Lie Again! Chapter 99

<Chapter 99. A Season for Something to Ripen (4)>

 

“Then what about the tickets I already reserved?”

 

“Either a 50 percent refund or an exchange for another performance at the same time.”

 

A 50 percent refund for their own mistake, not even a full one. And the tickets hadn’t even been cheap.

 

‘Why is everything going like this today?’

 

With nothing going her way on the day she had cared about most, something surged up in her throat. It felt like tears might burst out if even one more thing went wrong, but Jin suppressed the emotion, repeating to herself, ‘It’s nothing.’

 

‘The lunch spot just changed, and the play we’re seeing is just a different one. If I think about it differently, the plan hasn’t even been ruined.’

 

In truth, things had already begun to fall apart starting with the lunch they had eaten earlier. They had driven hard to get there, only to be greeted by a “Summer Vacation” sign hanging on the door.

 

For days, she had scoured Google, map apps, travel platforms, and even the shop’s social media to eliminate any variables, but there hadn’t been a single word about it.

 

In the end, the two of them had entered a random nearby restaurant and eaten lunch; the taste had been just mediocre. The reason they had rushed through a subpar meal instead of finding a better replacement was to make it in time for this play, and now they couldn’t even see it?

 

“What do you want to do? Should I give you the tickets?”

 

At the employee’s urging, Jin felt a surge of stubbornness and nodded.

 

‘It’s not what we originally planned to see… but it should be fine.’

 

Anxiety rippled in her eyes as she looked at the title of the play the employee handed her—one she had never heard of—but Jin forced herself to ignore it. She couldn’t turn back now.

 

To skip to the conclusion, the play was dreadfully boring.

 

What they ended up seeing was not the comedy they originally intended, nor a romance, nor even a drama. If one had to categorize it, it was a socially critical contemporary play that deconstructed the structure of a story.

 

Every time the actor—who played the mother, the doctor, and the editor-in-chief simultaneously—delivered a long soliloquy while holding invisible props, Jin stared at the exit, weighing whether the money spent here was a bigger waste than the time spent sitting and watching this.

 

She didn’t even dare to look at Evan. She lacked the courage to check what kind of expression he might be wearing.

 

After a long cycle of regret, self-blame, and gloom, the curtain finally fell. The actors came onto the stage, held hands, and began to bow. Their faces, waving at the audience, were bright.

 

However, Jin couldn’t bring herself to smile back at them. Following the crowd, she clapped mechanically while thinking blankly.

 

‘I should have just taken the half-refund and left.’

 

As they exited the dark theater, brilliant light was pouring into the glass building.

 

On the way to the exit while holding Evan’s hand, Jin cautiously looked up to gauge his mood. Fortunately, the boy’s expression didn’t look too bad.

 

Noticing her gaze, Evan glanced at Jin and played a prank, squeezing her hand tightly before letting go. He didn’t seem to be in a foul mood because of the tasteless meal or the boring play. Encouraged by this, Jin asked tentatively.

 

“How are you feeling right now?”

 

“It’s interesting. To think I’d actually see something I learned in my ‘History of American Drama’ class in person.”

 

“….”

 

“I’m kidding. Just walking like this with you is fun.”

 

Evan chuckled and lightly swung their joined hands back and forth. As they pushed through the glass doors, the clear sunlight enveloped them.

 

Following Evan’s relaxed smile, Jin’s mood slowly began to lift again.

 

‘There’s still time. Since it’s come to this, I’m going to have a good time no matter what.’

 

She had just made that vow and hadn’t even taken ten steps when it happened.

 

Rumble.

 

At the sudden roar of thunder, Jin looked at the sky with a face of disbelief. Dark clouds, which she hadn’t noticed gathering, were slowly swelling in size.

 

“Don’t lie to me.”

 

Jin muttered helplessly.

 

As soon as she finished speaking, the rain began to pour down with a heavy woosh. Large raindrops fell in a flurry, dyeing everything in a shade of gray.

 

A large hand firmly grabbed the wrist of Jin, who stood dazed, unable to believe reality.

 

“Let’s run.”

 

The two of them ran through the rain toward where the car was parked. Jin hastily spread the shirt she was holding over her head, but the downpour lashed down fiercely as if such a thing were useless. It was the first rain of the summer.

 

By the time they reached the car, everything from her beautifully tied hair to the clothes she had agonized over all last night had become soaked.

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

Inside the car where silence flowed, the sound of rain hitting the roof was rowdy. Lukewarm droplets flowing from her water-logged hems ran down her bare legs.

 

How, how could this happen?

 

Jin couldn’t believe what had happened to her throughout the day.

 

It was a day she had agonized over for weeks, yet not one thing—really, not a single thing—had gone her way. It was enough to make her suspect that someone was intentionally sabotaging her.

 

She had to exert considerable effort to endure the urge to give up everything, sit down, and cry.

 

“…Should we just go home now before it gets late?”

 

Jin said, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them.

 

There were more things she had planned for later, but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything in this downpour, and she didn’t want to think anymore. Every decision she had made after much thought had turned out to be the absolute worst. Now, she was even worried about what other landmine she might step on.

 

‘It’s… it’s still okay. The most important thing is still left…’

 

While Jin clutched her throbbing mind, Evan quietly tapped the steering wheel with his fingers one by one. He spoke when his index finger’s turn had come around for the third time.

 

“Do you want to eat dinner? There’s a good place nearby.”

 

It had been a long time since Evan had suggested doing something. Although there had been several light arguments on this subject, he still put Jin before his own opinion. Because of this, Jin hesitated to answer, but she eventually shook her head.

 

“No, let’s go home.”

 

“…Alright. If that’s what you want.”

 

The car ride back was quiet. Not wanting to ruin the day like this, Jin forced her mood up and tried to bring up various topics, but Evan’s reaction was strangely cold.

 

When the conversation failed to continue and kept snapping off, an eventually exhausted Jin also fell silent.

 

“….”

 

Raindrops hitting the windowpane slid down, leaving messy trails on the glass. Jin, staring quietly at the sight, eventually turned her eyes to the driver’s seat.

 

His face, silently moving the steering wheel, was cold without a trace of warmth. Jin stared at him for a moment before abruptly snapping her head back toward the window.

 

The flesh on the inside of her lip was crushed between her teeth. A dull pain rose from the tender membrane, but Jin bit down harder. She did it because she felt that if she didn’t, she would burst into a pathetic sob.

 

‘…What was I supposed to do?’

 

A surge of sorrow toward the boy acting suddenly cold welled up in her.

 

It was certainly her who had ruined today, but it wasn’t as if she had wanted it to turn out this way.

 

All the misfortune that had occurred today was like an irresistible force of nature that Jin could do nothing about. Jin was certain that if one had to pick the person who was more upset by this natural disaster between the two of them, it would be her.

 

Every time the things she had prepared—searching the internet and taking recommendations from those around her—fell apart, the urge to scream at someone, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ had surged up repeatedly. Just by grabbing onto her reason and forcing herself to think positively, Jin had already exerted a great deal of effort.

 

The tip of her nose stung and tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, but Jin couldn’t cry. Because she felt that if she gave in here, it would be like declaring that Evan’s birthday had ended in a mess like this.

 

Even after the atmosphere had become like this, Jin desperately wanted to deliver what she had prepared with the help of Ivy and Riley last night to Evan.

 

So just until they arrive, endure until then. So that she can celebrate with a smiling face.

 

In a silence as damp and cold as the pouring rain, the two of them looked at different places. Evan looked straight ahead, and Jin looked stubbornly out the window.

 

By the time they arrived in front of the homestay, the rain had already stopped, leaving only traces on the road.

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

The green Mustang stood quietly at the roadside.

 

A moment after the ignition was cut and silence descended, Jin, slowly unfastening her seatbelt, opened her mouth. Perhaps because she had kept it closed for so long, her voice was low and husky.

 

“Evan, I’ll get out fir—”

 

I’ll get out first, so could you come in a little later? Before she could finish her sentence, Evan’s cold voice cut her off.

 

“Are you sick of me now? Is meeting me tedious?”

 

“What?”

 

Jin immediately raised her head and looked at Evan. However, facing a face that was stiff and devoid of any ease, Jin couldn’t ask what he meant and faltered.

 

Meanwhile, his low, sunken voice continued sarcastically.

 

“Is that why you aren’t going to tell me?”

 

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand anything right now.”

 

“You’re going to Korea.”

 

“….”

 

Silence fell heavily.

 

Evan glared at the girl whose lips were merely trembling, as if she were at a loss for words.

 

An evening breeze blew. The dark clouds that had gathered thickly to block the sun scattered, and through them, the evening glow shone in.

 

The setting sun, piercing through the front windshield, fell over a face as cold as a midwinter north wind. An orange spark seemed to flicker over his green eyes, and then they were dyed red.

 

He looked like a forest burning fiercely.

 

A forest was there, parched and dry, where an uncontrollable fire was spreading even from a tiny spark.