Ch.9: Contract [3]

Plop!

Knox watched the plastic-wrapped carrots land on the cart he was pushing. He stretched his hands, picked it as it rolled in the part where all the frozen foods were, and arranged it on the other side.

Then, he pushed the cart again, following the grumpy-looking man walking down the aisle like he owned the building. He was literally in the middle, and if someone pushing a cart were on his way, that person would just scurry away like they'd seen a ghost.

The supermarket's employees were all following their movements as if they were going to pocket something and bolt. Knox didn't like the attention, so he made sure to put considerable distance between him and his boss.

However, his snobby employer looked back and grimaced, "Why are you so far? Do you want me to play basketball here?"

Knox wondered what he meant, but when another block of cheese landed on the cart with a thud, the tip of his eyebrow twitched.

'Why is he so childish?' Knox wondered.

He pushed the cart until it was only an inch away from his boss' behind. Then, Azrael stopped abruptly, but since Knox was pushing the cart a bit fast to catch up with his boss' long strides, the cart bumped into his thighs and Azrael lost balance.

Bam!

The cart rattled. The vegetables and fruits got squished and the sack of sugar burst. The eggs on the upper compartment of the cart rolled one by one from the carton and cracked open as they hit Azrael's head.

Knox stood frozen, astounded. All the staff watching them gaped. Knox shuddered from the silence coming from his boss. His quirky and grouchy behavior vanished replaced by a foreboding aura surrounding him.

Knox could see his boss' hair raising at its ends as if a fire was flaring it up and sending shivers down his spine. The words got caught in his throat, so he just nervously picked up the cracked eggshells on his hair.

Azrael's head turned abruptly to Knox which made him flinched. His face was beyond unrecognizable as the egg whites and egg yolks trickled down his face, accompanied by the shadow as dark as night plastered on his visage.

The poor Omega quickly grabbed a tissue from the cart, ripped the plastic open, and immediately wiped his boss' face filled with eggs which almost got fried from his furious looks.

Knox fumbled with the tissue, instead of wiping, the sticky egg whites only got smudged on his face, "O-Oh, no! I'm sorry, sir! I'm very sorry! I apologize! I didn't know you'd stopped so suddenly and you said to hurry up and come closer…!"

Knox stopped rambling. His boss didn't say those words. He just asked if he wanted to play basketball. Those silver eyes that oozed a sinister aura glared at him. He stopped wiping his handsome face and took a step back unconsciously.

Azrael stood from sitting in the cart. The remaining eggshells on his head fell to the floor. If the situation doesn't feel like a horror genre where the serial killer is ready to pounce on his victims, Knox would laugh thinking his boss looks like a newly hatched chick.

However, there was no trace of cuteness and chirpy vibes on him.

He swept his hair back and gritted his teeth, "Hah…this is annoying. Are you f*cking with me, huh? You did it deliberately, didn't you? What's your problem?!"

Knox frantically shook his head, "No, sir! I didn't, I swear! It was an accident!"

"Shut your mouth! You're f*cking annoying!"

Azrael snatched a roll of tissue from the shelves and wiped himself. When the stains didn't come off, he threw the tissue to Knox. It hit his bowed head and fell on the cart. Knox heard the man sigh exasperatedly.

"Excuse me, sirs, but you have to pay for all the damages you cause."

Knox's shoulders jumped in surprise. The female staff, oblivious to the atmosphere, frowned at them as she scanned the cart and shook her head. She was thinking about how troublesome the two customers were. She called a janitor and asked to clean the floor, and then she tried to escort the two to the cashier.

Knox apologized and insisted, "We'll pay, we'll pay. But we still haven't bought everything we need, so—

The female staff interrupted him, "I'm sorry, sir, but you're just getting in the way. Why don't you help your friend clean himself first, then come back?"

Knox nervously glanced at the silent ticking time bomb beside him. He flinched when their eyes met. Why does he keep staring? Knox wondered. But the female staff has a point. It was surprising that his boss stopped shouting.

"Right. We should do that," Knox agreed and bravely walked to Azrael. He gulped, and asked, "Sir, we have to pay. Your card, please…"

Azrael dropped his gaze at his shameless servant. Then, without answering, he turned around and walked to the exit. Knox panicked. He called out, but because he couldn't leave the female staff who was ready to tackle him if he ran off, he couldn't follow him.

He begrudgingly offered his own card to pay.

"I'm going to pester him for this," Knox mumbled.

He left the groceries on the baggage counter and called his boss' phone. It took a few minutes before he answered.

"Sir, where are you?"

Did he go to a clothing store and buy something to change his clothes? Knox pondered. He walked to the area where all the branded clothing stores were lined. However, he failed to spot him anywhere.

"Sir, where are you? Why aren't you answering? Sir?"

A ragged breathing resonated from the phone. Knox abruptly stopped in his walk. His eyes widened when he realized what could have happened. He frantically looked around while almost running and asking where his boss was repeatedly.

"Dammit! Sir, can you speak?!"

Why did he let him go by himself?! Knox blamed himself. He knew his condition and with that crowded place filled with different genders, his boss might have had an attack. The hoarse breathing from the phone somehow calmed for a minute, then, a gruff voice followed.

"Men's…restroom…second floor…"

Knox dashed in that direction. He held the phone against his ears and replied worriedly, "Stay there, sir. I'm on my way!"

'Damn. The second floor has four restrooms! But if he had an attack as soon as he went up from the nearest stair to the supermarket, then…the nearest one!'

He bolted to the nearest restroom from the escalator. The sounds of heavy panting on the phone intensified.

Bam!

The sound of the door hitting the wall almost burst his ears. Fortunately, no one was inside. It was probably because of the thick pheromone's scent lingering in the whole place. Knox covered his mouth and inhaled a few times. He made sure to get used to that scent, no matter how thick and strong it was.

With that, he was able to swiftly move inside and knocked on the doors, "Sir Azrael!"

Azrael was slumped on the toilet. His forehead was sweating profusely; his face flushed and his eyes were hazy. Knox noticed the large bulge on his pants, and he abruptly stopped. He hesitated touching the man, in fear that he'd get caught up and be forced.

However, the shaking figure of his grumpy and arrogant boss bit on his conscience if he decided to just leave him there. He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat and bravely stepped inside the cubicle.

"S-Sir, can you hear me? It's Knox."

He slapped Azrael's face a few times. Azrael stirred from his dazedness. His eyes somehow returned focus and he recognized his servant before him.

Knox sighed in relief after Azrael responded, "I'm so glad I brought your medicine with me, sir. Here, take this…"

He took a capsule and gently shoved it down his boss' throat. Then, he stood and leaned back. The bump on his pants wasn't going down. But he couldn't possibly take his boss and walk out of the mall with him like that.

Knox was troubled. He didn't know what to do. Azrael was slowly going back to his senses. The pheromones in the air were slowly retracting as well. If the scent decreases, then, soon other people will be able to come and use the restroom.

Knox bit his lips and decided. He bent down and peeked at his boss' face, then he asked hesitantly, "Sir, can you manage until we reach the parking? Or do you…need help?"

Azrael looked up, weighing his servant's words. He looked down and noticed his shaft wasn't getting soft. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Then, he snarled at him, and said, "Get lost. I'm doing it myself."

Knox had never been so grateful for being thrown out before.