206: Side story 10 "No, I didn't see it. What I saw wasn't that…" He was about to speak but soon hesitated. As his mother from his dream came back to life in his mind, a corner of his heart felt warm. As he had sensed then, he never saw her again after that. Probably never would in the future either. But even thinking that, Dane's heart wasn't painful or sad. The guilt, hatred, and anguish he had always felt whenever he thought of his mother were no longer there. He simply accepted their past as it was. Thinking that perhaps he too, like other people, might be able to live normally accepting and loving others. Even my own child. At the sudden thought, he snapped back to attention. What am I suddenly thinking? A child, that's nonsense. "Dane?" At the calling voice, Dane returned to reality. When he raised his head, the other guys were looking at him curiously. Dane soon smiled nonchalantly and changed the subject. "I didn't see anything special. More than that, I have something I'm curious about – can you guys give me some advice?" "Advice?" "To us?" The guys were surprised and focused their attention on him. Feeling somewhat burdened, Dane opened his mouth. "Actually, I have something to give someone as a gift, and I want to know what you guys usually do when giving gifts." "A gift?" "What do you usually do?" The guys who had repeated Dane's words exactly seemed to think for a moment while stroking their chins, then came up with ideas one by one. "I gave my younger brother a book last time. A new book in the series that guy likes came out." "I waited in line to get the tumbler my daughter wanted. Man, she was so happy." "There was some snack that's hard to get these days. I ransacked fifteen stores for that. But after all that trouble getting it for her, she said it tasted like dog piss and threw away more than half without eating it. I still feel wronged when I think about it!" "What's dog piss taste? How do you know that?" "It's probably similar to human piss." "How do you know what human piss tastes like?" As expected, the conversation began flowing in a ridiculous direction. Dane just silently watched the pathetic sight of his former colleagues starting to chatter about useless topics. Along with the regret of having chosen the wrong people to ask. "But who's the recipient?" Just as he was sighing, someone suddenly threw out a question. At the sudden question, he unconsciously raised his head to find everyone's attention had turned to him. "Right, gifts vary depending on who the recipient is." "Come to think of it, Dane giving someone a gift – isn't this the first time?" "Well, he did bring things to our kids' birthday parties and such, but if it's not that kind of thing, it's the first time." After exchanging words here and there, they all looked at Dane with curious gazes. Their eyes were sparkling unprecedentedly. Under their threatening gazes that seemed to say they knew everything so he should confess honestly, Dane quickly raised both hands and denied it. "No, it's not that kind of thing." "It's not?" "No?" The guys grinned and flashed mischievous looks. Dane straightened his face and emphasized again. "I said it's not. Really not." "He says it's not." "What's not about it?" "What is it that's not? What, what?" They were determined to hear the inside story from Dane. I really shouldn't have come here. Dane gritted his teeth while reflecting on his deep regret. "You bastards, I'm never coming again." "That's that, but tell us now." "What happened? Whose gift is it?" "Dane only spends money on condoms or alcohol, right? But a gift? This isn't ordinary." "Of course, this is a huge incident. An enormous scoop!" Seeing the guys even high-five each other, there was nowhere left to retreat. DeAndre and several others were already blocking the door. He was completely trapped. "Haaaa." Finally, Dane sighed and declared surrender. "You guys are right." "We're riiiight?" "What is it thooough?" These bastards. At their attitude of being determined to hear an answer from Dane until the end, Dane finally spat out through gritted teeth. "I have someone I'm dating. Satisfied? Huh?" "Wooooooo!" "Waaaahhh!" "Yee-haw, yee-haw! Yee-haw!" In an instant, the guys let out cheers and ran around the room wildly. One guy even climbed on a bench and waved one arm above his head like a cowboy, pretending to ride a horse. After a commotion broke out, they finally calmed their excitement and crowded around Dane. "How did you meet? What kind of person are they?" "Since when have you been dating? You sly bastard, you've been hiding this from us all this time!" "So that's why you seemed depressed all that time without having one-night stands?" At someone's question, everyone went "ah" as if realizing something and snapped their fingers with a click. "That's it! Right, you were really strange back then, weren't you?" "It was from that time, I never would have imagined." "This bastard, it's been that long and you didn't say a word to us, then quit your job?" "Amazing. For a promiscuous guy like you to suddenly change like that. What kind of person could it be?" Everyone was thinking the same thing. Of course, the direction of their curiosity was also the same. What kind of person could have captured this playboy? Seeing fully grown, dark-complexioned men sitting around with sparkling eyes like teenage girls wanting to hear his love story, Dane was astounded but had no way to escape. Finally, he let out a frustrated breath and opened his mouth. "I just happened to get to know them." "Just happened? What do you mean just happened?" "Did you meet at a club? A one-night stand partner?" "Is it a woman? A man? Pretty? Glamorous? Sexy?" "So what happened? Why are you buying a gift? Why were you depressed back then?" He had only said one sentence, but the following questions were several times more numerous. Dane busily racked his brain on how to get out of this crisis. "First, everyone calm down, calm down." To buy time, he raised both hands and soothed them with "whoa, whoa," waiting for the guys to quiet down somewhat before opening his mouth. "I really got to know them by chance. Just passing by and getting to know them, something like that." "Does that make sense?" "It does for Dane, let's hear him out first." "You be quiet. Dane, so then?" Someone raised an objection but it was immediately dismissed. After the surroundings became quiet again, Dane spoke. "I happened to meet them a few times and asked to date… after that, it's similar to you guys. We fought, broke up, met again, and it became like that." It was an excessive abbreviation. Hungry hyenas wouldn't be satisfied with this. "That's it?" "It's too short, tell us in more detail!" Outcries immediately poured out, but Dane had already stood up from his seat. "That's enough for now, the rest next time." His former colleagues had expressions full of dissatisfaction, but his attitude was firm. Then another question flew at him. "How did you end up dating that person? Until now you just slept around like crazy but never actually dated anyone." Right, right, heads nodded here and there. It was an undeniable fact. Everyone knew how promiscuous Dane had been. He who had the principle of liking sex but never forming deep relationships was dating someone? And even preparing a gift? How did he come to have such feelings? Under their curious gazes, Dane was silent for a moment as if pondering, then opened his mouth. "Just… how should I put it." He continued after a pause as if choosing appropriate words. "When I came to my senses, I found myself thinking I liked them. I thought it wouldn't be bad to be together with this person in the future, something like that." "Ohhh…"