Across The Pornhwa Verse

After leaving the theater, Yeo Juyeon and Travis strolled through the bustling mall, their hands still loosely intertwined. The echoes of the movie still lingered in her mind, and she swore her face was still hot from the whole ordeal.

'I need a distraction. Now,' she thought, quickly scanning the area for anything that might help her forget the fact that she had just watched porn in public—with him.

"Over there," she said, pointing to a small food stall near the escalators. The scent of grilled meat and spices filled the air, instantly making her stomach grumble.

Travis chuckled. "Hungry already?"

She shot him a look. "You dragged me through the city like a madman and then forced me to sit through that movie. The least you can do is buy me food."

He raised an amused brow but nodded. "Forced you? Well fair enough."

They approached the stall, which specialized in skewered meats and crispy fried snacks. The vendor, an older man with a kind smile, greeted them warmly.

"What can I get for you two lovebirds?" he asked, grinning as he gestured to the menu.

Juyeon immediately stiffened. "Oh, we're not—"

"We'll take five skewers and some tteokbokki," Travis interrupted smoothly, completely ignoring her attempt at correcting the man.

The vendor chuckled. "Ah, young love. I'll have it ready in a few minutes."

Juyeon turned to Travis with a glare, whispering, "Lovebirds? Really?"

He smirked. "What? You didn't correct him fast enough. Now it's official."

She groaned, but before she could say anything else, the vendor handed them their food. Travis paid without hesitation, then guided her to a nearby seating area.

They sat on a bench overlooking the mall's main floor, watching as people hurried from store to store. Juyeon picked up a skewer and took a bite, savoring the sweet and savory glaze coating the meat.

"Damn," she mumbled through a mouthful. "This is so good."

Travis watched her with an amused expression. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."

She shot him a playful glare before reaching into his tray and stealing one of his skewers.

"Hey," he protested, but she simply smirked and took a bite.

"What? You didn't stop me fast enough. Now it's official," she mimicked, throwing his words right back at him.

He stared at her for a moment before laughing, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, occasionally commenting on the shoppers passing by. Juyeon found herself feeling oddly relaxed now, the earlier tension from the movie fading into the background.

Once they finished their food, Travis stretched his arms over his head and asked, "So what's next in your book's date sequence?"

Juyeon tapped her chin, trying to recall the scene she had written. "After eating, they played some arcade games. The guy wins a stuffed animal for the girl."

Travis grinned. "Alright then. Time for me to prove my superior skills."

She scoffed. "We'll see about that."

With that, they made their way to the arcade, the date continuing—neither of them realizing just how much closer they were becoming.

The bright neon lights of the arcade flickered as Travis and Yeo Juyeon stepped inside. The air buzzed with the sounds of game machines, electronic jingles, and occasional cheers from players hitting high scores.

Juyeon's eyes lit up as she scanned the room. "Alright, since this date is supposed to follow my book, you have to win me a stuffed animal," she reminded him, crossing her arms with a smug smile.

Travis smirked. "Easy. I was born to win rigged carnival games."

She rolled her eyes. "We'll see about that."

They made their way to the claw machine section, where rows of plush toys sat temptingly behind the glass. There were cute bears, oversized ducks, and even an oddly shaped cat with an unimpressed expression that made Juyeon snicker.

Travis cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Watch and learn."

Juyeon stood beside him as he inserted the first token. The claw descended toward a fluffy white rabbit, latched on—only for the stuffed toy to slip right through its metallic grasp.

"Pfft—born to win, huh?" Juyeon teased, biting back a laugh.

Travis scoffed, undeterred. "That was just a warm-up."

He tried again. And again. And again.

By the fourth attempt, Juyeon had fully lost faith in him. "Face it, Travis. The machine is against you."

"No, no, no. I got this," he insisted, eyes narrowing in focus.

Juyeon sighed, leaning against the machine. She wasn't expecting him to actually win at this point, but—

A soft thump made her snap her head up.

The claw had successfully dropped a small pink bunny into the prize chute.

Juyeon's jaw dropped. "No way."

Travis grinned, reaching in and pulling out the plushie. He turned to her and held it out, looking way too proud of himself.

"Here," he said. "Your book character's boyfriend wins her a stuffed animal. So, now I win you one."

Juyeon stared at the bunny in his hands. It was small, soft, and had tiny beady eyes that seemed to stare right into her soul. She hesitated before slowly taking it from him, her fingers brushing against his in the process.

"…Thanks," she muttered, hugging it close to her chest.

Travis tilted his head. "What, no teasing this time?"

She huffed, turning away to hide the sudden warmth in her cheeks. "Shut up. I'm just surprised you actually won."

He chuckled. "A man of many talents."

Juyeon rolled her eyes but couldn't fight back the small smile playing on her lips.

"Alright," she said, clearing her throat. "Next in the book, they played air hockey. The girl totally destroyed the guy."

Travis raised an eyebrow. "You wrote that?"

"I may have given my female lead an unfair advantage."

Travis smirked, leading her toward the air hockey table. "Let's see if reality matches fiction."

The game was on.

....

Late Night Ice Cream Run

The mall, once bustling with life, was now eerily quiet as Travis and Yeo Juyeon stepped outside. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the empty parking lot, the occasional flicker of neon signs being the only movement around them. The night air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of passing cars.

Juyeon let out a content sigh, hugging the pink bunny Travis had won for her earlier. "That was fun," she admitted, glancing at him.

Travis smirked. "Told you I'd be good at this dating thing."

She scoffed but didn't argue. Instead, she tilted her head in thought. "But I feel like something's missing…"

He arched a brow. "Like what?"

She grinned. "Ice cream."

Travis chuckled. "So that's what your stomach is telling you." Without hesitation, he led her to the car.

Minutes later, they pulled up to a 24-hour McDonald's drive-thru, the golden arches glowing against the dark sky.

Travis rolled down the window, greeted the tired-sounding worker, and ordered two vanilla cones.

Juyeon raised an eyebrow. "Vanilla? That's kinda boring."

He shrugged. "Classic. Can't go wrong with it."

She hummed in thought. "You seem like a chocolate guy."

Travis gave her a look as he took their order. "What, because I'm mysterious and irresistible?"

"No, because you seem like the type to make a mess while eating."

He gasped dramatically. "I feel so attacked right now."

She only laughed as she took her ice cream from him, savoring the cold sweetness.

As he pulled back onto the road, Travis glanced at the rearview mirror and then at the glowing billboard screen above them. The soft city lights reflected in Juyeon's eyes as she licked her ice cream absentmindedly, lost in her own thoughts.

A slow smile spread across his lips.

'Life is pretty great.'

Above her heads, the invisible numbers ticked up.

Love: 60

Interest: 100

TO BE CONTINUED