French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 19: -Gyeong-Wan- Happy Animals

He's always taking me to such weird things. Things I've never seen or done before. His world is so strange compared to mine, but I never know what I'm going to see or experience. This movie was one of those things. 

I never knew such a world existed. If there was one introduction to his world, this has to be it. A deep dive into the world of LGBTQ, no mercy. I was fascinated. 

When we got to the movie theater, I of course recognized it. I'd even spoken to the owner twice, having asked her about her establishment. I'd been curious, but overall too nervous to step inside myself. They weren't the kinds of movies that I was familiar with, and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Such as, did I belong there? Would there be others who'd not want me to be there? 

But, now I saw those fears were unfounded. The owner was as kind as she had been the first couple of times. She was excited to see me, overjoyed that Kazuya had brought a friend. When she said that word, "friend"... It filled my heart with gladness. I'd still been holding his hand, and didn't want to stop. He didn't seem to want to stop, either. 

He let go of my hand when we got to the concessions. He hadn't had dinner, so he got a hotdog. I stuck to chocolates, and he eyed me when I received them. It made me blush again. Was he worried that I liked all chocolates and not just his? It made me try to hide them, but he already knew I had them. 

It surprised me how small it was in the theater. There had to be at the most thirty seats, and the front row was couches. Not built into the floor, but old couches. He immediately made a bee line for these, and I was smiling, wondering about this experience. It was yet something else that was strange, but made so much sense. Once we sat down, I felt like I was in someone's home rather than a theater. I betted that one could have a great time with friends on these couches, like I was hopefully about to. 

As the lights dimmed, I was surprised yet again. No one else had come in after us. We were truly the only ones here. It seemed like such a waste. We watched the movie trailers together, and I was looking at him more than the screen. He was nibbling on his hotdog, absorbed in the images on the screen. The screen had to have been no larger than a bath towel. That was an exaggeration, but it was so small compared to other theaters I'd been to. However, it definitely made it more intimate for it to be smaller. It took up the whole wall, but the space was so much smaller. As soon as the trailers ended, I found I'd settled in. I really liked it here, how it was different from all those soulless cineplexes I'd been to. 

When the movie started, I forgot about everything else. I forgot where I was. My jaw dropped for a long time, and that was it.

By the end, I was pretty tired, all of my senses having been in hyperdrive for about two hours. However, he pulled at my hand again when we stepped outside of the theater. I was aware of the big, darkened marquee above me. The cold wind flowing from the west. Who knew what time it was. The black sky. I was always seeing him in the dark if we weren't in French Cup. This struck me for the first time, and I couldn't turn away. Another adventure in darkness.

"Let's go somewhere," he said, pulling at me gently. "I don't... I don't want to say good-bye yet."

He didn't have to add on the last thing. He already had me. What other mysterious places would he take me? There were so many possibilities. It was as if we were living in a completely different world now. Now, after having seen that movie, I felt I understood so much more, but I was still a baby in that regard. My understanding was minimal. However, he had so much to show me. Anywhere he took me, he opened my eyes. My eyes were opening endlessly.

This world was so different than the one I knew. In my world, there were so many expectations. Be here at this time, do this and not that, there's consequences if you don't do what I say. But, there was such freedom here. However, I knew now there could be consequences here, too. Just because it was different, that didn't mean it was free from danger. However, when he was looking at me like that, I wasn't afraid.