Chapter 128: The Movie Date Invitation

Johannes appeared to be a kind, timid man on the surface, but he was actually one of the pillars of evil in Gyodam City.

After steeling his resolve, Laika rolled his eyes.

His mind was in turmoil, torn between wanting to steal Johannes’ core skill, <Mind Reading>, and wanting to reform him.

Before becoming a Villain, Johannes had been his classmate since elementary, middle, and high school.

And now, they had just started to grow closer.

So unlike with other Villains, Laika wanted to approach him carefully.

If he recklessly tried to tempt him and ruined their relationship, he might regret it later.

Was there no way to turn his heart around?

First, Laika decided he needed to become friends and figure out what Johannes was thinking before planning his next move.

‘I hope I can avoid taking his skill if possible…’

For a few days after discovering Johannes was a Villain, Laika had trembled with a sense of betrayal.

But he soon accepted the reality.

Now that things were like this, there were only two options: temptation or reform.

Iris swallowed hard and then spoke.

Perhaps because she always felt at ease around him, her words came out freely despite her complicated feelings.

“But hey, where are you going today? This isn’t your usual style of dress!”

“Huh? Ah… sometimes I dress like this.”

“Really? I’ve never seen you like this before…”

“Is it… weird?”

When Iris narrowed her eyes, Johannes panicked and scanned his own body.

James had definitely said it looked cool, and even said it was better than Laika’s…

But if it didn’t look good to Iris, it was all for nothing.

Watching his flustered expression with eyes full of amusement, Iris shook her head.

“No! It’s cool! You look like a different person.”

“Co-cool? …Thanks.”

Iris gave a thumbs-up as a compliment, and Johannes blushed, scratching the back of his neck.

His heart pounded so wildly it felt like it might burst out of his chest.

Beyond just feeling good, he felt dizzy.

The warmth flushed his face—and even started creeping lower.

Biting his lip, Johannes tried to calm himself down.

He hadn’t even touched Iris, yet a single compliment made his body respond like this.

Sweating nervously and trying to maintain decent thoughts, Iris lightly swayed her body behind her back.

“Johannes, are you really not going anywhere special? You look totally amazing!”

“Uh, no. I just… wore this.”

“Oh, I see… what a shame.”

Iris carefully studied his face.

Because he wore sunglasses, it was hard to read his expression fully, but he seemed to enjoy talking with her.

Having almost caught “Axe Fever” before but self-healed, Iris didn’t think Johannes liked her as a romantic interest.

However, she guessed he might have enough fondness to not reject an invitation to hang out.

After all, she had been the one to suggest going for a walk first last time, and since they had already woken up, she’d been consistently giving him Morning Calls.

Johannes scratched his cheek and replied.

“Was it… a shame? Maybe.”

“Right. So… do you have time next weekend?”

Iris bit her lip anxiously after saying this.

She was nervous about inviting Johannes out while hiding her true intentions.

If he refused, nothing would happen.

Or rather, nothing would happen for a while.

Johannes froze like a statue upon hearing Iris’s suggestion.

His body stiffened, but his mind raced.

Just hearing that she thought he looked cool had made him feel like he was flying in the sky, and now she was asking if he had time.

Even the most clueless born solo Johannes knew what that meant.

It was an invitation to a date.

Surely she wasn’t just going to tell him to go somewhere alone if he had time…

But that was also possible.

Maybe she was trying to get him to go somewhere alone while dressed like this.

While running through all these thoughts, he noticed Iris quietly watching him.

Unable to meet her gaze, Johannes lowered his head.

If he hesitated any longer, she might get disappointed and change the subject.

After a moment that felt paused in time, Johannes stammered out his answer clumsily.

“Ti-time? I have time… No, I have plenty. I just stay home all day and… play…”

“Really?”

Johannes nodded frantically.

Iris smiled brightly.

‘As expected, there’s no way Johannes would say no.’

Then she paused and wondered why she thought that.

Because she knew he wanted to get closer to her.

She didn’t want to catch Axe Fever again.

Looking into Johannes’s eyes behind his sunglasses, Iris spoke cheerfully.

“Oh, it’s not anything else—I have movie tickets. I was worried because I had no one to watch it with. If you dress like this and go to the movies with me, how about it?”

“S-sure.”

“Not going to ask what movie it is? What if you’ve already seen it?”

Johannes gaped, then stammered.

“Ah… I haven’t watched a movie… recently…”

“Ahh…”

Iris nodded slightly.

If Laika had said that, she would have thought it was an obvious excuse, but coming from Johannes it sounded very sincere.

It felt like he had never even been to a movie theater, maybe only watched things on OTT at home.

“Well, that’s a relief. So we have a date to watch a movie next weekend?”

“Yeah…”

Johannes’s cheeks flushed pink.

He glanced between Iris and the walking trail, nervously shifting his feet as if wanting to take a step but hesitating.

He wanted to walk the trail behind the Congregation Hall with her, just like last week.

In fact, that was why he had dressed up this way.

Iris, watching his behavior, suddenly exclaimed.

“Ah! I’m a bit busy today! I probably can’t walk with you.”

“Uh, oh…”

His broad shoulders drooped.

His emotions were clear in his movements, and honey-colored eyes flickered with interest.

‘Looks like he’s disappointed.’

It was oddly charming to see Johannes, dressed so stylishly like Laika, acting so shy and deflated.

His timid attitude, so unlike his appearance, didn’t look strange but cute.

After 14 years of being an unlikable image, it was amazing to see Johannes become such an endearing person.

Seeing him disappointed made Iris almost want to go for a walk with him.

But today was the day she was meeting Laika.

After spending a passionate night together, it was the big day to steal the ring.

She hadn’t said what time to come, but with the showdown approaching, her heart was restless.

She wasn’t in the mood for a comfortable walk with Johannes.

Besides, since she was seeing Johannes next weekend, there was no reason to hold onto any regrets about the walk.

Putting her disappointment aside, she said her goodbyes.

“I want to go for a walk too… but I don’t have time! See you next weekend! I’m off!”

“Huh? Uh, yeah… take care, Iris.”

Johannes raised his hand to wave, then slowly dropped it.

Red eyes watching Iris’s receding figure misted over.

He understood why she said she had no time.

Was she going to meet Laika?

According to the Watcher’s reports, Iris hadn’t met Laika for a while.

He was happy thinking their relationship was over, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

‘I can’t be sure, but that’s the feeling I get…’

By tomorrow, a report would come in clarifying who Iris was meeting.

Laika had been glad for the past few days thinking Iris and he were done, but hearing that report would surely bring his mood down again.

Johannes, slumping his shoulders, suddenly lifted his head.

He had a movie date with Iris next weekend.

And she was the one who had suggested it first.

That thought cheered him up again.

‘I’m actually in something like a relationship with Iris…’

His steps lightened involuntarily.

Humming a tune, he laughed quietly behind his hand, drawing a suspicious glance from a passing worshipper.

A tall man in a suit and sunglasses wandering inside the church, humming to himself?

It looked very suspicious.

But Johannes didn’t care how others saw him and continued humming happily.

Going to the movies together?

By his logic, that was definitely the start of something.

And for her to suggest watching a movie with him, leaving Laika aside—it was clear the two of them weren’t involved.

‘If they were dating, she wouldn’t have made that offer to me.’