Chapter 241 - Misunderstandings

Teren's eyes were cast upon the ground. He had been rethinking his actions. However, no matter how much he wanted to rewind and change it, he couldn't.

No, even if he could rewind time, he would do the same thing.

Is that what it means to be strong?

Or is he just blinded by benefits? But if being too emotional is destructive in the long run, is it evil to care for others?

The bottom line is that Teren was never the good guy. He never considered himself as one. How could he?

After a seemingly long walk, Teren reached his home and saw that Trisha was waiting at the front door.

"I don't have the keys."

She said with a low voice. Her back was leaning onto the front door while her head bent down. Meanwhile, her face was troubled.

"How long have you been waiting?"

"A few minutes..?"

Trisha shrugged her shoulders after glancing at Teren who made his way to open the door. She made way and with a clack, they walked in with the grocery bags in their hands.

After putting the bags down, Teren asked.

"So, what's the problem?"

He already has an idea but he wants Trisha to say it on her own. However, he didn't really expect this proud girl to confess-

"I think I've become a masochist."

"..."

Teren was speechless.

"Not only in a sexual way."

She continued with a head cast down. It was as if it was the most shameful thing she could ever say. The fact that it's not 'only' in a sexual way means more than it sounds at first.

"I honestly didn't expect you to be so honest."

"... heh... being strong means being able to accept my weakness. The strong is not perfect, the strong is strong."

"That's logical."

Teren nodded.

Then there was silence. He didn't know what to say. Console her? He does not have that ability and doing that to a proud person will just make things worse. Apologize to her? Teren felt like that wouldn't be the right thing to do.

After a while, Teren broke the silence.

"Do you hate it?"

"... I don't know. But I know it's wrong."

"Then come here."

Teren then told her when she was about to move, he continued his words.

"And lick my feet."

"..." Trisha stopped and took her a while before she could process what Teren just said. Her expression turned furious before she raised her voice, "You're going to exploit me?!"

"I will not repeat it again, lick my feet."

Teren removed his socks and presented his bare feet. Trisha glared at him but walked forward towards him.

"You know, that's stereotypical."

She muttered as she went down on her knees. Teren stayed indifferent as he placed his right foot in front of her face.

Trisha stared at it for a while with a frown before holding it with her two slender white hands. But before doing anything, she glanced at him first and asked.

"You're really going to order me like this?"

But Teren stayed silent. As he said earlier, he will not repeat it. Therefore, Trisha expected this silence before taking a good look at Teren's foot.

There was a pause before she stuck her tongue out and hesitantly... let it touch Teren's toe.

Teren felt the slimy sensation soon afterward as Trisha continued. At first, she was hesitant, then she became reserved yet never stopping, and finally, licked it as if it's candy.

Teren could feel his foot getting wet as Trisha salivate it. Time after time, she would glance upwards and make eye contact for which she would get embarrassed and focused on her 'task'

Only when Teren got a little uncomfortable that he retracted his foot and said-

"That's enough."

Afterwhich, Trisha looked at his left foot half-expecting that she will get a taste of it next. However, Teren wasn't lifting it so she figured he will not let her do it with the other.

"Did you like that?"

Teren asked.

"..."

But Trisha didn't answer, so, he continued.

"From now on, you won't tell this to anyone. I will be the only one who should know this."

Trisha looked up to him with a surprised face. After thinking a bit, she felt a bit delighted.

"You're happy?"

"Shut up..."

Trisha smiled and blushed as she turned her head away.

"You can stand up now."

"... so... let's never do that again."

Trisha said as if nothing happened.

"Don't worry, it's just a test."

"Ugh..."

But no matter how tough she tried to look on the outside, remembering it would make her groan.

"So when will you go back?"

Teren changed the subject to a more important matter.

"I think it's best that it's soon as possible."

"So you'll leave now?"

"I'll leave tomorrow. There's a fuck ton of cliffhangers you gave me. You have to continue them all!

"That's not soon as possible but sure, it's your choice."

"Ah, but Teren..." Trisha took his hand and grasped it tight, "Promise me, you will not harm my family even if they somehow offended you."

"That's not hard. But it's not like I know every face of your family member. If what I know is correct, you have your whole clan as your neighborhood, right?"

"Yes, we are the Feralle Clan."

"Trisha Jane Feralle?"

"Yep, but don't ever say that whole name again. I hate that combination for some reason."

"Does your clan name have something to do with wolves?"

Trisha nodded at Teren's question.

"It came from the word 'feral' but it just became fancier and turned to Feralle. Honestly, having 'feral' as my last name is much better."

"Feral... you looked pretty tamed now."

Teren joked to which Trisha replied with a serious face.

"Well, I was tamed so that's to be expected."

"..."

"Also, you don't have to worry about not knowing who're my family. I'll tell you if I meet them. I'm particularly close to most of them so I would never forget their faces."

"Yeah, but it's not like you will be always there to tell me..."

Teren paused as he realized something. And as he expected, Trisha replied-

"Oh, don't worry, I'll come back soon after I tell them to calm down."

Teren squinted his eyes after hearing this. He wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea so he removed his hand from her grasp and explained-

"Trisha, we're not friends nor lovers. We're not anything except for a sinner and a victim. I'm going to compensate for my sins and after that, we're nothing."

These harsh words made Trisha silent. But when Teren was about to continue, she spoke.

"But will you able to compensate it even with your life? I'm too precious and valuable. Your debt is deeper than you can imagine."

"You're misunderstanding something, Trisha. You're exploiting my guilt and I'm aware of that. Once I've compensated enough to repay my debt, my guilt will naturally go away. After that, even if you beg, I will not change my mind."

"..."

Trisha glared at him but he didn't stop.

"I don't hate you. Possibly, you may think of me as a potential partner even after everything I've done because that's just who you are. However, I have someone I love."

"So, you're saying, if we're not lovers, we're nothing. And we will never be lovers... I understand that. Being friends with me will ruin your relationship with your special someone, no, just me being near will be enough."

"That's right."

"But you're misunderstanding something too, Teren. I'm just your pet, remember?"

She stared at him for a long while before realizing what she said. Trisha frowned while her eyes rolled sidewards. Her face burned up a little before she took a step back.

"I'm just saying that I should be there to tell you who's my family and who's not. Actually, I'm going now. My mother is scary when you left her alone in her room, planning, for a long time."

Trisha turned her back to him and walked out of the house.

After she left, Teren sighed. He really did something bad.

Meanwhile, Chihua who was all fired up was recalling his time with Trisha. This was motivating his fury and determination. However, somewhere down the line, he found something out of the ordinary.

"Wait, I was not able to ask her why she's wearing a collar..."

But soon, Chihua shrugged his shoulders. It suits her, he thought in a fashion sense...

...

"Wait, I forgot to tell her that I'm going to be busy for the next few days."

Teren eyes widened upon realization. But then, he remembered something and he opened his new phone, there, he saw a new number in his contact lists.

"Good thing that she registered her number here."

Trisha was not a person who always use her phone. Therefore, there's no difference between her leaving it at her house and bringing it with her. After she got home, though, she received a message.

[This is Teren and this is my number. I'm just texting to let your phone register my number too.]

Ever since then, Trisha would always keep her phone in her pocket.