Chapter 40

Greyson stood still, pricking up his ears and concentrating. Though it seemed to take quite a while, he felt nothing.

Did I hear wrong?

Just as he was about to dismiss it as unimportant, he heard the sound again. He couldn't be mistaken twice. After briefly twitching his ears, Greyson looked around with a frown.

In that residential area, there were only houses that all looked the same lined up side by side with roads in between, nothing special to be seen. Perhaps it was more difficult to find something unusual in such an ordinary neighborhood.

He had to concentrate once more to find the direction of the sound. Using the sound that was heard once again after a pause as a signal, he moved his feet. The next time he heard the sound, it was clearer than before.

'Help me.'

As the distance grew closer, the destination became clearer. Greyson stopped in front of one of the similar-looking houses and looked around.

"Help me...!"

The child shouted again, perhaps having heard Greyson's footsteps. This time he could be certain. Without hesitation, he opened the side door and went inside. He felt the crisp grass under his feet. Half-withered and turned brown, it clearly showed signs of having been neglected for quite some time.

"Help me, help me!"

The child's voice continued more desperately. He must have heard Greyson's footsteps. Though he put his ear to the wall and waited for a moment, the house was just quiet, as if no one was inside. The child probably knew that too, which was why he was calling out so desperately.

Having thought that far, Greyson looked down at where the sound was coming from. There was a large cellar door. Though the closed door muffled the sound, he could clearly hear it. It was probably because there was an opening somewhere, perhaps for air circulation. Greyson knelt on one knee on the ground and brought his ear to the door.

"Is anyone there?"

At Greyson's question, a voice from inside shouted in an even higher tone.

"Yes, yees! I'm here! Help me, let me out, please! Help me, I'm scared..."

The voice mixed with crying was quite hoarse, as if from shouting for a long time.

"Oh my..."

Greyson made a sympathetic sound and asked again.

"What's your name? Why are you in there? What happened?"

The child sniffled and answered.

"I, I'm Santiago. Dad said, because I was a bad boy, I have to stay here..."

The rest of his words disappeared into sobs. Greyson nodded as if he understood.

"I see. Alright, I'll help you."

This was something he had often done. Helping others, what a noble and altruistic act. Greyson was always ready to help others and gladly did so when given the opportunity. Just as he had been taught from a very young age. This time was no different.

He opened one side of the double doors. At the bottom of the cellar, which looked dizzyingly deep, a small boy who wouldn't even reach Greyson's knees was looking up at him with a tense face. Santiago's expression, standing on tiptoe and stretching his arms with all his might while hoping for a miracle, was full of expectation and hope. Believing that he could finally leave this dark and scary cellar, that this brightly shining adult man would save him, that these nightmare-like days would now end, that salvation had finally come to him.

However.

"...Huh?"

Suddenly Greyson jumped into the cellar. The door he had flung open closed with a dull sound, and everything was covered in darkness again. Santiago couldn't understand what had just happened. As he stood there blinking blankly, the man's handsome face was illuminated by the faint stream of light coming through the gap in the double doors. Only then did Santiago realize that this man, far from taking him out, had come into this terrible space. The child immediately turned pale.

"Wh-what are you doing? You should get me out!"

Santiago shouted in confusion. Looking at the child's confused face, Greyson tilted his head as if puzzled.

"Why? You're being punished right now."

"...What?"

When Santiago still couldn't understand and asked again, Greyson added as if admonishing him.

"You shouldn't run away while being punished. That's what bad children do."

Santiago couldn't understand what on earth this meant.

What is this man saying?

To the child who had turned white and lost all color, Greyson spoke in a thoughtful voice.

"But Santiago, don't worry. Don't be afraid."

He slowly extended one hand. To Santiago, who flinched and stepped back, Greyson spoke with a bright smile, his hand still in the air.

"I'll stay with you."

The child's eyes shook greatly. Watching the hope that had fully bloomed now fading, Greyson whispered.

"It's okay now that there are two of us."

Hope completely disappeared from Santiago's face, replaced by shock and terror.

* * *

After things were somewhat settled, the firefighters who had responded gathered in one place to return. After Ezra, who had taken the last photo, returned the mobile phone, the other guys who had been waiting until then rubbed their trapezius muscles and sighed, "Haa."

"As expected of Dane Striker. Once he appears, women go crazy."

At someone's words, others chimed in from here and there.

"Just women? Even men were trying to take pictures with him earlier."

"How about running a campaign with Dane as the model? If we put sexy photos like this, the effect would be amazing!"

To the words of a colleague who spread his arms wide, another man excitedly added.

"Like a public service announcement?"

"Then a fire prevention campaign would be perfect!"

"How about this? Comforting people. I heard there are such services these days, run at the fire station level. If Dane says he'll go, the response would be explosive, don't you think?"

"Oh, that's good too. Dane, what do you think? Isn't it a great idea?"

The guys who were excitedly chattering away waited for Dane's response. Dane, who had been silent until then, opened his mouth indifferently with still dull eyes.

"I hate free volunteer work more than anything in the world."

With that, all discussion ended. Even taking photos and signing earlier was probably because he was 'working.' Dane strictly separated work and private life, and if he hadn't been on duty, he would have simply ignored any request, regardless of who asked or for what reason.

Yaaawn, Dane opened his mouth wide and yawned fully. Seeing him like that, DeAndre whispered in a small voice.

"That bastard, did he go out partying again last night?"

Another guy nodded.

"Very likely. Dane always goes to clubs on his days off."

"He's certainly diligent, but only in that way."

"Alright, that's enough. Let's go back quickly, it's too late."

Ezra said, tapping the car. Dane got into the car first, followed by the rest who climbed in, snickering. It was just before the car was about to depart when someone noticed that one person was missing.

"Huh? What is it? Feels like something's missing."

At someone's words, DeAndre immediately responded.

"Miller's not here!"

Only then did everyone realize this fact and look around in confusion. No matter how many times they looked, Greyson was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, damn it!"

"Miller, Greyson Miller!"

"Where are you? We're going back, come out now!"

"Miller!"

"Greyson Miller! Damn it!"

Getting out of the car again with curses, they called out his name loudly and searched for Greyson, but there was no response. After circling the area once and gathering again, they were dismayed to confirm that no one had any success.

"Fuck, that bastard!"

DeAndre, unable to control his temper, kicked the car's wheel. Though not as much as DeAndre, who was breathing fiercely and fuming, the rest were also in a bad mood.

"What should we do?"

At Ezra's words, the other guys began to pour out their complaints angrily.