“Hana, you shouldn’t run around so much!”
Bora said as she looked at Hana. Hana, who was wearing outdoor clothes instead of her usual dinosaur pajamas, looked absolutely adorable. Honestly, if she walked down a famous street, it wouldn’t be surprising if she got scouted as a child actor. Despite her unique hair and eye color, Hana had the kind of looks everyone dreams of. Right now, her appearance was literally exploding with charm.
So, when sending Hana to elementary school, Bora couldn’t help but wonder how the other boys would react. Even though third graders might not know much about romance, kids these days are so mature. Bora had no idea that Hana was melting the hearts of all the boys in her class.
The thing was, Hana was a total tomboy. She had the looks to attract boys, but her actions were more like a rough-and-tumble servant. Any guy who initially had a crush on her would run for the hills after seeing how un-girly she was. Of course, guys who only care about looks wouldn’t mind, but still.
“Wait… where did the keys go?”
Bora noticed the car keys were missing from the shared bag where Hana usually kept them. Originally, Hana had been using the employees’ cars, but the company had recently gifted her a sturdy, stylish car of her own. Made from ultra-durable materials from the gate, this car could probably survive a collision with a truck. In fact, if it crashed head-on with a truck, the truck would likely be the one to crumple.
Not that it mattered much, since Hana was wearing the ring given by CEO Kim Sehee, making her practically immune to physical accidents. But you never know what could happen in life. If she got into an accident while riding in an employee’s car, it would be a disaster.
So, to make other drivers on the road more cautious, the company gave her a car that looked expensive at first glance. On the road, expensive cars really earn their keep. Even the worst drivers suddenly feel the urge to follow traffic rules when they see a luxury car. Financial therapy, not physical therapy, is what snaps even the craziest people back to their senses.
“Bora, the car keys are right here!”
Hana was holding the keys, having apparently rummaged through the bag at some point.
“When did you take them?!”
Bora took the keys from Hana and started the car. The smooth ignition made it clear this was a high-end vehicle.
“Wow!”
Hana didn’t seem too interested in the car itself, but she was absolutely delighted by the air freshener hanging from the AC vent. It was shaped like a cute character that perfectly matched Hana’s taste.
“Do you like it that much, Hana?”
Bora asked, noticing how much Hana was enjoying it. Sometimes Hana felt like that uncle you only see during holidays, but at times like this, she seemed like a regular girl her age.
“It’s super cute!”
Hana kept fiddling with the air freshener. Bora stopped her and gently pressed the accelerator to get the car moving.
“Whoa!”
Hana was so excited to be out that she kept exclaiming as she looked out the car window. Since they were on the outskirts of the city, nature was vibrant and alive. Unlike the fully developed urban areas, this place felt fresh. Hana was completely captivated by the view outside.
—————————————————-
As they entered the city center, the traffic slowed down a bit. But since this was a car Bora could never afford on her salary, the surrounding vehicles kept their distance. It felt like driving a treasure chest on the road. This must be why people drive luxury cars. No matter how badly you drive, other cars just give way.
Not that Bora was a bad driver—in fact, she was pretty good. But she could feel the difficulty level of driving change drastically. When she turned on the blinker, the car behind her hurriedly slowed down. If this were her old car, they would’ve sped up and cut her off.
And the space between cars felt wider too. Normally, cars would tailgate her, but now they left enough room for another car to fit in between.
“Is this… the power of a luxury car?”
Bora deeply understood why people drive expensive cars. Just changing the car’s appearance had completely altered how she was treated on the road. She couldn’t even remember what her old car was like anymore.
And so, Bora’s car became a treasure chest cruising down the road…
Mary had turned into a ferocious beast and was running wild. The fragile cars couldn’t handle the murderous aura emanating from Bora’s car and collapsed like straw.
“Arrived!”
And just like that, they smoothly arrived at the movie theater. Bora got out of the car and pulled Hana out of the passenger seat. Hana had been fiddling with the air freshener stuck in the car the whole time until she got out. Her hands were full of the scent of the air freshener. You can’t eat popcorn with hands like that, so she went to the bathroom and washed Hana’s hands thoroughly with soap.
“Eek!”
Ignoring Hana’s scream, Bora grabbed her hand and got on the escalator. Looking around, the place was packed with couples. Seeing this, Bora felt a pang of loneliness in her side. But since she had Hana with her, it didn’t matter.
“Bora, buy this for me!”
As they arrived at the movie theater via the escalator, delicious treats greeted the two. The savory smell of popcorn was everywhere. Hana couldn’t take her eyes off the popcorn. She was acting like she was hypnotized.
Since they had to order at the kiosk, Bora picked Hana up and made her face the kiosk. Hana was too short to see the kiosk without looking up.
As Bora touched the kiosk, various combo sets greeted her and Hana. Bora asked Hana:
“What do you want to eat, Hana?”
But Hana was tapping the kiosk as skillfully as a kid who frequents the movie theater. Bora felt like Hana had been to the theater dozens of times. Hana’s choices were that confident.
“Bora, you’re having popcorn and cola too, right?”
“Uh… yeah!”
Hana was even considerate enough to take care of Bora’s order. Bora decided to think that Haru or Maru had taught her. Before going to the movie theater, they had plenty of time, so it was likely that the curious Hana had asked the two how to behave at the theater.
After inserting the card and completing the payment, a waiting ticket came out. Hana held it and loitered in front of the popcorn stand. Bora stood behind Hana, waiting to receive the order together. Soon, a ding-dong sound signaled their turn.
“Ah!”
Hana couldn’t reach the popcorn and cola placed on the table. She could reach it on tiptoe, but there was no reason to risk it, so Bora picked up the popcorn with both hands.
“Hana, can you hold the cola?”
Bora didn’t have enough hands, so she had no choice but to hand the cola to Hana. Unless Bora had four hands, she couldn’t carry two colas and two popcorns at once.
“Okay!”
Excitedly, Hana spun around looking for the screening room. The screening room for the Little Magician Lumi was quite far away. Seeing Hana’s arm trembling, Bora hurried into the screening room. It seemed like Hana was about to drop the cola any second.
But Bora didn’t have enough hands to hold the cola. The popcorn bucket was just too big.
Fortunately, they managed to sit down before the cola spilled.
“Wow!”
Hana stared at the screen in amazement. An advertisement for Starlight Coffee was playing. A handsome male actor with a sharp jawline was savoring the Starlight Coffee and smiling refreshingly. If it were a woman, it would have been even more dazzling…
Still, the ad looked good. Hearing that Starlight Coffee was doing well, Bora’s shoulders unconsciously straightened. It was all thanks to Hana, but thinking that the person responsible was right beside her made her chest swell with pride.
“The movie’s starting!”
The lights in the screening room dimmed, and the screen lit up brightly. After the emotionally charged ads unique to the film company, the movie officially began. Soon, the only sounds in the screening room were the munching of popcorn and the sipping of cola. Hana was staring at the screen as if she was about to be sucked in.
