episode_0080

Could Jaehyuk like me?

Honestly, I’ve had that suspicion a few times.

The guy who was always brusque gradually softened at some point.

Sometimes, I felt like he didn’t treat me just as a friend.

Yeah, I didn’t think it was impossible.

But every time I felt doubtful, I pushed away the suspicion by recalling what he had said.

When I started to ponder how to accept it, my mind became too complicated.

If there were no problems to solve, I would have thought about it for days before giving an answer.

Unfortunately, there was still a big task left.

A life that is stable yet filled with instability.

Shouldn’t I solve this problem first before pursuing a relationship or something else?

So, I intentionally put it on the back burner.

With various inter-species policies being developed, if life becomes more stable, then I can seriously contemplate this issue.

…That was the plan.

“Sigh…”

Everything has gone awry.

When it comes so suddenly, what exactly does he want from me?

Friend.

I’m sorry to Jaehyuk, but I haven’t considered our relationship to be more than that.

Well, maybe my thoughts would change as time goes on.

But for now, I can confidently say we were just friends.

As I mentioned in the truth game, a friend I’m grateful enough to apologize to.

To me, Jaehyuk was just that kind of presence.

His approach felt burdensome and overwhelming.

My heart ached.

A bitter taste lingered in my mouth, and a suffocating feeling, as if I had swallowed a whole sweet potato, tormented me.

Before I could speak, why do I keep feeling sorry for him, keeping my gaze lowered like someone who has made a mistake, tossing and turning under the thin blanket?

Handing me a beer can, Jaehyuk sighed and opened the door to conversation.

“Hey, did you commit a crime against me? Why are you acting so unlike yourself? Just be yourself as usual.”

“…”

“No, forget it. Do as you please. Ugh, damn it… By the way, where should I start with this?”

Trying to lighten the mood but failing, Jaehyuk looked puzzled as he took a sip of beer.

After making a sound of discomfort for a moment, he diverted his gaze elsewhere and continued speaking.

“I don’t know what to say, but whatever I say, it seems like it’ll be hard to hear a good response. Right?”

“Probably.”

“Haha, I knew I’d be like this. I was too hasty. My feelings of affection… jumped the gun.”

Did he silently watch Jaehyuk with a faint smile?

Facing me like that, he soon opened his mouth with a relieved expression, as if he had just unloaded a heavy burden.

“Geez, what a disaster. I was planning to confess when things were a bit more prepared.”

“…”

“Ah, spilled milk… can’t pick it up again. Hey, shall we just leave it at this?”

What’s he trying to say?

Raising my eyebrows in confusion, Jaehyuk smiled wryly and asked me.

“You’re quite flustered right now, aren’t you? Unsure how to take it.”

“…Yes.”

Actually, I feel the same way. Trying to do something without proper preparation, I really can’t do anything. So, here’s the thing…”

Glancing cautiously, he tentatively suggested to me.

“Let’s give each other some time. You take the time to prepare your confession, and I’ll take the time to respond to that confession.”

“…”

“If you don’t like it, it’s okay to reject it. Oh, and don’t accept out of obligation because of the help you received. It’ll only make me uncomfortable.”

Due to guilt, I almost accepted the proposal without thinking, but upon hearing his words, I lowered my eyes and began to contemplate.

Giving each other time…

It’s not a bad suggestion, indeed.

Amidst all the confusion right now, what I urgently needed was time.

Yes, however I choose to respond, I also need some time.

If I reject it now saying sorry, both of us will surely feel uncomfortable.

After contemplating, I nodded and accepted his proposal.

“…Time?”

“What?”

“How much time are you willing to give?”

“That’s for you to decide. That way, we can avoid such a confusing situation again.”

“Hmm.”

How much time would it take to come up with an answer?

After briefly pondering, I made a decision.

“Let’s make it a generous 8 months.”

“…I don’t have any objections, but could you explain why 8 months?”

“We lived together for about 4 months. If we live together for another 8 months, that makes a year… By then, I think we’ll find an answer.”

Though it seemed a bit long for deciding on a response to a confession, it’s better to have more time than not enough.

If we spend a year together, wouldn’t some kind of answer emerge, whether we grow tired of each other and part ways or continue sweetly together?

Seemingly content with the timeframe, Jaehyuk nodded without any particular complaints.

“Alright, let’s conclude this discussion about finding answers during this period… Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“…There’s a lot, but let me go wash up first. I’m feeling sticky from sweating so much.”

“Are you going to drink more alcohol?”

“No, I’ve already exceeded my limit by far. Isn’t it challenging enough to stay sober right now?”

As he spoke while rubbing his body, he slowly approached me again.

Then, holding a needle in his hand from nearby, he flashed a mischievous smile.

“I need to shower, could you give me some blood?”

“You drank your fill earlier. Hurry back before the effects wear off.”

“Tsk.”

He’s quite the trickster.

Leaving him looking exhausted behind, I immediately headed towards the shower room.

—–

Returning from the shower and lying down on the bed, a refreshing yet hazy feeling greeted me.

Come to think of it, I came on a healing trip, but I haven’t really healed much.

Instead, it feels like I’ve been through a lot physically and mentally, and now I’m heading back.

“Sigh…”

Was I staring blankly at the ceiling while exhaling?

Jaehyuk, who was well-prepared, quietly lay down beside me.

“…”

“…”

The atmosphere felt much more awkward than yesterday.

Trying to act fine, I silently turned away in the opposite direction.

…Should I browse the community as usual?

Reading some posts might help dissipate this awkward feeling.

As I glanced around and reached for the phone placed next to the pillow, Jaehyuk, seemingly uncomfortable too, soon spoke from behind.

“You said you had a lot of questions, aren’t you going to ask?”

“I-I was going to ask. I was just thinking about where to start.”

“Take your time asking. It’s still early in the night.”

“If someone overhears, they might think you’re the vampire, not me.”

I muttered in complaint.

Well, starting lightly is probably for the best, right? Let’s start with what I’m most curious about.

I turned my head slightly and threw a question at Jaehyuk.

“When did it start?”

“What?”

“When did you start liking me? And… how did it happen?”

Honestly, I was curious.

He was the type to argue over everything whenever we met, claiming confidently that even if I became his ideal type, he would never fall for me.

So, what triggered him to start liking me?

Waiting quietly for his response, Jaehyuk, who had been pondering for a moment, calmly began to speak.

“I don’t know, it’s like getting caught in a sudden rainstorm. I started liking you at some point. I can’t pinpoint when I fell for you.”

“There’s no reason not to know, you fool. Is it because of your body type or personality? No, does it make sense to fall for someone without any reason?”

“Hmm, maybe it’s because she feels different from other girls? Perhaps her body being close to my ideal type is one of the reasons.”

“You said it wasn’t your type before, didn’t you?”

“Back then, it was a time when I had to deny it stubbornly. Put yourself in my shoes, you would have made the same choice if you were me.”

“…I can see the point in that.”

Nodding in agreement, he sighed and began to lament.

“To be honest, my mind is still in turmoil. It feels like there might be an issue with my sexual identity. I’m starting to question whether it’s right for me to like you.”

“Well, then why not give up now and find another girl? There’s no need to take the difficult path unnecessarily.”

“I’ve come too far to turn back now. There’s no refund in love.”

“…You’re such a sentimental fool.”

“If you feel sorry for me, how about accepting my confession?”

Jae-hyuk joked with a grin.

Responding with silence, the inside of the tent once again fell into an awkward silence.

“Do you need more water? You said there was plenty?”

“Never mind, I don’t want any more water.”

He urged for a response by breaking the silence, but I firmly declined with a resolute voice.

As the conversation continued, a feeling of unease crept over my heart, which I did not appreciate.

“Just go to sleep.”

I tried to brush it off lightly and go to sleep, but as the tent fell silent, sounds from outside the tent became distinctly audible.

[Uh, ah, aah! Huh? Hiss?!]

The unmistakably intense and warm sounds echoed loudly.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to go to the neighboring tent and say anything.

…It must be because the senses become momentarily heightened after being bitten by a vampire.

Seeing Jae-hyuk next to me saying nothing, it confirmed that the issue was with me.

Today, my sensitive hearing felt like a curse.

I struggled to calm my racing body and began asking the questions that had been on my mind, one by one.