Chapter 136: 136: A Confession
They arrived at Lysander’s chamber.
"Where’s he?" Eden asked.
"In there" The Butler said.
"Okay then. You guys stay out here. I’ll go inside alone" Eden said as he made his way into Eden’s chamber.
The whole room reeked of alcohol as soon as he stepped in. Eden had to place a hand over his nose for awhile as he looked around.
He caught sight of Lysander who was still slowly sipping down some drunk while mumbling to himself.
"Ah, I wonder how many shots that kid took" Eden thought as he walked up to Lysander. He took a seat opposite him without being asked to.
"Why are you drinking?" Eden stared at his face.
Lysander immediately looked up on hearing the familiar voice of Eden. He blinked. His eyes were lazy, his lips wet and his cheeks super red.
Eden found him cute at that moment.
"You came. You really came..." he muttered.
Eden folded his arms "Of course I’ll come. When you’re all wasted like this. Of course I’ll be here to look after you"
Lysander blinked "I thought you wouldn’t come.. I thought you’d still be with him...."
Eden stared at him, quiet for a while. He guessed that was the reason Lysander was like this. Wasted.
He was probably jealous about Eden being with Felix.
"Were you jealous?" Eden asked but Lysander shocked his head.
"No" he was still shaking his head.
"Then why are you drinking?" Eden asked.
"Nothing" Lysander bit his lower lips.
Eden stared at him and let out a deep sigh "Then why did you call me? To watch you drink?"
Lysander hesitated for a while. He picked up a glass to drink but Eden reached and took the glass from him.
"You’re already wasted. So don’t even think of drinking more" he said.
"But I..." Lysander’s words faded into inaudible mumbles. Eden didn’t hear any of them.
"You better be honest with me. Else I’ll be angry" Eden said "Tell me why you called me here"
Lysander hesitated for a while and then he said "Let me have another drink.. and then I’ll talk.."
Eden stared at him for a while and then sighed. He allowed him to drink another glass.
Eden too stared at the drink. It’s been awhile since he drank too.
Even when he worked at the bar, he also didn’t drink much.
Eden knew he didn’t have a strong tolerance for alcohol.
But tonight, he guessed he would take a sip. He was safe with Lysander after all.
He poured himself some drinks and gulped them down.
"Liking a fellow guy.. How is it supposed to feel?" Lysander asked out of the bloom after taking a glass.
Eden paused, staring at him.
"Does it feel different from liking a girl...?" Lysander continued.
Eden hesitated, staring at him "No. It’s not. It’s the same thing"
"Is that so?" Lysander said, taking another glass
Eden drank again. And again.
"Then why is it bothering me this much. Why can’t I treat it normally" Lysander said.
"You’ll have to learn to accept it I guess" Eden said "You’ll have to learn to accept yourself"
"Accept myself" Lysander muttered "I think I already have. Accepted it and myself.."
"Then good for you" Eden smiled, gulping down another glass. And then another.
Lysander stared at Eden as he asked "How did you come to accept yourself? About liking men and all..."
Eden paused for a while. Staring at Lysander, whose eyes were on him. He casually smiled "I never put too much thought in it. I just figured out that I like this and not this. And so I went for what I liked. Life was much more easier for me that way" he shrugged.
"Is that so? Was it that easy?" Lysander mumbled.
"And it should also be easy for you. You don’t have to complicate things. If you like someone, tell them" Eden said.
He was getting tipsy.
"But... I think the problem is that the person I like doesn’t like me back at all" Lysander said, slightly pouting "What do I do?"
"How do you know this person doesn’t like you?" Eden asked, staring at the glass of wine he was filling up again.
"I just know. It just feels that way"
"You can’t say you know without telling them first"
"But what if they say no?"
Eden Shrugged "Well, you can’t help anything then. Even if they reject it or accept it, you’ll only know after telling them. But it’s always better to tell them"
"Is that so?" Lysander sighed "I guess I’m just scared that you might not like me back..." He had spilled the real tea.
"And how do you know I don’t like you?" Eden poured himself another glass. "Because I think I pretty much like you"
Lysander stiffened as he looked up at Eden. His eyes wide in shock at Eden’s words "You do?"
"I mean.. you’re good-looking, adorable, kind, loyal, you’re everything good. A whole green flag. Why won’t anyone like you?" Eden smiled at him after emptying the glass.
"So... You.. you like me?" Lysander seemed excited with his fone.
Eden smiled, stretching out his fingers and gently pinching Lysander’s red cheeks with them "Of course I do. I like adorable things"
Lysander blinked. His brain had gone numb for a while.
He didn’t think he could believe the response he got. His brain wasn’t entirely sober, but at least it was awake to get the gist.
Eden liked him. And that was all he think he needed to know about the moment.
"What?" Eden asked, his fingers already away from Lysander’s cheeks "Why are you zooming out?"
Lysander stared at him "Since you like me, I think there’s something I also need to tell you"
Eden stared at him "Tell me? What’s it?" Eden was sipping from a glass for wine.
"I..." Lysander shuttered "I..." He seemed nervous for a while, looking for the words to use to make it genuine at least.
But in the end, he didn’t think he could find more genuine words than the ones he knew.
"I like you. A lot" Lysander announced.