Chapter 17: A Flood of Emotions and Shared Pizza

Having started the animation without any prior knowledge, I quickly became engrossed, captivated by its decent artwork and compelling story in the early segments. Though I initially munched on snacks, as time wore on, I became so deeply immersed in the film that my hands ceased to wander towards them.

Yet.

‘They said it was fun.’

Why was I crying?

I should have asked Ma Won-ho for at least a rough synopsis before watching, but it was too late for regrets now.

The protagonist’s circumstances, the transformations that led them there, and their unwavering resolve.

Even the antagonists possessed backstories that were, in their own way, comprehensible. Tears welled up, tracing a path through the past, present, and the future unfolding in my mind.

Sniffle.

I tugged at the sleeve of my cardigan, quickly wiping away a few falling tears. Just then, someone beside me offered a wad of tissues.

“……”

My tears instantly receded at the sight of Kang Hae-il’s composed expression.

I nodded, accepting the tissues he offered. It was a substantial amount, far more than I thought I’d ever need.

What a grave miscalculation.

I found myself utterly helpless against the scenes depicting inevitable sacrifice and growth, my tears flowing freely.

The unwavering convictions held by each character were profoundly conveyed to Dohwa.

Even as I wiped my blurring vision with a tissue, I strained to not miss a single scene.

As the climax approached and the final plot twist was unveiled, I couldn’t help but shed tears once more.

“…… Sniff.”

When the movie ended, a sense of relief washed over me.

The tissues Kang Hae-il had initially given me ran out long ago. After that, whenever tears streamed down my face, tissues would mysteriously appear from somewhere, and I would continue to wipe away my sorrow.

‘Did I really use this many?’

I felt a lingering discomfort, unable to blow my nose properly for fear of disturbing others.

As the end credits rolled, I glanced at the floor and saw a profusion of crumpled tissues. I gathered them all into one pile.

‘I’ll throw them all away later.’

Even after the movie had completely finished, the surrounding silence was unsettling. I looked around, only then realizing that everyone’s gazes were fixed on me.

Feeling awkward under their varied expressions, I finally spoke.

“……Did everyone enjoy it?”

My voice was unmistakably tear-streaked and nasal.

“It was, um, interesting. A little sad, too, I suppose.”

Seeing Ma Won-ho, who was clearly trying to suppress his laughter, I sniffled, fearing snot might emerge.

I rarely went to movie theaters, preferring to watch films and read at home alone. I hadn’t realized it when crying by myself, but seeing everyone else composed made my earlier weeping feel incredibly shameful.

“I’ll just, uh, go to the restroom.”

No one stopped Dohwa as he bowed his head deeply, clutching the pile of tissues from the floor, and rose from his seat.

Kang Hae-il, who had been dutifully watching the animated film with a sense of boredom, gradually stopped watching the movie entirely. Instead, his gaze settled on Dohwa, seated beside him.

He observed, wondering how long the tears would continue to stream from those eyes.

The real-time shifts in expression and the sheer breadth of emotion displayed by the person next to him were quite intriguing.

He had never encountered an Omega like this in his life.

As he repeatedly, almost supernaturally, noticed when Dohwa ran out of tissues and placed more into his hand, others also began to discreetly observe Dohwa.

Chaeyeon-woo watched, feigning disinterest with an inquisitive expression.

Woo Sori seemed to have developed a taste for watching Dohwa’s reactions during sad scenes.

Ma Won-ho alternated between watching the movie and staring intently at Dohwa.

Jae-hyun, who was the last to notice, asked in surprise if he was crying, but Dohwa’s gaze remained fixed forward, seemingly unheard.

Of course, no one answered Jae-hyun’s question either.

Had it not been for the tissues Kang Hae-il provided, that cardigan would undoubtedly have been soaked through, as if it had absorbed water.

Dohwa sat with his knees drawn up, lips pressed tightly together, and his eyes swollen and red.

Even with half his face obscured by tissues, his exposed cheeks, ears, and neck were flushed crimson.

It was as if he might become dehydrated at this rate.

‘Why is he crying so much?’

He had never seen anyone cry so profusely over an animation before.

Kang Hae-il watched Dohwa as if he were a peculiar creature, running through numerous hypotheses in his mind. Yet, seeing Dohwa’s tear-stained face even after the movie ended, he let out a dry chuckle.

Even the crumpled tissue Dohwa dropped as he bolted from his seat towards the restroom seemed insignificant.

“Dohwa is quite delicate, isn’t he?”

“He doesn’t seem to like scary things much either.”

When Ma Won-ho spoke, a smile playing on his lips, everyone nodded in agreement. Chaeyeon-woo’s subsequent remark brought to mind Dohwa’s earlier comment before the film: ‘Anything but a horror movie.’

‘This could be interesting.’

Watching him cry had not been bad, but seeing him get startled might prove even more amusing.

So, while Dohwa was in the restroom, everyone else rose to tidy their seats.

Dohwa returned, his bangs slightly damp as if he had washed his face, his face still flushed.

“…What do we do now?”

His voice no longer carried the nasal quality it had earlier.

His gaze, fixed on Kang Hae-il, was no longer trembling; instead, it was clear and sharp.

Even without tears welling in his eyes, they shone brightly.

After just one movie, it was already lunchtime.

Perhaps it was from waking up early and shedding so many tears, but I felt a little dizzy and rather hungry.

After everyone had a brief moment to regroup, we gathered in the lounge, and Dohwa settled into the furthest corner.

“Let’s order lunch.”

“I’m top-tier on the delivery app, so I’ll place the order.”

Since dinner couldn’t be eaten out, we decided to order lunch in.

Woo Sori, who volunteered to order, began listing various menu options.

Dohwa briefly recalled the persistent ‘top-tier’ status on the two delivery apps installed on his phone, then quickly dismissed the thought.

‘There’s nothing in particular I want to eat.’

Having eaten plenty recently, no specific menu item caught his eye. He considered that, like with the movie, everyone’s tastes might differ, allowing for multiple orders.

“How about pizza?”

“……Sounds good.”

“I want potato pizza!”

No one objected to pizza, a menu item perfect for a large group, and the process went smoothly.

Chaeyeon-woo stuck close to Woo Sori, choosing side dishes, while Ma Won-ho and Kang Hae-il remained quiet, stating they were fine with anything.

“Are you hungry?”

“A little. I like all kinds of pizza.”

“You cried a lot earlier. Don’t your eyes sting?”

Shame washed over me as Jae-hyun gently brought up my earlier ‘dark history,’ but I nodded.

Even after washing my face and briefly soaking it in water, my eyes still stung.

Just then, Jae-hyun leaned forward, his face suddenly close as he bowed his head, startling me and freezing me in place.

“Applying ointment should help it subside quickly. Shall I get some for you?”

“…Yes.”

My eyes had been noticeably red when I looked in the mirror, so I nodded.

“I just ordered, adding only cheese balls as a side.”

“Good job.”

Just as Jae-hyun stood up, Woo Sori announced she had finished ordering, and their eyes met.

Woo Sori quickly turned her head to someone else, while Jae-hyun retrieved an unfamiliar ointment from a room and handed it to Dohwa.

While waiting for the pizza, everyone decided to rest a bit in their rooms.

After washing his hands in the restroom and carefully applying the ointment around his eyes, Dohwa entered the room to find Woo Sori sitting on the sofa and Chaeyeon-woo lying on the bed.

“Dohwa, come here. Lie down too.”

Upon seeing him, Chaeyeon-woo gestured, patting the spot next to him on the bed.

Though he longed to lie down, the ointment hadn’t dried yet, so Dohwa sat beside Chaeyeon-woo. The bed sank softly beneath him.

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

“Want to sleep a little until the pizza arrives? I’ll wake you up.”

Any trace of sleepiness had long since vanished.

Seeing Chaeyeon-woo’s worried expression, Dohwa parted his lips, then shook his head and replied, “I’m not sleepy right now.”

“Really? Then just rest.”

“Okay.”

With Chaeyeon-woo looking up at him with bright, clear eyes from his lying position, Dohwa turned to the adjacent bed, leaned back, and lay down straight.

He picked up his phone, and a flood of unread messages and notifications poured in.

[Yang Chaewon: Is filming going well?]

Knock, knock—

After sending a few brief replies, he heard a knock at the door.

“Pizza’s here.”

“Really? Guys, let’s go.”

Woo Sori, who was closest, opened the door, and Jae-hyun’s face appeared in the gap.

It felt like less than five minutes had passed since he lay down.

Getting up from the bed, Dohwa moved with reluctant steps, his eyes meeting Jae-hyun’s at the door.

He then took the ointment from his pocket and returned it to Jae-hyun, who had been waiting for Dohwa, the last one to come out.

“Thank you.”

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