Eat The World Tree

A single tree stood alone on the bed.

Guseul clicked her tongue as she looked at Jin Dallae, who had not participated in any schedule and had secluded herself in her room.

“Dallae.”

“…Yeah.”

A woman was obsessively checking her tightly gripped cellphone under the covers, her arms wrapped around her knees, throughout the dawn.

What if her boyfriend had been like that? It gave her the creeps.

Even if she had a lover, she must never become like that.

Thinking so, Guseul shivered.

“There’s no need to be so down. He said he went to work. It’s not like he disappeared because he hates you.”

“So, let’s go outside for a bit. How about we visit a hot spring? It’s Japan, after all. You were looking forward to it, right?”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh.”

Dallae shook her head vigorously from side to side, causing the corners of Guseul’s mouth to turn down.

“If it’s not because he hates me… Then, he should call me. I’ll keep waiting.”

“…Aiyo. Won’t guys get scared off if you’re so obsessed? From what I see, even your confession was too hasty.”

“But… What can I do if I like him?”

The first day, she wept, saying it was because of her, pouring out her heart with soju.

The second day, she showed weird symptoms, roaming around the hotel vicinity.

The third day, she hit rock bottom with depression and holed up in her room.

This was definitely not normal.

‘…I understand but I still understand.’

A bond since their military academy days. Although it felt like they only became close recently, Guseul already knew all about Jin Dallae’s circumstances.

Because Guseul was the cadet who knew everyone’s circumstances in the academy.

“The only person who saw me for who I am was him…”

“Wow, you’re really… Hopelessly smitten, huh? When did you turn into a squashed ripe persimmon?”

“I acted so terribly, yet he foolishly kept coming back. How could I not both like and resent him?”

Jin Dallae was excessively passive in human relationships.

After her goal of killing her stepfather vanished, the formidable avenger simply became a somber woman.

It’s natural to become blindly devoted when one had never felt loved before.

Guseul knew Lee Seyeong’s past bore similarities to her own.

‘Sigh. Looking at it this way, wasn’t it just Lee Shiheon gaslighting? Preying on people with a lack of affection?’

No matter what, that nerd.

Though she didn’t voice it, that man lacked the charisma to match his potential.

Guseul had long come to understand the personality of a man named Lee Shiheon.

“If I know Shiheon… Even if you confess again, he seems like he’d drag it out. Saying let’s stay friends, or let’s get to know each other slowly. Or he’s not ready. Or he’s unsure. It’s so in line with his personality. Maybe it’s better to take things slow?”

“…I hate that.”

“Honestly, you’re too good for him.”

Jin Dallae, curled up like a caterpillar under the blankets, fortified her position and covered her ears.

Guseul had no choice but to concede to her stubbornness.

Any further persuasion would not be advice, but interference.

‘…But the more I observe Lee Shiheon, the more he seems like a total jerk.’

Normally, Guseul, who would flatter with five layers of face, meant these words sincerely this time.

Guseul sighed and reached for the coat hanging on the hanger.

-Woong woong!

That’s when the vibration sounded.

Guseul turned around in surprise.

Jin Dallae was looking at her phone with wide eyes.

“Hello!?”

Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were so red they hurt, but the voice answering the phone was like that of a young girl who had just arrived at an amusement park.

“Yeah… Yes.”

Polite speech.

Why use polite speech with a classmate? She said it was out of respect when asked.

“Yeah… Got it.”

Jin Dallae mumbled a few words and answers for a while before hanging up the phone.

Jin Dallae, placing her hands on her chest, looked bewildered.

“What, what did he say?”

The blanket that Jin Dallae was covering herself with slipped from her head to her shoulders.

That revealed her face, tinged with decadent allure.

It was like the look of a woman who had achieved her dream but had yet to grasp the reality, staring blankly.

“…He said he wants to meet now.”

A few seconds of silence.

“He said he wants to meet now! I, I’ll go take a shower.”

-Screech!

-Thud!

As Jin Dallae hurriedly grabbed her clothes and entered the bathroom, Guseul’s face turned to astonishment at her playful steps.

“…Is this for real?”

Like someone with bipolar disorder, she had been sobbing for days, and now, just one phone call has changed her this much. It was Guseul who was flabbergasted, not Jin Dallae. She sat down on the bed where Jin Dallae had been sitting, organizing the pile of tissues, waiting for her.

“She’s setting herself up for disappointment.”

Given Lee Shiheon’s personality… He’ll likely just brush it off. Poor Jin Dallae.

Making a big deal out of getting more girls.

-Screech!

Jin Dallae, wrapped in a towel, rushed out of the bathroom and began to get ready at high speed.

“Is, is this pretty?”

“Yeah, Dallae, you look pretty in anything.”

“Ah, really… Stop joking.”

But it’s true. Guseul watched Jin Dallae as she rummaged through her handbag and nibbled on potato chips.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

5 minutes to dry her hair. 5 minutes to choose and wear her outfit. 3 minutes for makeup. Jin Dallae summoned the spirits of wind and fire to dry her hair, deserving applause for her determination.

Finally, Jin Dallae finished preparing in an instant, put on her heels, and stepped out the door.

-Screech!

The door was about to close, but suddenly, it stopped, and Jin Dallae’s face peeked out.

“Right. Guseul.”

“Huh?”

“…Thank you. For consoling me.”

-Thud!

Jin Dallae disappeared like the wind. Guseul stood there dumbfounded, then chuckled at the cute action.

“She’s cute…”

Jin Dallae was someone who used to guard herself and stay distant from her. Both Guseul and

Jin Dallae knew they were hiding something similar.

Could it be because they were in the same situation?

Once they became close, it turned out to be actually fun. Guseul lay on the bed, fiddling with her phone.

“…but it’s been a few months since we weren’t in the same situation.”

92-502-3354.

Repeating the number from her contact list, Guseul called that place. Flower. A revolutionary waiting for the eighth leaf. Guseul, who moved to investigate the academy.

[What is it?]

A voice emerged from the phone. Guseul muttered dryly with a cold tone.

“The training camp is almost over.”

Ice-cold. Guseul’s eyes, looking at the ceiling, were fixated on a single point of the lamp as if they had never smiled.

[…The selection for the forest keeper is coming up soon. Before carrying out the task, if they’re deemed unhelpful, kill them.]

“Yes. But. Is it okay not to see that man in person?”

[What more do we need when we know the name?]

A rebuke came immediately from the superior’s mouth. The person, supposedly a deputy of a Flower officer, doesn’t even know the face of the target. It’s as if it doesn’t matter whether they live or die.

“Understood.”

The woman who most desperately wishes for the World Tree’s destruction. Thus, she wouldn’t bother with such trivial targets. Guseul smiled bitterly, thinking of her face that reveals no emotions, like a red glacier.

After all, Guseul was a pawn. Like a doll that smoothly followed a destiny decided from birth, Guseul coolly accepted it.

“If I really feel that man is not worth being on our side, I will kill him immediately.”

[Hurry.]

“Yes.”

Guseul harbored a bitter smile as she visualized the face of the person on the other end of the call.

Maple.

Her species was one with five fingers split, red, and expressionless.

-Press.

“Haah…”

After hanging up, Guseul relaxed her stiff face and sighed deeply.

Wondering if Jin Dallae had met with Lee Shiheon by now, she checked her messenger with such thoughts in mind.

She predicted the dialogue between Lee Shiheon and Jin Dallae upon their meeting, playing out scenarios in one corner of her mind.

‘It’s going to be the same again… no, never mind. That’s just how they are.’

She closed her dry eyes, letting time pass.

Guseul believed in savoring the fragile peace before it shattered.

“Let’s catch some sleep.”

She dozed off, hoping for some rest until Jin Dallae returned.

“…Mm.”

After a while, she was awakened by Jin Dallae’s voice, which reached her unconsciously.

“Guseul, wake up.”

“Huh? Ah… I fell asleep.”

Rubbing her eyes, Guseul got up. Yawning, she looked outside to see it was late dawn, as if a day had passed.

“You came back late?”

While rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she noticed Jin Dallae, who had just arrived, bending over in an awkward posture for some reason.

‘?’

Her cheeks and thighs were burning red.

A face that seemed happy yet grimaced with pain.

Jin Dallae walked to the wardrobe to get some clothes, her steps reminiscent of a five-year-old.

‘What??’

It was a moment that shattered all expectations.

-Let’s meet.

-I have something to say about that day.

After making a call, I thought it would be better to discuss the rest in person, so I secured a spot in the cafe.

I arrived about an hour early and was passing the time, but before the agreed time, I heard the sound of hurried heels.

“…You. Hah. Hah.”

Jin Dallae, who had rushed over, greeted me with a bright smile as soon as she saw me.

“Why did you come in such a hurry? It’s not time yet.”

“Waiting is… boring. I wanted to come first and wait… Hehe.”

Naturally, I pressed the bell to call the cafe staff.

She wore a see-through top that seemed tightly fitted and a short skirt, placing her handbag politely on her thighs and clasping her hands together.

After the initial greeting, there was silence.

Having confessed and been rejected, there was certainly an awkwardness between us.

“Ah… I’ll have an iced tea, please.”

“Yes~ Got it.”

After ordering and receiving Jin Dallae’s drink, I finally began to speak.

“I had something to tell you, wanted to say it sooner, but I couldn’t.”

“Ah, no. I can wait forever.”

She should have wiped away the tear stains around her eyes first.

Her makeup was so thinly applied it was immediately noticeable.

Her clothes were wrinkled, clearly thrown on in a hurry… and her upper lip was bright red, probably from blowing her nose too much after crying.

“What was it about?”

Jin Dallae asked cautiously.

“It was nothing special. Just that the World Tree had something for me to do. I was helping out with that.”

“…Ah. Because you’re a husband candidate.”

“Did the teacher tell you?”

Jin Dallae, momentarily startled, covered her mouth and then nodded. It was obvious. She already knew from what Lee Seyeong had told her. They had spilled all my secrets when they met.

“Ah… Didn’t say much. Just that…”

Loyalty, huh.

Though unavoidable topics were mentioned, anything about plans was kept tight-lipped. Seyeong might already think of Jin Dallae as a traitor, but… since things went well, the teacher wouldn’t care much anyway. Might use it as teasing material later.

“I know everything.”

“Ah… Haha.”

Of course, that’s not why I came here today.

I gulped down my burning throat with coffee, bracing myself for the humiliation, and spoke up.

“So, about that confession last time.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Still feel the same?”

Gasping, Dallae swallowed her breath. She looked at me with wide eyes.

Half expectation, half anxiety… No, maybe mostly anxiety. Perhaps due to heightened senses, I could hear the sound of her heartbeat.

-Drop.

A droplet slid down the glass. No longer delaying, I spoke as lightly as I could to ease the tension.

“…Do you really like me?”

“I sincerely do. I can prove it.”

The answer came immediately, each word seeping with obsession. It was chilling.

“Prove? How?”

Jin Dallae, avoiding my question, began to sweat profusely. Then, with determination, she closed her eyes tightly and said,

“…Whatever you ask for. I can do anything. Really. If you don’t believe me, you can slap me.”

…Slap? Suddenly?

Surprised by the proposition of slapping, I looked at Jin Dallae, who appeared anything but ordinary with her eyes rolling. Was she implying it was okay to hit her? Suddenly, I remembered Jin Dallae’s sexual fantasies and massaged my stiff lips.

‘Spanking…’

Dizzy. Hwangdo recovered with just one interaction, but even so, would it be too difficult to escalate to that in this atmosphere?

I answered plainly, hoping this would resolve the tension.

“Okay.”

“…Huh?”

Unexpectedly, Jin Dallae cautiously opened her tightly shut eyes.

“What more could I say? I like you.”

“Re, really? You’re not lying…? But you said you didn’t like me before…”

“I tried to like you. Well… I do like you.”

It’s true; she’s precious. Now that I thought about it, I might actually like her. Proof being, when alone, my hands that faintly trembled were now steady. Having Jin Dallae beside me provided a certain level of comfort, a sign from my body.

And here I was, thinking about shooting some romance drama. I scoffed and looked at Jin Dallae with the same intensity.

“…Do you really like me?”

Jin Dallae asked cautiously, her hope now edging out the anxiety in her eyes.

“I still can’t believe it…”

“Hey. You have to believe what I say.”

“But… you rejected me three days ago. Are you sure it’s not just because the professor told you to… accept my confession? I hate that kind of thing.”

“It’s not like that.”

Jin Dallae’s lips moved hesitantly.

“Then… let’s drink together. They say alcohol brings out the truth… Drink until we’re drunk.”

It seemed I needed to spend a bit more time to instill certainty in her.

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