Chapter 2 - Comfort

“Well, I don’t really know much about pop culture,” the man lied aptly. It wasn’t a complete lie, though; it was true that he wasn’t well-versed in pop culture. Above anything, he just wanted to finish paying quickly and go home. Just in time, another customer stood behind him, glaring at the cashier. The cashier hastily finished processing the payment and looked up.

The man was taller than he had expected. Moreover, the chest before the cashier’s eyes was clearly tight and muscular, despite being hidden under the shirt. When he glanced at the man’s face, which was positioned much higher than he had imagined, he jolted.

As he widened his eyes and blinked, the man put the items into the plastic bags himself, said a simple word of farewell, and left. 

While the cashier blankly stared at his back, the customer who was standing behind the man began to complain, “Why in the world did that take so long?”

“Did you see his face? The man who just walked out?”

The customer stared at the cashier in awe. However, the cashier was still gazing in the direction where the man had disappeared toward.

He murmured, “He must be an alpha, right?”

The cashier marveled once again, so the customer scrunched up their face and stared in the same direction as him. “I didn’t smell his pheromones.”

“He’s so good-looking, though. He has to be an alpha. He’s pretty jacked, too.”

“Really? His back was definitely a sight to behold, though.” The customer belatedly took interest, but the man was already nowhere to be seen.

The cashier finally came to his senses and sighed as he scanned the items. ‘I hope he comes again,’ he thought.

*

*

‘I’m never going to that store again.’

Josh gritted his teeth as he violently swerved in and out of the lane. Cars honked and curses exploded all around him, but he ignored them all and stepped harder on the accelerator.

He was already 30 minutes late. Why did the cashier have to dawdle like that? He had stretched out what could have been done in 10 minutes by making useless small talk. Moreover, the topic brought up by the cashier was something that Josh would much rather avoid. He had already been hearing various things about Chase Miller for days, to the point where he was developing a headache.

It was something that couldn’t be avoided even if he had tried to. Wherever people gathered, everyone talked about him. The soft drink that was dispensed at a push of the vending machine button had his face stamped on it. Whenever he turned the TV on, the news talked about him, and a giant billboard of his perfume advertisement stood its post by the road.

As long as he lived in this country, he could not turn away from Chase Miller.

Josh caught himself from swearing violently out of irritation and barely managed to swallow it. Josh had gotten quite a shock when Pete had heard a bad word that Josh had said and innocently repeated it. Since then, Josh always took extra care not to even accidentally let any inappropriate words slip. However, days like this were certainly difficult to endure not swearing.

He had to picture Pete’s face and hold it in with all his might. When he finally arrived home, he genuinely almost cheered out loud.

Josh skipped three stairs per stride and finally reached his home. As soon as he flung open the door, he called out for his child. “Pete!”

Pete, who was playing with the babysitter on the living room floor, turned his head and shouted back, “Daddy!”

“Pete!”

Pete reached his short arms out toward him. Josh promptly picked him up and showered his whole face with kisses. The satisfaction that welled up in his chest made it almost difficult to breathe. It felt as if the exhaustion that was piled up from the day’s work was evaporating in a matter of seconds.

Only after indulging in a touching reunion after five whole hours of separation did Josh acknowledge the babysitter with Pete still propped up in his arms. “Thanks for your work, as usual.”

“No worries. Pete is such a sweet boy, and it makes things very easy for me.”

He was a university student who was working part-time as a babysitter to look after the child in Josh’s stead. Josh gazed down at the ordinary university student who was at least a head shorter than him.

He smiled and said, “I’m really in your debt. It’s exams soon, isn’t it? Do let me know if there are days when you can’t work, yeah?”

“Of course, Josh. I’ll try not to cancel anything. I’ll see you next time, Pete,” said the babysitter simply as he held the child’s hand.

Josh paid the babysitter his daily pay, and he was finally alone with Pete. Pete loved climbing up Josh’s shoulder and sitting on it; as usual, Josh began to prepare dinner with Pete on his shoulders.

“Wah, ahh, baah!” mumbled the child inaudibly, bouncing on his bottom. It was probably the theme song of his favorite cartoon. Needless to say, that was just what Josh assumed.

Josh pecked the child’s chubby calf and dexterously maneuvered around the small kitchen. He effortlessly grilled some steak and fixed up a potato salad, finishing off with some peas.

“No peas,” Pete complained in his baby seat in front of the table as soon as he spotted green on his plate. 

Josh began to cut the meat so that it would be easy for Pete to eat while saying, “Peas are friends with potatoes. They’ll only be happy if they go into Pete’s tummy together. Because they’re good friends, you know? You wouldn’t want to say goodbye to Jason either, would you?”

Jason was the puppy plushie that Pete liked very much. It was a pretty convincing attempt, but Pete didn’t back down.

“No peas,” Pete grumbled.

His stubborn pout briefly reminded Josh of someone. Josh jolted at the hint of the similar-looking but much older man’s cold expression.

But it was Pete who sat before his eyes, not that man. That man was not cute nor adorable like Pete. Moreover, Pete’s face as he looked down at his peas in disappointment was incomparably lovely.