By Zephyria The twins blinked in bewilderment, then looked at each other. Turning back to Grayson, their faces were once again filled with doubt.
“Definitely not him.”
“It’s a fake.”
“An imposter, wearing a shell.”
Grayson couldn’t help but laugh again at their loud whispers, which were perfectly audible. Seeing his reaction, they shouted simultaneously as if there was no further proof needed.
“See, a liar! Do you think we’re fools?”
“That’s right, Grayson Miller doesn’t laugh like you! A fake with only the shell!”
“Alien!”
Grayson sighed briefly at their chattering like gossiping sparrows. But he was used to this reaction now. Everyone he had visited for the same reason had reacted exactly like the twins, without exception. Some even cried out, “Have they finally succeeded in human cloning! The world is ending!”
“It’s really me. You still don’t believe me?”
Saying that, Grayson swept his hair back with one hand. The face with one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile was the same as before. The twins’ eyes widened in a flash. Grayson looked at them with a languid gaze and added.
“Think about it, do you think there’s another man in the world as handsome, wonderful, rich, and perfect as me?”
The twins had no choice but to believe the man who spread his arms wide and frowned as he smiled.
“Oh, how… Is it really you?”
“So? What do you want from us?”
One of them stammered, and the other nodded in agreement. Seeing them ask with great caution, Grayson replied calmly.
“I told you, I want to apologize.”
The twins looked at each other, then back at Grayson.
“Apologize?”
Grayson readily nodded at the cautious question.
“I was harsh with you last time we met. I’m sorry.”
“Uh…”
The twins blinked again in surprise. What was going on? After exchanging bewildered glances, they glanced at Grayson and hesitantly opened their mouths.
“…You’re really going to apologize to us?”
“Yes.”
Grayson answered readily this time as well.
“If an apology isn’t enough, tell me what you want. I’ll do anything I can.”
Again, he said something unbelievable. The twins pinched each other’s cheeks and simultaneously cried out, “Ouch!” Is it real? Still suspicious, one of them, watching Grayson’s expression, opened his mouth.
“I want a Patek Philippe.”
“Okay.”
Grayson answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“I’m busy this week, but I’ll have time around next Thursday, so I’ll buy it for you then.”
The other twin quickly stepped forward.
“Come pick me up.”
“Okay.”
Grayson nodded this time as well. The twins quickly looked at each other and then began to pour out words, competing with each other.
“I want a brooch too, from Van Cleef.”
“Alright. Let’s go there that day too.”
“There’s an 1895 wine being auctioned at Christie’s next month.”
“Okay, I’ll get it for you.”
“Give me your limited edition Ferrari.”
“Okay, I’ll give it to you.”
“Do Pheromone Release with us today.”
“I can’t do that, sorry.”
“Okay, then right now let’s… Huh?”
The twin, who had jumped off the chair excitedly, paused and looked up at him. Grayson looked down at the twins, who were much smaller than him, and gave a bitter smile.
“I don’t love you. So I can’t sleep with you, sorry.”
“Love?”
“Love? You?”
Not talk about soulmates, but love? What nonsense is this, from Grayson Miller?
The bewildered twins could only blink and look up at him. Seeing their reaction, Grayson said with a still smiling face.
“Then is everything settled now? I’ll pick you up next Thursday, goodbye.”
That was it. The twins just stared with wide eyes at his back as he turned and left. He didn’t kiss them or release Pheromones. He didn’t even choose someone to sleep with tonight. He left alone. Without looking around.
Did he really just come to apologize to us?
The woman in the next seat, who had been watching them all along, opened her mouth to the bewildered twins.
“I heard Grayson has turned over a new leaf these days. I guess the rumors were true?”
At those words, the twins turned their heads at the same time.
“What are you talking about? Turned over a new leaf?”
At their unified question, she exhaled cigarette smoke and said.
“There’s been talk that Grayson has been going around looking for people he used to meet. Apparently, he’s been apologizing to them one by one, just like he did to you.”
“No way.”
“Grayson? Really?”
The twins spoke alternately, but they were just dumbfounded. That arrogant, selfish man who only knew himself was apologizing? And it didn’t end there.
“I don’t believe it either, but I saw it myself… And what’s even more surprising is that he doesn’t go to parties and doesn’t meet people for Pheromone Release like he used to. They say he’s not even trying to meet someone, talking about destiny or something.”
The woman, whose gaze was directed towards the entrance from the twins who still had a blank expression as if they were still out of their minds, muttered to herself.
“What on earth happened?”
Desire Me if you can
A loud thud echoed as an angry kick accurately struck Grayson’s shin.
“……!”
Grayson couldn’t even groan and collapsed on the spot. His large, hunched body looked pitiful for a brief moment. The woman who had kicked his shin with such force glared down at Grayson, her face red with anger.
“You bastard! You should be grateful I’m letting you off with this!”
Only after spitting out a final, satisfying curse did she turn and leave. In the street where people were glancing at him, Grayson was kneeling on one knee, clutching his shin and groaning.
Desire Me if you can
“Haaaaaa.”
Seeing Grayson sitting at an outdoor table at an open-air cafe, letting out a long sigh and looking dejected, Naomi opened her mouth with a look of exasperation.
“Do you really have to go around getting beaten up like that?”
“Hahaha…”
Grayson tilted his head back and looked up at the sky, making a sound that was only a laugh. Just then, Naomi, who was sprinkling dressing on the salad that the waitress had brought, said.
“People are saying that Grayson Miller has gone crazy because his Pheromones are building up.”
“Is that so?”
Saying that, Grayson laughed again. Naomi stirred the lettuce with her fork and subtly watched his expression. She had come to the East two days ago. Of course, it was because of filming, but the news she had heard in the meantime was unbelievably surprising.
‘Grayson Miller has changed.’
When Naomi first heard that, her reaction was lukewarm. Rumors were always exaggerated, and even if Grayson Miller had changed, how great could that change be? That was followed by a skeptical thought. So even when she heard that Grayson was going around looking for people he had met in the past, she didn’t pay much attention. And the reason for that was to be forgiven for his past sins? What nonsense.
But now, having seen Grayson getting beaten up on the street, she could no longer ignore the rumors. Moreover, she had clearly heard him say, “I’m sorry.” So now she had to believe it. It was still a difficult thing to do.
“What on earth happened?”
Naomi was dying of curiosity. Why was this man doing this? Did he perhaps hear from a Diviner that he would be struck by lightning on the street? Unable to overcome her curiosity, she asked, and Grayson answered calmly.
“I’m just doing what I should have done a long time ago.”
Of course, that was true. It would have been better if he hadn’t done it in the first place, but it was fortunate that he was apologizing now, anyway. Naomi thought so, but she still couldn’t understand.
“What happened, really?”
At her repeated questions, burning with impatience, Grayson, who had been looking only at the sky without answering, slowly adjusted his posture. She thought he was finally going to tell her, but he said something out of the blue.
“Are you a member of that group too?”
“What group?”
He wasn’t giving her the answer she wanted, what was this. When Naomi asked back irritably, Grayson listlessly revealed.
“The Grayson Miller Victims’ Group.”
At those words, Naomi, who was drinking coffee, almost spat it out in an unsightly manner.
184 – 184
“Well, I don’t know anything about that.”
At that moment, Naomi understood why people swore. She had barely managed to stop the word from popping out of her own mouth.
Ahem, she cleared her throat and glanced sideways at Grayson’s face. He was still looking at Naomi with an indifferent expression. Naomi tried to ignore him and brought the coffee cup back to her lips, but it wasn’t easy to endure his gaze piercing her face.
“I didn’t join. I just knew it existed.”
Eventually, she confessed as if she had lost. Grayson, who had let out an indifferent exclamation, repeated Naomi’s words.
“Just knew it existed, huh.”
“Really. You don’t think I created it, do you?”
Naomi continued, looking bored.
“I was surprised to see that there were enough people in the world who held a grudge against you to fill a whole week.”
She waved her hand dismissively and shook her head, wearing a mischievous smile.
“You were doing so well, what’s with the sudden change of heart? Going around apologizing to everyone who holds a grudge against you.”
“What about you?”
Grayson asked back instead of answering Naomi’s question.
“Do you also have a grudge against me? Seeing as you know about that group.”
Naomi crossed her arms and paused for a moment. She seemed hesitant to tell the truth, but the time was short.
“Yes. The reason I found out about the group is because they contacted me first.”
There weren’t many people who could contact a celebrity like Naomi. Seeing Grayson trying to remember, Naomi continued.
“They knew I hung out with you for a while and asked me. They asked if I would join this group. I said I wouldn’t go that far, but I was willing to share information.”
“Aha……”
Only then did Grayson realize why he had run into Naomi so luckily in this vast East. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was a so-called planned meeting.
“So, Grayson, what happened? With that sexy firefighter.”
Naomi asked directly without bothering to beat around the bush. Grayson recalled that he liked this side of her and answered.
“Is that why you met me?”
“Actually, yes.”
She nodded with a secretive smile.
“Everyone is eagerly waiting for your answer right now.”
Especially me. Naomi added inwardly. Come on, tell me. Make me happy now, hurry!
Grayson opened his mouth to her, who was waiting eagerly with her eyes burning.
“It’s as you guessed, we broke up.”
Silence flowed for a moment. Naomi, who had been excited and ready to laugh, blinked. Grayson didn’t say anything more. She moved her eyes from right to left, then fixed her eyes on Grayson again and asked.
“…That’s it?”
“What else would there be?”
Grayson burst out laughing. Naomi frowned at his unique laughter, which seemed somewhat artificial. What, was she wrong again this time? Naomi was visibly disappointed. She thought it was her turn to laugh at this man this time, but it wasn’t.
Sighing and drooping her shoulders, Naomi lightly waved to the waiter who happened to meet her eyes. Grayson smiled as he heard her order whiskey.
“Isn’t it too strong to drink from noon?”
“Leave me alone, I want to get drunk.”
She held back the urge to swear this time and lit a cigarette instead. Grayson said to Naomi, who exhaled smoke.
“Is it time to go to the meeting and share the information you got?”
“That’s right. Everyone will be disappointed, though.”
“What kind of information did they want?”
Grayson asked with a face full of laughter. That was also a familiar face. Naomi thought of him as a man who always smiled with the same expression and answered.
“You don’t need to know, they probably have several times more information than I do anyway.”
“For example?”
Naomi glanced at Grayson’s face. The only part of this man that felt genuine was this curiosity. Naomi was exhausted and just blurted out whatever came to mind.
“Like where you’re currently living, who you’re meeting and flirting with, and recently, some things about that sexy firefighter you had a scandal with……”
Grayson, who had been slouching in his chair until then, slowly straightened his back. Naomi was inwardly surprised by his reaction, which was the first time he had shown any interest. What is it? She felt an ominous premonition and slyly threw out bait. Pretending to be indifferent on the outside.
“That man seems to be quite the player.”
Naomi put on the performance of a lifetime, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. As she deliberately smoked to buy time, Grayson spoke first.
“So? Is that all?”
……Look at this?
Naomi was inwardly surprised. Had she ever seen him so impatient? Even though she was bewildered by his first-time appearance, she didn’t lose her mind and answered.
“Apparently, some of the people in the group slept with that man. He must have been quite promiscuous. Sometimes with multiple people at once……”
“I see.”
Suddenly, Grayson burst out laughing. Naomi was once again dumbfounded by the sight. He’s laughing like that? Grayson? Was he a man who could laugh so purely?
It wasn’t the face she had been used to seeing. What on earth was going on? Naomi was even feeling embarrassed, but it didn’t end there. Grayson continued, laughing heartily and as if he couldn’t help but be happy.
“It’s Dane after all, that’s him. Wow, that’s amazing. Isn’t he amazing? What else do they say? What did you hear about Dane? Naomi, tell me more, huh? I want to hear it. Please.”
‘Please.’
That word came out of that man’s mouth.
Naomi was completely dumbfounded. What is this? What is this……?
“Didn’t you say you broke up?”
Naomi asked with an absurd expression, and Grayson paused. He was still smiling, but he lowered his gaze as if he was somehow dejected and muttered.
“…Yeah, that’s right.”
He looked like an abandoned puppy, and Naomi couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Even though she clearly remembered in her head how much that man had humiliated her, she couldn’t help but open her mouth in the end.
“I heard he’s much better looking and has a better body in person. I heard he’s very kind in bed. Surprisingly, he doesn’t say anything great when he’s seducing someone. Just whether you have a partner, how you’re doing today, that’s all.”
Well, with that face and body, that’s enough. Naomi even admired and nodded, and Grayson asked.
“Is that all?”
What else does he want to know? Naomi wondered. Maybe anything about that man is good for him. Like everyone else does to their loved ones.
Don’t be ridiculous.
Naomi suddenly came to her senses. Have you already forgotten who the man in front of you is? It’s Grayson Miller. That man and love, don’t be ridiculous!
She whipped herself, but embarrassingly, the man across the table was staring at her with an expression she had never seen before. As if begging her to tell him more.
Ugh, Naomi groaned and rummaged through her head. What else was there? Dane Striker, Dane Striker…….
“Ah.”
She let out an exclamation as she barely remembered one thing, and Grayson immediately reacted. Naomi opened her mouth, staring at his sparkling eyes with an unfamiliar feeling.
“One of them seems to have played a dangerous game, and that was a bit strange.”
“Why?”
Grayson asked immediately. Naomi said, recalling her memories.
“The safe word was ‘I love you’.”
At those words, Grayson stopped all movement.
185 – 185
Grayson stopped all movement at those words. Naomi, not even realizing he wasn’t breathing, continued.
“Isn’t it strange? Who would set something like that as a safe word? The person who heard it must have thought it was weird too. When they asked why that of all things…”
‘Hearing those words just makes me lose all motivation.’
Dane’s face, saying that with a languid tone and a smile, seemed vivid in Grayson’s mind. Naomi shrugged at Grayson, who was sitting there silently.
“Are there people who say that to avoid responsibility? What can’t you say during sex? There are people who get more excited when they hear those words. It just means he can’t stand even a simple ‘I love you’ said out of excitement. How irresponsible.”
“…No.”
Grayson muttered in a low voice at Naomi’s last words.
“That man, on the contrary, is just too responsible.”
Naomi, understanding his words a beat late, looked at him with a puzzled expression. Grayson, looking at the edge of the table, continued to murmur.
“He takes responsibility no matter what, so he just doesn’t say it easily…”
Naomi blinked in surprise. What was this man saying?
She was flustered, but Grayson remained lost in his own thoughts.
I was forcing something he was trying so hard to avoid.
A sense of futility washed over him. To only realize that now. So late.
Ha, he let out a ridiculous laugh and raised his head. Naomi, who had been watching Grayson until then, paused when their eyes met. Grayson gave her his usual smile.
“Thanks for telling me.”
“Uh…”
Naomi blurted out a dazed sound. Just as she was thinking something was wrong, Grayson suddenly met her eyes. Naomi, startled without realizing it, was asked by Grayson in a slow tone.
“What did I do wrong to you?”
“What? What do you mean?”
Frowning at the sudden question, Grayson replied with his usual smiling face.
“Joining that group means you also have a grudge against me, right?”
“I didn’t join, I just know it exists.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
Grayson nodded casually as she corrected the wrong information with a frown. Naomi frowned, disliking his attitude. At the gaze that stared at him without a word, Grayson let his lips fall.
“Tell me, please.”
His face was the same as always, but his tone felt somehow different from before. Naomi stared at him intently before narrowing her eyes.
“You need to distinguish between someone you have sex with and someone you marry.”
Using her genius acting skills to the fullest, Naomi imitated Grayson’s tone exactly, a faint anger rising in her eyes. She had tried to forget these words. But even when she was going about her daily life, the memory would suddenly come back to life, and she would get angry every time. The anger grew stronger over time, and now it wouldn’t subside easily no matter what happened to Grayson.
Well, start talking. What kind of excuses will you make?
In contrast to the murderous gaze directed at him, Grayson looked surprised. Hypocritically so, which made Naomi even angrier.
“What are you talking about? Did I say that? To you?”
“Exactly! Just as I expected, Grayson Miller. Excellent.”
Naomi smiled brightly and even clapped.
“I thought you wouldn’t even remember. You really are Grayson Miller.”
“When did I ever say something like that…”
“Well, yeah. Why would you need to remember something like that? You’re Miller.”
Grayson paused at the sarcastic words. She gave a cynical smile and twisted the knife.
“You’ve never thought about other people’s feelings, have you? Of course. There’s no need to. So how could you remember? You just say whatever you want and leave.”
Grayson seemed genuinely surprised at the words poured out with anger. More than anything, he was bewildered by the fact that Naomi was this angry.
“You’re really amazing.”
“What?”
What kind of words is this bastard going to use to turn me inside out this time? For a moment, Naomi tensed up, but he said nonchalantly.
“To be this angry at me and still be friends with me… I didn’t know, thank you.”
Is this crazy bastard serious?
Grayson was genuinely impressed. For a moment, Naomi almost slammed her fist on the table. Fortunately, with tremendous self-control, instead of attracting people’s attention, she lowered her voice as much as possible, although she couldn’t suppress the trembling, and spat out through gritted teeth.
“Why do you think I stayed close to you? I was waiting to see you fall apart, you son of a bitch.”
At those words, Grayson only let out a short exclamation, “Oh.” An awkward silence fell. Grayson stared blankly at Naomi, who was glaring at him from across the table, before finally drooping his shoulders.
“I see…”
His voice fading as he muttered and lowered his head, he looked somehow like a puppy who had been robbed of the snack he was expecting. No way, that couldn’t be. That’s Grayson Miller. Naomi wanted to slap herself on the cheek and tell herself to come to her senses, but instead, she glared.
Don’t pity him, this is just the show that bastard always puts on. Never fall for it.
Just as she had resolved that, Grayson opened his mouth.
“I think I’m being punished.”
“What?”
Naomi was startled and widened her eyes. What did I just hear?
She couldn’t help but doubt her ears at a sentence she thought Grayson Miller would never say. But Grayson was no longer smiling. His expression, with his lips drooping sadly and looking down, looked so dejected. Even though there was no way that could be the case.
Yes, this is the price of my sins.
Grayson thought.
The sin of always putting my own feelings first and trampling on the feelings of others.
‘Have people ever been happy that you helped them?’
Dane’s words suddenly came to mind. He was the same. He only thought about his own feelings and never considered the other person’s position even once. He only thought from his own perspective.
Then, a face suddenly came to mind. His younger brother, whom he had tried his best to help. But Grayson had always only felt wronged when he saw him hating and despising him…
“I’m sorry.”
Naomi’s eyes widened even more at the quietly flowing voice. Grayson continued in a more serious voice than ever before.
“I’m sorry, for all the things I said. …I shouldn’t have.”
To finally understand only when it became his own problem.
Grayson added self-deprecatingly.
“I’m sorry for hurting you.”
Naomi was silent for a moment. No way, she had desperately wanted this day to come, but at the same time, she thought it could never happen, no way.
“You really loved him, that man.”
Grayson paused at Naomi’s mumbling, which sounded like a soliloquy, before answering.
“Yeah.”
Grayson raised his head and said to Naomi, who was staring blankly in a daze.
“Thank you for telling me about Dane. I enjoyed it, really.”
Oh my god…
It was still unbelievable, but she had no choice but to believe it. Because a smile that she had never seen before was on Grayson’s face as he looked at Naomi. An expression that looked like he was crying even though he was smiling.
Grayson Miller finally knows what emotions are.
The moment she realized that, Naomi felt like she had been hit hard on the head, rather than feeling joy.
This isn’t it.
Naomi thought blankly. This, this isn’t it. This isn’t what I imagined. The same words kept repeating in her head.
Now it was her turn to laugh to her heart’s content. Wasn’t this the moment she had longed for so much? The very moment that she had despaired would never come, but had no choice but to stubbornly wait for. Now was that very moment.
But why can’t I laugh?
Naomi was flustered and could only look at him. It was ridiculous, but right now she was pitying Grayson. The sight of a man who was at least twice her size crouching down and looking so depressed made the anger that had been burning in her heart for years subside so quickly.
Why did it turn out like this?
She was bewildered before suddenly realizing. Ah, this is an emotion that I can’t help but feel because I’m human.
So it’s also impossible to hate someone forever.
Because forgiving and pitying are also emotions that I naturally feel because I’m human.
The moment she realized that, she felt more at peace than ever before. She had finally found the peace of mind that she couldn’t feel even after doing yoga for 10 hours. Only then could Naomi sincerely say.
“I’ll accept your apology.”
Grayson, who had been staring intently at her face, gave a faint smile.
“Thank you.”
He felt a little lighter.
Who else is there?
He rummaged through his memories before chuckling.
There are a lot left.
But the very last one was decided. It was Chase Miller.
Desire Me if you can
As always, as soon as he got off work, Dane took care of the cat’s food and litter box, ate a simple dinner with leftovers, and sat on the sofa. He drank beer and flipped through the TV channels, but everywhere he looked, there were only boring shows.
What was really boring was his life. Nothing had changed from before or now, but Dane was realizing every day how tiresome life was. It felt like he was being forced to sit and watch a very boring movie that had been played in slow motion as much as possible.
…When was the last time I went to a club?
But he had no motivation, so he didn’t even feel like going. He sighed, thinking that he was voluntarily continuing an incredibly long period of abstinence. He stroked Darling, who had climbed onto his thigh and was rubbing his head against his stomach, out of habit.
It’s empty.
He vaguely recalled as he watched the quiz show playing on TV without any emotion.
Desire Me if you can
“…………”
He suddenly woke up from sleep at the sound of someone chattering. Only then did Dane realize that he had fallen asleep sitting on the sofa. He was about to turn off the TV and go to bed when he looked for the remote control. Suddenly, the reporter’s voice pierced his ears.
Yes, that’s right. Miller was shot right here.
At that moment, Dane froze.