There were so many questions swirling in his mind—what was behind the doors he hadn't been introduced to? Was he allowed to use the water on the table, even though he was pretty sure it was meant for him? His school uniform was getting dirty, and he hadn't had a chance to bathe, so was it okay to just wait like this until dinner? And what was going to happen to him in the long run?
It was all too much.
Damien was overwhelmed. He felt like he was at his limit. If he kept pretending to be calm and collected, he was sure he'd slip up sooner or later.
For now, he decided he wouldn't leave the room. He'd avoid using the water as much as possible and ignore the fact that he felt grimy. As for what was going to happen next? Well, that could wait.
With that in mind, Damien stretched out on the bed, sprawled out in a large star shape, feeling the urge to just throw his hands up and surrender to the confusion of it all.
There was still some time before dinner, so Damien figured he might as well try to sleep. His body was exhausted, but despite closing his eyes, he couldn't seem to drift off.
"…Heh…heh heh…haha…hahaha…," a small laugh bubbled up from within him.
Before he knew it, he couldn't stop laughing.
"Hahaha… ahaha… a-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
The laughter exploded out of him, uncontrollable. He pressed his face into the pillow to muffle it, worried someone might hear, but the laughter kept coming. It was ridiculous, absurd, yet so funny that he couldn't hold it in.
A few days ago, Damien had been just an ordinary student. He lived a regular life with his parents, younger brother, and their cat—five of them altogether. His dad had a normal office job, and his mom was a part-time working housewife.
His brother, though a bit younger, was like any other sibling. Their cat, while undeniably the cutest in the world, was still just a cat. And Damien had gone to school, played with friends, and nursed an unrequited crush. He was completely ordinary.
But now? He was here, in this bizarre, unfamiliar world. And it was all just too much. His laughter turned into tears as they streamed down his face, his head becoming light from the lack of air.
"…I want to go home…"
He had been an average student, living a simple life. So why was this happening to him? What had he done to deserve this?
Why had he ended up in this place? Why did he have to wander through a dangerous forest, barely surviving? Why was he thrown into a world where he couldn't even understand the language and locked up? And why did he now have to rely on strangers, who held his life in their hands?
"...Mom… Dad… I don't want to be here anymore… I want to see Riley and Pumpkin…"
His laughter had faded by now, replaced by silent tears. He tried to think rationally through the haze clouding his mind. He couldn't let anyone see that he'd been crying. He couldn't let them know. His fate depended on Theo's whims, and if he upset him, Damien had no idea what would happen.
He had to be polite, smile, and act agreeable. He had to be obedient and cute—like a pet. For how long? Probably for the rest of his life.
"…Ugh… no… I don't want this… someone, please… let me go home…"
He knew he had to stop crying. But no matter how hard he tried, the tears and sobs wouldn't cease.
"Ugh… ugh…"
Desperate to keep his sobs silent, Damien buried his face deeper into the pillow. And, before he knew it, he cried himself to sleep.