The musical was more enjoyable than he had expected. He had been a little nervous about the crowd, but the overall atmosphere was calm, which naturally put his mind at ease.
Above all, he felt even more comfortable because the seats next to Haon and Inho were empty on both sides. Thanks to that, he felt as if he were watching the performance alone with Inho. He was lucky, Haon thought.
“Is it over?”
When the lights in the audience seats came on, Haon, his eyes wide, whispered to Inho. He was surprised because the actors had left the stage when it clearly seemed like there was more story left. Completely absorbed in the performance, Haon looked around, bewildered.
“It’s intermission. You can leave your seat for about 20 minutes since the show is long.”
Inho asked Haon if he needed to go to the restroom. Haon shook his head, saying he was fine.
“Aren’t you going, Inho-ssi?”
When Haon casually asked, Inho briefly looked around. He seemed to be checking the people sitting beyond the two empty seats.
A young couple sat next to Haon, and a middle-aged woman who had come alone was using her phone next to Inho. She was a woman who exuded the aura of an ordinary beta. There was no one who seemed like a threat to Haon.
“I’ll be right back. Are you okay being alone?”
“Yes, of course. Take your time.”
Haon, waving the performance pamphlet, smiled. Even after hearing Haon’s reply, Inho did not immediately leave his seat and looked around for a moment longer.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Haon nodded and smiled.
Taking advantage of being alone for a moment, he read the pamphlet in detail. He had already seen the movie, but he reread the summarized plot. It felt completely different from the movie, which was new.
He was happy to have this new experience. A gentle smile floated like a cloud across Haon’s face as he read the pamphlet.
“Are you feeling okay?”
At that moment, he faintly heard the conversation of the young couple. The husband was taking out bottled water from his bag, worried because his wife seemed unwell. Haon pretended to focus on the pamphlet and glanced sideways at the woman.
The woman’s belly, clad in a form-fitting knit dress, was slightly protruding. Her arms and legs were thin, but only her stomach was a little out, so she seemed to be pregnant.
“Yeah, I feel better now.”
“You don’t have to watch the rest if it’s too hard.”
“No, I’m going to watch until the end.”
The woman’s tone was a little irritable. She even refused the water her husband offered. Then, she let out a deep sigh and leaned on her husband’s shoulder. The man patiently accepted all her complaints while massaging her shoulder, which seemed to be bothering her.
“Kkokko-ya, please help Mom enjoy the show comfortably. Daddy’s asking you.”
The man, gently stroking the woman’s belly, whispered. Only then did the woman chuckle and wear a comfortable expression.
It seemed their baby’s nickname was Kkokko. It was a cute name.
Spacing out, Haon realized he was unconsciously touching his own stomach. Haon’s stomach remained flat even after eating a full meal. He was the type whose weight rarely fluctuated.
He rubbed his lean stomach and slowly took his hand away.
His expression held a touch of bitterness, but he did not lose his smile. While waiting for Inho, Haon imagined a situation that would not happen in reality. Imagination was free, after all.
Himself with a child and Inho as the father.
He naturally pictured himself walking with difficulty, cradling his swollen belly, and Inho’s figure supporting him from behind. He would surely be a good father. He had even said he would be.
Haon’s smile, lost in his imagination, finally faded.
“Is there anything you don’t understand?”
Inho, who had returned to his seat, asked Haon, who had his nose practically buried in the pamphlet. He seemed to think Haon had been repeatedly reading the synopsis for a long time.
“I’ll explain it to you. Ask me anything.”
Inho, sitting close to Haon, wrapped his hand around Haon’s hand holding the pamphlet. Only then did Haon lift his head and meet Inho’s gaze.
“I understood everything. It’s okay.”
With a gentle smile, Haon leaned his cheek against Inho’s shoulder. The moment he preciously held Inho’s large hand that was covering his own, the lights dimmed again, and the play began.
Haon did not let go of Inho’s hand until the performance ended.
***
Inho’s car, having exited the theater building, smoothly drove down the road. Inho, holding the steering wheel with one hand, listened to Haon’s voice while caressing their clasped hands.
“I’m so glad they succeeded in both their dreams and love. I think it would have ended tragically if they had lost even one of those.”
Haon, swallowing hard, continued speaking without pause. He was expressing his impressions of the musical. Thanks to Inho’s occasional questions, he freely shared his thoughts.
“They were characters who had big goals and valued love.”
“That’s right.”
“I’m so relieved that those main characters both succeeded as actors and built a happy family.”
Haon established his preference, saying that he seemed to like happy endings in any story. His face still held the lingering emotions of the performance.
During the curtain call, Haon had clapped until his palms were red. Tears had even welled up in his eyes. Inho thought they should go see musicals often in the future. He was happy that Haon enjoyed it.
“I want to see it again later as a movie. You didn’t see it then, Inho-ssi, so let’s watch it together.”
“Okay. Let’s watch it whenever Haon-ssi wants to.”
Inho asked Haon which he liked better, the movie or the musical. He had deliberately brought up a topic that would allow Haon to talk for a long time, wanting to hear Haon’s soft voice more.
Just as Haon was completely absorbed in the musical, Inho, captivated by his small and delicate voice, listened attentively with a pleasant expression. He felt like he wanted to record it.
“Do you think so too, Haon-ssi?”
“About what?”
Inho, who had been listening for a while, suddenly asked. He was heading towards Hangang Park, not home. Since it was a rare outing, he wanted Haon to get plenty of fresh air.
“Between a dream and love, if only one could be achieved.”
Inho stepped on the brake as the traffic light turned red and looked at Haon. His voice, asking if he would be unhappy then, continued softly.
Haon couldn’t answer immediately. It was a question he had never thought about.
“It would be disappointing, but…”
His voice grew even slower as he carefully considered his answer. Haon, slowly rolling his eyes, met Inho’s gaze again.
“I think I would be happy if even one came true.”
In fact, Haon didn’t really have a dream.
When he was young, his only wish was to live happily with his grandmother, Seong-gu hyung, and the villagers. However, after his grandmother passed away, that wish wavered, and he met Inho in the process of re-establishing his life goals.
“I definitely want to protect love.”
He didn’t have a dream he wanted to achieve, but love had found him. For Haon, maintaining his relationship with Inho had become the goal of his life.
“What about you, Inho-ssi?”
The light changed the moment Haon asked. He must have pondered the answer for too long. Inho, looking straight ahead, gently started the car. They were not far from their destination.
“I only need one to come true too.”
Inho replied without hesitation, subtly squeezing the hand he held with Haon.
“But my dream is to love.”
Thanks to that, he said that achieving one would mean achieving both his dream and love. A faint smile permeated his voice as he spoke about his dream, but it didn’t sound lighthearted at all.
“To live a lifetime without pain with the person I love.”
That was enough for him, so he would definitely achieve it, his wish directed at Haon. Haon read Inho’s sincerity.
His quickening heartbeat was transmitted through their hands.
Before they knew it, the car had reached the vicinity of Hangang Park. In the meantime, Haon kept his mouth shut and only touched Inho’s hand. Inho also remained silent.
A strange current mixed with the silence that lingered between them. Haon, leaning the tip of his nose against Inho’s forearm, took a long breath. His round eyes, fixed on Inho, were moist. His fair cheeks gradually began to redden as well.
Inho, slightly parting his lips, turned the steering wheel while waiting for Haon to speak first. He chose a quieter spot instead of the parking lot he had originally intended to go to.
It was a place where no one was walking.
“Inho-ssi….”
“Yes.”
Inho, having parked the car, leaned towards Haon. Haon reached out his arms towards Inho. The seatbelt across his chest became an obstacle. Inho pulled Haon, who was coming closer, and released the seatbelt.
Click, the sound echoed twice in succession.
Freed from the seatbelt, Haon sought Inho’s lips. In fact, he had wanted to kiss him since the intermission of the performance. If there hadn’t been other people around, he would have indulged in Inho’s lips to his heart’s content. Haon needed Inho’s warmth.
“Please, hold me.”
Haon, wrapping his arms around Inho’s shoulders, whispered as if sobbing. His heart was filled with overwhelming emotion, but strangely, tears threatened to well up. Even though there was clearly no reason left for him to cry.
An shapeless emotion gathered in his gaunt stomach. A faint sadness tried to intrude amidst the overflowing happiness. Haon knew. This was greed.
“Come here.”
Inho, wrapping his arms around Haon’s waist, supported his slender body with his large hands. As if he had been waiting, Haon moved over to Inho’s seat and sat on his lap.
The wet breaths of the two intertwined bodies filled the car.
