie, not me,” I whispered, afraid he’d catch on to feelings I didn’t even understand myself.
Kang Biso’s smile only deepened. Slowly, he leaned closer.
The closer he got, the clearer that smile became—and his eyes, fixed only on me, made my heart pound uncontrollably. The confusion, the thrill, the unease… everything tangled together.
This… this feels like I’m the one falling for Kang Biso.
His face hovered just inches from mine when he whispered:
“But I like you more than the movie. Watching you enjoy it is more fun.”
Quoting the film word for word, he slowly reached out his hand toward me.
On instinct, I flinched—and knocked the popcorn out of my lap with a loud thud.
The noise froze Kang Biso’s hand mid-air. My face flushed hot.
…God, that’s embarrassing…
Now it really looked like I was the one losing my cool. Why the hell did he have to reach for me like that?!
Thank god it was dark in here. If it weren’t, he would’ve seen how red my face had gotten.
