EDEN — Chapter 6 (Part 3)

Because he didn’t. In truth, nothing about his relationship with Kwon Do-jin was clearly defined enough to even call it rejection or not. But it was also true that he hadn’t pushed him away despite how blatantly Do-jin approached him. Letting out a deep sigh, I-eon slumped against the soft backrest. Seong-hoon just stared at him, mouth still wide open.

I-eon stared back silently, remembering every pathetic incident Seong-hoon had dragged him into, every time he’d broken up with a girlfriend, I-eon was the one who endured his drunken sobs and walked him home. So maybe he wasn’t expecting real counseling, but he had every right to treat his friend like an anonymous bamboo forest.

Lowering his voice seriously, I-eon leaned in. Seong-hoon instantly did the same, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“I’m not sure either, but… when we went out to hang out, the mood kind of got that way, and he… kissed me.”

“What. What the hell…”

“I mean, up until then I’d never imagined anything like that with another guy…”

It felt embarrassing to say out loud even to a close friend. I-eon hesitated, stirring his straw for no reason, then muttered the core truth in a small voice.

“My heart was pounding.”

“You’re insane.”

Seong-hoon covered both cheeks with his hands. Acting cute, for god’s sake. I-eon frowned at the unpleasant sight, until suddenly Seong-hoon’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“You… that…”

“That what?”

“Isn’t that just because you were shocked? If a guy kissed me, my heart would be fucking exploding too.”

“……”

“I’d probably hit max rage mode.”

Maybe he chose the wrong bamboo forest. Looking at his friend who clenched his fist as if actually imagining it, I-eon felt dumbfounded , but then found himself unwillingly considering the logic. He wasn’t stupid enough to mistake anger for romantic excitement, but… shock? That was possible.

“I wasn’t mad… so maybe? Maybe it was just surprise?”

“You’re not even gay. You’ve only ever dated girls.”

Seong-hoon clearly didn’t have the concept of “discovering a new sexual orientation.” His thinking was simple , but for the first time, I-eon found himself almost envying that simplicity, letting out a faint laugh.

“Well, if you’re okay with him, maybe try dating him? It’s not like anything’s gonna fall off.”

“…That’s your solution?”

“Hey, it’s not my problem. Great! One more competitor gone.”

“……”

What was he supposed to do with this unbelievably simple creature? I-eon just stared, rendered speechless again, as Seong-hoon leaned in with renewed interest.

“So who is he, anyway? Is he pretty— no, handsome? What’s his body like? …Not that I care about dudes’ bodies.”

Watching him ask nonsense and confuse himself in real time, I-eon clicked his tongue. Whether the target was a man or a woman, Seong-hoon’s questions were always equally stupid. He kept rambling happily until he finally nodded like something made sense.

“No wonder you’ve been zoning out and ignoring my messages lately. So that’s what happened.”

“Was I?”

“Yeah. Do you know how many times you completely ignored me?”

Ignoring him probably just meant not responding to useless chatter as usual, so I-eon didn’t feel guilty. Seong-hoon didn’t dwell on it either and quickly changed topics.

“So where’d you meet him? You don’t do anything special.”

“…In Eden.”

“What!”

Even when Eden was causing a nationwide craze, Seong-hoon had ignored it for shooting games. But at that single word, he suddenly looked like he was about to run out and buy a VR capsule. Seeing the familiar reaction, I-eon finally cracked a laugh and got up. Seong-hoon straightened immediately.

“I’m heading out first.”

“Damn it, talk more. It was getting good.”

I-eon ignored him and turned away, but Seong-hoon called out urgently.

“Hey!”

I-eon looked back. Seong-hoon tapped his own lips and grinned.

“You know I’m good at keeping secrets, right? Don’t worry.”

I-eon simply shrugged. If he’d been worried about that, he wouldn’t have said anything at all. Seong-hoon might be stupid, but he was loyal to a fault, and despite his behavior, his mouth was actually very tight. That was the only reason I-eon had confided in him without much hesitation.

Leaving the café, he walked home through as much shade as possible. He’d come outside to clear his head, but somehow ended up getting counseling instead. Thanks to that, he felt a bit mentally sorted out , but as soon as he stepped back into the heat, even his worries melted away. He walked quickly like everyone else, scowling at the sun, until the crosswalk light turned red. While waiting, he took out his phone. Another notification. He tried to ignore it for now since he didn’t know what to say, until he saw a single word in the pop-up and opened it before he could stop himself.

[Kwon Do-jin: (photo)]
[Kwon Do-jin: Stray cats]

The picture showed two young cats curled up asleep in what looked like his garden. The colors were different, but they looked just like real-life versions of Ho-rang and Beom-i. Shading the screen with his hand to see better, I-eon’s lips softened. Before realizing it, his fingers moved.

[So fucking cute]

[Kwon Do-jin: Want me to bring them to you?]

[They’re not objectsㅡㅡ]

[Give them water. Strays always need water the most.]

Food would be good too, but would Kwon Do-jin even know what cats could eat? I-eon stayed at the crosswalk even after the light changed, weighing something, then finally typed:

[Can I buy cat food and go to your place?]

[Kwon Do-jin: I’ll go pick you up]

[No. I’ll take a taxi]

[You’re coming?]

[Kwon Do-jin: Yeah]

As always, the reply was instant. I-eon turned and walked toward the nearest convenience store. It was a weekday afternoon, so traffic wasn’t heavy; buying cat cans and snacks and catching a taxi didn’t take long at all. But standing at the gate with the bag of cans in hand, hesitation surged.

Was this really okay? He’d thought it over, but honestly, it was almost a spur-of-the-moment decision.

His hand lingered uncertainly over the doorbell. But before he could even decide to turn back, the gate opened, as if someone had been watching for him. Startled, I-eon flinched at the appearance of the large man.

“Welcome.”

“Uh, yeah…”

Even with his pale skin, the arm propping open the gate was nothing but solid muscle. The simple monochrome loungewear clung to Do-jin like a privilege. Avoiding his steady gaze, I-eon stepped inside. Behind him, the gate shut with a dull thud. Side by side, they walked down the unnecessarily wide front pathway. The cans rattled softly in the plastic bag.

“You’ve been home this whole time?”

“Yeah.”

“With a gate this far from the house, it must be a pain to go out. You could install a moving walkway out here.”

“Should I?”

“No!”

As usual, he took jokes too literally. I-eon grumbled while Do-jin watched him with amused eyes. Anyone could tell the atmosphere was completely different from before, even someone with zero awareness. The same guy who used to stride forward without hesitation now walked slowly, as if dragging weights behind him. Trying to avoid the mood, I-eon purposely walked ahead and asked casually,

“Where are the cats?”

“On the bench by the house.”

“You give them water?”

“Yeah. But they ran away.”

“What?”

At the thunderous answer, I-eon’s steps stopped cold. Do-jin gently wrapped his hand around I-eon’s stiff shoulder and pulled him along. Half dragged toward the house, I-eon was already full of regret. Of course the skittish cats would run away the moment this big, dark guy approached them. He should’ve told him to wait until he brought the cans, then at least he could’ve seen their faces once… Why did he listen so well in the first place?

Swallowing the unfair frustration, I-eon took out the cans.

“Where was the bench?”

“Up ahead.”

Just like he said, a water bowl sat alone near a bench close to the house. The sight was unexpectedly cute, and I-eon’s aimless resentment faded. What kind of face had Do-jin made when the cats fled immediately after he set out water like he’d been told? He probably looked as blank as always, which only made the image funnier in I-eon’s imagination.

Thinking of the missed chance, he opened the can and set it beside the bowl.

“If we leave it like this, they’ll come eat, right? But… if you feed them, they might keep coming back…”

He liked cats, but he couldn’t just cause trouble for someone else’s house. When he checked Do-jin’s expression, the other replied with a faint, almost smiling look.

“I don’t care. As long as you come often.”

“……”

I-eon looked at his throat for a moment, then dropped his eyes to his feet. He hadn’t come all the way here just for the cats.

“…You.”

After a moment of wavering, his gaze met Do-jin’s straight on.

“Honestly, what is it you want to do with me?”

It was the first step to redefining whatever they were. He didn’t dislike the blatant affection, which was why he’d let it slide this far, but this vague in-between state didn’t suit him. Do-jin’s attitude had long crossed the line of “just friends,” and they couldn’t keep pretending the distance between them wasn’t strange.

He had actually been thinking about how to start this conversation the whole taxi ride over. But when the moment finally arrived, his nerves climbed all the way to the top of his skull. If Do-jin really asked him to date… what would he even say?

“Marry.”

“…What?”

His tension evaporated in an instant, swallowed by shock. Was that a joke? But under the shade of the tree, that sculptural face was dead serious. Normally, shouldn’t he say—

“Uh… not ‘go out with me,’ but straight to marriage?”

“Dating doesn’t have legal force.”

Why was he already talking about legal commitments? I-eon waved his hands, tripping over his words.

“No, but— usually people date first. This isn’t an arranged marriage, who jumps straight to ‘marriage’?”

What he said was perfectly reasonable, but Do-jin frowned slightly, as if displeased, then softened and offered gently,

“Okay. If it’s too much, we can date first.”

“……”

How did this turn into Do-jin acting like he was yielding? Something felt off. He felt like he was being tricked.

Trying to regain control, I-eon took a deep breath and said what he’d sorted out thanks to his overly simple (but helpful) friend.

“Honestly, I’ve never imagined being like this with a guy, so I’ve been thinking a lot… but right now, I feel like… it might be okay? But it’s not like I’m suddenly super into you the way you are about me. More like… unexpectedly okay? So I don’t know how far it’ll go…”

He truly never imagined he would one day say something like this to a man. His mouth kept drying out, and he wasn’t even aware of half the nonsense spilling out.

“But if you’re fine with that… wanna try dating?”

He wasn’t sure why he was the one essentially saying “let’s date,” when Do-jin was the one who’d been pursuing him in the first place, but the words were already out. Feeling calmer, he looked Do-jin straight in the eyes.

Do-jin’s expression shifted into something complicated, not easily defined. He clearly looked pleased, but there was also something like regret mixed in. I-eon hadn’t expected that. Maybe he’d gotten ahead of himself. Maybe he’d rushed too much because he hated unclear relationships. Feeling self-conscious, he looked away just as Do-jin finally spoke.

“I-eon, what are you planning to do?”

“…What?”

“I know you’re kind, but… you can’t accept someone so carelessly.”

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Frowning, I-eon stared at him. Do-jin slowly stepped closer. I-eon looked up at him as he stopped right in front of him. The wind stirred his hair across his pale face.

Suddenly, someone’s words surfaced in I-eon’s memory.

“Isn’t Do-jin the type who doesn’t need to care about gender?”

It wasn’t that I-eon was especially fixated on looks , but a face like Kwon Do-jin’s, one that only grew more distracting up close, certainly fit that description. Look at him now. Just lowering his gaze a little turned him into a brooding, tragic beauty.

“What are you talking about.”

“You’re willing to give it a try… but you don’t know how far I’ll go.”

Coming from a completely serious face, the words felt strange. I-eon hadn’t thought about that aspect at all. He was simple-minded in his own way, not as much as Kim Seong-hoon, but enough. If a guy came onto him, he ought to hate it, but he didn’t. He didn’t hate kissing either. And it seemed like Kwon Do-jin was the exception to every “I’m not into men” rule, so why not see where it went?

Sure, it was a confusing time, but life-changing decisions sometimes happened fast, ten days of turmoil wasn’t that short. And once I-eon decided something, he tended to follow through.

“…When the other person reacts like this, aren’t you supposed to say ‘great’? Why are you acting like you’re warning me?”

Crossing his arms, he grumbled. Do-jin’s eyes crinkled.

“Maybe because you said it first.”

“…So? Is that a yes or a no?”

Do-jin stared at him again, then answered slowly,

“Yes.”

“Much more than I imagined… yes.”

“……”

“I like you. A lot.”

His voice was soft, almost savoring the words, and his smile held nothing but sincerity. I-eon felt heat rush to his ears.

For a moment, silence blanketed them. Even in the shade, midsummer heat made sweat bead along I-eon’s temple. Do-jin’s eyes followed the movement as he wiped it away.

“Hot?”

“Obviously… Aren’t you hot? Your face is dry.”

“Let’s go inside.”

He naturally wrapped an arm around I-eon’s shoulder and guided him toward the entrance. I-eon followed, glancing sideways at the hand on his shoulder. He’d been held like this before… but it felt different now. The arm looked relaxed, but there was a firmness underneath, like he could snatch I-eon back instantly if he tried to escape.

I-eon suddenly planted his feet and stopped. Do-jin’s dark eyes fixed on him at once.

“What?”

“How far are you planning to go?”

It was a late question, but since Do-jin had said it himself, he’d understand. But just in case it sounded like fear, I-eon added quickly,

“I just wanna know what to expect.”

Games and meals were fine so far, but dating could be different. And Kwon Do-jin was… peculiar. He might want to stay indoors all month playing games. That was doable for a student on leave, but still.

Do-jin hummed thoughtfully, then answered in an unexpectedly mild tone,

“No idea.”

“What? You’re the one acting all serious.”

“It’s my first time. I don’t know.”

“…Huh?”

First time? What? Blinkingly dumbfounded, I-eon stared as Do-jin urged him inside. He followed blankly, but as the door shut, realization struck him.

“Wait, don’t tell me this is your first relationship ever?”

“Yeah. Want some ice water?”

“Oh— uh, yeah.”

Sitting at the dining table where Do-jin guided him, I-eon downed the ice water the moment it was set in front of him, then asked again,

“This is your first time? Really?”

“You’re my first.”

The way Do-jin said it, low, slow, like engraving the words, made I-eon’s breath hitch. Do-jin pulled out a chair and sat right beside him, close enough their knees touched. Then he reached out and placed a hand on I-eon’s thigh.

I-eon stared, too startled to swat it away. With that face, that body, that background, how could he possibly have no dating experience? His voice alone was a 99 out of 100 even in a blind test. People around him definitely wouldn’t have left him alone.

…Well. If it was Kwon Do-jin, maybe it made sense.

Oh, unless he only meant dating experience?

Influenced by media stereotypes, some assumption flashed through I-eon’s mind, that rich heirs had scandalous private lives. His gaze drifted downward instinctively. He didn’t even realize how suspicious he looked until a quiet laugh hit his ears. Only then did he snap out of it, flinching with embarrassment. His neck stiffened from the mortification of acting like a creep.

Still smiling faintly, Do-jin took I-eon’s hand.

“I know exactly what you’re imagining…”

I-eon had no idea what Do-jin meant to do and just stared blankly at the hand holding his own.

“It’s new here too. I’ll give it all to you.”

Thump, something touched his hand. Dragged without warning, his palm landed somewhere private and instantly felt a heavy, solid mass. For a split second, I-eon genuinely thought Do-jin had stuffed a club into his left pocket. Something that normally felt like nothing suddenly… turned into a solid club. It happened in barely a few seconds.

“……!”

He was so shocked he couldn’t even make a sound and jolted upright like a cat leaping into the air. The chair scraped back harshly. His hand was still trapped in Do-jin’s grip. His mouth opened and closed in mute horror.

“Y-you, you— what the hell…! That— why— why would you make it stand up!”

He couldn’t remember the name, but there was that plant— the one that shrinks when touched. Except this was the opposite. Still, this was definitely one of the top five most shocking moments of his life.

Do-jin looked from the flustered I-eon to the unmistakable bulge in his pants, then tilted his head. Black hair slid over pale skin. Even in the chaos, that alone caught I-eon’s eye. It couldn’t be helped, anyone with a sense for beauty would struggle to stay unaffected with that face so close. And he clearly knew it too, judging from the smile spreading across his lips.

“It’s yours.”

“I don’t need it!”

He wrapped both arms around I-eon’s waist and pulled him in, burying his face against I-eon’s abdomen. His hair brushed softly against the fabric. When he tilted his head to look up, the movement was almost cute.

“Really don’t need it?”

“……! ……!”

Nobody was covering his mouth, yet he couldn’t form words. This was blatantly unfair.

I-eon grabbed his shoulders and managed to pry him off. Acting however he wanted and then sitting there all obedient and looking up, it was infuriating… and a tiny bit cute. Maybe because now that they’d decided to date, he was behaving more freely.

“You said you’ve never dated. Why are you so bold?”

“Because I like you.”

“…You talk pretty.”

I-eon sighed and pinched Do-jin’s cheek. At first, the way he acted however he pleased had been annoying, but now I-eon found it unsettling how much he’d changed. Even when I-eon kneaded the little bit of flesh on his cheek, Do-jin seemed to enjoy it, closing his eyes. Seeing someone with such a cool expression and big frame act so obediently was… strange.

He stood there absentmindedly kneading his cheek for a while, not even thinking of picking up the fallen chair, when his gaze drifted around. The kitchen was divided from the living room by a partition, but it was big enough to call a dining room. He used to live here with his parents… Living alone now, the whole house must feel too big.

No, there he goes again. Feeling sorry for a rich guy while he himself lived in a studio. Ridiculous. But he couldn’t help it; something about Do-jin always tugged at him.

Before he knew it, he’d spoken.

“Isn’t it lonely living alone in such a big house?”

“Not really.”

Do-jin answered without thinking, then paused and rolled his eyes.

“…Lonely.”

“…What?”

What did “not really lonely” even mean? I-eon shot him a baffled look. Do-jin gently took his hand and laced their fingers together.

“Let’s live together.”

“…We literally just started dating.”

Marriage talk earlier, and now living together? Was he planning to go backward through the relationship stages? But Do-jin wasn’t deterred by the cold reaction.

“What’s the problem? I want to be with you.”

“You need to slow down. You’re like a damn bulldozer.”

“Why hold back when I want to do something?”

“……”

The pure confusion in his eyes was so genuine that I-eon let out a helpless laugh. How had he lived his whole life doing whatever he wanted? Well… I-eon had practically been steamrolled by that same forcefulness. Do-jin never paid attention to anyone’s reaction, he just pushed through. Hard to stay rational with that. And the fact that it wasn’t annoying… was also a skill.

Finding it uncomfortable to stay in his arms, I-eon pushed him off and lifted the fallen chair. Since things had changed between them, it was time to actually talk. Just as he sat down facing Do-jin, their knees nearly touching, a question came flying in.

“What’d you do with your friend?”

“Friend? …Oh.”

Right, he hadn’t responded since telling him he was meeting someone. The conversation at the café with Kim Seong-hoon came to mind.

“Just games. And… kind of talked through some stuff.”

“Talked?”

“My head was so messed up because of you I couldn’t even focus on the game. Talking with him helped me sort things out, so I came here after….”

He hadn’t gotten any real advice, but meeting Do-jin today had saved him at least a week of extra confusion. And honestly, the result probably would’ve been the same anyway.

As I-eon awkwardly fiddled with his earlobe, a smile bloomed on Do-jin’s face.

“Because of me?”

“…Yeah.”

“I was only thinking about you too.”

“I figured.”

Anyone could tell, judging by the terrifyingly fast replies he always sent. At first, I-eon wondered if the guy had eaten something strange because it was so unlike him.

…Still, he had to bring this up at least once. Carefully, he began.

“I said earlier, but I hate vague relationships, and I wanted to know more about you before dating. I didn’t decide this on a whim, I’ll do my best. But nobody knows the future, and… just like you’ve never dated before, it’s my first time with a guy, so I don’t know how things will change. So, um…”

After all that buildup, his thoughts still came out tangled. As I-eon rambled, Do-jin reached out and placed a hand on his thigh. Not in a sexual way, a steadying touch.

“I get what you mean. …So do whatever you want, I-eon.”

“…Whatever I want?”

“I’ll do whatever I want too.”

“……”

On the surface, it sounded equal , but something about it felt dangerous. I-eon couldn’t help glaring suspiciously.

“Hey… You know we’re supposed to discuss big things before deciding, right?”

Do-jin smiled again , but still refused to say “okay.”

Back home, I-eon leaned against his front door and blinked blankly. Only now did it feel real, his life had just taken a turn like never before. He stood there for a long time before kicking off his shoes and collapsing onto his bed. Then sprang up again. Then spaced out again. Inside he was a mess of noise and movement.

His phone vibrated. He snatched it up.

“Kwon Do-jin: Did you get home okay?”

“……”

Do-jin had watched him climb the stairs and disappear inside. And yet he still sent that. When I-eon checked the time, he realized it was about the time Do-jin himself would be arriving home.

He glared at the sweet message as if dissecting it. The kind of thing couples sent one another, it made his stomach flutter. Was he really dating him? A guy? Kwon Do-jin? Seriously?

“…Ha.”

It wasn’t regret, but the feeling was indescribably strange. Maybe a second personality had taken over earlier at Do-jin’s house.

Moving like a puppet pulled by invisible strings, he washed up thoroughly, though his mind stayed foggy. When he stepped out, the phone rang. The timing was so uncanny he wondered if someone was spying.

He cleared his throat and picked up.

“…Hello.”

[I-eon.]

“Huh? What is it?”

[You weren’t saying anything.]

“Oh… I was showering. It was hot.”

He should’ve replied earlier, but he’d shut the chat without thinking. He clicked his tongue softly and sat on the bed. He turned on the AC, letting the cool breeze dry the water on his skin. Despite becoming a couple just hours ago, silence settled between them. I-eon swallowed hard. They hadn’t even been this awkward when they first met in a dungeon.

He struggled to think of something to say when Do-jin’s calm voice cut through the air.

[I-eon.]

“Yeah?”

[What kind of interior style do you like?]

“…Why interior all of a sudden?”

[Just tell me. Anything.]

“I don’t know… Something simple, I guess?”

[Okay.]

“…Why.”

He had a feeling he knew, and he didn’t like being right about it. But all he heard was a low laugh in response. Even over the phone, it tickled his ear.

…Maybe it wasn’t so bad to follow impulse once in a while. He was young, had his whole future ahead of him. And honestly, if someone like Kwon Do-jin clung to you like that and you felt nothing, you might as well join a monastery. I-eon pushed away his spiraling thoughts and told himself to enjoy the present.

Their call lasted 37 minutes and 20 seconds. A miraculous day where Do-jin carried the conversation because I-eon was too busy dying of awkwardness.

To be continued in volume 3