September 14th

Today I made a mistake. In-woo gave back the Atarect crystal.

I recalled mentioning these crystals in my journal before. When In-woo kept questioning me, I had to admit that pure Atarect crystals serve as powerful energy sources. This led him to return the crystal, warning me against giving him dangerous items.

The truth is, Atarect crystals are harmless, especially on Earth where they’re essentially useless. I chose it as a gift for its value – one this size could purchase a small planet – and its aesthetic appeal.

I begged him to keep it, emphasizing the thought I’d put into selecting it. But In-woo wouldn’t budge. Both my gifts were rejected.

Frustrated, I collapsed in front of him, questioning why he’d accept gifts from others – beef from his CEO, red ginseng from his mother, coffee from his manager, and fan gifts – but not from me.

When In-woo stepped and climbed on me, I stayed put. His weight excited me, though this earned me a kick when he noticed.

Eventually, he compromised, agreeing to accept a small Earth-made gift instead of alien items. I recorded his promise. He’ll have to accept my next gift.

I’ve placed an order. The month-long wait begins.

***

October 10th

In-woo’s gift has arrived.

Now I’m hesitating about giving it to him.

***

October 11th

Should I give it to him or not…?

***

October 12th

Reviewing it today, the gift seems somewhat gaudy.

Should I order something else? Though custom orders take time, and I’m impatient.

***

October 13th

Actually, I like it. It suits my taste.

But In-woo’s preferences might differ, so I should proceed carefully.

***

October 14th

Maybe I should abandon the idea.

***

October 15th

No, I can’t give up.

─ “Just make up your mind, you f*cking bastard.”

***

October 16th

That was harsh, In-woo.

I’ve noticed he’s more irritable than when he was with Lee Sun-ho, but he’s mellowed since I first returned. It’s been a while since he’s called me such names. His former contempt has softened into something almost endearing, like a cat’s attitude.

Since In-woo lost patience with my secrecy, I finally presented my gift – matching couple rings.

We had couple rings before, but one turned to dust. Though I kept mine safe, I stopped wearing it since it lost its meaning as a pair.

Both our fingers felt bare without them. While wearing rings isn’t my custom, the absence felt wrong. Plus, a ring might deter admirers, though his celebrity status makes that unlikely.

Since our reunion when In-woo denied our relationship, I’d avoided the topic. Today, presenting the ring, I finally asked if we were still lovers.

Instead of answering, he took the smaller ring and put it on. His gruff “Are you satisfied now?” was so adorable that I lifted him up joyfully. Despite his protests and kicks, he then placed the other ring on my finger, his ears turning red.

He warned me not to get cocky over this, but I was overjoyed. This is enough. More than enough.

My lover.

***

October 17th

Last night, In-woo invited me to bed, citing autumn’s chill. Though October in Korea isn’t truly cold for someone like me, I played along and quickly joined him. He sighed and closed his eyes while I lay still, afraid to disturb him.

Our unnecessarily large bed, once bought for pleasure, now created distance between us.

His proximity and scent were tempting, but my past restrains me from acting on my desires.

Still, sleeping near In-woo felt wonderful. Though space remained between us, the gradually closing gap seemed to mirror our relationship’s progress. Or so I hoped.

─ “You clueless, frigid bastard.”

***

October 20th

In-woo lies exhausted and sleeping.

These past three days have proven to him that while I may be clueless, I’m certainly not frigid.