Chapter 3
Still not ready to give up on his schemes, Leander still couldn’t believe that Theodore hadn’t been swayed by the temptation of sin.
“And now I’m the one who owes him…” Leander muttered irritably.
Demons can’t rest easy if they owe a debt to someone else.
That’s why Leander looked restless when he felt indebted to Theodore after the way he’d treated him lately.
“This should be enough to pay him back, right?” Leander muttered softly, tilting his head uncertainly.
Leander pushed open the bakery door with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Here you go,” Leander said, handing the coffee to Theodore, who was already inside the bakery.
“Ohh!” Theodore’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Leander handing him a cup of coffee.
“You just know I need coffee this early in the morning,” Theodore said with a wide grin, accepting the coffee.
Leander merely smiled faintly, but inside he was grinning widely, thinking that Theodore had finally fallen into his trap.
“I’m glad it helps,” Leander replied.
Instantly, Theodore felt a chill run through his entire body upon hearing Leander’s words.
However, Theodore didn’t say anything; he just quietly watched Leander as he got ready.
When Theodore turned and walked toward the kitchen, it was now Leander who stared at him meaningfully.
. . .
All this time, Leander had realized that Theodore would stay at the bakery even after they’d closed.
Leander didn’t think much of it and always left Theodore there alone.
“I don’t know why, but it’s been bothering me,” Leander muttered softly.
At that moment, Leander was sitting on a bench outside the bakery, lost in thought as he gazed at the London streets beginning to be blanketed in snow.
Until finally, Leander felt a warmth on his cheek.
When he looked up, he saw Theodore approaching, pressing a cup of hot coffee against his cheek.
“You look… distracted? What’s wrong?” Theodore handed him the cup of coffee, then sat down across from Leander.
“None of your business,” Leander replied, sipping his coffee.
A warm sensation began to spread through Leander’s body as the coffee entered his system.
Not only that, but Leander had also grown much more accustomed to Theodore’s presence by his side.
“By the way, here, take this.” Theodore handed Leander an envelope.
Leander furrowed his brow when he saw the envelope.
“What’s this?” Leander felt uneasy when he saw the envelope.
“Your paycheck for this week, along with money for the coffee you’ve been bringing me lately,” Theodore replied casually.
“Huh?” Leander felt as if he’d been struck by lightning upon hearing that.
The hand that had accepted the envelope went limp.
“You’re looking at me like that again,” Theodore said awkwardly, recognizing the familiar look in Leander’s eyes.
“I’m truly human. The Demon… that’s you.” Theodore lowered his voice at the end of the sentence.
“You’re really strange.” Leander spoke softly, staring at the envelope in his hand.
Theodore gently patted Leander on the shoulder. “No matter what, I have no intention of taking advantage of my employee.”
Chuckling softly, Theodore gently ruffled Leander’s long hair.
Leander froze; he could feel the warmth even though he wasn’t sipping coffee.
. . .
“This is bad! I have to come up with another plan,” Leander said as he paced back and forth in the bathroom.
“How is it that that damn human isn’t affected by greed at all?” Leander looked annoyed as he stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
“He really isn’t an ordinary person,” Leander muttered, rubbing his chin and forcing his mind to think hard.
A knock sounded from outside the bathroom door.
“Leander, are you in there?”
Theodore’s voice came from outside.
“Yeah, what?!” Leander’s voice still sounded annoyed.
“I need your help at the bakery.”
“I’ll be right back!”
“All right!”
After that, the sound of footsteps receding could be heard.
“Looks like I really do have to follow him secretly. I’m sure he’s been up to no good behind my back.”
Now a sly grin formed once more on Leander’s full, cunning lips.
With renewed resolve, Leander went back to work at the bakery while quietly waiting for closing time.
Right after they closed, Leander eagerly told Theodore he was heading home.
Theodore had no objection and let him go home.
“This time, I’ll make sure your soul belongs to me, Theodore.” The corners of Leander’s mouth turned up.
For about two full hours, Leander waited in a small alley near Theodore’s bakery.
Finally, Leander saw Theodore emerge from the bakery carrying a large plastic bag in each hand.
Silently, Leander followed Theodore from behind, making sure his target wouldn’t notice him.
It was snowing quite heavily that night, and Leander found himself soaked by the snow.
From a distance, Leander could see Theodore struggling to pull his jacket tighter.
“Tsk! That fool really gets on my nerves,” Leander muttered, unable to contain himself as he watched Theodore struggle.
However, it wasn’t yet time for him to reveal himself.
Fifteen minutes later, Leander realized that Theodore was headed for a church near their bakery.
“No way…” Leander nearly stumbled backward when he saw a priest come out to greet Theodore.
Seeing that Theodore was having trouble handing over the loaves of bread he was carrying, Leander couldn’t help but step closer.
Coming up behind Theodore, Leander immediately snatched the plastic bag he was carrying.
“Who are you—”
“Let me help you.” With an annoyed expression, Leander glanced briefly at Theodore, who was startled to see him.
The two of them then entered the church to give the bread to the nuns and children living there.
It was then that Leander realized Theodore had been bringing the unsold bread to this church all along.
The bread that Theodore had intentionally baked in excess turned out to end up at the church.
Not a single piece of the leftover bread was left behind.
“Thank you for your help tonight. I’d really be in trouble if it weren’t for you,” Theodore said with relief.
“So all the bread you’ve been baking lately, you’ve been giving it all to them?”
Theodore nodded slowly. “I intentionally made a little extra today because Christmas Eve is coming up soon.”
“I really can’t understand you,” Leander said honestly.
For a moment, they simply gazed at each other, looking deep into one another’s eyes.
Searching for answers that were surely different for each of them.
Theodore was the first to react; he pulled Leander close and hugged him… a little tighter.
“I’ll pay you for your hard work tonight, just think of it as your overtime pay,” Theodore said with a shiver.
“Arrgh! I really hate you!” Leander pushed Theodore’s body away from him.
Theodore burst out laughing at Leander’s reaction and chose to move closer again and pull him into his arms once more.