Chapter 101

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Greyson was sitting across the table with a face full of discontent. A red handprint still remained on one of his cheeks. He touched his cheek and said in a complaining voice.

"Honey's hand is too hot."

"I tld yu to stp (I told you to stop)..."

Dane clenched his teeth, trembling his two fists that were gripping the table. He hadn't known because he hadn't gone out to the balcony the day before. That the space was connected to the adjacent room.

What's the point of locking the room when the balcony is wide open?

Recalling that this bastard, who must have known this fact clearly, had shamelessly pretended not to know and moaned when he locked the door the day before, his anger rose.

Greyson, who was about to say something again at Dane's fierce glare, closed his mouth, but his dissatisfied expression didn't change. How dare this bastard act like the wronged party... Dane was dumbfounded, but soon calmed himself. That too was just a reaction this bastard had manufactured. There's no need to respond to each one. Above all...

If I react to each one, I won't live to my natural lifespan.

But even while thinking that, a sound involuntarily came out.

"What on earth is that balcony?"

Greyson promptly answered his muttered self-talk.

"Romeo and Juliet..."

"Shut it."

When Dane threw another fierce glance, Greyson tightly closed his mouth. His face was still displeased, but Dane ignored it and looked at the table, then his complexion immediately turned pale.

Even if invited to a dinner banquet, this much food wouldn't be served. There were five types of fruit juices: tomato, lemon, kiwi, orange, blueberry, and kale, plus yogurt and milk as basics, and the bread ranged from pastries to loaves, totaling ten types. The jams to spread on pancakes were diverse with different colors, and Dane didn't even dare to count how many syrups were placed alongside them.

The bacon was prepared in various ways: lightly cooked, blanched, and well-done, and the eggs were the same. And how many types of omelets were there? Seeing even steaks lined up in a row according to their doneness, he felt sick of it before even eating.

To Dane, who was just staring at the enormous amount of food filling the table with a pale face, Greyson said with a bright smile.

"Since it's your first morning after coming to our house, I prepared something special."

"Hey..."

Dane felt dizzy beyond a headache. Who eats this much food in the morning? Until now, he had at most eaten a slice of bread with coffee, and sometimes he even skipped that.

Dane couldn't hold back the rising sigh and exhaled repeatedly. He had no idea where to start speaking. Though it hadn't even been an hour since he woke up, a fatigue that felt like he had run through five fire scenes already enveloped his entire body. He opened his mouth in a tired voice.

"Coffee is enough."

"Espresso? Decaf? Americano? Which beans do you prefer? Brazil, Kenya..."

"Coffee."

Dane answered again through clenched teeth. One of Greyson's advantages that Dane appreciated was his quick perception. This time too, he didn't drag it out and promptly got up to return with a strong cup of coffee. At the fragrant aroma he had never smelled before, Dane inwardly admired it as he brought the cup to his mouth.

Haaaa.

It felt like the tension in his entire body was released and his nerves were soothed. It was enough to make him think, so this is what good quality coffee is like. Until now, he had either drunk instant coffee, too lazy to use a coffee machine, or at most used a drive-through cafe on his way to work. He had always thought that coffee was just for waking up, and the idea of enjoying its aroma and taste was nonsensical bullshit.

"What is this coffee?"

When he asked curiously, Greyson answered happily.

"Cat poop..."

"Stop."

Having just been able to speak again but being prohibited once more, Greyson's face quickly filled with discontent. Dane looked down at the coffee he had just enjoyed with a contorted face, but soon gave up and drank the coffee again. Though he hesitated for a moment just before bringing the cup to his lips.

Always wearing only old jeans or sweatpants to sleep, this time too, he was bare-chested. Sitting at the table wearing only bottoms as he did at home, drinking coffee to wake up his brain, Dane suddenly realized that Greyson was staring at him intently and frowned.

"What, why aren't you eating and just looking at me? No, forget it."

Dane immediately regretted it in the middle of speaking. Seeing Greyson's reaction, his eyes flashing for a moment and then subsiding, he was convinced that his thoughts were not wrong.

That bastard, what was he trying to eat?

Even while thinking that, Dane subtly moved to the side and drank his coffee with his arm covering his chest as much as possible. Though the coffee was hot enough to burn his mouth, he ignored it and downed the remaining drink in one go, then stood up abruptly. Just as he was about to turn around and head to his room, Greyson suddenly spoke up.

"Ah, there's something I didn't tell you yesterday."

As Dane directed an unwilling gaze at him as if to say "what now," Greyson added in a light tone.

"There's a dog in the garden."

"A dog?"

"Yes."

Greyson nodded and continued.

"Alex is quite old now, so he's not as fast as before. He looks scary but he's gentle, so you don't need to worry. Anyway, Darling will be inside the house, and Alex stays outside."

Dane stood there for a moment. Seeing his attitude as if he had something to say but was hesitating whether to say it or not, Greyson waited curiously.

Looking at Greyson like that, Dane inwardly conflicted. He thought that if the dog was old, it would need a lot of care, so keeping it in the garden seemed a bit off, but he wasn't sure if it was okay to say that. If it were someone else's business, he would naturally ignore it and move on, but since it was an animal, he couldn't help but be concerned.

Since he has a lot of money, he must be taking good care of it, so I don't need to...

Since he wouldn't be staying long anyway, it wasn't good to get involved in this and that. Having thought that far, he steeled his resolve and nodded.

"Alright. Is there anything else you've forgotten?"

"Hmm, not right now."

Dane directed his gaze at him again. As if to ask what that meant. Greyson answered with a casual smile.

"I mean I can't think of anything right now. If there's anything else, I'll let you know."

"...Alright."

Dane retreated for now after that. It was already approaching time for work. There was no luxury of time to drag this out, so he immediately returned to his room and started preparing. During the night while Dane was asleep, Darling seemed to have relieved herself and eaten her food. After stroking the cat, who had gone back into the carrier and was huddled up, and filling up her food and water, he left the room. Before leaving, he didn't forget to tightly close all doors, including the windows and the room.

After checking the closed doors several times, he turned around and immediately met Greyson's eyes. Dane felt himself automatically taking a step back as he opened his mouth.

"You weren't waiting for me standing here, were you?"

"Why wouldn't I? Since we're lovers, of course we should go to work together."

Seeing Greyson respond as if he had been waiting for this, Dane felt his vision go dark. This won't do. He needed to come up with some countermeasure.

Right now.

"Wait, I need to set conditions for staying in this house."

When he extended one hand and spoke, Greyson, who had been excitedly approaching, hesitated. Dane declared to him in a strict tone.

"Commute separately, don't follow me around for more than 3 hours a day. These are my conditions."

Greyson looked down at him with a face devoid of expression. Silence flowed between them.

"You're joking, right?"

The one who broke the silence first was Greyson. With a face smiling brightly as usual, but with exactly that expression that Dane had always found awkward. Of course, Dane's answer was firm.

"Of course I'm serious, idiot. Have I ever joked with you?"

Right after spitting it out irritably, he hesitated. Because Greyson had made a miserable expression as if the world had collapsed.