Chapter 39

The call reporting that a pet cat couldn't come down from a tree had come in about an hour earlier. Seeing Dane, who usually checked equipment with a face clearly showing boredom while yawning lazily, unusually get into the truck immediately, Greyson followed suit. He still didn't understand why he had done so. Literally, he had acted 'without knowing why,' and by the time he came to his senses, the truck was already moving.

No one brought up anything about Greyson joining the response. Though their attitude clearly showed they wouldn't interfere with whatever his intentions were, Greyson also preferred it that way. Because right now, there was only one existence that bothered his nerves.

That man, Dane Striker, was sitting with his arms crossed, shaking one leg. He seemed quite concerned about the cat, even appearing anxious, unlike his usual self, and confirming this made Greyson feel strange again. No matter how big the fire, Dane Striker, who always looked bored or annoyed, showed a different attitude only toward animals. Once he had rescued a squirrel, and another time he had picked up a fallen bird from its nest and put it back. When dealing with animals, his eyes were always serious and sparkling, only to become dull and lifeless every time, without fail, once the task was over. By now, Greyson was used to this.

What was unfamiliar now was his own attitude, different from before. For some reason, since 'that day,' Greyson had started to notice every single action of Dane's. He didn't know why. He couldn't understand himself.

Above all, he didn't like the current situation. This was not the time to be killing time here like this. Now that his business at the fire station was finished, he should leave immediately, just as he had always done before. Although his father had told him to endure for a year, it wouldn't be impossible to find a way out somehow. And he had to do that. Because life was too short to find his one and only destined love.

But even though it was almost a month since that day, Greyson was still staying here. While unable to understand himself, he was even responding to calls like this each time. More precisely, it was closer to following Dane around.

Wait, following that guy? Me?

Just as he frowned at this newly realized fact, the truck arrived at the scene. The first person to get out of the truck was, of course, Dane. He put on his outer garment and immediately headed toward the tree where the cat was stuck. While his colleagues set up the ladder, he put on his helmet and prepared to climb up, and at some distance from him, a woman who appeared to be the cat's owner and neighbors were pacing anxiously.

"This won't work, we can't lean the ladder against it."

When DeAndre, who had made several attempts, soon gave up and retreated, Ezra immediately took out his radio.

"Let's call for a ladder truck. We'll wait in the meantime."

Meanwhile, the firefighters who had come to assist joked with the residents while wandering around. Even in the midst of this, they didn't forget to check the tree above in case something happened to the cat. On the other hand, a group of women gathered and made a small fuss over Dane, who was chatting in a circle with the other guys.

"There, right? That..."

To the voice full of expectation, another woman nodded.

"Calendar."

Following that, muffled screams of "kyaak" erupted from here and there. All kinds of reactions poured out, from searching for shoes and jumping in place to covering mouths and waving fists. Even as they urgently took out their mobile phones and took pictures, they didn't stop.

"My, I've never seen such a handsome man before."

"And that body. I'd have no regrets if I could just date him once."

"He's huge. Isn't he at least 2 meters tall?"

"Oh my, to see the man of my dreams in reality. I think I'm going to cry."

"Cherry is such a good child. This is how she repays all the treats I've been feeding her."

"I knew this day would come. Cherry is a cat who knows gratitude."

Such cheers from the women couldn't go unheard by them. Ezra, who had glanced in their direction, nudged Dane with his elbow and jerked his chin slightly.

"Those women seem to be talking about you? Why don't you at least acknowledge them?"

Dane silently smiled and slightly raised and lowered his hand. Simultaneously, the women's cheers grew three times louder. But as if this was a common occurrence, the other colleagues showed no particular reaction. While passing time chatting about baseball with a kid who had come to watch, the ladder truck arrived. They watched from below as Dane, who had naturally climbed the ladder, skillfully ascended.

"Good, that's it."

Dane spoke in an affectionate voice that had been unimaginable until now. His appearance, approaching at a slow pace as if concerned that the cat might be startled, was extremely cautious. Everyone held their breath and watched as he slowly and carefully approached the cat.

As Dane, with arms as long as his tall height, slowly extended his reach and was almost touching the cat, it curled up even more and tensed up. With its ears flattened and tail puffed up, it was ready to dart away at any moment. However, Dane didn't take his eyes off it for a moment and quickly grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck. The cat struggled with a short, sharp cry, but Dane's grip was firm and experienced. As he immediately lifted the cat as if snatching it and skillfully cradled it in his arms, the people watching tensely from below clapped and cheered loudly.

"Woooah!"

"He did it, he did it!"

"Thank goodness, thank you!"

"Ah, really thank you. Now I can relax... I was so scared."

With relief, people finally began to talk with bright faces. Dane, who had come down the ladder with the cat, looked for the owner. Everyone placed their hands on their chests and let out exclamations of admiration, as if moved by the sight of a woman with tears welling in her eyes receiving the cat and expressing her gratitude. Soon, one or two casual conversations began to flow among those who had been watching.

"Hey, is it okay to approach him?"

"What? That firefighter? Are you going to ask if he's the calendar guy?"

"No, you shouldn't say it like that! Be less obvious!"

"This year's hot stuff?"

"That's worse!"

Among them, who were at a loss and in disarray, a woman who had disappeared and reappeared stepped forward. In her hands were several calendars. All were firefighter calendars featuring Dane on the cover. She held out the calendars along with a pen to Dane and asked.

"Um, umm... Could you possibly sign these?"

The women who had been making a commotion behind her all opened their eyes wide in surprise at the tremendous courage that she, who was usually quiet and hardly spoke, had finally mustered. But that wasn't the end. When she bravely took out her mobile phone and cautiously asked if she could take a picture with him, Dane called a colleague himself, handed over the phone, and asked him to take a picture of the two of them. Dane had bestowed the honor of taking a picture with him. Of course, the rest of the people couldn't just let this tremendous luck pass before their eyes. A two-shot with the calendar man!

"Excuse me, me too! I have one too!"

"Here, I've bought the calendar faithfully every year! Look at this!"

"I'm first!"

"No, I'm first!"

Everyone who had already run home and back was now holding the same calendar. Some of them had torn off just the covers for safekeeping and were waving several fluttering papers. In the end, the time it took to sign for everyone and take pictures was much longer than the time it took to rescue the cat.

Really, this is ridiculous.

Greyson watched the scene with his arms crossed and brow furrowed. Seeing them act mechanically as if this were an everyday occurrence, he was so dumbfounded that he couldn't even laugh. What the hell are they doing?

Tsk, just as he clicked his tongue in irritation, he suddenly seemed to hear a faint human voice from somewhere. It was obscured by the noisy sounds of people, making it seem almost like an auditory hallucination.