By Zephyria 
With a soft chuckle, she started the car, thinking, I can’t wait to see that.
Meanwhile, as soon as Naomi’s car disappeared, Grayson came right out of the cafeteria. He sauntered over to where George, the man who’d come to repay his kindness, was waiting for Dane.
“Ah, you’re her— Huh?”
George, who had turned around, delighted by the sound of someone approaching, was startled to see a face he wasn’t expecting and shrank back. Grayson smiled down at the man.
“Hello, George. How have you been?”
“Uh… fine…”
George answered hesitantly, but he didn’t hide his wariness as he glanced at Grayson, as if to ask, Who is this guy, calling my name and acting like he knows me? Of course, Grayson didn’t miss the opportunity.
“Come on, George. You’ve forgotten me? I went into the mansion with you last time to save Charles.”
“Huh? H-huh?”
When Grayson placed his hands on both of George’s shoulders, George’s eyes widened and he stammered. Grayson peered into his shaking pupils, which were darting around as he tried to remember, and muttered with a frown.
“Don’t you remember the Fire blazing red? How much you cried and suffered trying to save your dog? I couldn’t stand to watch, so I went into the mansion. It was so hot! I was suffocating from the smoke and couldn’t see anything, but I kept going to find your dog. Charles! Charles! Ah, I cheated death so many times back then. I went through so much trouble to find your dog, but you don’t even remember me? How could you!”
Grayson sighed deeply and hung his head, then suddenly snapped his head up. George gasped, startled, and Grayson stared intently at his face and asked,
“How about it?”
“W-what do you mean?”
Grayson whispered to the flustered George as if sharing a secret.
“You should invite me to lunch, right?”
“What? Why would I?”
The reaction was immediate. George was horrified, but just then, footsteps approached. It was Dane, who had changed into casual clothes. They both turned to him at the same time. When their eyes met, George’s face immediately relaxed. And Grayson clearly saw it.
“What are you doing over there?”
Dane asked with a frown, and Grayson immediately wrapped his arm around George’s neck and pulled him close.
“George says he’s going to buy me lunch too. Isn’t that thoughtful?”
“What?”
Dane looked at George as if to ask if it was true. George tried to tell the truth, but the tighter the arm around his neck became, the more impossible it was to escape. Eventually, Grayson ignored George’s groans and said,
“Shall we all head to the car together then? How about it? George, you’ll drive, right?”
“Cough, cough, cough, keh-heh-heh.”
Grayson released his arm slightly, and George coughed violently, expelling the air he had been holding in. Oh dear, Grayson said, patting his back and bending down.
“Are you okay? Oh dear, do you have some kind of respiratory illness? Take a deep breath, there you go.”
He spoke loudly, as if for everyone to hear, then whispered in George’s ear.
“You’re in love with that guy, aren’t you?”
George was so startled by the words that he forgot to cough. Grayson smiled faintly at the sight of his wide eyes staring at him, then said,
“It’s rare for a Beta to like someone of the same gender. I wonder what he thinks of you…”
“S-stop, stop it!”
George shouted, his face pale. He quickly glanced behind him to make sure Dane was still standing there, then hurriedly turned back to Grayson.
“Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll invite you. I’ll invite you to lunch! So please, just don’t mention that…”
George pleaded, his face as white as a sheet. Of course, Grayson had no intention of spreading the word. He just wanted to achieve his goal.
“It’s rude to spread other people’s private lives around.”
Grayson, feigning a considerate tone, smiled and straightened up, then patted George’s shoulder. Leaving George, who was staring at him in fear, not understanding the meaning of his actions, Grayson turned to Dane.
“He seems to be feeling better now. Shall we get going?”
Dane, who had been watching them with his arms crossed, looked suspiciously at Grayson’s face, then turned to George.
“Hey, you.”
“Y-yes?”
George stammered, startled. Dane stared intently at his face and asked,
“Are you really okay? Tell me honestly, I don’t want to have to give you first aid in the middle of the meal. I don’t mind not going out like this.”
It was hard to tell if his blunt tone was concerned or genuinely annoyed. George hesitated, then nodded and said, “I’m fine.” Dane looked at him suspiciously for a moment, but didn’t dwell on it for long.
At the sight of him readily walking towards the car, George hurriedly followed.
“U-um, excuse me.”
He stammered, then glanced back and asked in a small, hushed voice.
“Um, are you, are you okay? H-he’s coming too…”
Dane replied with a nonchalant expression at his hesitant words.
“It’s your treat, so the number of people is up to you, and inviting whoever you want is also up to you. Is there anything I can say about it?”
“Y-yes.”
He was right. Dane glanced down at George, who couldn’t say anything more and just hung his head, and asked in a curt tone.
“If you want something, say it clearly. Do you not want that guy to come?”
“Of course not.”
Grayson suddenly appeared from behind, grabbed George’s shoulder with a thud, and subtly applied pressure. As George cringed without making a sound, Grayson pretended to be affectionate from behind.
“George likes me so much, doesn’t he? You want me to come, right?”
Then he smiled meaningfully and added secretly,
“We share secrets, don’t we?”
George visibly flinched, hesitated, and finally mumbled, “Yes.” Dane had been watching the scene silently, but soon turned away indifferently. In any case, he had given him another chance. It was that man’s responsibility for not asserting himself properly.
In the end, George sat awkwardly in the driver’s seat, Dane in the passenger seat, and Grayson in the back. And they headed to a restaurant some distance away in George’s car.
six
With a clatter, a plate fell to the floor. All eyes turned to them, and George looked mortified and didn’t know what to do.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Grayson whistled softly as he watched him repeatedly apologize to no one in particular. George distorted his face and looked at him, but Grayson smiled and gave him a thumbs up as if to say, Don’t worry, George. Hang in there!
George was constantly frozen with tension, watching everyone’s reactions, trembling, dropping cutlery, being scolded for calling the wrong staff member, and eventually even breaking a plate of food.