Chapter 94

3

It seemed like the world would end soon. Perhaps tonight was humanity's final day. I should call my parents and tell them I love them. Today is the day I'll confess to her. If I had known this would happen, I should have subscribed to OTT for just one month instead of a year!

Amidst a mix of resolutions and regrets, everyone's attention in the fire station was focused on one place. On Dane, who was leaning against the window frame with a scowl on his face, and Greyson, who was hugging him tightly from behind and constantly rubbing his face against his head.

"Um, uh... Miller."

The person who spoke with a pale face was, as expected, Ezra. Stepping forward as a representative, he carefully approached them and pointed at them alternately with his finger.

"What... what's going on? Um... why... are you like that...?"

At the stammering question, unable to form a proper sentence, Greyson just smiled languidly like a cat basking in the sun. At the lips that seemed desperate to speak but absolutely wouldn't tell, the onlookers were so dumbfounded they lost their words. Now the only person to seek an answer from was Dane, but he was just continuously puffing on his cigarette and showed no sign of answering either. Finally, Ezra spoke to Greyson again.

"Something... um, it seems like something good happened, can't you tell us too? ...Along with the reason why you're like that, if possible."

As Ezra couldn't bring himself to say it in words and only pointed with his finger, Greyson made a "heehee" sound like a breath of laughter and then let out a satisfied "haa" sigh. And finally, he opened his mouth. As if he couldn't contain his joy, with a proud face, stretching the vowels.

"Weee, decided to daaate."

At the bomb declaration that finally exploded, everyone who had been holding their breath and perking up their ears couldn't respond immediately. After a few seconds of heavy silence, DeAndre was the first to open his mouth.

"What did that bastard just say? I think I heard something wrong."

Starting with those words, the other guys began to deny what they had heard.

"Ahaha, ahahaha. Miller has finally gone crazy."

"Haven't we had too many deployments lately? We must be having collective hallucinations from accumulated fatigue. I'm seeing things I shouldn't see."

"Hey, did you see the stock market drop today? The blue color was endless..."

They each made different noises and stubbornly ignored reality. Wasn't it obvious? Dane dating someone? Not a one-night stand or sex, but actually dating? That Dane Striker?

And with Greyson Miller?

Nonsense, all our eyes and ears must be wrong! Amidst the guys exchanging addresses of the ophthalmologists and ENT doctors they visited, only Ezra bravely faced reality.

"Um, Dane. What did Miller just say? It's hard to... understand."

Dane didn't even look at him who let out a "haha" laugh. Though he must have clearly heard. The guys who had been saying all sorts of nonsense suddenly fell silent. In the chilling tension, it was Greyson who answered.

"We're lovers from today. It means I'm Dane's boyfriend."

Then, as if he was dying of happiness, he rubbed his face all over Dane's shoulder and then slightly raised one hand that had been holding his waist to firmly grab one of Dane's breasts. Immediately, a vein popped up on Dane's temple, and for the first time, he reacted.

"Get off, you fucking pervert bastard!"

He shouted and tried to forcibly push away Greyson's head, but Greyson was still grinning and clinging tightly to his waist. Still kneading his chest with one hand. Seeing that sight, Ezra's vision turned white and he staggered. Simultaneously, the guys who had been trying hard to ignore reality screamed and shouted loud enough to bring down the fire station.

* * *

Whew, Dane, who had been leaning against the outer wall of the fire station and exhaling long cigarette smoke, reflexively turned around at the sudden presence he felt, but soon relaxed his body's tension when he confirmed who it was.

"Dane, so you were here."

Ezra spoke with an awkward smile. Dane didn't respond and just glanced behind him. Noticing the meaning of his gaze, Ezra said.

"I shook off Miller well, don't worry."

Only then did Dane withdraw his gaze and bring the cigarette back to his mouth. Seeing his troubled expression, Ezra quietly stood beside him and carefully observed. Only after Dane had deeply inhaled the smoke and exhaled it again did he finally open his mouth.

"Um, Dane. What's going on? I was so surprised... Everyone is worried about what happened."

"Worried?"

To Dane, who just repeated the word as if to ask why they would be, Ezra nodded and said, "Yes."

"As you know, this situation isn't normal. There's some problem, right? If there's anything we can do to help..."

"There's nothing like that."

Dane firmly denied his words. Did he mean there was no problem, or that they couldn't help? At the dual meaning, Ezra was momentarily confused, but he didn't back down.

"Is... is it perhaps a situation that's difficult to talk about?"

Though he carefully broached the subject, Dane still just looked into the distance and smoked, continuously inhaling the smoke deeply. Seeing this, Ezra asked worriedly.

"You're not being blackmailed by Miller, are you?"

"No."

Dane answered briefly with a reluctant face. Ezra's gaze still wouldn't leave, and finally, Dane exhaled his answer along with the smoke.

"He just asked to try dating for three months as a trial, and I agreed."

Hearing those words, Ezra couldn't respond immediately. It was surprising that Dane had accepted such a proposal, but he also couldn't imagine how such a conversation had occurred.

"I'm not being blackmailed."

Before Ezra could raise his suspicion again, Dane cut him off first. He added coldly as he brought the cigarette to his mouth.

"He's the benefactor who saved Darling's life, so I couldn't refuse. He said he would disappear from my sight if I just endured for three months."

"Disappear? What does that mean?"

To the shocked Ezra, Dane explained briefly.

"He said if my heart doesn't change after three months, he'll quit the fire station and never appear before me again for the rest of his life."

"...Really?"

Ezra asked after a pause, as if he couldn't believe it. Dane still looked elsewhere and answered perfunctorily.

"For now, I have no choice but to believe him. If he changes his words, that's something to think about when the time comes."

"Yeah... that's true."

At the trailing end of his words that seemed unsatisfied, Dane glanced down at him.

"What? If you have something to say, say it."

At the blunt words, Ezra scratched his cheek as if embarrassed and mumbled while avoiding his gaze.

"No, since your mind might change..."

"Ezra."

To him who was mentioning a slight possibility, Dane mercilessly spat out.

"I'm quite satisfied with my life right now. What reason do I have to complicate my life by dating someone? Why would I do such a bothersome thing?"

"Sorry, if I made you uncomfortable, I'm sorry."

Ezra quickly apologized. Feeling like he had vented his irritation on him unnecessarily, Dane felt even worse. All of this was because of that pervert bastard, yet he was taking it out on the wrong person.

But he couldn't stand being in debt. Anyway, he had to repay the debt for Darling's life. If that meant enduring that bastard for three months, it was rather cheap. After all, Darling's life was incomparably more precious than that.

"My mind won't change. I have no intention of forming a serious relationship with anyone."

"...Yeah, that's right."

Ezra took a step back and agreed with his words, then soon smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Then I'll go in first. I hope you don't get caught by Miller."

At the words added as a joke, Dane didn't even look at him and just lightly raised one hand instead of a farewell. Listening to Ezra's footsteps fading away, he brought the cigarette to his mouth again. It was when he had inhaled the smoke fully into his lungs and slowly exhaled.

<...really.>

...Huh?

Suddenly, a forgotten memory came to mind. Why had Ezra's words, which he hadn't fully understood at the time, suddenly come alive in his mind?

<It's really fortunate that you and Miller aren't in any kind of relationship...>

Dane froze without even blinking. The dusty smoke lingered around him for a while before weakly disappearing.