“Are you ready?” Changkyun asked, hopping onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a grin. She feigned one back at him and nodded. She wasn’t anywhere near ready.
Truthfully, she hated horror films. It didn’t matter if it was blood and guts or spooky ghost stories, all of it put on her edge and gave her nightmares. When Changkyun suggested a movie night, she looked forward to cuddling up on the couch with something calm or interesting. She felt all the blood drain from her face when he’d suggested something spooky for the season. She could’ve just said no, but she didn’t want to be a spoilsport.
She pulled a fleece blanket over her lap as Changkyun pressed play on the remote. She practiced her neutral face throughout the whole first part of the film, darting her eyes to the corner of the TV whenever something semi-scary happened. So far, it was very slow and atmospheric, which she was thankful for. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad?
“Why don’t they just leave?” Changkyun scoffed as he dug his hand into the popcorn bowl, shaking his head. He was obviously more engaged in the story than she, and she realized she’d have to start paying attention.
“Yeah, dumb.” She mumbled, pulling the blanket up a little higher.
The tension was building both on screen and in her body, but Changkyun was totally oblivious to her heightening anxiety. Maybe if she just concealed it a little longer, he wouldn’t notice. She leaned toward him, wanting to nuzzle into him and hide her face, but he was relaxed with his feet pulled up and the bowl in his lap.
She was lost in looking him over, and didn’t see the jumpscare on screen, but definitely heard the accompanying BANG in the soundtrack. She screeched, her hands flailing up and knocking the popcorn into the air. Tiny bits of yellow coated the living room floor and couch, and them as well. She was sure she even had some of it in her hair.
Changkyun was speechless, startled by her scream and the popcorn bomb that had just gone off. She thought for a moment, by his stoic face, that he might be angry, and she opened her mouth to apologize.
She was cut off by Changkyun breaking into a hysterical laughter, a deep in the belly kind of laugh that took your breath away. He fell into her, holding his stomach, and she giggled a little, his laughter getting inside her and bringing it out of her. This went on for almost 5 minutes; neither of them could stop and had tears streaming down their faces.
“I hate scary movies” She said as her laughter faded and she wiped the corners of her eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Changkyun asked with a genuine look of concern on his face.
“You seemed like you were looking forward to it, I didn’t want to ruin the night.”
He tsk’d her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap. He picked popcorn from her hair while smiling ear to ear. When he finished his task, he sprinkled kisses all her over her face and neck in a playful way, causing her to giggle once more.
“I really don’t care what we watch; I just want you next to me when we do.”
After all this time, he could still make her blush.
The kisses on her neck turned to gentle sucks, puckering over small patches of her skin under her jaw. He let go of her skin and hummed.
