My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty

Extra Story 4. Starry Night (2)

And with that, the day’s date course was decided. The route is simple. Watch a movie with Aki, have dinner, then head to the Nowon-gu Science Center for Space to arrive in time for the nighttime viewing session and gaze at the stars.

The estimated time needed is about four to five hours. Because from our neighborhood to Nowon-gu, it’s a two-hour round trip, you see. Going by car would certainly shorten it, but alas, I am a walker. Alas.

Well, anyway, let’s set aside the trivial. I left the house with Aki and we saw a movie. The chosen film: *Veteran 2*. I vaguely recall watching the first installment of this film with Aki at home, roughly ten years ago, and enjoying it immensely. As a sequel should, it was quite enjoyable. Perhaps it was because the humor resonated, but there were quite a few scenes where I snickered to myself.

Especially that scene in the middle of the film, where someone got hit right in the vitals, it was so funny I nearly died trying to suppress my laughter…

“It wasn’t good.”

*Clink.*

Aki placed her fork on the plate.

I glanced at Aki, pulled out a couple of napkins, and leaned forward. Then, I gently wiped the cream from around Aki’s lips.

“What wasn’t good?”

“…The story, the direction, the plausibility. All of it.”

Aki cleared her throat, *ahem ahem*—her cheeks flushing slightly.

I leaned back. Then Aki took a napkin and dabbed her lips with a rather elegant gesture. Even though I had just meticulously wiped them, so there shouldn’t be anything left.

“Really? How so, specifically?”

“First off, the explanations are too lacking in scene after scene. Especially the scenes related to the main villain’s crimes. How did Park Sunwoo, the main villain, manage to persuade those bullies he’d taken care of with his own hands to join in the crime? Did Park Sunwoo and those bullies have any other connection besides that one scene?”

“Well, wouldn’t there be more to it that we don’t know? Maybe after saving Seo Do-cheol’s son, Park Sunwoo met the bullies again and threatened them, or maybe they plotted together from the beginning to harass the son?”

“Even if we generously assume there was such a setup, the fact that there was no scene in the movie explaining it is what makes it implausible. How are the audience supposed to know about a setup that only exists in the director’s head? It’s not like we read the script before watching the movie, is it?”

“Hmm, maybe you’re right… Ah, this is delicious. Here, Aki. Aah~”

“And that’s not the end of it. The rest is even worse—Aah, aah~”

“How is it, delicious?”

“Mmm. Delicious. Nom….”

Aki munches on the twirled pasta I handed her. Seeing her like that, she’s unexpectedly adorable. How should I put it, it’s like watching a little squirrel eating its food, I suppose.

“The first one was much better. Even though the first one I saw a long time ago might have lacked some plausibility, it had redeeming qualities in other areas. The direction, the narrative, for example. But this second one…. Aah, nom.”

“Yes, the second one?”

“Nom, nom…. *gulp*. Yes, honestly, it’s not good. Disappointing too. Up until the beginning, it felt just like the first one, so it was exciting, but once the main villain rises to the surface, its unique color disappears. It turns into a too-predictable cop movie. Since they are someone with a clear style and career, it would have been more interesting if they filmed according to their own beliefs? Don’t you think so, darling…Aah, nom.”

After putting pasta in Aki’s mouth, I took a bite of my pizza, thinking to myself.

‘Our Aki is serious about movies….’

I had just laughed it off, but she can analyze a movie so deeply. Now that Aki mentions it, there was something like that. The first one you could just completely turn your brain off and enjoy, but the second one, you kind of have to think a little to understand the story, I guess you could say.

“So, what’s Aki’s score for this movie? Out of 10.”

“Four. The reason being.”

“The reason is?”

“In addition to what I said earlier, the humor is too outdated. Making people laugh by kicking a guy in the crotch, what era is that from? And what if someone does laugh? It’d be a disaster.”

“……”

To burst open, you say. Whatever could I say…?

Aki’s meaningfully muttered words sent a shiver down my spine for no reason. I stopped eating my pizza and plopped it down on the plate.

“Oh? Dear husband, you’re not going to eat more?”

“I ate a lot for lunch, so I’m full… Aki, you can eat more.”

“Eung, really? Then, I think I’ll stop too.”

“You *can* eat more, though?”

“Nah, if I eat more here, I’ll get fa—”

“Fat?”

“…Anyway, dinner’s over here. Let’s get going soon. Let’s go!”

“Ah, okay. Got it.”

* * *

With our bellies full, Aki and I left the Italian restaurant and headed to our next destination. Our destination was the highlight of today’s date: the Nowon District Astronomical Science Center.

After a quick look-up before getting on the subway, it seemed they ran several astronomy-related educational programs for children, and also astronomical lectures and constellation observation programs for adults. But the amazing thing was that the participation fee for the constellation observation program was only 2,000 won. 2,000 won. No joke, really.

In this day and age where buying a single kimbap roll and a bottle of water at a convenience store requires paying 2,000 won plus extra, you couldn’t find a more generous program than this. So Aki and I, all the way here, suspected if it wasn’t actually 20,000 won instead of 2,000 won, if the price was incorrectly listed on the website.

“Hello. We came for the nighttime observation, two people.”

“Yes, hello. For two adults, it’s 4,000 won. Shall I help you with the payment?”

“Ah, yes. Here’s my card.”

“4,000 won has been paid. Here are your tickets, and since the nighttime observation starts at 20:00, please look around the planetarium on the 4th floor and then head to the auxiliary observation room on the 5th floor!”

But that suspicion naturally dissolved as soon as we arrived. After receiving the tickets issued on-site, Aki and I took the elevator to the 4th floor, constantly marveling. ‘Seriously, how can it only cost 2,000 won for free access to the planetarium for 1 hour and 30 minutes *and* stargazing with a telescope?’ we wondered.

“Wow… It’s really unbelievable. It’s unbelievably cheap…?”

“I know, it’s really cheap. But are the astronomical centers in Japan more expensive?”

“Eung. They’re expensive. Of course, there are cheap places too, but… Even the cheapest places cost at least a thousand yen just for admission. Places like Tokyo Dome start from four thousand yen.”

“A thousand yen is about 9,000 won at the current exchange rate, right? Wow, that’s more than four times the price?”

“That’s why it’s so amazing. Compared to Japan, it’s unbelievably cheap!”

“I see. Is it cheap because it’s run with taxes?”

“The fact that the taxes we diligently pay are being used in a place like this is so touching…!”

Ding-.

The elevator arrived.

Aki and I got off on the 4th floor and first entered the room labeled ‘Planetarium.’ According to the sign at the entrance, you could watch short films and see virtual constellations here. But since it was already late, there were no movie screenings, and only constellations with beautiful drawings were projected onto the ceiling.

Aki and I found seats in a decent spot and sat down, gazing blankly upward.

“Ah, Darling. See that? Way over there, the thing that looks like a person. That’s Orion.”

“Orion… I think I’ve heard of it, but that’s really it?”

“Mhm, yup. It’s a constellation that’s really easy to see in winter, you can even see it with the naked eye, probably? I’ve seen it a few times, ’twas beautiful.”

“Really? So if we went outside now, could we see it?”

“If the weather’s good. With a telescope, for sure.”

“Oh, that’s… something, huh?”

It’s not something to brag about, but I’ve never actually seen a constellation. Probably not just me either, most people who grew up in the city are the same. At most, they’ve seen Venus by chance. Venus is the brightest celestial body after the sun and moon, so it’s visible even in the city.

“Darling, do you know what stars are in Orion?”

“Nope, not a single one.”

“Heheh. Really? Alright, then I’ll tell you. Now, first of all, the one at the shoulder is the famous Betelgeuse. You know Betelgeuse, right Darling? It’s famous for being a super, super huge star! Its radius is a whopping 800 times that of the sun!”

“Oh. Saying it like that, I think I kinda know.”

“Mhm, right? And then going down to the foot, there’s Rigel. Rigel is a blue supergiant, and in the Orion constellation, it’s known as Orion Beta because it’s the second brightest, but it’s actually brighter than Betelgeuse, which is the alpha. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Hey, what’s that planet?”

“Hold on, Darling.”

“Hm?”

“Stars and planets are different. Stars emit their own light, and planets don’t. The stars in the Orion constellation are stars, not planets. So, when you just asked, ‘What’s that planet?’ it was incorrect. Do you understand?”

“Ah, yeah. I understand.”

“Okay. So, now…”

Aki, sounding satisfied, continued her explanation. To put it briefly, though she talked for a long time:

‘That one’s Bellatrix. It’s the third brightest star in Orion. The villain Bellatrix from Harry Potter got her name from this star, and it’s pretty bright too. But Betelgeuse and Rigel are so famous and have such a strong presence that it gets overshadowed. It looks lovely and has a lovely name, but personally, I think it’s a shame!’ That’s about it.

Hmm. It feels like that wasn’t a summary at all, but that’s just a feeling. Aki actually talked even longer than that.

“Mhm, that’s pretty much all you need to know about Orion. Orion is done, next is Gemini! I have so much to say about Gemini too. You know Greek mythology, Darling? Heheh. This is a story that’s even more interesting if you know it…!”

“…Pfft.”

Seeing Aki smiling brightly and getting ready to launch into another explanation, I couldn’t help but laugh. She’s not even tired, and already thinking of another story? Why’s she so excited today?

“Aki, I think we should probably head out soon.”

“Huh? Now? I haven’t finished the story yet!”

“I want to hear more too, but… look at the time. It’s already almost 8 o’clock. The outdoor observation is starting soon.”

“Ehh, really…?”

I got up from my seat. Then, I held out my hand to Aki, who still looked regretful.

“Let’s go. To see real stars.”