Chapter 397: The Name She Only Knows

We walked back into the theatre room and found our seats in the last row corner. The advertisements were still playing on the big screen, showing colorful trailers for upcoming movies and snacks. The lights were still a little bright, and people were settling back into their places after the intermission.

"Ahh, good to see we didn’t miss anything," I said, sighing in relief as I settled down in my seat. I stretched my legs a little and got comfortable, the soft cushion feeling nice after standing in the queue.

"Hmm..." Aeri responded with a low hum. She seemed lost in her own world. She sat down beside me, keeping her small purse on her lap. Her hands clasped together tightly, and she stared straight ahead at the screen without really seeing it.

"Here, have this," I said, placing the nachos in the center between us and putting the cans of cola on her armrest.

"Thanks," Aeri said softly, giving me a small smile. It looked a little forced, but I didn’t want to push her.

"You’re welcome, miss," I replied in a casual, happy tone. I kept the popcorn bucket in my lap and took a few pieces, popping them into my mouth. The popcorn was warm and buttery, tasting really good.

I shook the popcorn bucket gently in front of Aeri so she could take some, but she was still looking down at her hands, which were clasped together on her lap. She seemed far away, like her mind was somewhere else.

"Aeri..." I said softly, touching her arm lightly with the edge of the bucket to get her attention.

"Ahh, yes, yes... thanks..." she said, straightening up suddenly. She took the bucket in her hands and ate a few pieces of popcorn, chewing slowly. Her eyes were still a little distant, and she kept glancing around the theatre every now and then.

"What happened? You suddenly have gotten paled or something," I said, leaning toward her slightly. I could see the worry in her eyes, even though she was trying to hide it.

"No, I am fine..." she said, forcing a smile and trying her best to act normal. She took another handful of popcorn and ate it, but her hand was shaking just a little.

"I see..." I said slowly, turning my gaze back toward the advertisements on the screen. I didn’t believe her completely, but I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by asking too many questions. The theatre lights started dimming again as the intermission ended, and the movie was about to continue.

Aeri sat quietly beside me, her shoulder touching mine. She ate the popcorn slowly, but her mind seemed elsewhere. Every now and then, she would glance at the door or the empty seats around us, like she was looking for something. I put my arm around her shoulders gently and pulled her a little closer, hoping it would help her feel safe.

"Did you get sick? After having sex in this air conditioned hall?" I said sarcastically, placing my palm gently on her forehead to check her temperature. I tried to keep my voice low so no one around us would hear.

"Ohh come on, Ezra! Don’t be so childish. I am telling you na, I am fine," Aeri said, sounding a little irritated and stressed out. Her voice was louder than usual, and a few people in the nearby seats turned their heads to look at us for a second.

"I—" Aeri stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the gazes. She quickly looked down, and I slowly pulled my hand away from her forehead.

"Okay..." I said, sitting straight in my chair. My heart stung a bit when she raised her voice like that. I felt a little hurt, even though I knew she was just stressed.

"No! I am sorry..." Aeri said, correcting herself quickly. She placed her hand gently on my cheek, her touch soft and warm. Her eyes looked genuinely sorry, and they even got a little teary.

"It’s okay... I won’t trouble you from now," I said, picking up some popcorn and eating it on my own. I tried to sound normal, but my voice was a little quiet.

"Ezra... I am sorry... okay... I shouldn’t have raised my voice like that," Aeri said, holding my arm and sighing deeply. She looked really sorry, and her eyes were watery as she tried to make things right.

"Okay... I am fine... chill now," I replied, turning to her and leaning forward. I caught her lips in a soft kiss, trying to ease the tension between us.

"Yeah..." Aeri said, cupping my cheeks with both hands and kissing me back in a nice, gentle smooch. Her lips felt warm and soft, and the kiss helped both of us relax a little.

"Hehe..." I said, pulling back and looking at the movie screen as the film finally started. "Ohh, it started."

"Yeah..." Aeri replied, smiling softly as she looked at the big screen. The theatre hall got pitch black as the lights dimmed completely, and the opening scenes of the movie began playing.

But even as she smiled, Aeri’s mind drifted somewhere else. She remembered the man’s voice she had heard at the popcorn counter earlier. In her memory, a girl was walking with him into the theatre hall, saying,

"Let’s go, Sonny..."

Aeri’s heart beat a little faster as the name echoed in her head. She tried to focus on the movie, but the strange feeling stayed with her. She held my hand tightly, leaning her head against my shoulder to feel closer. The movie played on, but her thoughts were still caught on that familiar voice and the uneasy memories it brought back.

I noticed she was quiet again and squeezed her hand gently. "You sure everything is okay?" I whispered.

Aeri nodded and gave me a small smile. "Yeah... I’m fine. Let’s watch the movie."

We sat there together in the dark, hands linked, sharing popcorn and trying to enjoy the film. But deep inside, Aeri was still fighting with those confusing thoughts. She rested her head on my shoulder, breathing softly, while the movie continued in front of us.