KNIGHT HURRIED down the stairs because he was already late for work at the café when Cloud blocked his path.

"What is it?" he asked when Cloud wouldn't let him pass.

"It's Midnight."

"What happened to him?" Knight asked, immediately worried.

"He's in the kitchen."

Midnight in the kitchen meant chaos.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Knight looked at Cloud flatly. "Do you want to die?"

"Of course not, my lord," Cloud replied as he slightly bowed. "I'm not fresh anymore, but I still love to have sex, so... spare me."

Knight rubbed his temples. "What is Night doing in the kitchen?"

"He's preparing breakfast."

His eyebrows shot up. "Come again?"

"He's preparing breakfast," Cloud repeated.

"Oh, fuck! He's gonna burn down my house!"

Dread consumed him as his eyes widened. He rushed to the kitchen but was relieved to see it wasn't on fire. There wasn't smoke either. No indication of something burning.

The kitchen was... normal.

He blinked several times, thinking he might be imagining things. But nothing— his kitchen was not burning.

So, he knows how to cook now, huh?

Puzzled, Knight stared at his brother. "What are you doing?"

"Cooking breakfast," Midnight replied as he placed the newly cooked food on the island counter. "For you. Just throw it away if you don't like it."

Midnight left the kitchen afterward, leaving Knight staring at the breakfast he made. It was a simple meal that they used to eat when they were little.

"It looks to me that he's reaching out to you, my lord," Cloud said upon entering the kitchen. "Would you accept his reaching hand, though?"

His face remained emotionless as he answered, "Father will take him away once we get too close and comfortable again. I won't let that happen, Cloud. I want Night to stay where I can see him, where I can monitor him. And if that means sacrificing a part of myself, then so be it."

Cloud shook his head. "I don't know who to pity more—you... or him."

"Pitying me is useless."

Cloud sighed. "I know." He walked toward the island counter and picked up the plate with the food Midnight prepared. "Should I throw this away then?"

He approached where Cloud was and tasted the eggs that Midnight cooked. He instantly covered his mouth.

"Fuck!" he shouted after spitting the eggs into the sink and rinsing his mouth. "Fuck... we don't have eggs anymore, and he didn't even cook the eggs he used well. Does he know how expensive eggs are now? And here I thought he knew how to cook already."

Cloud chuckled. "It's the thought and effort that counts, my lord."

He shook his head. "Poor eggs."

Knight walked out of the kitchen, just to see Midnight watching TV in the living room. He wanted to just walk past him, but he found his hand reaching for Midnight's hair and messing it. "Thanks for the breakfast. But please, don't cook again."

Midnight remained focused on watching TV. "Does it taste that bad?"

"Horrible," Knight replied and then walked out of the mansion.

He decided to walk to SM's café since it wasn't far from the village. When he arrived, SM was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Boss?" he asked Monet when he came out of the staff room after changing into their uniform.

Monet pointed to SM's office. "She asked me to point you to her office when you arrived. It looks like she's going to lecture you about your consecutive absences, and now you're late."

He frowned. "She's not going to fire me, is she?"

Monet shrugged. "Maybe."

He shot their cashier a pointed look before knocking and entering SM's office. It was a simple space with neutral-colored walls and flooring. It had a set of sofas, a kitchenette, a large table with sponge cakes on top, a bathroom, and an office table.

His eyes settled on the swivel chair where SM was sitting and sleeping.

Is she tired?

Quietly, he walked toward her and sat on the side of the table facing the swivel chair and gazed at her face. She appeared meek, serene.

Knight smiled. Ever since he had met her, she had always been calm and welcoming, except for last night when he kissed her. She was riled up, yet she still looked strikingly beautiful; at the same time, she looked terrifying, especially when she punched him.

Knight took a deep breath before leaning in, bringing his face closer to SM while still sitting on the edge of the table. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

He badly wanted to press his lips onto hers, but he remembered what she said last night. She was going to get mad if he did.

"SM?" he said, checking if she was awake, but she remained asleep. He called her many times—as Sweet Monday, as Boss—but she only groaned in her sleep.

When her eyes slowly opened, she asked, "Kn-Knight?"

He smiled. "Good morning, Boss."

Then he softly pressed his lips onto hers. Just a peck.

He then stared at SM. "I kissed you like I said last night."

She yawned as if his kiss were nothing. "You're fired then, like I said last night."

He smiled and kissed her again, but this time, their lips did not only simply touch. His tongue teased hers, and SM replied by biting his tongue. Hard.

He pulled back and smiled at SM, uncaring if he could taste blood in his mouth. "Kinky. I like it."

"Knight, stop kissing me—"

But he kissed her again, firmly this time, but she forcefully pushed him away and stood from her seat. What she did next stunned him.

SM pushed him to sit on her swivel chair, rested her left knee on the seat pad, in between his parted legs, and gripped his jaw.

He smiled quietly to himself.

This woman... she's nice and kind but feisty at the same time, he thought. She knew the limit of her niceness, which made him admire her even more.

"Let me see your tongue," she said with concern in her voice while still firmly holding his jaw. "Does it hurt? Are you okay? Wait... I think it's bleeding. I tasted blood when you kissed me and—"

"I'm fine."

"I don't believe you. I mean, I bit you. Tongue out," she commanded, holding both of his cheeks while looking at his lips. "Let me see."

When Knight obliged and stuck out his tongue, her eyes widened when she saw the wound from where she had bitten him.

SM's lips thinned. "Why did you kiss me anyway? I told you last night—it's disrespectful to kiss me like that."

"I asked for permission last night—"

"Stop talking," she firmly said. "It must be painful—"

"I'm used to it," Knight said, interrupting SM. "To pain, I mean. I'm used to it."

SM stopped fussing over him and just stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

She sighed. "One to ten, ten being the highest, rate your pain tolerance."

"Thirty, so don't worry." He offered her a smile. "This pain is just at two. Besides, it's my fault."

SM's face softened while staring at him. "I'm so sorry. Please, don't surprise me like that again. Look, now I've hurt you. I don't care how high your pain tolerance is. Pain is pain." She sighed, guilt-stricken, and started caressing his face softly. "You must have been in pain for so many years for your pain tolerance to reach that high."

Knight just smiled. She was right. He'd been in too much pain. Emotionally and physically. He didn't want to show the pain he had been carrying until now, not because he didn't want anyone knowing but because he didn't want to burden anyone.

His problem, his burden.

"Sorry for biting you," SM said, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Don't kiss me so casually. It's disrespectful."

"I can't help it," he whispered.

"Then try to stop yourself."

He stared at her. "Boss?"

Her eyebrows quirked up. "What?"

"Mind putting a distance between us?" he said before winking at her. "I'm tempted to kiss you again. You're too close."

SM immediately moved away from him, as if she scalded herself, which made him laugh.

"Why do you even do that?" She flopped down on the edge of the long sofa. "And don't you dare say that because you just feel like kissing me. That's not a valid reason at all."

He got up from the swivel chair and approached her.

SM furrowed her brows in confusion and said, "Why are you here? I thought you said to keep my distance from you?"

"I'm a sucker for you, remember?" He lay down on the sofa and rested his head on her lap. "And I'm calm now."

"So, you weren't calm earlier?"

"Kind of. I was hard earlier." He looked up at her. "Could you comb my hair?"

SM shook her head. "No. You should be outside, working. Just because I'm a nice boss doesn't mean you can take advantage of me. I have my limits, Knight."

"I'm tired."

"That's not an excuse." She gave him a hard stare. "Are you saying you don't want to get to work because you're tired? I really might have to replace you—"

Knight quickly got up. "I'll start working. Don't fire me, boss."

SM immediately smiled. "Then go."

He quickly stole a kiss on her lips, surprising her, before hurriedly leaving her office.

SM SQUEEZED her eyes shut as the memory of Knight's kiss replayed in her mind. Her cheeks burned, a reaction she always had whenever she would recall the moment. She cupped her face, breathed deeply to calm herself, and tapped her extremely flushing cheeks multiple times.

"Calm down... what's wrong with you?" she asked herself.

She stood up and went to the bathroom. After SM washed her face, she stared at herself in the mirror.

Her face was still flushed.

Knight kissing her entered her mind again, making her cheeks burn even more.

That man! What is he doing to me? she thought. At first she was just worried about his condition, but now he wouldn't leave her mind because of that kiss.

SM tapped her cheeks again before returning to her swivel chair and applying some powder and lip tint. When she could not stay still in her office, she decided to go out.

The number of customers was just right. Juls wasn't there, probably delivering an order.

Knight, on the other hand, was busy serving food. She thought he wouldn't notice her, but she was wrong. He turned to her, smiled, and winked.

Her heart skipped a beat.

SM let out a deep breath. Whatever she was feeling toward Knight was different now. It was no longer a worry...

It was something more than that.

She shook her head once again. She didn't have time to entertain her newly found feelings. She had lots of things to do, and her attention should be focused on her parents' case. She had promised to get justice for their deaths.

She went back to her office and dedicated her full attention to making cakes. It was already lunchtime when someone knocked on her door.

"Come in!" she shouted while spreading ganache on the sponge cake.

The person who knocked entered. It was Knight. "Boss, let's have lunch."

"I'll finish this first. What do you want for lunch?" she asked as she continued with her task, but more quickly.

"You."

SM stiffened and looked at Knight. "What?"

Knight cheekily grinned at her. "Nothing. Will you be done soon?" He then showed the tray he was carrying. On it was Josh's cooked food. "Let's eat."

SM finished applying the ganache on the first layer and then placed another sponge cake on top. She then went to the sofa where Knight was sitting. Their food was on the center table.

"Let's eat in the staff room," she suggested.

"Let's just stay here. No worries, I won't kiss you this time." Knight playfully winked at her before carefully placing the plate and utensils on the glass table.

She didn't argue and let him do as he pleased.

They were in the middle of having their lunch when Knight broke the silence. "Aren't you going to ask the name of my brother?"

She lifted her gaze to Knight. "I'm curious, of course, but since you denied having one last night, it means you have a reason why you don't want me to know. So, I didn't ask. I don't want to pry into others' business, just as I don't want others prying into mine."

Knight looked at her intently before speaking. "Not all people can differentiate me and my brother."

She took a sip of water. "Maybe I would be one of those people if I hadn't met and talked to you," she replied, smiling. "I know the difference because I know you—a little."

He lowered his gaze. "Even the people who know us can't distinguish who's who."

"Maybe because they didn't bother knowing you."

He looked at her. "So, you know me?"

"You want the truth?" SM asked as she met his gaze.

"Yes."

"Okay." She took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't know you. What I only know is what you want me to know. My knowledge of you is limited to your name, age, hobbies, work, and attitude—no, even your attitude sometimes seems forced. Even your smile sometimes seems fake. The reason why I can differentiate between the two of you is purely logical, based on my observations only. That's why I baited him—to make sure."

"Do you want to get to know me?" he asked directly.

"Do you want me to get to know you?" she countered.

Knight's lips parted. He was about to say something, but he stopped himself. And for the first time since they met, he looked genuinely worried.

She smiled. "Knight, it's okay if you don't want me to know who you really are. I'm sure you have a reason behind your forced attitude and fake smile. It's okay... really. You have a secret to protect, I have mine. I don't want you meddling in my affairs, so I won't meddle in yours. Simple as that."

Knight's face hardened. "In my understanding, that means you don't care about me."

"If I don't care about you, then why do I always worry about your condition? Why are you constantly on my mind?" she asked. Her face turned serious. "I constantly think of you, and it's not normal. I'm worrying about you, thinking if you're alright, if you have rested, if you're still working, if you've finally fallen asleep— these are on my mind all the time. If that doesn't mean I care for you, I don't know what does."

Knight just looked at her, stunned.

"Knight... I do care for you," she said, smiling. "You were the first man I've brought to my home. I even let you sleep. I don't even know why I trusted you that night. I care for my employees, but I don't invite them to my home and let them use my lap as their pillow to sleep on. You're a different case. And I'm not asking you about anything, like what happened to your back, what your twin's name is, or if you're lying... because you'll tell them to me if you want me to get to know you, right? Because if I want you to know something about me, I'll tell you too."

Knight did not respond. He just stared at her intently. SM decided that it was best to say something else. "Knight—"

"I'm Count Knight Alastair Minrod Gutterez Velasquez. My brother's name is Midnight. He's not my twin. He's my little brother," he confessed, which made SM stop talking and stare at him. "And yes, I'm blonde."