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HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I embarrassed myself in the past twenty-four years of my life? Honestly, no one in the world will be able to recall all of them; no one except a few people like me of course.

     Something extremely bizarre must happen before I genuinely say that I'm embarrassed, or maybe even ashamed of myself. I can count the times where I actually admitted to that, but right at this very moment, ashamed isn't even enough to describe the situation that I'm in.

     "Well, Mr. Bishop? Is there anything you would like to say?" master Claudio asks with a smug expression, almost like he was proud of what he just said.

     Do normal people usually ask you about that? Because most of the time when you accidentally hear or see someone jerk off you just let it go and pretend like nothing happened so both of you won't feel awkward about it.

    "Y-You see...I was just...I was—"

     As I was trying to think of the right words to explain my sorry ass, Claudio suddenly starts laughing, destroying the tense emotion that I was feeling.

     I stare at the master with furrowed brows until he finally stops laughing. "You should have seen your face," he says, and rather than feel embarrassed, I ended up feeling annoyed by how he's reacting. For some reason, I feel like it was better if he scolded me instead.

     "As a doctor, I understand that people need to masturbate in order for our brains to release endorphins, which helps reduce stress and other things that make us feel good. If anything, it's a healthy practice, so there is nothing for you to worry about. I won't shame you for something that a human naturally does," master Claudio explains, making me wonder if he was being serious or if he was only fucking with me.

     I can't believe this is the same doctor who professionally diagnosed me a few hours ago. It's like removing his mask helps reveal his true self, literally and figuratively.

     "Did you really have to make it sound so scientific?" I ask, and Claudio laughs again.

     "Whoever you use for your sexual triggers is not really any of my concerns," he then adds. "But as I said earlier, the walls here are thin, and sometimes sound travels from one room to another thanks to the pipes. The only room that doesn't get affected by that is my office since I talk to my patients there. We had to soundproof that specific room for their privacy."

     "I see..." I awkwardly say as I scratch the back of my head, practically begging him to just drop the subject.

     "Well, what I'm trying to say is that you should avoid doing that for others to hear, or in rooms accessible to others, especially by Adeline. Adeline is still a minor, and I would like it if you refrain from doing things that might affect her in a negative way, do you understand me, Mr. Bishop?" master Claudio asks in a lower tone, suddenly looking serious again.

    I gulp and immediately nod my head as an answer.

     "Good," he says before taking a step closer to me, making my body stiff.

     "But if you really want to touch yourself, you may do so in your bedroom," he says, and then he leans towards me and whispers, "just do it quietly next time."

     "Y-Yes, m-master Claudio. I completely understand," I answer, and master Claudio smiles and takes a step back before walking away again so we could head to the dining room.

     The walk there was awfully long. For a moment I thought the hallway was never going to end, but then I realize that it only felt long because I was walking with the man who knows I masturbated, and the only thing he said was to make sure I keep quiet next time. He wasn't even bothered that I moaned his name out loud. It's making me feel a lot more embarrassed for some reason.

     "Is there anything you would like to add, Mr. Bishop?" master Claudio suddenly asks.

     "Well, if it's something to say then I have a lot in my mind right now, but for some reason, this entire situation is taking my ability to think properly," I honestly tell him, and as expected, he laughed at my truthful answer.

     "Well, you don't have to think about it then."

     "How will I if you keep on bringing it up?" I suddenly ask, surprising me more since I wasn't expecting to actually say it out loud.

     Master Claudio thankfully laughs it off and doesn't consider it as a rude response. "You have a point. Of course, I can easily forget about it, but will you?"

     "Why wouldn't I? Isn't it easier to just let things go?" I ask, and I can see Claudio shaking his head, telling me he doesn't agree with what I just said at all.

     "It's okay to let things go when you've done everything you can to hold onto it. Talking about an issue is better than pretending like it never happened. Communication breaks misunderstanding, and I don't want to have any misunderstandings with the people who I work with," master Claudio explains.

     I'd think he was being sarcastic again, but his tone was so serious that I had no choice but to believe it.

     "If that's what you mean then fine. To let it out of my chest, what I did has nothing to do with anything. Your face was just pretty and I jerked off to it. It's not like I'm in love with you, you got that?" I finally explain, which came out a bit wrong since it sounded like I was threatening him. But whatever, I just want to drop this topic and forget that this is only just the karma that I get for doing something so indecent.

     "I'm glad to hear that then," master Claudio says, making me look back at him.

     The master then looks over his shoulder and coldly tells me, "I can't have my employees falling in love with me. After all, I don't like people who waste their time on something so useless."

     "Love is useless to you?" I ask as master Claudio looks away from me again to see where he's going.

     "For me, it depends on the context. Loving your job is important. Loving an idea is also different. But loving someone is useless," he answers, making me massage my chin so I can think of something clever to ask back.

     "If loving your job is important then what if your job is to love someone?"

     The question makes him think for a second, but his opinion about it doesn't change at all.

     "Love is not a job. You get a job to earn money that is worth the time and effort that you put, which means you're expecting something. If that same concept applies to love then it means one day it will end. The problem now is that love isn't a job. You can't just send a letter and say you quit. You can't just retire from it and get a pension. Love won't automatically stop if you tell it to stop because you don't end love. Love ends you."

     Master Claudio's last statement almost made me stop walking. For some reason, it hit close to home. You don't end love. Love ends you. Such a statement felt like a sword, yet its meaning was a shield. It both protected and hurt you at the same time.

     I've never met a man who has such a way with words.

     I wanted to know about his thoughts. I wanted to know more about his opinions such as love. I don't understand why, but his mind felt like an open book on a tall table I couldn't reach. I wanted to read more about it, but I couldn't.

     "You must have been extremely heartbroken to be able to say such a thing," I tell him, and master Claudio lets out a low chuckle.

     "And you must be a hopeless romantic," he then says, making me laugh this time.

     "Don't worry. I don't intend to make the same mistake of falling in love with a doctor," I casually say. And before he could even ask me what I meant, we finally arrived at the first floor where Lino and Adie were waiting.

     I guess our conversation ends here.

     "Young master," Lino says, and both greeted him with a bow.

     "Lunch is served," Lino then adds.

     Master Claudio looks at the two and smiles at them. They didn't really show any reaction, so it means that they've already seen his face. For a second it made me feel relieved because I was afraid that this man could have just been pretending to be the plague doctor and he was only fooling me.

     "Did Adeline prepare it for us?" the master asks, and Adie - true to her mute nature - doesn't say anything but nods her head as an answer instead.

     "I apologize Adeline. The cook hasn't arrived yet, so you have to endure a little longer, okay?" master Claudio then asks, and Adie nods her head again.

     "Alright, let's eat."

     Lino walks first, followed by Adie who stood beside Claudio. I had to walk behind them because it would have been awkward if I pushed Adie away all of a sudden. After all, we're not a group of friends where I'd want to feel included.

     After a couple of steps, we arrive at the dining room that I've already seen earlier. Unlike last time, it was a lot more breathtaking. The yellowish-orange light illuminated the room. The table was set with beautiful white cloth, the silverware looked like it sparkled with the candles, and the plates and everything else was exquisite china.

     Please don't tell me we're going to eat in the kitchen again.

     No, wait...

     The table's set for four people, which means—

     "Bishop, would you like to wash your hands first?" master Claudio suddenly asks, and that question alone made my entire face turn red.

     Adie and Lino look at me curiously, unaware of what happened upstairs, but to save me from further embarrassment, I run to the kitchen to thoroughly wash my hands. As soon as I got back, the master takes a seat at the center end of the table. Lino then takes a seat on his left, while Adie takes the one beside him, so the last available seat is on the master's right.

     I look at everyone suspiciously first before sitting on the chair. I know I wanted to eat here, but I didn't expect to actually eat with the master of the manor. Well, I guess it would be weird to let him eat alone anyway when there are literally only four of us here.

    Lino and Adie starts eating as soon as they took their seats, but I waited for master Claudio to start first before doing anything.

     "No appetizers?" I ask, and Lino looks at me like I was joking so I just pretended as if I did and just laughed it off.

    Lowering my head a little to check the food, I realize that we were served burnt fish, burnt corn in a cob, and watery mashed potatoes for lunch. Obviously, I wanted to complain, but everyone acted like it was made by a five-star chef, so I had no choice but to just keep quiet about it.

    I grab the napkin and fold it in half before placing it on top of my lap and finally taking a bite. Since we have fish, I was expecting to see a fish knife on the table, but surprisingly enough, we only have a dessert knife and a fork. Of course, I'm still not going to complain.

    The fish was fine - surprisingly - but I had to season it a little after taking a small bite. The mashed potato was also too watery but I had no other choice but to swallow it. I took a bite of the corn afterward, but since it was burnt I couldn't really taste anything. The charred corn eventually got stuck in my throat so I got ready to flush it down with water. But as I was about to grab my glass, I realize something strange...

     Lino and Adie were staring at me.

     I blink once and look at the table, wondering if I spilled something or not. When I realize that I didn't, I look back at Lino again and ask, "What? Is there something in my teeth?"

     The two of them continue to stare at me until Lino finally says, "Why do you eat like that?"

     I furrow my brows at the question and ask back, "What do you mean? How do I eat?"

     "Proper," he answers. "You eat like you're some kind of prince," Lino clarifies, only to confuse me even more. What did they expect me to do at the dining table? Remove my clothes and start dancing on top of it?

     "Oh I'm sorry, was I supposed to eat like a savage?" I sarcastically ask back. 

     Lino was about to say something about it, but then master Claudio chuckled, making all of us look at him.

     As the master takes a sip of his water, he takes his napkin from his lap and gently uses it to dab his mouth with it before saying, "Don't mind them, just continue eating. And you two, it is rude to stare, so stop looking and finish your food as well."

     Somehow I found it funny that Lino got scolded by master Claudio despite him looking like a forty-year-old man, but Lino obediently follows as he stops looking at me so he could finish his food.

     As we were eating, master Claudio looks at us and suddenly says, "Since we're all here, I'd like to inform the three of you that the Hell House will open soon. As soon as the cook arrives, I will be teaching you your roles in this manor. I want you all to be at your very best. We cannot afford mistakes, is that clear?"

     "Yes, master," Lino and I answer in unison.

     "I found my last patient and all of them will be arriving soon. The nurses and the other employees will arrive first, so Lino, I want you to show them to their rooms and tour them around the manor so they could be familiar with it," the master then explains.

     As soon as Lino nodded his head as an answer, I slowly raise my hand so I could catch master Claudio's attention. "I'm sorry but you said the house will be open again, which means it was open before, is that right?" I ask despite not knowing if I should even be asking any questions right now.

     Thankfully master Claudio doesn't mind it at all as he answers, "Yes, it was. Every year we open the house, but ever since my father died, this manor has not been used for over a decade now."

     "Your father stayed here too? So this is a family-owned manor?" I ask, and master Claudio nods his head to confirm it.

     "Was your father a doctor too?"

     "My father and my grandfather were both doctors."

     "Really? So does that mean that you, your father, and grandfather, take criminals and experiment on them so you could kill the afterw—"

     "That's enough questions Bishop," Lino immediately says, instantly making me stop talking. I couldn't even react because Lino looked like he was threatening me.

     Everyone who lives near the forest knows about a myth regarding the plague doctor. The myth states that a plague doctor will come to your town, and as soon as you see him, death will fall upon you. I heard about it when I was a child, but I never believed it, not until my mother received a letter. The letter stated that the plague doctor knows about my sickness and he was willing to help me, but as payment, I have to work for him. Obviously, my mother accepted the offer, and now I'm here.

     Since it's a myth, and it's a myth that's been going on for years, I was expecting to see Claudio as a very old man, probably even dying on his death bed. That's why I was so surprised when I saw him look so young. But this all makes sense now. If his father and grandfather were also doctors, then it means they were the ones who started the myth. No one could probably tell the difference anyway since they're wearing masks.

     Now the question is...why are they doing this?

     "I apologize if that came out rude. I just really wanted to know more about this plague doctor agenda and why he's doing all these things," I say, and master Claudio shakes his head, brushing off my apology.

     "Don't worry, it's fine. Since you're already my direct employee, you deserve to know things," the master tells me.

     "What things exactly?" I ask, and master Claudio gently places down the knife that he's holding and answers, "You know, things like why you're not supposed to know too much or I might not be kind enough to let you walk out of this manor again."

     The atmosphere instantly changes, and I unconsciously swallow the lump in my throat as I see a grin slowly appear on the master's face. I wanted to ask if he was being serious, but then the bell suddenly rings, accidentally making me knock my glass over because of how surprised I was. I immediately stand from my seat and take the table napkin to wipe the spilled water, but master Claudio takes my hand to stop me, making me let go of the napkin.

     "No need for that, sit down," he says as he lets go of me.

     I take a seat like usual, and master Claudio takes a sip of his water before telling me, "Mr. Bishop, you seem to know a lot of things about table etiquette so I assume you know what I'm talking about. Next time we eat, you shouldn't talk when your mouth is full. Do that...and you might fucking choke."

     As soon as he finished his sentence, the hair on my skin stood up. His voice and his presence intimidated me, and at that very moment, I was reminded of why I was fascinated by him. His attitude confused me, his intelligence intrigued me, and his dominance turned me on.

     For a second I thought... 

     If I was going to choke anyway then I hope he chokes me hard; hard enough so this pretty little mouth won't be able to ask any more questions that angered you like that again.

to be continued...