It only took a day after Azrael's words came true.
Knox was gaping at a red Mercedes Benz parked next to his boss' car. His mouth hung open after that morning, during breakfast, Azrael threw something at him. He was shocked after seeing the brand logo on the key fob.
Knox remembered himself shuddering at the thought that something would come next, like his boss asking him to blow him or worse, so he skeptically pushed the key fob away and looked up, "I…don't think I can accept it, sir…"
Of course, Knox had a hard time refusing. But what if his boss asks for one of his organs in return?
Azrael just casually sliced his French toast and chewed it gracefully. He swallowed the food before answering, "What? Is the brand not to your liking?"
"No!" Knox answered immediately. He usually didn't care about people thinking negatively about him, but for some reason, he didn't want his boss to see him as a materialistic person. "I just don't understand why you would give me something so expensive like this, sir. I mean, I can't accept it without knowing the reason first. What if you ask something from me so suddenly and you use this to blackmail me? Or—
"And what do you think I can ask from a poor guy like you? I bet you can't even buy me a cup of coffee without worrying about how much money you need to spend for a day," Azrael sipped water from the glass while looking down at his servant who obviously looked pissed.
The corner of his mouth went upward behind the rim of the glass. These days, he couldn't help but find his servant's transparency so amusing.
Knox balled his fist under the table. To his eyes, Azrael suddenly has a very punchable face. He averted his eyes and answered confidently, "Like asking me to open my legs for you, sir."
*cough*
*cough*
Water spurted from Azrael's mouth; the rest went on the wrong pipe. He coughed many times and even slammed the table. Knox was startled, but he managed to grab and lift his cup of coffee before the table quaked from his boss' exaggerated actions.
Then, Knox asked insincerely, "Sir, are you okay?"
Azrael hit his chest a few times, then after wiping his mouth dry, he glared at Knox accusingly, "I haven't yet lost my mind to ask that of you."
Knox retorted, "Then, you lost it when we were at the parking lot."
Azrael gaped at the man and wondered, 'How could he bring up what happened with a poker face like that? Doesn't he feel ashamed at all?'
"Please, don't get me wrong, sir. I appreciate that you're giving me a gift, but thinking that I have to return it to you if something happens or something like…for example when I refused you, or when you get mad at me, or I did something you don't like, then, you suddenly—
Azrael folded his arms and leaned back on his chair, "Why do you think like that? I'm giving it as a gift. I'm not someone who takes back what I've given."
Knox's face brightened. He grabbed the key fob with both hands and fiddled with it while his lips curled up in an excited grin. Once he constructed his words in his mind, he looked up at Azrael expectantly and asked, "I see. Then, sir, can I sell it?"
Azrael had never been so fast in snatching back something he gifted before.
Knox, "Hey! You said you won't take it back!"
"How ungrateful. You're going to sell something I gifted you? If you're just going to discard my carefully picked present as a peace offering, then might as well not apologize for…"
Silence reigned between the two. Knox gawked at his boss, while the boss gawked at himself. After a while, Azrael faked a cough and exclaimed, "I'm taking it back."
Knox had a hard time convincing his boss not to take the car back. He sincerely promised not to sell it anymore. How could he after learning about the truth? His boss, who was always busy grumpily working over something in his study room or talking with someone in different languages over the phone took time to pick a present for him as his way to apologize for what happened at the parking lot.
He told him the thought only came to mind because of his desperation to pay off the debts of his parents to those loan sharks so he could live a normal life. Azrael went speechless after that. Knox always thought that his boss was rude, entitled, and coarse, always flaunting his wealth.
He looked wicked, domineering, and very intimidating. However, he could also be clumsy and funny sometimes. And more often than most, Knox finds himself wondering about his boss' true self. Azrael is a bit foul-mouthed and arrogant, but he apologizes if he knows he did something wrong.
It's like his personality was conflicting, and Knox finds it hilarious. His boss already knows about his situation, so he probably can tell that he really intends to sell the car.
After some time, Azrael sighed and gave the key fob back, "Don't sell it yet. I'd like to buy it, so keep it for now."
Knox looked at him dumbfounded, "Huh?"
Azrael stood and scowled at him, "What part of that you don't understand? Goodness, you aren't just poor, you're stupid too."
Then, he went to his room. Knox was left staring at the key fob on the table. He slowly reached it and smiled timidly. He knew it. His boss can be kind sometimes as well.
Back to the present, Knox was still standing at the side, staring at his maroon Mercedes Benz.
'This thing was his apology,' Knox said to himself, grinning from ear to ear. His chest swelled in delight.
Slap!
"Are you having a heartburn?" Knox's shoulders jumped at the sudden voice that came behind him. Azrael was walking towards Knox, looking at him as if he was seeing a madman. He added, "Why are you slapping your chest that hard?"
Knox quickly averted his eyes. He hit his chest lightly again, cursing himself for letting it swell like that. He couldn't possibly be feeling proud that he received an apology gift from his boss, could he?
Azrael just shook his head and opened the backseat's door, "I'm gonna be late. Let's hurry."
"Yes, sir!" Knox scurried.
Azrael had a meeting to attend, so he stepped out of his cave and decided to bring Knox along. It was fortunate that he already took care of his pent-up pheromones, and before they left, Knox measured his pheromones count and level. It was normal, thus, Azrael decided to personally attend the meeting.
"Wait, sir, where am I going to wait for you?" Knox asked before the man could step out of the car. He dropped off his boss in front of the building of the DV group, but he never expected their arrival to be waited by two lines of corporate slaves like loyal knights welcoming their tyrant king.
After seeing that, there's no way Knox would let himself be dragged by his boss.
"Just wait anywhere. I'll call you once I'm done," Azrael replied. The door was opened by his secretary who nodded at Knox after their eyes met. However, after a few steps from the car, and before Knox could drive away, Azrael trotted back and opened the passenger's seat, and peeked his head, then he glared at Knox with warning, "Don't sell it."
Slam!
Knox rolled his eyes at his boss' retreating image. He's going to pick him up later too, so how can he sell the car? Besides, he already has a buyer, but it seemed that the buyer forgot his impending purchase.
Knox chuckled. He drove off to the nearest café and ordered a cup of latte. Then, he opened his laptop and decided to just scroll for any online part-time job he could find.