Gentle Forest

Chapter 28

"Still, behaving like this feels suffocating."

Two sparkling eyes were seen under the blue hues. I lifted my head to rest it on the crook of his arm, and laughter escaped as a result. Instinctively, my hand lightly traced up on his firm side, delving into his embrace.

"When I was young, each day felt like a war, but now it's okay."

Ten years ago, when Aiden came to meet me, it was probably one of the most agonizing times. I lived in fear of days filled with hyperventilation and seizures, thinking that my breath could easily be cut short. For a while, I struggled with panic attacks, and back then, the time spent in the hospital exceeded the time spent at home by a significant margin.

Fortunately, entering the forest marked an improvement in my condition. It was much more comfortable to be trapped in the forest than to live a life that so often brought me to the brink of death.

"If there's anything more I can do...."

"You're already doing more than enough, almost overwhelming."

"Overwhelming?"

"Well, the words may suggest that, but..."

Both having just showered, even with the air being sufficiently warm, our bodies didn't feel sticky. Although Aiden reached out to turn on the old fan, instead of pulling away, I pressed closer.

Even the rattling sound of the fan wasn't bothersome. Amidst my incessant fidgeting inside the covers, Aiden pulled me tightly, releasing me when I whined, only to repeat the process. It's almost unfair that I was so nervous. Though fast, Aiden's heartbeat, fairly rhythmic, seemed like a lullaby. Buried in the chest, strangely, his vitality seemed to transmit completely. I was planning to peacefully drift into sleep in his embrace, completely erasing any remaining fears.

But Aiden had other plans. As time passed, the heat emanating from his body felt peculiar. Given the effort he put into even spraying perfume on the bedding, his intentions were undoubtedly thorough.

Thinking I might be too oblivious, I gently shifted away. Seizing the opportunity, his lips pressed against my neck, and I squirmed, blushing.

A strong thigh pushed between the struggling legs. The struggling stopped immediately and my crotch tensed as if it had suddenly realized what it had to do. Aiden's slightest movement resulted in exaggerated reactions, making the decision between closing or spreading my legs a perplexing ordeal.

"Minhyuk is sleeping in dad's room."

When I reminded him in case he had forgotten something, Aiden lifted his buried head. He lifted his hand and pressed his thumb hard against my lip. Ah, I wanted to make a noise, but I held it back.

"As long as you don't make a sound."

"The door..."

"I locked it when I turned off the light."

Come to think of it, there seemed to be two clicking sounds. Annoyingly, Aiden, glancing at the partially open window, abruptly rose and closed it. He even turned off the struggling fan, as if implying it didn't matter if we sweated.

No sounds of Minhyuk snoring, the chirping of crickets, the buzzing of cicadas, or the flowing water from the valley reached us. It felt like a sealed chamber. At the same time, I resigned myself to the thought of becoming gay like this.

Having settled my head on the pillow, Aiden immediately sat up, tossing aside his loose shirt. Even in the darkness, his well-defined muscles tempted me to reach out inadvertently.

Aiden, who is sensitive, immediately noticed my hesitant touch. He took my wrist, guiding my hand to his abdomen. As I felt the warm and firm texture, his upper body reacted noticeably.