“Where are you going? You’re still not fully recovered,” Diois said, watching Henry take out clothes to change. He moved closer, concern etched on his face.

With a frustrated sigh, Henry pushed past Diois, meeting his gaze with steely resolve. “Diois...” he started, his voice tinged with helplessness. “Please, I’m begging you… not now.” The exhaustion weighed heavily on him.

“I’m just worried about you. Is that so hard to understand?” Diois replied, gripping Henry’s elbow gently but firmly.

“I didn’t ask you to worry about me,” Henry shot back, pulling his arm away. “You don’t need to. I’m doing fine on my own.”

Diois’s eyes narrowed slightly, his frustration creeping in.

Henry shook his head, his heart racing. “You’re only here for a few days, and once you get tired of this, you’ll leave. Then what?” The fear of being left alone surged within him, a fear he couldn’t shake off.

Those words hung heavily in the air. Henry’s greatest fear was being left alone again. He didn’t want Diois's presence to make him feel vulnerable, especially since he had no feelings for him, he didn’t want to develop feelings that could lead to more pain.

But he couldn’t shake the nagging terrified worry that his resentment toward Diois might morph into something else—a deeper emotional connection that would only lead to more pain when Diois inevitably left.

“All right, let me drop you off wherever you’re going,”
Diois said, his tone softer but still laced with that familiar firmness.

Henry didn’t argue. Too tired to fight him on this, he quickly changed into his clothes, feeling Diois’s gaze on him the entire time.

Once he was ready, they both headed toward the door in silence.

As they walked out to the car, Henry kept his eyes forward, trying to ignore the way Diois’s presence seemed to linger in the space between them.

When they reached the car, Diois opened the door for Henry. Without a word, Henry slid into the passenger seat, fastening his seatbelt as Diois moved to the driver’s side.

The car rumbled to life, and for a moment, the hum of the engine was the only sound between them.

As they pulled away, Diois glanced at Henry, his brow furrowed.“Where are we heading?” he asked, his voice more neutral now, less intrusive.

Henry hesitated for a moment, his hand gripping his phone. “Just to the Soul restaurant... Kay found a job for me there"

Henry muttered, not meeting Diois’s eyes. He stared out the window, watching the city blur by.

Diois didn’t say anything in return, but his grip on the steering wheel tightened. The silence was thick, uncomfortable, yet neither of them broke it.

After a while, they reached the restaurant. Henry unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, but before he could step out, Diois’s voice stopped him.

“Henry…” Diois began, his tone softer now, almost hesitant. “If you need anything… I’m here, okay? I'll wait"

Henry froze for a second, his hand on the door. "Don't wait. I'll be late"  He didn’t look back, just stepped out of the car. As he walked away, the heaviness in his chest grew. He didn’t want Diois’s help, and didn’t want his concern.

The soft chime of the restaurant door brought him back to reality. Kay greeted him with a wide smile from behind the counter, unaware of the inner turmoil Henry had been battling just moments ago.

It was late by the time Henry finally finished his shift. He walked out of the restaurant with Kay, Ohana, and Amon, the cool night air a welcome relief after the long hours inside.

“Hey, since it’s Henry’s first day, how about we grab a drink?” Kay suggested excitedly as they stepped through the exit.

“That sounds like a plan! I’m in,” Ohana chimed in.

Henry was about to politely decline when he froze, spotting Diois leaning casually against his car, his gaze locked on Henry.

He’s still here? Henry's mind raced. It had been nearly 10 hours since he left for work—why hadn’t Diois left?

“What’s up?” Kay asked, noticing Henry’s hesitation. The others followed his line of sight and spotted Diois standing there.

“Wow… who is that? He’s ridiculously handsome,” Ohana whispered, covering her mouth in awe.

“Henry, do you know him?” Kay asked curiously.

Henry tore his eyes away from Diois, feeling a wave of frustration and something else he didn’t want to name. “Sorry, guys. I’ll have to pass tonight. Next time, drinks on me,” he said, trying to sound casual.

They exchanged knowing glances, sensing that Henry didn’t want to explain further.

They waved him off with understanding smiles. "No worries! We'll hold you to that promise," Kay said, as Henry walked toward Diois, feeling the weight of his presence grow stronger with each step.

Henry walked quickly toward Diois, a strange mix of irritation and confusion simmering beneath the surface. It had been ten hours since he’d last seen him, and yet here was Diois, standing as casually as ever by the car, as if he hadn’t moved the entire time.

“What are you still doing here?” Henry asked, his voice low, trying to mask his frustration. He could feel his coworkers' curious stares behind him, adding to the tension.

Diois shrugged, his eyes never leaving Henry’s. “I told you I’d wait.”

“For ten hours?” Henry almost scoffed. “You didn’t have to. I told you not to.”

Diois’s expression softened, but his tone remained steady. “But I wanted to.”

Henry opened his mouth to argue but stopped. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and picking a fight with Diois wasn’t something he had the energy for right now.

“Let me take you home,” Diois offered, stepping closer. His voice was gentler now, a calm contrast to the tension between them. “You’ve had a long day.”

Henry hesitated, torn between wanting to push Diois away and the quiet relief of not having to walk home alone. He glanced back at his coworkers, still watching, and sighed.

“Fine,” he muttered, walking toward the car. “But this doesn’t mean anything.”

Diois said nothing, simply opening the door for Henry with an unreadable expression. They sat in silence for a while as the car started. Eventually, Diois broke the silence. “What do you want to eat for dinner?”

“I already ate,” Henry replied coldly, his eyes fixed on the passing streets.

“Oh,” Diois replied, his voice small but not pressing further.

The silence grew heavy again, and it slowly dawned on Henry that something felt off. He glanced at Diois suspiciously. “You haven’t eaten anything, have you?”

Diois’s serious face suddenly brightened as he chuckled lightly. “No, but I’m not hungry.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t go anywhere all day?”

Diois nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Yeah, I didn’t leave. What if you came out and didn’t see me? So, I stayed in the car. Don’t worry, I was just bored, so I stood outside for a bit.”

Henry stared at Diois, utterly speechless. He had waited all day without eating anything? After he’d mentioned being hungry earlier in the day?

Is this guy stupid or just crazy? Henry thought, baffled. He must be crazy.
Before Henry could suggest they stop somewhere to grab food, they had already arrived at his place.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and glanced at Diois. “Thanks,” he muttered, feeling a sense of obligation. Despite everything, he felt a small twinge of gratitude.