Swallow Hunting - vanish into fiction

“Time’s up. Let’s move.”

Lee Kang-ju checked his wristwatch and nudged Hae-jun. Hae-jun shouted, “Wait a second,” and quickly ran toward the snack bar. Fortunately, there was no line, so he was able to buy popcorn and drinks in no time. Holding the load in both hands, he trotted back to Lee Kang-ju.

“It would be disappointing to miss out on popcorn.”

Hae-jun took the lead while clutching a popcorn bucket larger than his own head. It looked quite precarious as he even held drinks in his hands, but Lee Kang-ju simply let out a small laugh and followed behind him.

It had been a very long time since Hae-jun had been to a movie theater. Not only did he lack the time, but his wallet was also too thin to afford a visit. He had only watched outdated movies shown on TV with Yohan.

After the advertisements passed, the movie began. He had made the reservation blindly after only confirming that the top rated movie wasn’t a romance, but as time passed, Hae-jun’s hand reaching for the popcorn slowed down. Even before the early part of the movie was over, he was sitting on pins and needles.

Of all things, the genre was noir. Blood and violence were rampant on the screen. It was a story about a thug who retired from an organization, lost the boss he served in a sudden accident, and became swept up in a conspiracy.

When a long take scene appeared showing the protagonist fighting enemies swarming like a pack of dogs, Hae-jun couldn’t concentrate on the movie. He anxiously bit his lips and looked at Lee Kang-ju. The light radiating from the screen scattered across Lee Kang-ju’s bridge of the nose, cheeks, long eyelashes, and eyes fixed on a single spot.

Now was not the time to be distracted by looks. Hae-jun carefully leaned his body and placed his lips close to Lee Kang-ju’s ear.

“If you don’t like it, shall we just head out?”

“It’s interesting, though.”

“Are you really okay?”

“There is nothing to be not okay with.”

Perhaps because of the whispering voice, Lee Kang-ju tilted his head toward Hae-jun. His lips came so close that they almost touched Hae-jun’s earlobe. Feeling his cheeks grow hot, Hae-jun quickly returned his head to its original position.

Lee Kang-ju himself acted as if nothing were wrong, but Hae-jun barely watched the movie. He was so distracted by Lee Kang-ju that he couldn’t stand it. When the protagonist was stabbed in the stomach after being betrayed by a colleague he trusted, Hae-jun couldn’t bring himself to look and squeezed his eyes shut. It was because Lee Kang-ju’s image overlapped with the protagonist’s face.

Only when the ending credits started rolling did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. While everyone else was leaving the theater, Hae-jun stretched out his legs and slumped down. He felt so drained that the half-empty popcorn bucket felt heavy.

He soon pulled himself together and came out with Lee Kang-ju. Since they came out later than the others, the hallway leading to the main area was deserted.

“How was the movie?”

“It was quite interesting. Even if it lacked realism.”

“Realism?”

A faint smile was playing on the corners of Lee Kang-ju’s mouth. Nevertheless, it felt chilling for some reason.

“Dealing with the underlings first takes a long time. It’s like buying them time to counterattack. Breaking them all at once or taking off the head first is the faster way.”

The smell of blood from the movie shouldn’t have crossed over into reality, but somehow Hae-jun’s nose felt a sting. He felt as though Lee Kang-ju, who had grown a bit closer, was drifting away again. Hae-jun shouted like a student making an announcement.

“I! I remember that supporting character the most. You know, the one who was the right hand man but betrayed the lead. His acting was great. I think the actor’s name was Lee Hong-hwa. He looked so kind that I didn’t expect him to betray anyone.”

“It’s not like it’s written on a face that someone will betray you.”

“Do you also… No, never mind.”

“Are you asking if I’ve been betrayed?”

Hae-jun had been hit right where it hurt. He turned his head and laughed awkwardly.

“I haven’t. I don’t trust people easily.”

Before they knew it, they were at the ticket counter. Despite the late hour, it was still bustling with people. Careful not to bump into anyone, he stuck close to Lee Kang-ju.

It was then that he felt a gaze piercing his cheek. Hae-jun turned his head toward someone who was looking at him. When the woman nearby made eye contact with Hae-jun, she exclaimed, “Oh my,” and approached him with a bright smile.

“Excuse me, haven’t we seen each other somewhere before?”

Another person, who appeared to be the woman’s friend, also looked at Hae-jun with curious eyes. Unlike the women who were full of energy, Hae-jun’s face turned deathly pale. The world was truly small; to think he would encounter guests he had met in the past right here.

The woman who spoke was his first guest, and the friend standing next to her was the next guest she had introduced. Both of them had slept with Hae-jun. Usually, guests are embarrassed about spending time with a male prostitute and act as if they don’t know him even if they run into him, but they were different.