Chapter 106

Koi, who had been staring at him with sparkling eyes in an overwhelming manner, opened his mouth as if he had been waiting when Dane put down his cup.

"How did you meet my child? At work? Is Greyson adapting well? How long have you been dating? When did you start living together..."

Did Greyson Miller only inherit the shell from Ashley Miller?

Dane unconsciously looked at Koi with a disgusted expression. Seeing his blatant expression, Koi made an "ah" sound, embarrassed, and gave an awkward smile.

"I'm sorry, when it comes to our children, I can't control myself..."

That could be the case.

Dane indifferently thought. Some parents are excessively interested in their children.

Having thought that far, he suddenly frowned. Since when did I become this generous?

Normally, he would have been annoyed and already gotten up from his seat, but not only was he still sitting, he was even showing understanding with such an open mind. Could this also be the inclusiveness that comes from the bond of the same phenotype?

Dane, whose mind had become complicated, cleared his throat with an "ahem" and quickly changed the subject.

"I understand that Mr. Miller resides in the east, how did you come here? For what purpose?"

"Ah, Ash said he was coming to check if Greyson was adapting well, so I came along. I can only see the children when I'm with Ash..."

Koi's face, as his words trailed off, somehow cast a shadow. Just as Dane hesitated at the dark atmosphere he felt for the first time from someone who had been smiling brightly until now, a short notification sound came from his back pocket.

Taking out his mobile phone and checking the message, Dane unconsciously let out a sigh.

[Beloved Dane.]

As soon as he saw the first sentence, he didn't read any further, casually flipped through it, put the phone back in his back pocket, and turned his head, only to meet Koi's eyes. Dane raised one hand with his palm up and shrugging his shoulders, then dropped it onto his thigh. After scratching the back of his head with his other hand, he opened his mouth with a rather reluctant expression.

"It's from Greyson. He sends so many messages several times a day. Without thinking about the recipient..."

Belatedly realizing that he had just complained about a child to his parent, he tried to gloss it over with a smile. But Koi's response was, as expected, different from an ordinary person's.

"Greyson? He sends text messages? And a lot of them?"

To Koi, who asked repeatedly with a surprised face, Dane nodded in a daze.

"Yes, to the point where it's a bit overwhelming..."

"My goodness, I see! I had no idea."

Koi blinked with an emotional face, his hands clasped as if in prayer.

"Honestly, I was a bit worried about how he would be with his partner. I was concerned he might act too aloof, but I'm relieved."

When Dane hesitated at the word 'aloof,' Koi added something incredible.

"Greyson doesn't talk much, you know."

Who are you talking about...

It was certain that this wasn't the Greyson Miller that Dane knew, but someone with the same name. Perhaps, as the conspiracy theorist at the fire station said, aliens had abducted humans, replicated their shells, and were pretending to be those people, and one of those aliens wearing a shell was that bastard...

What's happened to my head?

Dane quickly blinked to regain his senses. Because of this damn bond or whatever, his heart kept trying to soften.

No, return to your usual self.

Of course, defying instinct requires considerable effort. And Dane disliked making efforts second only to bothersome things. Because of that, his choice was predetermined.

"Well then, I'm tired so..."

Just as he was about to clear his seat, Koi opened his eyes wide as if startled.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I got too excited because I don't have anywhere to talk about my children, right? You must be tired already, and I've kept you here like this. Being of the same phenotype and Greyson's lover, my emotions got ahead of me..."

Seeing him apologizing and not knowing what to do, Dane's heart softened again. It's common for the public image and the image shown to parents to be different. No, most would be like that. Of course, parents would be curious about how their children are doing outside.

Plus, unbelievably, Greyson apparently has a taciturn image at home...

In the end, Dane chose to stay. He picked up the mug and said this.

"There's still coffee left, so I should finish this before leaving."

"Really? That's a relief!"

Koi brightened up immediately with joy. Deliberately pushing the tray with cookies toward Dane, he continued.

"Even if it's not about Greyson, I wanted to talk more with Dane. After all, meeting someone of the same phenotype is really rare. Ah, the youngest is also of our phenotype! Including Bliss, there are three of the same phenotype around me. Next time, I'll introduce you to Bliss too, they'll be really happy."

Suddenly, Dane recalled that the Miller family had six children. If the youngest was of the same phenotype, that meant an extreme Omega. Then, among five extreme Alphas, just one extreme Omega...

He must have unconsciously made a disgusted expression, as Koi gave an embarrassed smile.

"Yes, there were some difficulties, I suppose. That's why I'm very curious about how the children are doing..."

Dane stared blankly at Koi's face.

"You care a lot about your children."

At the slow tone, Koi gave a bitter smile.

"I can't help but worry. The children are... special after all. But I just believe and wait, thinking that if they're my children, they can do like others."

And he muttered as if speaking to himself.

"If I don't believe and endure like that, who will believe in my children?"

For a moment, sadness seemed to cloud Koi's eyes. Dane just silently looked at him, holding the mug cup in the air.

* * *

Ashley silently stared at Greyson. Beneath his cold expression, countless thoughts were going back and forth. Greyson, as always, with a grinning face, waited for a reaction as if he was dying of joy.

After some heavy silence flowed, Ashley finally opened his mouth.

"How can you be sure that it's really an 'emotion'?"

If such a thing were possible, it could only be called a miracle. Until now, Ashley had tried hard to make him 'learn' emotions. No matter what, he couldn't feel them. Then the only option was to learn the sensations.

But no matter what was done, the child showed the same reaction. Amidst all that, only his curiosity was vigorous, and he couldn't hold back when he was curious about something. Though he had managed to teach him to restrain his curiosity, Greyson would probably never be able to suppress his thirst for emotions throughout his life.

A curiosity that could never be known, yet impossible to fill.

But he learned what 'fear' is? How?

Naturally, he couldn't believe it. Given Greyson's history of lying to him countless times, it was only natural not to trust him. But Greyson went one step further and said.

"Yes, and I also know what love is."

He looked at Ashley with a proud, and surprisingly arrogant face, as if boasting. Seeing such an expression on his son's face, Ashley gradually narrowed his brow. That was clearly an act. Acting according to the situation, as he had taught him until now.

But how did he know to make such an expression while saying such words?

Ashley mercilessly trampled down the hope that was trying to raise its head. How many times had he been deceived by Greyson in this way? And he's being deceived again? In the end, was he just a foolish parent who became blind when it came to his child? Feeling self-deprecating, Ashley opened his mouth.

"How did you?"

"I learned it."

This time too, Greyson answered immediately. And he declared proudly, puffing out his chest.

"From Dane."

Ashley was silent this time as well. Dane Striker. The man Greyson had introduced as his lover taught him emotions? While he would talk about his lifelong love and then say he was wrong, how could this guy make such bold claims?

"This time it's real."

Greyson said, but this too was something Ashley had heard countless times. Ashley thought there was no need to waste unnecessary time with his son.

"Is that so? Then would it be alright if I check?"

Unlike his confident attitude until now, Greyson hesitated. Ashley's eyes narrowed. Just as I thought.

"If what you said is true, nothing would change if I were to confirm with Dane Striker, right? Or."

Ashley asked in a slower tone than usual.

"Did you lie again this time?"