“And why do I need to watch this with you again?”

“Because I bought the coffee. And also as compensation for not telling me anything even though you knew everything, which made me do useless things.”

“You must know that the world isn’t so easy to….”

Dongwook clicked his tongue as he looked at Miyeon turning around with the tickets. Journalism was a job that would be much easier with a thick face. As such, those that lived a long life as a journalist usually didn’t care about what others thought. Just looking at the junior who was waving at him to come was enough to see how true that statement was.

They passed the cinema employee who directed them to the 3rd theater. It was 1 p.m. on a Tuesday. Perhaps due to the fact that the CSATs had ended, there were quite a lot of students wearing uniforms.

“Over here.”

As the movie was age-restricted, and it was a weekday, they were able to get the center seats even though they were buying the tickets just before the movie. There were people seated throughout the theater. Most of them were men. It was to be expected since it wasn’t the kind of movie that a couple would watch.

“What a heavy story.”

Miyeon was looking at a pamphlet she got at the entrance of the theater. As Dongwook had brought one as well, he wordlessly looked at it as well. The pamphlet had a dark overall color. The first phrase that entered his eyes was ‘the last shout of an abandoned elder’. This movie had the characteristics of prosecuting society.

“It’s far from mainstream.”

Along with a beep sound, the lights turned off. After a few ads and the emergency exit guide, a sudden sound of rain could be heard. A hammer from which red liquid was dripping in the heavy rain was getting a closeup. The frame then zoomed out to show the back figure of an elder holding that hammer, and the face of the man by his foot could be glimpsed at for a while. The sound of the rain was eventually overtaken by the rough breathing sounds, and eventually, the sound of the rain disappeared completely while the sound of rough breathing filled the theater.

The screen turned dark for a moment before the words ‘Twilight Struggles’ appeared on the screen in calligraphy. The rough breathing sounds continued until the title disappeared, and then the scene changed to show a man who was pushing a bicycle. The clear sky without a single drop of rain and the sound of turning bicycle chains was very relaxing.

Dongwook crossed his arms and focused on the screen. The intro seemed pretty decent. His own breathing was a little ragged as he synchronized with the sound of the movie a little.

“This is a horror movie, isn’t it?” Miyeon asked in a small voice next to him.

A horror movie. From one perspective, it could definitely be considered so. The abandoned elder, the killed children, and then there was no one. It was plenty horror-inducing.

‘But I’m a little sleepy.’

He was watching the movie since it was a part of his job, but honestly speaking, watching movies wasn’t something he liked. Ever since he turned thirty, he never watched a movie at the cinemas. It was rather fortunate that this was a thriller movie though. If it was some sweet love story, he might have left the work to Miyeon and just slept. As for the article, he could always whip up something on the spot. He lived his life like that until now, so he could do that with his eyes closed.

As he had that thought, he saw a pair made up of a man and a woman who hastily walked in after opening the door. Did they get the time wrong? Or was this the only movie they could watch at this time? If it was the latter, he would send his condolences. Perhaps he might be able to see the duo leaving in the middle of the movie.

The owner of a store who was piling cardboard boxes outside his business appeared in the vision of the elder who was dragging his bicycle slowly while carrying cardboard on its back. The elder’s smile filled the screen. His smile looked as though he found a heap of treasure. He pushed his bicycle and stopped in front of the boxes and asked if he could take them. The store owner told him that he could with a sour expression before disappearing. The elder sluggishly opened each one of the boxes and was shaping them so that he could pile them neatly on his bicycle when a truck suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A scary-looking man got off the truck and stole the cardboard boxes that the elder was piling and took them to his truck.

The elder watched that scene in a daze before asking him what he was doing angrily, but the only thing that he got back was some insults from the man.

We set the rules on our turf so fuck off while I’m still in a good mood - those were his words.

“Things like that happen a lot recently.”

Dongwook could hear Miyeon speaking. When he looked next to him, he saw her watching the movie with an expression filled with pity. She really was a good woman, when he considered that she was also investigating Lee Miyoon. That was why he always had this thought - why did she become a journalist? Someone who sympathizes with the pains of others should not become a journalist. Such people would bring themselves to ruin nine out of ten times because of their sense of justice.

“What?” Miyeon looked at him and said.

Dongwook shook his head wordlessly. He strayed off with his thoughts for a while when he realized that the scene changed. When he thought that he had lost the flow of the movie, his focus decreased dramatically. He started yawning and his eyelids became heavy.

He leaned back in his chair while looking at the screen with his tired eyes, thinking that he shouldn’t fall asleep.

However, his eyelids still fell regardless of what he thought.

* * *

“Winter sure came soon.”

Dojin sat down while shaking.

“I wish they turned the heater on,” Daemyung looked at the heater on the ceiling.

“They turned it on for a brief period last year just before winter holidays, so that’s probably what’s going to happen this year as well.” Dojin sounded like he had given up already.

“What was next class again? Maths?”

“Yeah, it is maths.”

Maru took out his textbook as he listened to Daemyung’s reply. He laughed bitterly when he saw that the textbook cover looked as good as new. Why was his good memory limited to Korean only? He sighed because the skill that the petty god bestowed on him was pathetic.

“You said the movie was released, right?”

“Yeah, it was just released yesterday.”

“Did you watch it?”

“Even if I want to, I can’t because I’m underage.”

Daemyung nodded.

“You’re allowed to shoot, but not watch?”

Hearing Dowook say that, Maru just shrugged.

“Should we go watch it at night?” Dojin asked.

“How? They check your ID.”

Dojin kindly explained to Daemyung, who seemed curious.

“You just need to wait until the last air for that movie and go in once the employees leave.”

“Without paying?”

“How would we pay? It’s age-restricted.”

“Wouldn’t we get into trouble if we get caught?”

“At most, we’ll get an earful. If you’re so afraid, Daemyung, you can stay out. Maru, you come with me. A friend of mine appeared in a movie, so I must go and watch.”

“I’m going as well.”

Dowook said in a yawning voice. Even Daemyung said ‘me too’ after a while. Maru laughed bitterly after seeing his three friends look at him.

“Hey, there’s nothing lewd.”

“Really? That makes me rather disappointed, but it’s still your first movie, so I should watch it with you,” Dojin said as he raised his thumb up.

“Well, I don’t really want to go so far to watch it.”

Maru pushed on the floor with his feet a little. The front of the chair was lifted up and the center of gravity was pushed back. He maintained the balance of the chair that swayed on two feet.

“Why?” Daemyung asked.

“Because I feel like I’d regret it if I watch it.”

“Regret it?”

“I’m never satisfied with myself when I looked back at something I did. Only the parts I lack enter my eyes. It’s the same for this time as well. I thought that I couldn’t do any better when I actually shot that scene, but when I think about it now, I think I could’ve done better. Of course, there’s a limit to how much I can show since it’s just a few seconds but… nah, that’s just an excuse. It’s just embarrassing. That’s right, I don’t want to go because it’d be embarrassing for me.”

Maru leaned forward. The swaying chair leaned forward and made a loud thud as the front legs landed on the ground.

“Embarrassing? That’s all the more reason to go.”

Dojin and Dowook exchanged glances. They looked like they clearly wanted to go.

“But hey, what’s it about?”

Maru smiled and looked at Dojin.

“You wanted to go without even knowing what it’s about?”

“You told me it was age-restricted, so I thought it was something lewd, but you said it wasn’t. If it’s not something lewd, is it something cruel?”

“It is.”

“Do people die in it? Maybe something about the mafia?”

“No. The main characters are an elder and his children. To explain the synopsis, it’s like the modern version of the parent being buried alive, but that parent taking their children with them to the afterlife because they don’t want to go by themself.”

“That actually sounds quite interesting. Don’t you think so? Dowook? Daemyung?”

Dowook nodded his head, but Daemyung just smiled. As Daemyung read the novel, he knew exactly what this movie was about. That was why he could only smile at Dojin who thought that it was interesting.

“Anyway, we’re going tonight, okay?”

“I’m sorry to throw a wrench in your plans, but it probably won’t be airing in any of the nearby cinemas.”

“It’s not airing?”

“It’s an indie movie after all. They shouldn’t have procured a lot of cinemas to air it in.”

After telling him to wait, Dojin walked to the front of the class. He turned on the PC connected to the TV in the classroom and opened a browser. The kids in class all told him that they should watch porn, but Dojin just raised his middle finger. The website for the cinema appeared on the screen. Maru also narrowed his eyes and looked at the screen as well.

“I really can’t find any. Hey, Maru! There’s an airing in the 5th theater in the cinema in front of Suwon station. It’s also the last air for the day,” Dojin shouted in a loud voice.

The kids in class all started asking what this was about. Dojin started explaining, seemingly quite excited.

“You shot a movie?”

“Hey, put me in as well.”

“Wouldn’t we get caught if too many of us go?”

“That’s why we should split up. A few of us should wait in the arcade and a few of us in the bathroom. Then we should all go in once the part-timers go.”

“The starting time is 12:40. We should get something to eat from the convenience store.”

“Hey, let’s go.”

“I don’t have anything else to do, so should I? I can leave the levelling for tomorrow.”

Maru frowned and looked at his classmates. Things were starting to go in a weird direction. There were more and more kids wanting to go.

“You really shouldn’t be doing this.”

Maru warned them, but it didn’t work at all. The driving force of high school boys who found something that interested them was quite scary indeed.

“God, these damned lunatics.”

Maru shook his head and just closed his eyes.

* * *

“Senior, you’re really going to watch it once again?”

Miyeon asked Dongwook who went to the ticketing office.

“Yeah,” after a short reply, Dongwook went to the ticketing office and reserved a seat.

“But you were watching from the halfway point.”

“I want to watch the first half again. I don’t remember a thing since I dozed off most of the time.”

“But still.”

Miyeon crossed her arms and trembled slightly. That was because the air in the hall was a little cold and the fact that she was momentarily reminded of the strong image at the last part of the movie. That actor really seemed like he had gone crazy. Feeling as though a dripping scarlet hammer appeared in front of her, Miyeon trembled once again. She once again realized the effect acting experience truly had.

“You should get going. You are busy, aren’t you?”

“I am going to, even if you didn’t tell me.”

“Put some distance if you want to dig into Lee Miyoon. If you get caught by her, you will run into trouble.”

“Don’t worry about that. I think I opened my eyes after hearing your words. Rather than that, is this movie that fun? To the point that you want to watch it again just because you missed the beginning part?”

“Fun, you say?”

Dongwook raised an eyebrow before nodding his head.

“I guess you could call it that. It is within that scope after all. But ‘fun’ doesn’t just mean funny, right?”

“I don’t think I can watch that two times in a row. No, to be honest, I don’t want to watch it ever again.”

“It makes you uncomfortable after all.”

“Yes, it makes me uncomfortable.”

The only thought he had as he watched the movie was the question: what would his relationship with his father be like in twenty years? The movie added the spice known as movie elements into an extremely realistic problem. That elder could be everyone’s elder, and the bleeding children could be everyone’s children. There was barely any gap between the movie and reality that Miyeon had to moisten her mouth with coke all the way through the movie. Struggles - that title was really fitting.

“Yo, journalist Choi.”

Dongwook turned around as he went into the cinema. Miyeon looked at him in confusion.

“Please write a good article for me, so that I get a bonus.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Miyeon looked at Dongwook, who turned around before pulling on his bag strap and walking forward.