Like two falling leaves drifting past each other without touching, neither of the two looked back.
As Chase came to the doorway of an open hall and was about to walk past the doorway, he subconsciously came to a stop and listened when he heard a familiar gentle voice.
"…it is not something for you to apologize for…"
Stepping back behind a wall, Chase subconsciously hid himself from view.
As his heart thumped in nervousness, he was confused by his own actions. Why didn't he just walk away? Why did his instincts tell him to hide?
As Chase fell into self-doubt, the conversation inside flowed over to his side.
"No, it is my negligence of duty, young master."
"If even this could be considered a negligence of duty, then I'm afraid no one will be left alive in this estate."
"…"
"Now get up. I'll pretend I never heard those words from you. Some things once said can never be taken back, so take this chance I'm giving you while it lasts. You understand very well what the punishment is for those who neglect their duties. You are a loyal subordinate to my brother, Team Leader Wali, I do not wish to let my brother lose a cherished follower like you over something minuscule like this, not to say it had nothing to do with you."
'It seems a subordinate of young master Ian's family did something wrong,' Chase raised an eyebrow, indifferent. 'He sure is as merciful as he looks.'
"…Thank you for your grace, young master."
The sound of someone standing up.
"If you had truly committed negligence of duty, I will punish you accordingly. Now, never bring this matter up again or else I'll pull out your tongue just like I did that soup chef. I'm sure you heard about it, being responsible for the guarding of the estate and all."
A smiling tone but the cruelest of words.
Chase was startled, but a spark lit in his eyes. 'Never mind.'
"…Yes, young master."
"By the way, I heard about your daughter coming home this weekend but you have duty here on that day. You can take off on that day, I grant it."
A gentle voice said caringly.
"!! Thank you very much, young master! You are… so kind to lowly subordinates like myself."
"Nonsense! As long as you are loyal to me and my brother, I'll treat you as my own. Your problems are my problems. Your joy is my joy. You've known me for so many years, have you still not figured me out?"
'…' Chase's thoughts silenced.
"I dare not! Young master, please don't accuse me of something like that!"
"Haha! I'm just joking. But I mean it, you've watched over me since I was but a toddler with all the other gang uncles and brothers. I'll never mistreat any of you."
"Young master…
"Haa, I remember it like it was just yesterday, even when this lowly subordinate held you and accidentally bumped your young—2 or 3 year old—body against a shelf, you forgave me in front of the furious master. I almost thought I would be fired, unable to provide for my family and unable to serve my master anymore. But you saved me. I'll never forget your kindness to me nor will any of our sworn brothers."
The scar on his face seemed to lighten as clear tears gleamed in his eye corners, a tough middle-aged man like him was almost made to cry when reminiscing those old memories.
"Uncle…" A softened voice, then a determined glint. "As long as you give me your trust, give me your faith, I'll never let you down."
The rest of the conversation fell on deaf ears as all sounds started fading away in Chase's world until only the sound of his heartbeat remained in his mind, echoing loudly.
Thump.
Thump. Thump.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A racing heart.
Something seemed to drop into his heart and explode, fire swept through his entire body, scorching his internal organs to a crisp with its fiery heat.
Raw, hot emotions churned inside of the chest, inside of the soul, clouding his mind.
A sudden, strong urge took over his entire being.
A burning gaze full of stirred up feelings and desire.
—Chase wanted to devote his loyalty to Ian. And to Ian alone.
*****
Dust.
Dust.
Dust.
A duster could be seen sweeping here and there, held and controlled by a pale, white hand that looked almost unhealthily transparent.
Inside a bedroom with light green and light yellow painted walls, one lone figure wearing a manservant's garb was slowly and carefully cleaning the room.
The master of the room was nowhere to be seen.
Stepping back, the pale figure accidentally bumped into the closet behind him.
The improperly closed closet doors swung open from the impact.
Reflexively turning around, their black eyes happened to meet a similar pair of black orbs belonging to a motionless, lifeless being sitting atop a wooden shelf.
It was dressed in fine, delicate long robes dyed in the colors of black and white. Silver and gray threads embroidered gray clouds and silver swirling patterns on them.
Its ankle-length silky hair of pure darkness was tied to one side in a ponytail, resting on its right shoulder, flowing past its non-undulating chest.
Its handsome face was pale white like a ghost, displaying a sort of undead but attractive charm. The big eyes were colored black, appearing clean and muddy at the same time, letting on its deep, mysterious past.
Yet what stood out above the rest was how life-like it appeared. As though it would come to life in the next second if you just blinked.
The beautiful bjd doll looked like a tiny human being that was cursed to become a small toy.
Its expression and makeup was vivid—clean and calm yet giving off a sense of gloom.
The sight of it gave the chills and a feeling of creepiness to anyone who knew of its human doppelganger.
However, the pale figure only froze for a second from the unexpected sight before moving to close the closet doors they shouldn't have opened in the first place. They were very calm and their thoughts were orderly.
Just then.
Levi, the owner of this bedroom, came into his room with a tiny, doll version of a pair of white headphones. But the pale figure who turned around upon hearing the noise couldn't see it as it was covered by Levi's long, wide sleeves.
Upon seeing the open doors of the unimpressive wooden closet, Levi's face showed no signs of anger or displeasure, rather, a mysterious expression graced his facial features as he walked deeper into the room.
Coming close to the only other person in the room before stopping, Levi said with an ethereal voice, "Oh~ I see you've found the doll, Blake."
Levi did not look worried at all that the doll he had customized according to Blake'a appearance was seen by its human counterpart.
As though he had wanted this to happen, Levi calmly and elegantly took the delicate mini-Blake doll off the shelf with extraordinary caution and care in his movements.
Holding the doll out in his hands, Levi gently pushed it towards Blake. "Want to hold him?"
Blake, with the duster in his hand, looked down at the doll in front of him. It had moveable joints and delicate, hand drawn makeup, with no trace of dark circles under his eyes unlike him.
Blake hesitated.
The moment Blake hesitated, showing that he's not unwilling but only indecisive, Levi seized that chance and grabbed the duster from the other's hands and placed the doll in Blake's hands. As the creator and owner of the doll, Levi did not care that those hands had just been dusting the room, anyways there wasn't a lot of accumulated dust from all the daily cleaning in the first place.
"Be careful, don't scratch the doll's makeup with your nails and don't drop it. It breaks easily," Levi warned as he placed the duster on a nearby empty shelf.
Blake wordlessly nodded.
He looked carefully at the dainty doll in his pale, dusty hands, as if fascinated by it even though they looked alike. If Blake looked at himself inside a mirror, he would find someone who looked exactly like the doll but without the dark circles from sleepless nights.
Levi smiled at the side, satisfied to see the wonder and amazement flashing through Blake's normally calm and indifferent eyes.
Blake was not even slightly put off by the unseemly appearance of the doll or how life-like it was, unlike others.
It wasn't just Blake who had discovered these dolls before.
Because of Levi's other hobby, beside his dress style, there used to be other dolls that were created after a real life human's appearance, such as Angus and Ian.
Even the Everett parents were not spared.
A lot of the maids and servants who clean around the house sometimes see these dolls out and about, their uncanny resemblance to people they know unsettled them.
Some with extreme emotions and sensitive hearts even cried out and reported the dolls to the Everett couple who were still alive back then.
But since the couple knew it was just the hobby of their good friends' son, it was never a big deal.
However, Levi knew not to take his hobbies outside of the Everett home.
His parents didn't approve of any of his hobbies, be it the way he wanted to dress or the dolls he liked to make.
Neither did any of the people outside accept his unusual hobbies.
The first time Levi took to school his handmade doll that looked like himself, but dressed in the way he always wanted to dress himself, all his classmates called him weird, disgusting, girly, creepy, and beat him with their words as if they wanted to beat back sense into him.
But he was normal. What's wrong with liking dolls? What's wrong with modeling dolls after people? What's wrong with dressing the way he likes?
The young Levi just couldn't understand at the time why the world was so hostile to him, only the Everett family was his haven.
Since then, Levi never brought any of his dolls to school or anywhere outside of home—and by home, he meant the Everett Mansion.
Even in his own house he was spurned by his parents for what he liked to do.
That's why seeing the curiosity and wonder on Blake's face when he showed him the doll, instead of the disgusted eyes shouting "creep" that others always showed him, made Levi happy.
Of course, after Levi became the right-hand man of Angus Everett, the Mafia boss of the Everett Mafia Group and the Chairman of the Everett Touch, Inc., no one dared to make fun of him or his hobbies.
Whenever anyone sees his iconic appearance and the uncommon way he carried himself, they would tremble with fear and admiration.
Everyone knew the consequences of messing with the cunning and vengeful Nine-tailed Fox of the Everett Mafia Group who had three taboos—
—Messing with the Everett brothers,
—Criticizing the way he dress,
And…
—Making fun of his dolls.
"Do you want it?"
Levi's sudden words broke the peaceful and quiet atmosphere.
"?" Blake looked up at the smiling Levi, who seemed to exude an aura of happiness, in surprise. Such detailed and large dolls must cost a fortune, there's no way he can afford one.
And although reluctant to admit, Blake had taken quite a liking to the doll in his hands.
But he really couldn't afford it.
As if knowing what Blake was thinking, Levi said, "I'll give it to you for free. Just take it. Think of it as a gift from your master to you."
Master…
Blake's eyes immediately clouded over, a sense of desolace and gloom took over. He looked reluctant to acknowledge such a title.
His heart automatically resisted.
Despite the obvious look of rejection from Blake, Levi wasn't angry at the sight that would have provoked any master's anger to see their servant refusing to be loyal to them.
"It's okay." Levi suddenly said.
Looking at the wordless Blake who looked into his narrow eyes, a flash of gold appeared in Levi's eyes.
"You know, I crafted this doll myself. I molded it into shape, arranging its expression, and painted on its makeup. Fitted the eyes, threaded the hair, and sewed the clothes. This is how I see you.
"You don't need to be pressured. I understand more than anyone else how it feels to be misunderstood, to be cast aside.
"I believe you will treat this doll well. I trust you."
Something suddenly stirred in Blake's heart and was reflected in his unprecedentedly clear eyes.
He didn't know what switch was flicked, but the moment Blake heard those magical, spell-like words, a new feeling he had never felt before erupted in his soul.
Every seal peeled off.
Every talisman destroyed.
Every chain broken.
Every lock unlocked.
But it wasn't just the plain words of the other that moved Blake's numb heart.
The way he said it with complete sincerity.
Like he had trusted and would trust no one else more deeply than him.
And the doll…
Glancing at the doll that appeared just like him but was like the better version of himself. Although there was a sense of gloom about it, it was duller than Blake's own. No feeling of unpleasantness could be found.
Blake liked how it looked like him but appeared unlike him.
Loyalty…
Trust…
Belief…
For the first time in Blake's calm and silent heart, words appeared within a storm of new emotions.
'Can I have them?'