Chapter 97

* * *

"Haaaaaaaa..."

Dane threw his arms back over the chair's backrest and exhaled a long sigh toward the ceiling. His eyes wandered emptily through the void. How did it come to this? He thought about the cause, but in the end, the conclusion was always the same.

Why did I have to get involved in someone else's business...

If he had just not shown a bit of sympathy then, if he had not gone to the hospital with Sabrina, he would have responded immediately when problems arose, and perhaps his house wouldn't have been completely burned down, Darling wouldn't have been in danger, and furthermore, his brilliant nightlife wouldn't have been severely disrupted.

But ruminating on regrets now wouldn't change anything. In the club where loud music overflowed from all directions, Dane opened his mouth while looking at the ceiling, sprawled in his chair.

"How do you manage to show up and interfere every time..."

At the words that flowed out like a lament, Greyson smiled down at him.

"Did you think I wouldn't anticipate you doing this?"

Dane silently rolled his eyes to look at him, then returned his gaze to the ceiling.

He didn't know how many times this had happened already. After being beautifully foiled that day, Dane set another date and headed to a different club, constantly checking if there was a car following him. But no matter how many times he tried, Greyson invariably appeared, made his carefully hooked partner run away, put the dumbfounded Dane in the car, and drove him directly to the motel with the 'Boobs Boobs' song, then disappeared.

The same thing happened the next time, and the time after that. Go to the club, Greyson appears, the partner runs away, listen to Boobs Boobs while riding in the car back to the motel. Go to the club, Greyson appears, run away, Boobs Boobs, car, motel. Club, Greyson, run away, Boobs, car, motel. Club, Greyson, run away, Boobs Boobs...

Fuck, stop it!

Dane just wanted to tear his hair out. He was gradually starting to believe the conspiracy theorist at the fire station who often said, 'The FBI is monitoring citizens through 5G.' Otherwise, how could this man appear at such exquisite timing every time?

Today, too, because of Greyson who popped up before he could even try anything, Dane finally gave up.

"How do you follow me around all day..."

Haaaa, inevitably letting out a deep sigh, he asked as if lamenting, and Greyson readily answered.

"The power of love, of course."

"I told you not to talk nonsense."

Dane rebuked in a still deflated voice and then raised his head. Still sprawled in the chair with only his head up, he directed his unfocused gaze at Greyson and said.

"Can't we just touch my chest and be done with it?"

At this final proposal, Greyson answered with a bright smile.

"Of course not. As lovers, I can naturally touch your chest anyway, so why would I do something that puts me at a disadvantage?"

And he demonstratively pressed Dane's large chest with his finger, then blushed as if embarrassed and said.

"Moon landing."

At the tone that seemed to have a heart attached at the end, Dane lost even the will to curse and hit him, and just looked at him listlessly.

It's clear that my intelligence is dropping because of that bastard.

Dane spat out a curse irritably and raised his upper body, leaning forward. He rummaged through his pocket, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and after flicking the lighter several times, finally lit it. Three months, it was an absurdly long time. Three weeks would have been enough. No, three days. Three hours...

As he was ruminating on meaningless regrets again, he nervously inhaled the smoke deeply and then exhaled it with a whoosh.

"What exactly is wrong with you?"

At Dane's irritated question, Greyson tilted his head as if puzzled.

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

"Haven't you ever thought it's strange to follow me around like this? Even lovers have their own private lives. How does it make sense to follow just one person around like this?"

When Dane finally spat out words rapidly, Greyson closed his mouth for the first time. Had he realized something? Dane harbored a small hope, but of course, he was wrong. The corners of Greyson's mouth slowly rose, and his long eyes narrowed. To the hesitant Dane, he opened his mouth.

"I thought it wouldn't be easy."

At the unexpectedly calm attitude, Dane was bewildered. Was that somewhat bitter face just learned, or was it genuine? Of course, Dane couldn't distinguish. In the end, he could only exhale another long sigh, pretending to blow out cigarette smoke.

Is this what they call karma?

His mind became complicated in a situation that made him reflect on the life he had lived so far. Until now, he had coldly kicked away everyone who approached him with serious emotions. Sometimes he heard resentment, sometimes curses close to maledictions, but he ignored them all. Was he now receiving the consequences?

Dane rubbed his face with one hand and finally spoke.

"...Alright."

He continued in a resigned, subdued voice.

"I won't come to the club for a while. That's enough, right?"

"Really?"

Greyson asked in an excited voice, unlike before. Dane was at a loss, but he had no choice. How could he catch a sparrow when a living scarecrow was waving its arms like this next to him? Just endure for three months. After that, freedom.

"I'll drive you."

Greyson held out his hand as if it were natural. It meant give me the car keys. Even though he hadn't had time to drink today, Dane unconsciously rummaged through his pants pocket, took out the car keys, and handed them over. Oops, he belatedly realized this fact, but the keys had already passed into Greyson's hands. In the end, he had no choice but to leave the club and sit in the passenger seat like on other days. And inevitably, he headed to the motel while listening to Greyson's 'Boobs Boobs' song.

* * *

"Aren't you getting tired of motel life by now?"

Greyson asked as he parked the car and handed over the keys. Instead of answering, Dane snatched the keys and turned around. Was the next step to let him into his house?

Not a chance.

Dane didn't even respond and went into the building. As always, Greyson, left alone, waited for Dane to reappear on the second floor. As expected, he soon appeared, walked down the corridor, passed several room doors, and stood in front of the room where he was staying. Only after confirming that Dane had entered the room a moment later did Greyson finally turn his body and take out his mobile phone.

As always, while calling for a car and waiting, he put both hands in his pants pockets and whistled. Greyson was the only person standing in the spacious parking lot, feeling the cool night breeze. He strolled around, slowly moving his feet, wandering the parking lot without purpose. One step, then another. As if he had no purpose, as if he couldn't contain himself because the waiting time was so long.

Slowly, deliberately making his steps loose, a shadow briefly fell behind him.

And.

Thwack, someone struck his back. The loud impact sound echoed through the quiet parking lot, followed by the man's tense, rough breathing. Greyson fell forward and simultaneously turned his body, extending his leg toward the man.

"Ugh!"

The man, who had been hit squarely in the head, staggered greatly and backed away. Thanks to that, the baseball bat the man had been wielding fell unceremoniously to the ground, and it immediately went into Greyson's hands.

"Well now."

Greyson smiled, pulling up the corners of his mouth. In the dim light, shadows ominously cast over his face.

"Now it's self-defense."

And then he began to swing the baseball bat mercilessly toward the man.

* * *

"Miller! What happened? What are those injuries?"

As soon as Greyson took off his shirt, Ezra asked in shock at the back that was revealed. There were large blue and red bruises on it. The other guys were equally surprised. Receiving everyone's attention, Greyson answered nonchalantly.

"I encountered a robber. He hit my head with a baseball bat."

At the casual explanation, everyone opened their eyes wide in surprise.

"A robber? Where?"

"What business do you have encountering a robber?"

The following words were questions that everyone commonly thought of. Money is equivalent to buying safety. Greyson Miller, the second son of the incredibly wealthy Miller family, would probably be living in a mansion with thorough security, and the clothes he wore, the car he drove, even the restaurants he frequented would certainly be top-class places that ordinary people couldn't even get near, so where on earth did he meet a robber wielding a baseball bat?