Day Sixteen. 5:32 PM.
Min-Jae stood in the hallway holding two neon festival tickets, grinning like a man with a death wish.
Soo-Min peeked from the kitchen, flour all over her face. "What's with the smug smile? You look like you just rigged a school election."
"Festival tonight. Food. Lights. Drama. We're going."
"Why would I want to spend an evening with overpriced snacks and screaming children?"
"Because I already bought us matching shirts."
He held up two horrendous tie-dye T-shirts that read: 'NOT DATING, JUST AGGRESSIVELY VIBING'
She facepalmed. "You're lucky I have low standards."
---
Scene 1: Festival Frenzy
They arrived at the lantern festival, a blur of color, music, food stalls, and suspiciously large cotton candy.
"Why is everything glowing like a K-pop comeback teaser?" Soo-Min muttered.
Min-Jae grinned. "Magic. Or LED sponsorships."
They tried every game stall.
He failed miserably at the ring toss.
She dominated the BB gun game, won a plush shrimp, and named it Mr. Prawnathan.
They shared spicy tteokbokki and accidentally drank from the same soda.
"Ew," she said.
"We share a bathroom. This is nothing."
"We share a cat. Still not the same."
---
Scene 2: Fake Breakup Part Two
After an accidental moment of hand-holding (blame a rogue piglet from the petting zoo), they saw Mrs. Park.
"Hide."
"Why?"
"She's live-streaming again."
Sure enough, her phone was out.
Mrs. Park's Stream: "I'm here at the lantern festival and guess who I saw—our favorite drama duo, possibly on a date!"
Soo-Min groaned. "Okay. It's time. Fake breakup — part two. Public edition."
They staged it in front of the corn dog stand.
"You NEVER listen to me!" Soo-Min shouted.
"Because you only speak in sarcasm and threats!"
"Your love for pineapple pizza is a character flaw!"
"Well your obsession with fictional villains is concerning!"
Everyone around them stared.
A child cried.
Mrs. Park: "Oh no! They're arguing in public! This is a plot twist!"
They stormed in opposite directions.
And then immediately circled back behind the cotton candy truck.
"That was exhausting," Min-Jae whispered.
"We should win acting awards. Or therapy coupons."
---
Scene 3: Fireworks and Truth
Later, the sky exploded in colors.
They stood together on a hill away from the crowd.
"Nice night for a fake breakup," he said.
"Nice night to admit real feelings."
He blinked. "You're kidding."
"Do I look like I joke about emotions?"
"Yes. Constantly."
She turned to him. The fireworks lit up her face.
"Okay then. Here it is. I like you. For real. Not in a 'you're tolerable' way. But in a 'please stop flirting with other girls even as a joke or I'll cry and punch you' way."
He was silent.
She started to panic. "You don't have to say anything. I just—"
He leaned in.
Fireworks boomed.
They kissed.
Soft. Warm. Real.
Mrs. Park screamed from somewhere behind a food stall.
"I SAW THAT! I'M CLIPPING IT FOR TIKTOK!"
---
Scene 4: Aftermath
Back home, Soo-Min flopped on the couch, dazed.
"Did we just…?"
"Yes. And Mrs. Park is probably tagging us under '#FestivalKiss2025'."
"I should be horrified."
"But?"
"But I'm smiling. Like an idiot."
Min-Jae smiled back.
Bokki walked across the couch, looked at them, and gave the tiniest approving purr.
The end of an era.
The beginning of a very chaotic relationship.
---
End of Chapter 17