Chapter 55

Meanwhile, as soon as Naomi's car disappeared, Greyson immediately came out of the cafeteria. The place he sauntered to was where George, the man who had come to repay his debt of gratitude, was standing waiting for Dane.

"Ah, you're he... huh?"

George, who had turned around happily at the sound of someone approaching, was startled and shrank his shoulders when he saw a face different from what he expected. Greyson looked down at the man and smiled.

"Hello, George. How have you been?"

"Uh...... yes..."

George answered in a daze, but couldn't hide his wariness as he stole glances at Greyson from all angles. As if to say, who is this man to call me by name and act like he knows me? Of course, Greyson didn't miss this opportunity. He immediately raised both arms dramatically and called out the man's name loudly.

"Oh my, George. Have you forgotten me? I went into that burning mansion to save Charlie last time."

"What? Whaat?"

When Greyson placed his hands firmly on both of George's shoulders and spoke, George stammered with his eyes wide open. Looking into his eyes, which were shaking wildly as he tried to search his memory with a confused expression, Greyson twisted his face. To George, who flinched again in surprise, he quickly recited.

"Don't you remember the bright red burning fire? How much you cried and suffered saying you would save your dog? I couldn't bear to see it and went into the mansion. How hot it was! Smoke was suffocating me from all directions, I couldn't see ahead, but I kept moving forward looking for your dog. Charlie! Charlie! Ah, I nearly died several times then. After finding your dog with such difficulty and suffering, you just disappeared. And now you don't even remember me, how could you! You're really heartless!"

Greyson, who had cried out dramatically like a theater actor, sighed deeply with a "haa" and hung his head low. George, who had been listening to the outpouring of words in a daze, was just sweating profusely, not knowing what to do in the sudden silence.

"Um, um... umm, um."

With Greyson holding his shoulders and not moving an inch, he stammered and couldn't continue speaking. What should I do? As he looked around frantically in confusion, Greyson, who had been frozen like that, suddenly jerked his head up. George, startled, swallowed his breath with a "heek," and Greyson stared at his face intently before abruptly asking.

"How about it?"

"Wh-what?"

To George, who stammered in confusion, Greyson whispered in a low voice as if telling a secret.

"You should invite me to lunch, right?"

"What? Why should I?"

The reaction was immediate. As George was horrified, footsteps were heard just then. It was the sound of Dane approaching, having changed into casual clothes. They both turned their heads toward him simultaneously. When their eyes met, George's face immediately relaxed. And Greyson clearly saw that face.

"What are you doing there?"

When Dane asked with a frown, Greyson immediately wrapped his arm around George's neck and pulled him close.

"George says he'll buy me lunch too. How thoughtful of him!"

"What?"

Dane looked at George as if asking if it was true. George tried to tell the truth, but the more he tried, the stronger the arm around his neck became, making it impossible to escape. Eventually, leaving George groaning "kkeuk, kkeuk," Greyson said.

"George is really a man who knows gratitude. Coming here to invite us like this. Shall we all depart by car then? What do you think? George, you'll drive, right?"

"Kuk, cough, cough, kuheuk."

When Greyson slightly loosened his arm, George coughed roughly and exhaled all at once, releasing his blocked breath. "Oh dear," Greyson said, patting his back and bending down.

"Are you okay? Oh my, do you have a respiratory condition? Take a deep breath, that's it."

After speaking loudly as if for others to hear, he muttered in a low voice near George's ear.

"You, you're in love with that guy, aren't you?"

At those words, George was so startled that he forgot to cough. Looking at the gaze that was staring at him with wide eyes, Greyson gave a faint smile and said.

"It's rare for a Beta to like the same sex, how interesting. I wonder what that guy thinks of you. Why don't you ask him this opportunity? I'll help..."

"St-stop, stop it!"

George shouted in a hushed voice, turning pale. After hurriedly looking back and confirming that Dane was still standing there, he quickly turned his head back to Greyson.

"O-okay. I'll invite you. I'll invite you to lunch! So please, just that story..."

George pleaded with a face so pale that there was no trace of blood. Of course, Greyson had no intention of spreading that fact. He just needed to achieve his goal.

"Spreading someone else's private life around is impolite."

Greyson, who had imitated a very thoughtful voice, smiled brightly and then straightened up and patted George's shoulder. Leaving George, who was looking on with fear, not understanding the meaning of his action, Greyson turned to Dane and said.

"He seems to be okay now. Shall we depart?"

Dane, who had been watching them with his arms crossed, examined Greyson's face suspiciously and then said to George.

"Hey, you."

"Uh, uhh, yes?"

George stammered, startled. Dane stared at his face intently and asked.

"Are you really okay? Be honest, don't make me perform emergency treatment during the meal. I don't mind not going out like this."

His blunt tone made it difficult to distinguish whether he was showing concern or genuinely annoyed. George hesitantly nodded and said, "I'm fine." Dane looked at him with suspicious eyes for a moment but didn't drag it out for long.

As he readily walked toward the car, George hurriedly followed behind.

"Um, um, excuse me."

He stammered as he spoke, then glanced back and asked in a hushed voice.

"Um, are you o-okay with this? I mean, that person is coming along too..."

At his hesitant words, Dane answered with an indifferent face.

"Since you're paying, the number of people is your business, and whoever you invite is also your business. Is there anything for me to say about it?"

"Y-yes..."

It was a fair point. George, who couldn't say anything more and just hung his head, was briefly looked down upon by Dane, who asked in a stiff tone.

"If there's something you want, say it clearly, do you dislike that bastard coming along?"

"As if that could be."

Greyson, who suddenly appeared from behind, grabbed George's shoulder with a "thump" and subtly applied pressure. As George crumpled without even being able to scream, Greyson pretended to be affectionate from behind and said demonstratively.

"How much George likes me, right? You want to go with me."

And he added secretly with a meaningful smile.

"We're the kind of friends who share secrets, aren't we?"

George noticeably flinched in surprise, then hesitated before finally mumbling, "Yes." Dane was silently watching this scene, but soon turned his head away indifferently. Anyway, he had given him one more chance. It was that man's responsibility for not properly asserting himself.

In the end, George awkwardly sat in the driver's seat, Dane in the passenger seat, and Greyson in the back. And they headed to a restaurant some distance away in George's car.

6

Clang, with a loud noise, a plate fell to the floor and shattered into pieces. All eyes turned to them at once, and George turned pale, not knowing what to do.

"S-sorry, I'm sorry..."

As an employee who hurriedly walked over cleaned up the debris, George repeatedly apologized to no one in particular. Watching him, Greyson whistled briefly. George twisted his face and directed his gaze at him, but Greyson smiled as if to say don't worry and gave a thumbs up. As if saying, 'It's okay, George. Hang in there!'

George was consistently frozen stiff, watching nervously, trembling, dropping cutlery, calling the wrong employee and getting scolded, and now even breaking a plate with food on it.

Throughout all this, he frequently checked Greyson's reactions. Perhaps he kept making mistakes because he was too busy watching Greyson. On the other hand, every time George made various mistakes, Greyson would whistle, exclaim "wow," or even give short applause, showing enthusiastic encouragement. There could be no more exciting lunch than this. Greyson admired each of his consecutive mistakes and waited for the next one. With a pounding heart, thinking, now what accident will he cause next?