Lie Again! Chapter 94

 <Chapter 94. Happily Ever After (3)>

 

Night had fully settled, and although the moon had risen in the sky, the night at the park was only just beginning.

 

Below the princess’s castle, where bright lights leaked from every window, people were everywhere—from the plaza directly beneath it to the bridges and the long main road stretching into the distance. It was an immense crowd, no exaggeration to call it a sea of people.

 

-Calling all dreamers. In just a few moments, we will take you to ‘Happily Ever After’…

 

And now, the highlight that all these people had waited for most anxiously throughout the day—the fireworks display that would turn this place into a space of magic—was about to begin.

 

A collective roar of anticipation from the crowd echoed through the park.

 

“This way, come this way!”

 

A voice strained with effort called out to the group, cutting through the announcement blaring from the speakers. Jonathan, who had been clearing a path at the front, waved his hand high above his head before disappearing into the throng.

 

The rest of the kids chased after him in a line, but in the chaotic bustle where it seemed every single visitor had gathered in one spot, it wasn’t easy to follow even the person directly in front of them.

 

“Mandy! Are you okay?”

 

“Excuse me, please don’t push!”

 

Tense and worried that a single misstep would cause them to lose the group and become stranded, the kids didn’t let down their guard.

 

“Ugh! We shouldn’t have come back after dinner!”

 

Joey, being small in stature, shuddered as she was squeezed between people. Dustin, standing behind her, used his arms to push back the surroundings and create some space. Tucked safely between his torso and his outstretched arms, Joey grabbed his forearm and caught her breath.

 

The group, having met up again after riding separate attractions, had been unable to endure their hunger after burning so much energy. They had quickly devoured a dinner of hot dogs, cinnamon rolls, and ice cream sundaes.

 

They had eaten in a rush, desperate not to be late for the show, but despite their efforts, the place was already packed tight with people by the time they arrived.

 

“I think we’ll be able to see if we go just a bit further! Stay close behind me.”

 

Just as Ruth turned his head to shout, darkness fell. Every streetlight on the great castle and the main road went out, and bright white lasers sliced through the sky.

 

As the grand orchestral music began to swell, looks of dismay crossed the kids’ faces.

 

“It’s no use! It’s starting! Everyone just squeeze in wherever you can, and meet in front of the ferry when it’s over!”

 

Joey shouted, grabbing Dustin and Amanda by the hands before vanishing into the crowd.

 

Jin turned her head to pass the message to those behind her, but she couldn’t see them.

 

-Are you ready for the magic to begin?

 

The lyrics of the opening theme song began to play. Excited spectators raised their cameras and took a step forward.

 

Jin’s hand was knocked loose as she was jostled by tourists forcing their way in. Having lost her grip on Evan, Jin was swept away by the tide of the crowd.

 

“Excuse me, just a second…!”

 

It happened in the blink of an eye. She tried to reach her arm through the gaps to get back, but having ended up wedged between a group of large men, it wasn’t easy to break free.

 

To make matters worse, brilliant projections were being cast onto the castle walls, and the crowd’s excitement was reaching a fever pitch.

 

Roaring cheers, booming music, and strangers surrounding her on all sides. She couldn’t even see the castle, now vividly colored, or the sky where the fireworks would soon start.

 

‘Where, where should I go…’

 

Just as Jin was about to fall into a state of sudden panic—

 

“…!”

 

A hand reached through a gap, firmly grabbed Jin’s wrist, and pulled her hard. Jin was plucked from the group of young men surrounding her and pulled into someone’s embrace.

 

As her nose bumped against a firm chest, a faint scent of soap mixed with the smell of the wind drifted familiarly toward her. And when Jin looked up—

 

Whiz.

 

Against the backdrop of the magnificent castle, a tiny white firework trailed slowly up into the sky.

 

Boom!

 

The gunpowder, having reached the highest point in an instant, exploded as if to fill the entire world. All the instruments that had momentarily paused began to play again, and taking that as a signal, two, three, countless multicolored sparks cut through the air and bloomed into massive flowers. 

 

“Whoa.”

 

“This is what I came for. It’s so beautiful.”

 

Whispers of joy, excitement, and awe in various languages rippled through the audience.

 

However, all those sights and all those voices failed to reach Jin. Her entire attention had been captured by the boy looking down at her against the backdrop of the beautiful castle and the fireworks.

 

He was looking at her with a full smile, and he was so beautiful that she couldn’t even see the brilliant display expanding behind him. 

 

Boom, bang!

 

As jewel-like glimmers dotted the black night sky, Evan’s face was also stained in a kaleidoscope of colors.

 

Accordingly, his green eyes changed from moment to moment. Coral, sea blue, grass green. As Jin slowly traced the way his eyes sparkled in the light, Evan lowered his head.

 

Thump. Their foreheads met. Evan asked.

 

“Are you having fun?”

 

“…To the point where I wonder if I might be the happiest person in the world right now.”

 

At Jin’s honest answer, Evan let out a low laugh; the slight vibration rising through his vocal cords was transmitted through their embraced bodies and their touching foreheads.

 

In that moment, why did that small resonance feel more clamorous than the celebratory cannons echoing all around?

 

Jin’s eyelids fluttered, so she closed her eyes and clenched her hands together. Evan’s denim jacket was crumpled tight inside her warm palms.

 

“I’m sorry, but you’re wrong.”

 

Evan’s voice reached her ears, which had grown sensitive to replace her darkened vision.

 

“Because the happiest person right now is me.”

 

The whisper flowing from between his upturned lips brushed against Jin’s own.

 

Boom, boom. Amidst the brilliantly exploding fireworks, Jin imagined the deep dimples that must be carved into the boy’s cheeks.

 

“You don’t know this movie?”

 

Jin’s finger pointed at the vivid animated mapping moving across the castle’s outer walls.

 

Throughout the performance, which lasted about ten minutes, the two repeated this conversation. When a famous OST played, Jin would happily sing along, and Evan would simply stare at her blankly. 

 

In the process, Jin learned more about Evan’s tastes. For example—

 

“What is this one about?”

 

“It’s a story about a princess who didn’t want to get married, so she made a deal with a witch, realized she could use ice magic, dressed up as a man, and went on an adventure at sea.”

 

“Sounds like something I wouldn’t pay to watch.”

 

How he had no interest in genres like magic, adventure, or romance, calling them preposterous, yet he liked sci-fi.

 

“What if someone paid you to watch it?”

 

“I still wouldn’t watch it.”

 

He had a stubborn streak where if he disliked something once, he disliked it forever.

 

“What if the person asking you to watch it for money was me?”

 

“Don’t worry, Jin. I’ll only charge you a little.”

 

At Evan’s playful answer, Jin put her weight into it and bumped her body against his. He took the hit with a face that didn’t look bothered at all, then played along with a mock groan, making Jin giggle.

 

Vrrr.

 

Jin, who had been smiling the whole time, realized her thigh was vibrating and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Seeing the name on the screen, a joyful smile broke out.

 

“Who is it?”

 

Evan spoke softly when he saw Jin’s wide smile at the unknown caller.

 

“My dad. Wait a second. I need to take this.”

 

At the word “Dad,” Evan’s slightly raised eyebrows returned to their place. Just then, the performance had entered a lull; the fireworks and music subsided, and the narration before the finale was echoing through the plaza.

 

A gentle voice filled the area, calm and mild, like someone reading a fairy tale.

 

-And so, our journey has reached its end.

 

Good timing, Jin thought as she glanced up at the castle. On the walls, illustrations recording the journeys of the protagonists from each movie shone like stained glass. 

 

The castle standing tall against the black sky was beautiful enough to stare at forever, but as the voice came through the receiver against her ear, Jin’s attention shifted instantly, focusing on the familiar voice.

 

-Mhm, daughter. I saw your text. You’re on break?