Chapter 7.3

“…..Should I hold your hand?”

They didn’t have any medicine and didn’t know when they will be going out. He won’t like it, but Mason asked. Noah looked at him like he heard something crazy.

“If you hold something, it’s less scary.”

“That’s when the other person is reliable.”

Relying on you? Noah turned his head like don’t talk to me because it’s annoying, and Mason shook his hands.

“No, I as well…., frankly I’m not saying this because I like someone who ruthlessly slapped my cheeks and shot at my face with a gun.”

“-The cheek, -no, never mind. Since there’s nothing good for each other, don’t talk to me.”

Noah opened his mouth to quibble over you hit me too, but soon sharply said it like he doesn’t even talk to him. Mason stared at Noah’s swollen chubby cheek and looked at his sweaty neck. His shoulders were lightly shivering and arms and neck were all tensed up not able to move.

Mason rubbed his lips. He told me to not to care why am I nosily caring. He turned thinking ‘I’ll pretend not to know.’

“……”

“…..”

“…………”

And there was a small silent. Some minutes have passed. Mason glanced at Noah. Actually he’s been peeping at him. Noah who got little better after getting slapped looked like he’s getting worse again. He was panting heavily and leaning his head on the wall of the elevator closing his eyes. Even in this dark place, Mason was clearly able to see how pale and precarious state Noah is in right now.

“……”

Mason scratched his head for a while and sighed quietly. He approached him and quietly embraced his shoulders. He felt Noah’s small flinch.

“–Wait for a second.”

Mason quickly said it before Noah say something.

“I don’t like you, and I know Mr. Raycarlton doesn’t like me either. I know, I’m saving a person in a battle field, no, anyway. I’ll act like I don’t know you when we go out so just think of me as a body pillow and hold it for a while.”

Seriously you, you look like you’re gonna die. –After he said that, Mason held Noah’s shoulder little tighter, so Noah can’t push him away. Noah tried to stand up because he didn’t like it, but he didn’t even have that energy and soon he murmured ‘Fuck…’ and leaned on him.

“….If we go out, I’m going to sue you for a sexual assault.”

Noah breathe heavily and said it in his embrace, and Mason laughed.

“You are even thinking of going out here alive?”

“Who dies for getting locked in an elevator?”

“…..”

He talks well even though he’s shaking in my embrace like he’s going to die soon. Mason sighed at Noah’s drenched wet hair on his shoulder, cold neck, and nonstop shivering shoulder.

Because I’m holding him like this, it feels like I went back to 10 years ago. Back then this was common for Noah. On a regular day, he looks fine, but occasionally he is vacantly sitting there. Or when he’s sleeping quietly, he wakes up screaming with a pale face and looks around. He looks around with fear in his eyes for a while, and when he has an eye contact with Mason who was dozing off under the bed, he gets relieved and goes back to sleep.

Sometimes Mason thought he was overreacting, but he looked at sleeping Noah and once in a while stroke his hair. Still it wasn’t for that long…..

“….. That. Hair….. Don’t do that.”

Mason raised his head at a voice coming from his embrace. Noah was frowning with his eyes closed. Mason was unconsciously stroking Noah’s wet hair and carefully asked, “….Does it feel bad?” That time I thought he went to sleep well when I did this to him….

Noah didn’t answer Mason. Mason wasn’t sure if he didn’t like it but didn’t have energy to say something or didn’t not like it. He just touched his hair more slowly. He heard Noah sighing quietly.

“…..Hey, Mr. Raycarlton.”

Mason played with his hair for a long time all of a sudden called him. Noah didn’t answer or raise his head, but Mason continued to ask.

“Seriously why did you come?”

How did he know this house, why did he come, and why is it important for him to know whether I’m alive or not. I was curious about these.

Actually since I’m living inside of Haley’s body, it was better for me to forget about these kind of curiosity. Without asking that person anything, I just have to get out of this place and go to the bank and after I get the money, the life as Mason is completely over. There was some sadness and lingering feeling, but I’m not delusional. I am dead. My head flew away and completely died and with that that life had ended. It wasn’t reincarnation like commonly thinking. It was a great luck that I’m able to live in the same time period continuing the time I lived, so I’m able to take my safe.

Mason definitely understood that and no matter how weird the situation was, if it wasn’t Noah, he might have just passed it.

“Perhaps… Do you have some business with Mason?”

But Noah get in my sight too much to be ignored. I didn’t think that it is a great destiny that we are locked in the elevator, but still it is true that I see this man’s weakness especially often.

It was like this when I first met Noah. –The story is not 10 years ago.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I LOVE this new picture! I coincidentally found it online I didn't know they had this picture... I have some more! I'll change the cover picture again later~