Watch the movie, why are you looking at me

"Ju On? I know this movie is really popular, but I've never seen it."

"Then how about we watch this one? It looks pretty scary, check out the poster." Su Yang handed his phone to Han So-yeon.

Han So-yeon glanced at it and nodded: "Wow, it does look a bit scary, okay, let's go with this one!"

"Alright." Su Yang picked up the remote and searched for it.

A series of different versions of Ju On movies quickly appeared on the projection screen. Su Yang looked through them and chose the most classic first installment, hitting play.

Just then, a knock came from outside the private room—thump, thump, thump.

Su Yang paused the movie and called out: "Come in."

The door opened, and the waitress from earlier walked in pushing a small cart.

"Hi there, handsome. Here are your drinks and snacks."

"Great, just leave them on the table."

"Okay." The girl set everything out neatly: "All done. If you need anything, just press the service bell by the bed and I'll come right over. I won't bother you in the meantime."

"Got it, thanks."

"No problem. Enjoy the movie, you two." She smiled, turned around, and left.

After she was gone, Han So-yeon walked over to the table, picked up a fork, stabbed a piece of fried chicken, and brought it to Su Yang's mouth: "Open up."

Su Yang smiled and opened his mouth to accept the bite: "Mm, freshly fried, not bad. You have some too."

"Okay, should we watch lying on the bed?"

"Of course, there's nowhere else to sit."

"Alright, do you want a beer now?"

"Sure." Su Yang grabbed two cans of beer and placed them on the nightstand.

Then Han So-yeon picked up the fried chicken and popcorn, walked over to the bed, took off her shoes, and lay down.

Su Yang walked around to the other side. He suddenly thought of something and immediately called out in his mind.

—System, are there any cameras in here?

[None]

—Good.

Once both were settled, Su Yang was about to start the movie when Han So-yeon spoke up: "Should I turn off the lights?"

"Only if you want to, but I'm afraid you'll get scared."

"It's fine, with you here I'm not scared." Han So-yeon smiled and turned around to switch off the lights in the room.

Even with the lights off, the room still had some pink ambient lighting scattered around—not pitch black, but it felt like one of those small massage parlor booths.

"Mm, this is much more comfortable." Han So-yeon said, continuing to eat her fried chicken.

Su Yang grabbed a can of beer and handed it to her: "Here, put it on your side."

"Okay, I'll feed you these snacks in a bit." Han So-yeon laughed.

"Haha, sounds good. I'll hit play then."

"Go ahead, I'm ready."

"OK." Su Yang picked up the remote and pressed play.

The image on the screen began to play, starting with a series of production company logos in the opening credits. Su Yang fast-forwarded, and soon they were into the main feature.

"It's starting, it's starting." Su Yang said, taking a sip from the beer on the nightstand.

"Wait, I think I need a pillow." Han So-yeon turned around and grabbed a cushion from the bed to hug.

The film unfolds from the perspective of a young female volunteer named Rika. Overcast skies, silent streets, the low-saturation, cold-toned color palette typical of horror films—right from the beginning, it creates a suffocating atmosphere.

The movie opens with Rika receiving an assignment from the welfare center to check on the Tokunaga household, because the elderly woman, Grandma Yukie, hadn't shown up at the center for several days and couldn't be reached, so they sent Rika to see what was going on.

Even though the movie had just started, Han So-yeon was already feeling a little scared.

She put down her popcorn and scooted closer to Su Yang.

Su Yang laughed: "You're scared already, and it just started?"

"It's the background music—it sounds a bit eerie. I feel like a jumpscare could happen at any second. I feel safer next to you." She pressed up against Su Yang's side.

"It's fine, normally no scary moments happen that early on."

Han So-yeon nodded, placed the pillow over her chest, and gently rested her head against Su Yang's shoulder, leaving only her eyes exposed.

Su Yang smiled, put down his beer, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

The two of them began watching properly. Old-school horror films had a fast pace and did a great job building atmosphere.

At that moment, the movie was showing Rika standing in front of the Tokunaga residence. She rang the doorbell, but no one answered inside. Then she tried pushing the door—creak—it swung open.

Rika poked her head in and called out twice: "Ms. Yukie? Excuse me? Is anyone home?"

Her voice echoed through the deathly silent house, but there was no response.

But the character didn't sense anything wrong at that point. She took off her shoes and stepped inside. As soon as she entered, the interior light became unusually dim.

Seeing this, Han So-yeon let out a small hiss and pressed herself even closer to Su Yang.

"Don't be scared, it's fine."

"I feel so terrified!"

"If you're really scared, just watch with your eyes half closed."

"Okay." Han So-yeon replied and moved the pillow up a bit.

Su Yang held her close, and a faint, subtle fragrance drifted into his nose.

[Ding, detected host and beautiful companion watching a movie in high spirits and great enjoyment. Reward: 3 million, one boost card.]

—Oh ho, the cards have been coming in pretty frequently lately. Nice, nice. Keep them coming.

Su Yang replied to the system and turned his attention back to the movie.

Although this film was scary, it didn't affect him at all. Forget movies—even if something supernatural actually showed up in front of him, he wouldn't flinch. He'd just take it head-on.

At that moment, the film showed Rika going up to the second floor and finding Grandma Yukie in a dimly lit bedroom.

She was lying completely still, curled up in her futon on the tatami, facing away from the door.

"Don't go over there! Something's definitely wrong!" Han So-yeon couldn't help blurting out when she saw this.

Su Yang didn't respond, just kept watching. Rika walked over, knelt down beside the bedding, and called out softly: "Ms. Yukie, are you alright? Asleep?"

After calling twice, Yukie under the covers didn't answer.

Rika swallowed. This character was a kind, responsible girl with a hint of youthful shyness.

After calling twice with no answer, although she'd started to sense something was off, out of a sense of duty, she gently lifted the blanket covering Yukie's head.

Just then, Han So-yeon quickly put the pillow over her eyes, but she was curious about what might happen next, so she peeked out with one eye squinting.

The blanket was about to be lifted, but no ominous music swelled up. Han So-yeon breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But just as she expected the next shot to be the back of Yukie's head, the scene cut abruptly to a face — pale as paper, hair disheveled and hanging down, eyes pitch-black and hollow. The face filled nearly the entire screen, hitting with tremendous impact.

"Ahh!!" Han So-yeon shot up in fright and scrambled directly onto Su Yang, clinging to him.

Su Yang hugged her and comforted: "Don't be scared, don't be scared. I'm here, I'm here."

"Huff, huff, huff!" Han So-yeon took deep breaths, burying her face in Su Yang's chest.

In the movie, Rika was also terrified out of her wits, screaming as she ran out of the room.

Su Yang hit pause and laughed: "Didn't I tell you to watch with your eyes half closed?"

"I was doing that, but I could still see it. It was way too scary. Ugh, give me a moment to recover."

Su Yang could feel Han So-yeon's heartbeat speeding up noticeably—she was genuinely scared, though lying on him like this was quite comfortable.

After more than ten seconds, she slid off him and curled up again, hiding her face behind the throw pillow. "Whew, geez, that scene just now was terrifying!"

Su Yang gently patted her shoulder. "Since you're this scared, maybe we should switch to something lighter?"

Han So-yeon hesitated, then shook her head. "But I really want to keep watching."

"You're literally asking for torture—scared but hooked. We've barely started and you're already this shaken up."

"Whew! It's fine, keep going!"

"Alright, I'll hit play then."

"Okay."

Su Yang pressed play, and on screen, Rika, frightened out of her wits, fled the house like a madwoman.

The next stretch of plot eased up a bit. Su Yang turned and picked up his beer from the nightstand, taking a sip.

"I want some too." Han So-yeon rolled over, grabbed her beer from the nightstand on her side, and nestled back into Su Yang's arms.

She opened her beer, took a sip, then handed it over to him. "Put it on your side."

"Sure." Su Yang took it and set it on the nightstand.

Han So-yeon shifted up a little higher, and Su Yang reached out again to hold her close.

Since the plot had calmed down somewhat, she wasn't as scared for the moment. Being held by Su Yang made her heart feel sweet, and that warmth quickly pushed aside the previous fear.

[Ding, detected that host's favorability with Han So-yeon has increased to 80. Reward: 5 million. Constitution +1, current 97. Charm +1, current 95.]

—Damn, these rewards are getting good lately.

Han So-yeon bit her lip gently and tilted her head up to sneak a look at Su Yang's jaw.

Feeling her gaze, Su Yang looked down and said, "Watch the movie—why are you staring at me?"

"No... nothing."

She took a deep breath, shifted her body slightly, then reached out her right hand to gently wrap around Su Yang. Her head moved too, shifting from his shoulder to rest against his solid chest.

......