Chapter 153

The quality of the bed was also terrible. The short length was a common occurrence so he could overlook that, but the creaking sounds from somewhere on the bed every time he moved and the mattress that seemed no different from the floor in its hardness interfered with his sleep every moment. Because of this, when he opened his eyes in the morning, fatigue was layered upon fatigue, making it difficult to get up.

How did I live here before?

He had the same thought every morning. The changed environment wasn't the only problem. When he came home after work, after simply finishing what needed to be done, he went to clubs every 2-3 days without fail. In the past, by now he would have been going to a club thinking about who to sleep with today. But what about now? Wasn't he lying alone with his cat in a cheap hotel, looking at stains on the ceiling?

This feeling of helplessness was a first. Not wanting to do anything and just wanting to lie down. If the bed had been very comfortable, he might not have gone to work. At least this terrible bed pushing at his back was fortunate in a different sense.

This won't do.

Dane, who had been lying there blankly, carefully got up so as not to startle his cat. He drove out and arrived at a convenience store attached to a gas station. After buying several cans of beer and returning, he sat in a chair and gulped down the cold drink, emptying it in one go. Today he planned to drink until he got drunk. He had bought plenty, so he would fall asleep before finishing them all.

As he was gulping down the second can, the empty parking lot suddenly came into view. The sparsely lit streetlights weren't even proper ones - they were either flickering or barely giving off dim light as if their lifespan was about to end. Dane, who was frowning and drinking beer again, suddenly felt a strange sensation.

...Come to think of it.

<Even so, that place is too dangerous! You should look for another hotel...>

The speed at which he was gulping the drink down his throat slowed dramatically. Ezra's worried face flashed before his eyes. What had that guy said before?

<That, the place where Miller met the robber?>

Dane slowly put the beer can down on the table. Something was strange. At the time, he had passed it off without thinking, but thinking about it now, it was completely incomprehensible.

How did he know that Greyson had met a robber here?

That guy wouldn't have told him. If he had, the firefighter sparrows would have already been pestering Dane, chattering about why, how, and how it happened that Greyson was robbed in the parking lot of the hotel where Dane was staying.

Of course, Dane had never told him directly either. But how did he know?

Dane furrowed his brow and fell into thought, then soon shook his head. No, this is a ridiculous thought. Ezra is kind to everyone. He was the first guy to approach Greyson too. The Ezra who had covered for him while spouting nonsense like "turns out he was a good guy"...

Greyson might have told only Ezra separately.

Thinking that way, things fit together. Even though he inwardly knew it was almost impossible, he couldn't find any other answer.

Could it be that Ezra did something...

Just as he thought that far, suddenly the sound of knocking on the door could be heard. Knock knock knock, at the fairly fast and loud sound, Dane, who had been lost in thought, opened his eyes wide in surprise and turned his head.

Who is it? There's no one who would visit me.

Knock knock knock, knock knock knock. The visitor had no patience at all. Dane slowly got up from his seat and glared at the door. There was no way security existed in such a cheap hotel. Like what happened to Greyson, robbers might come into the room. Should he hide Darling in the bathroom just in case? Just as he was thinking that and looking at the cat sprawled on the bed.

"It's me, Dane. Open the door."

At the voice from the other side, Dane hesitated again. ...What?

As he stood frozen in confusion, he shouted again.

"I said open the door, I know you're in there. Open it right now before I break the door down!"

The man was furious for some reason. There was no longer any doubt about the visitor's identity. Dane composed himself and strode across the room. Even in the brief moment of turning the door handle, knock knock knock, the man kept pounding on the door. Soon he faced the man standing in the corridor. Looking at the expected face, Dane frowned as if he couldn't believe it.

Why is this guy here...

* * *

"Miller!"

Seeing Greyson emerge from the car, Ezra ran over happily. Greyson looked down at him with a frowning face and asked.

"What happened? Where's Dane?"

"This way, this way."

Ezra turned his back and walked ahead. Looking at his back as he ran busily, Greyson still stood with a displeased face.

"Miller, what are you doing? Come quickly!"

Ezra, who had run far ahead, looked back and shouted urgently. At his appearance waving his arms and urging him on, Greyson seemed to hesitate for a moment, but at Ezra's repeated shout of "Quickly!", he sighed and stepped forward.

The reason he had called Greyson was because of Dane. He said Dane was in trouble right now and asked him to come quickly to help.

Why me?

To Greyson's question, Ezra rambled and then said, 'Dane is looking for you.'

And the place Greyson headed to was the parking lot of a restaurant in a shopping district. Since it was late, all the stores had already closed. In the desolate and quiet parking lot, there were only two cars - Greyson's and Ezra's.

In the eerie atmosphere, Greyson followed Ezra around to the back of the building. As expected, that place was also empty and deserted.

"What's going on?"

Greyson asked Ezra while standing askew with weight on one leg. Ezra, who had called him all the way here, was startled and stammered, "Well..."

"Ac-actually, the one with business was me... not Dane."

"I know. So what is it?"

At the indifferent tone, Ezra's eyes widened again.

"You knew?"

The expression of disbelief should have been comical, but Greyson still answered expressionlessly.

"Yeah, of course."

Because Dane wouldn't look for me no matter what happened.

He added bitterly to himself. But he couldn't give up the hope of 'just maybe.' Even though he knew he would only be disappointed.

Just like right now.

Faced with Greyson looking at him with a cold gaze, Ezra didn't know what to do and rolled his eyes here and there. As if he hadn't expected this situation.

"Well, that is, so..."

At his continued stammering without easily revealing his business, Greyson quickly became bored. If he was still in this state after waiting another 10 seconds, he would just turn around and leave. Alright, one, two, three...

Suddenly he felt a chill behind him. The moment he turned his head, something struck his head hard.

"...Ugh."

"Greyson!"

"Got him... huh?"

Ezra screamed, turning pale, and the man who had hit Greyson's head shouted excitedly then immediately made a confused sound. Just as Greyson seemed to bend down, he immediately grabbed the man's neck. The man, startled, dropped the wooden plank and screamed.

"Uh, uaaah!"

Greyson grabbed the man's neck with one hand and asked in a low voice.

"What? You."

At the infinitely threatening voice, the man turned pale and struggled to break free. The fists he swung wildly, however, only sliced through the air futilely and couldn't even touch Greyson's eyebrow. Seeing his pathetic state, he couldn't even laugh. He was already stressed to the top of his head. Since this bastard had attacked first without knowing his place, from now on it was self-defense. When he lifted the hand gripping the neck high up, the struggling man's feet also floated up into the air.

"Ugh, gak, gaak."

The man, whose face had turned red, made choking sounds. Far from loosening his grip, Greyson squeezed even harder. At this rate, he wouldn't last 1 minute, no, not even 30 seconds. And with this, everything would end...

Click, suddenly the sound of a bullet being loaded could be heard right behind him. Greyson, who reflexively stopped moving, heard the man speak.

"Stop it, Greyson. If you resist any further, I'll shoot."

The trembling voice was familiar. Greyson slowly turned around. And he discovered Ezra's pale face pointing a gun barrel at him.}