Kiss Me if You Can Novel - Chapter 9

He smiled awkwardly towards Mark, deliberately avoiding Josh. The group remained silent, unable to escape reality.

“…”

The usually noisy dining room was unusually quiet only at their table. They sat at the large table, piling up food and chewing it, but no one spoke.

“…Where do you think they are now?”

Seth spoke in a deflated voice. He was referring to the previous security team, who had left with such relieved expressions after handing over the duties. The remaining members, who had graciously allowed them one last meal outside, would surely flee as soon as they arrived at the mansion. Expressing how happy they were with their whole bodies.

Mark took a bite of his beef hotdog and replied.

“Crossed the border, perhaps?”

“…I’m envious.”

Everyone agreed with Seth’s muttered remark. Right now, in their hearts, they were all buying plane tickets and leaving this country. Anywhere was fine, as long as they didn’t have to see that man. Josh, especially, had an additional reason, making his desire even more urgent.

Damn it, no matter how beautiful that bastard was, it was just a difference in skin thickness. To lose himself in that moment, knowing full well what kind of trash was inside him. He felt disgusted with himself.

I didn’t know I was this weak to look.

Along with that, Josh inwardly admitted bitterly. He, too, was just a clumsy teenage boy who had been heartbroken by the girl eating a chocolate bar.

“Where would be good?”

Mark said as he unconsciously mumbled.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Cuba. Cough, cigars. Good.”

Seeing him already licking his lips, they each began to name their desired countries.

“Amazon is good too. Sounds fun.”

Henry immediately scoffed at Seth’s quiet voice.

“No hot water and no internet, that’ll be so much fun.”

But that man wouldn’t be there.

Josh thought inwardly. There was no one who suited the city as well as that man. It was hard to imagine Chase Miller in wrinkled clothes, sitting carelessly on the floor, covered in dust. If he were alone, he would be filled with the desire to go to the Amazon or any remote wilderness, cut off from the world, but Josh had Pete. Still, he wanted to ensure the child completed all his formal education.

“How about Alaska?”

Seth looked at Josh at his words. As if asking why he would go there. Josh added defensively.

“It’s quiet, and there are fewer people.”

“Perfect if you’re looking for a rural backwater.”

Henry scoffed again. Then Seth chimed in.

“Canada’s rural too, isn’t it? Do you really need to go all the way to Alaska?”

It wasn’t a bad idea. And then he remembered something he had forgotten.

“Isaac, you’re from Canada, right? How is it to live there?”

At Josh’s question, Isaac, who had been mostly silent until then, replied indifferently.

“I don’t know, I left a long time ago and forgot all my Canadian.”

Everyone looked at Isaac. Isaac, who looked around puzzled, belatedly realized, “Oh, they speak English there too.”

“Why do you even have that?”

Henry pointed to his head, scolding him disdainfully. Josh was about to say that Isaac might have lived in a French-speaking region, but stopped. Everyone knew he was from an English-speaking region.

Someone must have asked in the meantime, as Mark said.

“Can’t quit. The penalty is three times the contract amount.”

“Ughhh.”

As soon as he heard that, Josh let out a pained groan from deep in his throat.

“Shouldn’t the contract fee be increased? How can we work when we’re constantly getting hit like this?”

Isaac protested with a sharp voice. For Josh, getting hit was no longer the problem. The man’s very existence was the problem. From the start, he would never have taken this job if it weren’t for that damned money.

If it’s unavoidable, at least the money.

Everyone’s ears perked up at Isaac’s words, but Mark shook his head.

“Give up. Don’t you know what the Miller family’s main business is? And who’s the eldest son? It’s Nathaniel Miller.”

Of course, they knew that name.

The Satan of the legal world. A bloodless, tearless vampire. A devil lawyer who had never lost a single case.

The meaning of those words was that there was no escape.

“Everyone, take care of yourselves and try not to get hit as much as possible.”

At Mark’s admonition, everyone finished their dinner without another word.

Everyone returned to the mansion with grim expressions. It wasn’t just because of the work they had to start immediately. They had to go greet Chase as the new security team. The former team leader had stayed until the very end for that purpose. Now that the introduction was over, he would truly escape this place as if flying with joy.

“Let’s go.”

The team leader, smiling brightly, a stark contrast to Josh’s group, turned first. As Mark led the way, with everyone else following, Isaac suddenly spoke.

“How about Josh resting first? It’s pretty much the same as having greeted him already with what happened earlier.”

Everyone’s gaze simultaneously focused on Josh. Josh felt embarrassed and was about to say he was fine. But Isaac was faster.

“He got hit on the head. There are no immediate symptoms, but it’s still good to rest. What’s the big deal about just greeting him? Anyway, that bastard won’t even remember our names, let alone how many of us there are.”

That was true. Moreover, Josh’s presence would probably just be “the bodyguard who got shot earlier.” Perhaps he might not even remember hitting anyone. Thinking that, Josh felt a bit bitter.

“That’s true.”

Mark also muttered, agreeing with Isaac. He seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay, Josh, go rest first. If you feel unwell, tell us immediately. It’s just showing your face once, it’s not a big deal.”

“Can’t Mark just go alone and show his face?”

Henry subtly revealed his ulterior motive. He muttered as if to himself, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Unfortunately, it was immediately dismissed.

“Only Josh rests, the rest of us go. We have to do what we have to do.”

Henry immediately looked displeased but said nothing more. Thanks to that, Josh was able to go back to his room and rest first.

Thank goodness.

He finally sighed as he lay on the bed. His head continued to throb and ache, but it wasn’t unbearable. He almost wished it hurt so much that he couldn’t think at all. But ironically, the injury wasn’t that severe. What weighed more heavily on his mind was the fact that only one day had passed. And he had to endure a maximum of six months.

Under that mad dog, Chase Miller.