Eiji is Online

Chapter 7

After the five-day silence that had made Eiji question everything, they had fallen back into their usual routine. Each night, they hopped onto Discord, launching their game and diving into quests together and their conversations flowing easily between jokes and casual chats about their days.

“Eiji, I swear,” Zane’s voice crackled through the headset one evening as they battled their way through a particularly tough dungeon. “My photographer kept asking me to redo shots today. Like ten times. ‘Smile more naturally, Zane,’ ‘Give me more emotion,’ blah blah blah. By the end, I was ready to throw his camera into the ocean.”

Eiji laughed. “Guess you’re not getting any ‘Most Cooperative Model’ awards, huh?”

“Oh, I’m super cooperative,” Zane replied with sarcasm, his character dodging an attack on-screen. “Just not when they make me stand in freezing water for the ‘perfect shot.’"

Eiji shook his head while smiling to himself. It was easy to forget sometimes that Zane’s world was so different from his own. He pictured Zane in one of those sleek studios he’d seen on TV or standing on a cliffside with the wind in his hair, looking like he’d stepped out of a magazine. It was a strange contrast to their nights spent gaming and joking around.

Eiji glanced at the time in the corner of his screen and hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Hey, I’ve been thinking. Maybe we should exchange numbers? Just, you know, in case something like the other week happens again. So you don’t go MIA without a way to reach out.”

Zane paused for a moment, like he was considering the suggestion. Then, a soft laugh came through his mic. “Yeah, you know what, that’s probably a good idea. I didn’t even think about that before.”

Eiji’s heart did a little flip at the easy agreement and he quickly pulled out his phone, feeling a bit self-conscious. He’d never been the type to exchange numbers with people online but with Zane, it felt right.

He sent over his number through the game chat and a moment later, his phone buzzed with a message.

New Message from Zane: Hey, it’s me. Now you can bug me even when I’m not on my computer ;)

Eiji snorted, typing back with a grin.

Eiji: Oh, I plan to.

Then, Zane’s laughter echoed in his ears..

Their conversations grew longer after that, moving beyond the confines of their virtual world. They talked about everything from their favorite TV shows to the kinds of food they missed most when they were too busy to cook.

And one night, when they were just chatting aimlessly in the game lobby, the conversation turned to their lives outside the screen.

“So,” Zane began, his voice a little softer than usual, “Where exactly are you in the Philippines? I think you mentioned Manila, right?”

“Yeah, Manila,” Eiji replied, leaning back in his chair as he glanced out the window, the city lights glimmering in the distance. “I’m staying in an apartment near my university. It’s small but it does the job.”

“Must be nice being close to campus,” Zane mused. “I’m in Makati. I’m renting a condo. It’s nice but kind of lonely when I’m not out working.”

Eiji considered that for a moment, imagining Zane in a sleek, modern condo in Makati, surrounded by the bustling city but feeling just as isolated as he sometimes did in his cramped dorm room. “Makati, huh? You’re pretty close then, all things considered.”

Zane chuckled. “Yeah, just a short drive away. Well, short if you ignore the traffic. Maybe one of these days, we’ll actually meet in person.”

Eiji’s heart skipped a beat at the thought, but he kept his tone light. “Yeah, maybe. We’ll see who gets tired of the commute first.”

“Challenge accepted,” Zane replied with a laugh, but there was a warmth in his voice that lingered even after they’d switched topics.

After a beat, Zane spoke again, this time with a teasing lilt. “So Eiji, completely random question: what’s your dream wedding like?”

“Wha—my what?” Eiji stammered, his face heating up as he sat upright in his chair. “Where did that even come from?”

Zane laughed, clearly enjoying Eiji’s reaction. “I don’t know. I was thinking about how life goes. Like college, work, relationships, and, you know, the big milestones. It’s a fun thing to imagine.”

Eiji rubbed the back of his neck, feeling incredibly awkward but also a little intrigued. “Uh… I’ve never really thought about it. I mean, it’s not like something I plan for.”

“Come on,” Zane pressed, his voice playful. “Just humor me. Big church? Beach wedding? Or out-of-the- country wedding like Japan or U.S.?”

Eiji laughed despite himself, shaking his head. “Definitely not an out-of-country wedding. Maybe something simple, small like close family and friends only. I guess somewhere quiet, maybe outdoors, like garden-themed or something?”

Zane hummed thoughtfully. “A garden wedding, huh? That suits you. Something romantic but not over the top.”

Eiji huffed, his cheeks still flushed. “Okay, mister interrogator, what about you? What’s your dream wedding?”

“Oh, I’ve got it all planned out,” Zane said with mock seriousness, making Eiji snicker. “A beach wedding, no question. Somewhere at sunset and I’d want it casual. Barefoot on the sand, everyone in light, breezy outfits ya’ know. And definitely no long ceremonies. Just vows, music and a lot of dancing after.”

Eiji couldn’t help but smile. “Sounds nice.”

“Thanks,” Zane replied with a laugh. Then, after a pause, he added more softly, “You know, with the right person, it doesn’t really matter where it is.”

Eiji froze for a moment, the weight of those words sinking in.

“Uh, yeah,” Eiji muttered, trying to regain composure. “I guess it’s more about who you’re with.”

“Exactly,” Zane said, his smile warm. “And for the record, I can totally see you being one of those cool, composed grooms—probably giving a heartfelt speech that makes everyone cry.”

Eiji snorted, finally breaking out of his flustered state. “Yeah, right. I’d probably trip on my way down the aisle.”

“Well, if you do, I’ll be sure to catch it on camera for posterity,” Zane teased and laughed.

Eiji rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small grin that tugged at his lips. “Remind me to keep you far away from the photographer’s booth if that ever happens.”

“Bet,” Zane said with a chuckle. “But seriously, I think weddings are fascinating. They tell you a lot about what someone values. Like family, traditions, the kind of life they want to build.”

Eiji blinked, surprised by the sudden depth in Zane’s tone. “You’ve really thought about this, huh?”

“Maybe,” Zane admitted. “Or maybe I’m just stalling because I like talking to you.”

Eiji’s face grew warm again but he managed to hide it with a laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I know I am,” Zane said as Eiji heard him laughing from his headset.

Eiji shook his head, the conversation leaving a strange, lingering warmth in his chest long after they’d moved on to other topics.

Later that night, after they had logged off, Eiji was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling of his dorm room. His mind was buzzing with thoughts of the past few weeks—of how close he and Zane had become, how easy it was to talk to him, even about things that felt personal. It was different from how he usually felt with people, especially online.

“Maybe I’m just overthinking it,” he thought to himself, trying to ignore the little flutter in his chest. But the thoughts lingered, even as he tried to push them aside.

He couldn’t sleep, so he switched over to his chat with Jamie and saw that his friend was online. Without thinking much about it, he clicked the voice call button, pulling the blanket up to his chin as he waited for Jamie to answer.

Jamie picked up after a couple of rings, his voice hushed and sleepy. “Eiji? Sis, it’s late. What’s up?”

Eiji shifted on his bed, feeling a little awkward now that he’d actually made the call. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you up. Just couldn’t sleep, I guess. Been thinking too much.”

Jamie let out a soft, understanding sigh. “Let me guess. Zane?”

Eiji blinked, caught off guard by how easily Jamie seemed to know what was on his mind. “How’d you—?”

“Because you’ve been talking about him non-stop for weeks, sis,” Jamie replied with a chuckle. “So, what’s going on now? Something happened again?”

Eiji hesitated for a moment before sighing. “I don’t know. It’s just we’ve been talking a lot, more than before. Like, we exchanged numbers and stuff and he’s been telling me about his work and life. It’s just weird. I mean, we’re close now, you know?”

Jamie hummed thoughtfully, the tone of his voice growing more serious. “And how do you feel about that? About being ‘more’ close with him?”

Eiji took a breath, trying to untangle the mess of emotions that had been building up. “I don’t know, Jamie. It’s like sometimes I catch myself thinking about him even when we’re not talking. But it’s not like I’m crushing on him or anything. I just I don’t know. It’s confusing.”

“Confusing how?” Jamie pressed gently, like he was guiding Eiji through his own thoughts.

Eiji groaned, rolling onto his back as he tried to find the words. “Like I feel weird when he’s around, okay? It’s like my chest does this stupid thing whenever he says something nice, and I keep thinking about that time he said he missed me. But that doesn’t mean I like him, right? I don’t even know if he—”

“Okay, hold on,” Jamie interrupted, his voice calm but firm. “Sis, you have to figure out what you’re feeling before you go diving into this. You don’t want to get hurt and you definitely don’t want to mess things up if you’re not ready to deal with it.”

Eiji was quiet, letting Jamie’s words sink in. He closed his eyes, the reality of what his friend was saying cutting through some of the fog in his mind. “Yeah but how am I supposed to figure that out, Jamie? I don’t even know what I want. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Jamie’s voice softened, losing its teasing edge. “I know, Eiji. But you can’t just ignore it. If you really care about him and if you think he might feel the same way, you owe it to yourself and to him. But before that, you’ve got to get right with yourself, sis. Know where you stand before you start worrying about where he stands.”

Eiji swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in his chest. “What if I’m just making it all up? What if I think I like him but it’s just loneliness or something?”

Jamie sighed, his voice filled with understanding. “Sis, this ain’t something to cram. Just take your time, okay? And don’t rush into anything unless you’re sure.”

Eiji let out a shaky breath, nodding even though Jamie couldn’t see him. “Okay, alright. Thanks, Jamie. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem, man. Whatever your decision is, just don’t make me say ‘I told you so’ later, okay?”