By Zephyria 
Chrissy looked at him in silence, but there was no need for words. His expression alone spoke thousands of words. Seeing that face, Nathaniel let out a smirk, one corner of his mouth curling upward.
“Did I say something that repulsive?”
His tone was relaxed as usual, but he sounded somewhat amused. Chrissy didn’t bother hiding his true feelings and answered coldly.
“If you knew how notorious your family is, you wouldn’t be able to ask me that.”
Nathaniel reacted with indifference to Chrissy’s words.
“I just consider it the price of fame.”
Ha. Chrissy let out a short sigh. While he found it absurd, a question formed in his mind. Why on earth did a man like this save me?
Because he had been in a panic and his consciousness had been blurred, his memories were fragmented, but he knew for certain that Nathaniel Miller had saved him. He also knew that, just as the man had guaranteed, he was incredibly skilled with a ‘stick.’
In the end, did I achieve nothing?
He felt pathetic. What would have happened if Nathaniel Miller hadn’t come to rescue him? To think he was receiving help from a man he had claimed to loathe so much. Feeling miserable, his mood sank further. It was just as he was listlessly stirring his soup and letting out a low sigh.
“Why aren’t you eating? Is there nothing you like?”
At the sudden question, he looked up to find Nathaniel watching him. Compared to Nathaniel, who had already polished off two steaks and now had a chicken dish topped with plenty of cheese in front of him, all Chrissy had consumed was a single sip of water. To this, Nathaniel added nonchalantly:
“If there’s nothing to eat, tell me. I’ll have them bring something else.”
“No…”
With this much food laid out, what else could he possibly bring? Chrissy unconsciously scanned the numerous dishes filling the massive table before speaking.
“I’m fine. I just don’t feel like eating.”
“Why?”
Nathaniel asked and popped a large piece of chicken into his mouth. Feeling exhausted just by watching him, Chrissy paused before answering.
“A lot has happened.”
It was the truth. He had come down thinking he needed to eat something, but now that the food was in front of him, he had no appetite. Perhaps he felt a sense of self-loathing over the fact that he had ultimately been unable to do anything. Ha. Sighing once more, Chrissy reflexively looked up and locked eyes with Nathaniel. Realizing that the man had been staring at him the whole time, Chrissy frowned and spoke bluntly.
“What? If you have something to say, say it.”
Nathaniel, who had been gazing at him silently, slowly opened his mouth.
“I’m wondering whether I should force-feed you or just leave you be.”
Chrissy felt strange at the calm yet cold voice. To speak words that sounded almost considerate in such a contradictory tone.
Nathaniel continued to stare at him. Was he still contemplating, or was he waiting for a choice? After a moment of silence, Chrissy silently lifted his spoon and took some soup. After emptying half of the cooled soup and eating half a piece of bread, Nathaniel finally picked up his knife and fork and began cutting the remaining chicken.
For a while, only the clinking sound of cutlery echoed over the table. This time, it was Chrissy who broke the silence.
“What do you want?”
Nathaniel stopped his hand and looked at him. A sudden silence fell between them. Chrissy looked straight back without averting his gaze and spoke.
“You saved me, twice. You even got hurt.”
Glancing at the bandages on Nathaniel’s hand, Chrissy shifted his gaze back to the man.
“If there’s something you want, tell me. I’ll do it. If it’s something I can do.”
As he deliberately added the qualifier, Nathaniel slowly set down his cutlery and lowered his hand beneath the table.
“Something I want…”
His eyes narrowed as he trailed off meaningfully. Watching Nathaniel wear a peculiar smile, Chrissy braced himself. If he asked him to suck his cock, he could do that as much as needed. If he asked him to bare his ass… well, he wasn’t keen on it, but it couldn’t be helped. Regardless, this man had helped him…
Just as he reached that thought, Nathaniel spoke. Only a second or two had passed before the sound came, but for some reason, it felt incredibly long to Chrissy.
“Stay at my house.”
Nathaniel had finally spoken, but Chrissy was momentarily bewildered. What the hell did this man just babble?
It took a little more time for the voice to register in his mind. Even then, still feeling as if it were unbelievable, Chrissy stared at Nathaniel.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
The answer came easily. Even after confirming it once more, Chrissy couldn’t easily accept it.
“I thought you… would demand something else…”
As he murmured unconsciously, Nathaniel frowned as if asking what he meant. Chrissy didn’t beat around the bush and spoke bluntly.
“The thing you’ve always wanted from me.”
He then added with a sneer.
“I guess you don’t want my body anymore?”
“Hahaha.”
Suddenly, Nathaniel burst into laughter. For a moment, Chrissy was flustered, his eyes widening. However, regardless of his reaction, Nathaniel continued to stare at him with a lingering smile and answered.
“Of course I want it. Very much so.”
Then why was he making such a strange request? Was he plotting something else…
Though he grew anxious inside, as if reading Chrissy’s inner thoughts, Nathaniel continued in a smooth tone.
“But I won’t take you regardless of your will. You don’t have to worry about that.”
Can I trust this man?
In a corner of Chrissy’s skeptical heart, an unfounded trust reared its head. Though it was a tiny fragment, it was enough to shake Chrissy’s distrust.
“Stay at your house.”
Chrissy slowly repeated the request. Then, he stared at Nathaniel with narrowing, searching eyes and asked again.
“Is this an order?”
For this man, that word was the most fitting—no, there was likely no other word that suited him better. As he looked at him thinking this, Nathaniel spoke.
“No, a request.”
At the unexpected answer, Chrissy felt dazed, as if he had been hit over the head again. What on earth is this man saying? A request? Nathaniel Miller, to me? The tiny bit of trust that had quietly emerged suddenly vanished like dust.
“…Why?”
This time, he paused before asking. Chrissy looked at him suspiciously with a frown.
“Why are you making such a ‘request’ of me?”
When he deliberately emphasized the word, Nathaniel looked back at him with a faint smile and answered.
“Because I have absolutely no desire to stay in your cramped little studio.”
“What?”
Chrissy realized what he meant a beat late.
“Are you telling me to stay ‘with you’ right now?”
“Yes.”
The answer came immediately. Nathaniel then added nonchalantly.
“If you don’t like this house, we can move somewhere else. However, only to a place I choose.”
The reason was obvious. He didn’t want to stay in ‘Chrissy’s cramped studio.’ But there was another reason Chrissy wanted to know.
“Why?”
Chrissy asked, remaining on guard.
“Why do I have to be with you? Did something happen?”
The events that occurred before he lost consciousness immediately flashed back into his mind. As Chrissy’s eyes wavered with inner anxiety, Nathaniel declared:
“If you stay here, I’ll also look into that detective you’re searching for.”
At those words, Chrissy froze, unable to even ask a question this time.