That Saturday, Aki found herself waiting outside the theater, trying hard to keep from pacing back and forth in front of the doors. She had spent a lot of time fretting over her choice of theater, very nearly picking a private theater for two before settling on the larger theater near the metro station. She figured that would make it easier for her date to get there. At least, she was privately thinking of Hedeon as her date. They hadn't really discussed a term for what they were doing today, but Aki figured that she was allowed to be optimistic about the situation.
She shifted from side to side, straightening her skirt for the umpteenth time, although she was aware that it didn't need it. She had already bought the tickets online, with the agreement that Hedeon would buy refreshments, so she couldn't even busy herself with that task while she waited. She tapped the screen of her phone, noting that they still had five minutes before the show started. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she looked up and saw the cause of her fluttering nerves approaching her.
For a moment, she nearly forgot to breathe. She hadn't seen Hedeon since he had been to her house, and had nearly forgotten just how handsome he was. His gleaming hair was once again pulled back into a ponytail, and he wore a plain black shirt with dark pants, pulling off an effortlessly sleek image. She fleetingly wondered if she should have dressed up a little more, then dismissed the idea. They were at a movie theater, not a fancy restaurant. It wasn't Hedeon's fault that he looked glamorous in anything.
As Aki was thinking this, Hedeon approached, stopping in front of her. She smiled up at him, hoping fervently that her lips weren't quivering. "Hi," she offered simply.
He nodded.
She found herself racing to fill the silence. "I have the tickets, so we can go ahead and check in. It's over this way." She turned around, messing with her phone to open up the digital codes she needed. As she presented them to the theater attendant and tried to listen to his directions, she sneaked another sideways glance at her date. It just wasn't fair that he looked so damn good.
They were ushered through to the concessions area, and Aki once again turned to the boy at her elbow. "So what are we getting?"
Hedeon trained his dark eyes on the concessions board. "I thought we would just get some drinks and a popcorn. Is that all right with you?" His eyes met hers, and she felt like she would agree to anything he proposed at the moment. She managed to nod, and he got in line with Aki trailing behind him like a lovesick puppy. She managed to give a coherent answer when she was asked what drink she wanted, and soon enough found herself holding a cup as they were walking to their theater.
Aki looked up at the boy next to her as they walked, searching for something to say. "Thanks for coming with me. My friends weren't interested in this movie, and it's so awkward to go alone."
Hedeon looked down at her, face unreadable as he replied, "Not a problem." Although he didn't offer further conversation, he did hold the door open for her when they reached their theater, and held her drink as she got settled into her seat. Just as he was sitting down next to her, the lights dimmed, and the commercials began.
Aki considered attempting a conversation over the commercials, but her date kept his eyes trained on the screen to the point that she was unsure if he was actually enjoying watching them. She decided it was better to err on the side of caution and allow him to watch in peace.
But when the movie started, Aki quickly got lost in the plot. She had chosen a movie she actually did want to see, the latest in a series of action-romance films. She tended to get caught up in movies and today was no exception. She gasped as the close scrapes, laughed at the comic relief, and sighed when the main couple kissed. She was so completely engrossed in the plot that she whispered her feelings and observations to her date without even thinking about what she was doing. To Hedeon's credit, he listened to her seriously, nodding along with her words, and even allowing her to grip his sleeve at the crucial moment when it looked like the hero would fail.
When the end credits started rolling and the lights came back on, Aki realized she was still clutching onto him, and quickly released her grip, standing up quickly and busying herself with gathering her things. She hustled quickly out of the theater to dispose of their garbage, then waited by the door for Hedeon to catch up. As they fell into stride, she exclaimed, "That was great, wasn't it?"
Hedeon nodded. "Although I had more fun watching you," he added.
She stared up at him, wide-eyed. He returned her look, then pulled them over to the side of the hallway they were in. Shielding her with his body, he propped her chin up with his finger, then leaned down and joined their mouths together.
The kiss was so brief that Aki was left blinking afterwards, wondering if it had even happened. She stared at Hedeon as he flashed her a rare smile, dazzling her even further to the point that she barely heard his next words. "Aki, I like you. Do you want to go out with me?"