Chapter 88

6

The wind that usually blew refreshingly had somehow turned chilly. Greyson stared intently at Dane's back as he stood still. The call continued as he took one step at a time toward Dane. After just a few steps, standing behind Dane's back, he could hear the voice flowing from beyond the mobile phone.

- I came to your house last time because I misunderstood... um, don't you remember?

At the voice that had suddenly turned desperate, Dane recalled his memory and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I remember."

The sound of the woman sighing in relief was heard. Of course, Dane was inwardly thinking of something else. Not getting involved in other people's affairs had been the principle of his life until now, but recently he had been getting involved too much. Even with a woman with whom he had only spent one night.

This should be the last time I do something like this.

He resolved and added without wasting time.

"Have you decided? When are you going to do it? I'd prefer if it matched my day off."

At the direct question, she hurriedly answered.

- Yes... yes! Of course, I'll definitely do that. ...Um, thank you.

At the fading voice, Dane didn't show any particular reaction and ended the call after informing her of his day off. Just as he was about to take a step after carelessly putting his mobile phone in his pants pocket. When he turned his head without thinking, he was startled to see Greyson standing right behind him.

"Ah shit, what the hell!"

When Dane contorted his face and spat out an irritated curse, Greyson glanced at him. Dane, who had unconsciously directed his gaze with a frowning face, noticed that Greyson had looked toward the pocket where he had put his mobile phone.

"Is it that woman?"

At the abrupt question without context, Dane didn't bother to pretend not to know.

"Yes, the woman you saw too."

When he answered indifferently, Greyson's complexion darkened. Just as he felt something was not right, Greyson opened his mouth in a low voice.

"Are you really going to the hospital with that woman?"

The calm voice somehow sounded eerie. Dane, inwardly wary, answered as usual.

"Yes, because I promised."

At the simple response, Greyson fell silent again. What is this silence? Just as an ominous feeling arose, Greyson furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes.

"...You don't really think it's your child, do you?"

"Huh."

So that's what he was thinking. Dane was so dumbfounded that he wasn't even angry. He twisted the corners of his mouth and glared at Greyson.

"Knowing what my phenotype is, do I look like an idiot to you?"

At the inevitably sarcastic words, Greyson took a step back.

"...That's not it, but."

"Then what? What do you want to say?"

Dane spat out irritably. Greyson, who seemed to be thinking for a moment, suddenly smiled brightly. At another action unrelated to the situation, Dane hesitated. Seeing Dane's expression, Greyson immediately pulled down the corners of his mouth this time. He had noticed that this was not the time to smile.

"...No, I mean."

Greyson seemed to want to say something, but that was all. Seeing him pressing his forehead with one hand and unable to continue speaking, he looked very confused.

Of course, this too might be his misconception. Dane thought. Who could distinguish what was real and what was fake about that bastard? Even he himself might not know. He was just a guy who mechanically created expressions to fit the situation.

Dane didn't wait any longer and turned around. Greyson just watched his back as he walked away with large strides. But.

"Don't waste time on worthless acts."

Suddenly, a low voice was heard from behind. When Dane hesitated, Greyson spat out in a louder, more forceful voice.

"That woman is just using you."

What nonsense is he talking about? Dane shook his head with a pathetic feeling and moved his feet again. From behind, Greyson warned again.

"You'll regret it. For doing something unnecessary."

At the voice full of dissatisfaction, Dane tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. After letting out a "ha" sigh, he turned his head and directed his gaze at Greyson. When their eyes met, he looked at Greyson with a cold gaze and opened his mouth.

"Who asked you?"

And Dane turned around without hesitation and walked away with large strides. Greyson spat out one last thing at the back of his head.

"I've clearly warned you, everything that happens after this is all your own doing."

Dane, who had just opened the back door of the fire station, looked back at Greyson. For some reason, Greyson was looking at him with a cold gaze. Dane frowned and made a thin voice to answer.

"Oh my, how scary."

With those final words, Dane demonstratively closed the door with a thud right in front of Greyson.

* * *

Crazy bastard.

Dane was sitting in a waiting room chair with a frowning face. Sitting with his legs spread wide and shaking one leg quickly, his face was full of irritation. Who does he think he is to tell me what to do? Not even knowing his place.

<You'll regret it. For doing something unnecessary.>

He already was. But when Greyson Miller said those words, he couldn't help but feel his stomach twist. Fuck, he unconsciously cursed quietly, then immediately rolled his eyes to check his surroundings. Fortunately, the waiting room was sparse, and other patients or visitors were sitting at quite a distance. That's fortunate. Just as he was inwardly relieved, the woman who had brought water spoke to him.

"Um, is coffee okay?"

"Yes, thank you."

After receiving the drink provided by the hospital, the woman sat next to Dane and drank water. As he brought the hot black coffee to his mouth, the woman opened her mouth.

"Thank you for coming with me, Dane. I, I don't have anyone else to ask..."

Seeing her haggard profile, Dane just drank his coffee without saying anything. She was someone he wouldn't see again anyway. There's no need to hear deep stories. That was Dane's thought, but her, Sabrina's, thought was different.

"It's better not to have a child without a father, right?"

"...Ha."

Dane sighed audibly. He still looked elsewhere as he spoke.

"That's for you to decide. If you can't handle it, it's better to get rid of it."

Sabrina's body visibly flinched. Is there still hesitation left? After thinking for a moment, he muttered as if to himself.

"Having a child isn't necessarily the best option."

"What?"

"Who are you to decide that, you fucking bastard?"

At the sudden curse, Dane frowned and raised his head. There, an enormously tall woman was looking down at them while chewing gum. With her glamorous platinum blonde hair, she was such a stunning beauty that people would hold their breath just by her passing by, but the reason Dane hesitated was different.

Purple eyes.

The sweet scent floating around her was unmistakable. What the fuck. As Dane was about to get up, Sabrina stood up first.

"Larien!"

Larien, the woman who was at least a head and a half taller than the panicked Sabrina with her pale face, was glaring at her with frightening eyes.

* * *

♬♪♪♩♬♪...

At the continuous whistling sound, Ezra hesitated and turned around. It was the sound of Greyson whistling while checking the equipment.

"Are you in a good mood, Miller?"

When he asked curiously, Greyson stopped whistling and answered, "No." His smiling face was the stereotypical one, but Ezra didn't know.

"You definitely have something good going on, what is it."

He rolled his eyes as if taunting and returned to his work with a smile. Greyson, still with a smiling face, looked up at the clock on the wall.

After checking the time, Greyson's eyes narrowed.

It must have started by now.

Just then, the minute hand on the wall made a clicking sound and moved to the side.

* * *

"You fucking bastard, who are you to tell her to abort or keep the child?"

Larien lashed out with rough curses. Is she a crazy woman? Dane looked down at her in disbelief. The woman, who appeared to be well over 180 centimeters tall, far from being intimidated, glared at Dane as if she would devour him.