Greyson stood still, pricking up his ears and concentrating. Though it seemed to take quite a while, he felt nothing.
Did I hear wrong?
Just as he was about to dismiss it as unimportant, he heard the sound again. He couldn't be mistaken twice. After briefly twitching his ears, Greyson looked around with a frown.
In that residential area, there were only houses that all looked the same lined up side by side with roads in between, nothing special to be seen. Perhaps it was more difficult to find something unusual in such an ordinary neighborhood.
He had to concentrate once more to find the direction of the sound. Using the sound that was heard once again after a pause as a signal, he moved his feet. The next time he heard the sound, it was clearer than before.
'Help me.'
As the distance grew closer, the destination became clearer. Greyson stopped in front of one of the similar-looking houses and looked around.
"Help me...!"
The child shouted again, perhaps having heard Greyson's footsteps. This time he could be certain. Without hesitation, he opened the side door and went inside. He felt the crisp grass under his feet. Half-withered and turned brown, it clearly showed signs of having been neglected for quite some time.
"Help me, help me!"
The child's voice continued more desperately. He must have heard Greyson's footsteps. Though he put his ear to the wall and waited for a moment, the house was just quiet, as if no one was inside. The child probably knew that too, which was why he was calling out so desperately.
Having thought that far, Greyson looked down at where the sound was coming from. There was a large cellar door. Though the closed door muffled the sound, he could clearly hear it. It was probably because there was an opening somewhere, perhaps for air circulation. Greyson knelt on one knee on the ground and brought his ear to the door.
"Is anyone there?"
At Greyson's question, a voice from inside shouted in an even higher tone.
"Yes, yees! I'm here! Help me, let me out, please! Help me, I'm scared..."
The voice mixed with crying was quite hoarse, as if from shouting for a long time.
"Oh my..."
Greyson made a sympathetic sound and asked again.
"What's your name? Why are you in there? What happened?"
The child sniffled and answered.
"I, I'm Santiago. Dad said, because I was a bad boy, I have to stay here..."
The rest of his words disappeared into sobs. Greyson nodded as if he understood.
"I see. Alright, I'll help you."
This was something he had often done. Helping others, what a noble and altruistic act. Greyson was always ready to help others and gladly did so when given the opportunity. Just as he had been taught from a very young age. This time was no different.
He opened one side of the double doors. At the bottom of the cellar, which looked dizzyingly deep, a small boy who wouldn't even reach Greyson's knees was looking up at him with a tense face. Santiago's expression, standing on tiptoe and stretching his arms with all his might while hoping for a miracle, was full of expectation and hope. Believing that he could finally leave this dark and scary cellar, that this brightly shining adult man would save him, that these nightmare-like days would now end, that salvation had finally come to him.
However.
"...Huh?"
Suddenly Greyson jumped into the cellar. The door he had flung open closed with a dull sound, and everything was covered in darkness again. Santiago couldn't understand what had just happened. As he stood there blinking blankly, the man's handsome face was illuminated by the faint stream of light coming through the gap in the double doors. Only then did Santiago realize that this man, far from taking him out, had come into this terrible space. The child immediately turned pale.
"Wh-what are you doing? You should get me out!"
Santiago shouted in confusion. Looking at the child's confused face, Greyson tilted his head as if puzzled.
"Why? You're being punished right now."
"...What?"
When Santiago still couldn't understand and asked again, Greyson added as if admonishing him.
"You shouldn't run away while being punished. That's what bad children do."
Santiago couldn't understand what on earth this meant.
What is this man saying?
To the child who had turned white and lost all color, Greyson spoke in a thoughtful voice.
"But Santiago, don't worry. Don't be afraid."
He slowly extended one hand. To Santiago, who flinched and stepped back, Greyson spoke with a bright smile, his hand still in the air.
"I'll stay with you."
The child's eyes shook greatly. Watching the hope that had fully bloomed now fading, Greyson whispered.
"It's okay now that there are two of us."
Hope completely disappeared from Santiago's face, replaced by shock and terror.
Thank youuuu where does this come from I have read the kiss me if you can novel but I don't remember this do you have a link by any chance ?
At the same time, in another place, another Miller was talking about this incident.
"A firefighter? Greyson? Your brother Greyson Miller? Became a firefighter?"
It was around that time that Joshua Bailey received a call from his partner, Chase Miller. As they were staying in different states due to work, they frequently confirmed their affection for each other through phone calls, but on this day, there was a special matter. It was news about Chase's brother, Greyson Miller.
He got a job, and at a fire station at that.
As soon as he heard Chase's words, Joshua couldn't believe it and unconsciously asked again in a raised voice several times. From the other end of the mobile phone, Chase answered in a thoroughly twisted tone.
– Yes, that bastard. What is he thinking? The most selfish person in the world taking the most altruistic job in the world, doesn't it seem crazy? Right, it must be because of the pheromones that he's lost his mind. Definitely.
While listening to the curses filled with emotion, Joshua was thinking something completely different. Of all things, a firefighter, could this be destiny?
"Do you know which fire station?"
At Joshua's question, Chase recalled what Koi had said, searching his memory. Hearing the answer, Joshua was now convinced. This must be a revelation.
And a fire station, of all places. How very appropriate, as if by fate.
"Chase."
Taking advantage of the pause in speech from the other end, he called the name and asked in a meaningful lowered voice.
"I have an interesting idea, what do you think? Want to hear it?"
– What idea?
To the still sulky voice, Joshua threw another question.
"Remember what I promised before? I said I would kidnap that bastard if you wanted."
A sudden silence fell. Joshua smiled, naturally imagining Chase holding his breath with a furrowed brow.
"Yes, that's right. The time has come."
Joshua deliberately paused before adding.
"Time to repay the debt from all this time."
The sound of a sharp intake of breath was heard from the other end. After another tense silence, Chase finally spoke.
– So, what should we do first?
Hearing the voice trembling faintly with expectation, Joshua opened his mouth with a satisfied smile.
"The first thing to do is, of course, to find an accomplice."
– An accomplice?
"Yes."
To the word Chase repeated, Joshua nodded and said.
"I know a firefighter."