Page 15

I give her my attention again, waiting for her to say more.
“How will I have my meal?” she asks, and I figure out that she’s hungry.
She didn’t ask about the place where she could have breakfast in this house, which means that she’s still afraid of getting out of this room.
“You’ll get it,” I say.
I’d already thought about it last night.
“Someone will bring it for you.”
She’s silent, but I can feel her uneasiness.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “It won’t be the guys from last night. You’ll get to know her soon.”
She sighs in relief, knowing that it will be a girl who will come to this room.
“What about you?” she asks with a hint of curiosity in her voice. She must have seen the confusion in my face, because the next thing she says is, “I mean, I know that you can have breakfast anywhere in this house, but I just want to know your usual routines. Do you eat in the kitchen or dining room? Or do you prefer to have your meal inside your room? What about your schedules? Do you have a martial arts practice during the day? When do you train the fighters? Do you go out–”
“I thought I made it clear that I didn’t need a goddamn caregiver,” I snap, not wanting to hear the rest of her questions.
She doesn’t respond to my harsh statement right away, but after seconds pass, she says fiercely, “Then what do you expect me to do?”
I can hear the frustration in her voice.
“Do you really want me to go crazy, being imprisoned in this room like a lost wounded animal? Why don’t you just tell everyone in here that I am indeed your caregiver hired by your brother? If you had done so, I wouldn’t have been picked by them and they wouldn’t see me as a slave that they could just use and trash once you’re bored with me.” Her sob suddenly breaks, letting me know how much that thought has been haunting her.
I can hear her fear all over again in her voice, and my fist instantly shakes with rage again. I hate how she is affecting me this much. I don’t know how to respond to her demand yet, so being the cruel man that I am, I turn my back to her.
“Liam.” Emily grabs my arm.
Her touch almost makes me explode. I don’t like being touched, literally, by anyone. One who knows me better will be smart enough to maintain distance from me.
But Emily’s touch is even worse. She’s shaking, begging for help. To me, she feels fragile as a glass. She makes me want to pull her into me, but at the same time, I want to push her away because I’m afraid that she will shatter.
What the f**k is wrong with me? This girl is making me crazy.
While I’m trying my best to hold my anger, I turn my head again. I can’t see her expression when she looks at my face, but whatever it is that she sees, it gives her hope because she says, “Please. I really need your help.”
“Make it quick.” I can only utter those harsh words.
I know that once again, I made her heart sink, contrary to my intention of helping her.
“My suitcase,” she stutters, “the guard outside didn’t give it back to me after inspecting it. I really need it. My clothes are in there. My stuff–”
Those words are enough for me, so without waiting for her to finish her sentence, I step out of my room and shut the door behind me, leaving her alone.
I hear the door being knocked, and once I open it, I am greeted with a girl.
She looks around the same age as me. She has shoulder-length hair — brown colored — and she has pretty green eyes.
She smiles at me, and I can already feel her kindness.
When I focus on the tray of food she’s holding, I quickly open the door wider to let her in. I watch as she places the tray on Liam’s desk.
“Thank you so much.” I approach her, grateful that she did come to bring me food.
I’m expecting her to say something back, but then she points at the door, as though she’s trying to tell me that she still has something else for me. A moment later, she drags my suitcase into the room, and huge relief washes over me, I feel like I can burst into tears.
I was worried that I had lost my belongings.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me.” I want to hug her, and since she doesn’t show any reluctance, I wrap my arms around her.
When I pull away, I see the same happiness skating on her face. This girl seems like a genuine person. I feel like I can be her friend.
“Did Liam tell you about this?” I ask.
The answer is clear, but I just want to hear it from her. She only nods, and I assume that she’s not a talkative person.
“I’m Emily, by the way.” I stretch my arm for a handshake, which she accepts. “And you are?” I raise my eyebrows.
To my surprise, instead of answering my question, she pulls out a pile of small note papers and a pen from her pants pocket. My curiosity kicks in as she starts writing something. When she shows me what it is, my heart sinks.
I’m Tera. Nice to meet you, Emily!
I’m a mute, by the way. I can’t talk. I hope you don’t mind talking to me like this.
I shake my head and smile. “Of course. I’m so happy to meet you, Tera. Thank you for helping me out.”
To answer your question, yes, Liam did tell me to do these things for you.
Honestly, it’s rare to see him do something like this.
“Is he a nice person?” I ask. “Please be honest.”
Tera shakes her head in amusement.
Sometimes he acts like a pain in the a*s, but he’s actually a good person. Don’t worry.
I let out a sigh of relief. Talking to Tera is already making me much calmer. I need someone like her in a place like this.
“My job is to take care of him,” I say. “But he doesn’t let me.”
A frown touches her lips.
Why?
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I’m pretty sure that he found me annoying.”
This time, Tera shakes her head in disagreement.
Don’t let that get into your head. Please, don’t give up. I think he needs someone like you. Just let me know if I can help you with anything.
There’s so much more I want to hear from her about her sentence, but I decide to focus on one point first.
“I really appreciate your help,” I say. “Can you tell me more about him and this place? He’s blind. How does he usually get help around here?”
With enthusiasm, Tera writes me, and her answers are long.
Liam has been living here since he was born. He lost his eyesight when he was only 9 years old in a car crash that killed his parents and his sister. Since then, he kind of changed into someone who was always angry. Many people saw him, and still see him, as a lost cause because none of them knows him better. He’s traumatized, and not many people can understand that. Please, don’t give up on him. Behind his harsh exterior is a kind and caring person.
As for his daily needs, he usually takes his meals in the kitchen unless he’s not in the mood and wants to bring the food to his bedroom. All Eagle Wings members do their laundry by themselves, but it doesn’t apply to Liam. My father does that for him.
I ponder in thought. Tera’s father might not have to do that anymore because it’s now my job.
Curiosity builds up inside me. “I’m sorry for asking this, but what does your father do? And what about you? In which part of the house do you two live in?”
It’s very tempting for me to sleep in her place. It sounds better than here, on the same bed with Liam. But I don’t want to barge into her privacy — I just met her.
My father is a tattoo artist. He does the tattoo for Eagle Wings leaders and members. Sometimes, I help him with that.
We live in the basement but not the one where the boxing ring is. It’s another basement.