Chapter 14
Let’s just give him some time alone first.
If I tried to force my way in, it would only backfire.
Still, I had to give him food, so I quietly unlocked the door.
Inside the dark room, Boss was curled up in the corner.
He was radiating that unmistakable “don’t come near me” energy, so I just slid the food inside without stepping in.
I hoped he’d at least eat a little — maybe the smell would tempt him.
“If you’re hungry, please eat, okay? Don’t starve. I’ll come back around lunch.”
Boss didn’t lift his head the entire time I closed the door.
When I came back with lunch prepared, I saw a black shadow in front of Boss’s door.
The culprit was Mr. Veilt.
He was practically glued to the door like a piece of gum, quietly sobbing.
“Boss… please open up before I break in. I just want to see you…”
“……”
I saw something I really shouldn’t have seen.
I wanted to gouge my eyes out.
Our eyes met — he didn’t even look embarrassed anymore. Cheek pressed against the door, he looked at me flatly.
“I’m thinking of never clinging again.”
“Isn’t that shameful?”
“Yes.”
“That’s how Boss likes you.”
“You sure he doesn’t hate that?”
“No way.”
(He totally does.)
Please, accept reality.
“You’ve shown me a pretty ugly sight today, Mr. Veilt, but actually, you came at the right time.”
“You can point that out bluntly — I’m not embarrassed at all.”
Yeah, right. With that shameless face, I can believe it.
“Should we leave Boss alone right now?”
“Joshua would know better than me.”
“Then I’ll go see Joshua. Meanwhile, could you check if Boss ate breakfast? This is lunch.”
As soon as I gave him a reason to go in, Mr. Veilt whipped out a key and unlocked the door immediately.
A wave of anxiety hit me — was it really okay to leave those two alone?
But… he’s known Boss much longer than I have. It should be fine.
Leaving Boss to Mr. Veilt, I headed up the hill to find Joshua.
He was standing in the middle of the clearing, staring blankly at the sky.
When he noticed me, he muttered loudly, “Looks like it’s going to rain.”
Rain?
Following his gaze, I saw dark clouds quickly rolling in from the distance.
“It’s gonna pour.”
“Yeah?”
Before I could even finish replying, Joshua sprinted toward me like he was being chased by hornets and grabbed my hand tight.
“This is no time to relax! Rainy days are filled with negative energy — it’s bad for Jer!”
“Boss is a shut-in who never leaves his room. If it rains, sure, the humidity might make it a bit gloomier inside—”
“That’s not what I mean!”
He puffed up, hitting his chest in frustration, unable to explain it properly.
“Anyway, you have to stay with him until the rain stops.”
“Even when we sleep? What if Boss can’t rest because he’s anxious I’ll, you know, pounce on him?”
“…You do seem like someone who’d do that, but… I’ll trust you!”
Boss definitely won’t.
“Oh, so that’s why he’s been so down. He must’ve felt the rain coming — locked the door and went silent.”
“Do you think his mood changed suddenly overnight?”
“Yeah. Things were fine yesterday, but today… even when I called out to him so sincerely, he wouldn’t answer. Veilt tried whining, but Boss wouldn’t open the door.”
“Jer never opens the door for Veilt. He’s too stupid.”
So Boss’s disdain for Veilt is public knowledge, huh.
Joshua thought for a moment, then slumped his shoulders.
“Actually, you should never leave Jer alone. Especially when he’s feeling hopeful or happy — that’s when he crashes the hardest once reality hits.”
Tears welled up in Joshua’s eyes.
Were demons always this weepy?
My goal was to help Boss step outside again, but from what Joshua said, it sounded like there was a lot more to it — some deeper, complicated reason he couldn’t leave the room.
He’d even said himself he might never be able to.
Joshua glanced at me, then ended the conversation abruptly.
“Stay with Jer until the rain stops.”
“Even if he throws me out?”
“Yeah. Normally, I’d do it, but I think you’d be better. Jer might not reject you.”
How did he know I was weak to compliments?
I couldn’t help puffing up a little at the idea that I might be the exception.
I quietly sat down beside Boss, who was sitting with his face buried in his knees, hands wrapped around his head.
According to Mr. Veilt, Boss hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch — he’d refused even when offered.
But he hadn’t gotten angry either, so Veilt had left quietly, muttering that he’d “leave it to me,” before slinking out looking pitiful.
“It’s supposed to rain today, Boss.”
“……”
“I’ll stay with you until it stops. I’ll even sleep here tonight.”
“……Go to… your room.”
Oh, he finally spoke — probably because I was being annoying.
“Did something happen last night?”
Beating around the bush isn’t my thing.
I’m no expert at this sort of emotional stuff, so I didn’t know the right approach —
but listening? That, I’m great at.
“Can I touch your hair?”
“…No.”
“You only answer when it’s to refuse.”
When I scooted a bit closer, his shoulders flinched.
“Did you think you could really change overnight just from one conversation yesterday?”
“……”
“That’s… a dangerous way to think, you know?”
“…Why? Because I can’t change?”
Bingo. I must’ve hit the right spot.
“No — because it’s too rushed.”
“…How can it not be rushed?”
I listened carefully to his voice, which was getting quieter and quieter.
“You’ve been broken and hurting for two years, Boss. Fear that deep doesn’t vanish all at once.
When I was little, it took me a year or two before I could even sleep without shutting the door tight.”
“……”
“If you rush it, it’ll only hurt worse. You just need to take it slow — keep trying, and don’t give up. I’ll stay by your side to help you do that.”
“Because of the money.”
“Yes.”
Boss turned his back sharply.
“…Didn’t expect any better.”
“Liar. That hurt, didn’t it?”
When I teased him with a smile, he finally lifted his head just enough to glare at me.
“So scary. That glare — so scary.”
“……”
His lips twitched. Then he turned away again, pressing a hand to his mouth and muttering,
“Annoying. Such a cheap… idiot…”
“Boss! We’ve got all the time in the world, okay? Let’s take it slow!
Don’t go, ‘Why can’t I change, meow!’ after one day. It doesn’t suit you.”
Unable to hold back, Boss uncurled himself and shouted,
“When did I ever talk like that?!”
“You were gloomy and sniffling!”
“I wasn’t crying.”
“You totally were — all, ‘I… I can’t do it…’”
“I wasn’t!”
He got irritated enough to pinch my cheek — right when—
CRASH!
“Waaah!”
A thunderclap boomed, and I screamed reflexively. Boss, startled, let go of my cheek.
“Why are you screaming?”
“T-thunder! It thundered!”
“So?”
“I’m scared of thunder and lightning!”
He frowned, clearly not understanding.
“You said you’d protect me from the rain.”
“I’ll protect you from the rain. You protect me from thunder and lightning.”
“Shameless…”
Grrrnnn~
“…You rebelling against me?”
Is being hungry considered rebellion now?
“You didn’t eat breakfast or lunch, so how could I?”
“Eat. Who told you not to?”
“Then I’ll eat this, okay?”
“Why are you eating my food?”
“You said I should eat!”
“Not mine. Eat yours.”
No way. That would mean walking to the kitchen alone — over my dead body.
“I don’t want to go out in this weather. I’ll just stick close to you here.”
“You want to stick close, don’t you.”
“Exactly. I’m scared. I’ll use your bed tonight, okay? You sleep on the floor anyway.”
“…Now I feel like using the bed out of spite.”
Thankfully, Boss’s mood was finally lifting again. He tugged on the pull cord for the servant bell.
Even as he did, I asked, “I pulled it, but… will anyone come?”
“No idea. I’ve never used it.”
“We need someone to reheat the food…”
“Then go get them.”
Alone? No way!
I grabbed his arm tight.
“Don’t leave me alone!”
“…Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of me?”
“Please take care of me instead.”
He sighed, then reached out his large hand and squished my face like clay.
For a moment, I thought I heard him laugh softly — but it vanished just as quickly when someone knocked on the door.
“Boss… did you just laugh?”
He glared at me like I’d just barked nonsense.
