What's more painful than having an unrequited love? Dominique's used to letting Damien have his way, whether it be everyday life or in bed. He's only a mute servant, after all. He's used to loving, but never being loved back. He can't and won't do anything to stop his master from loving someone else. Will he ever feel the joy of being loved, or will he continue to live like a toy, ready to be cast away when he's not needed?
CHAPTER ONE
Love really is irrational. Even though I know he would never return my love, I stay by his side. I do whatever he tells me to because I love him. Would it be better if I was a girl like the ones he usually messed around with? Why can’t I love someone else? Why him?
Invocation – calling up a spirit of devil; the act of appealing for help
Damien rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand before picking up his glasses. “Dominique, what’s for breakfast?”
A blond boy tied back the curtains to let the light in. He picked up a small whiteboard and a marker to answer the question. ‘Belgian waffles’ was written on it when he showed it to him.
“It was a good decision taking you along with me.”
The servant boy wiped the board clean before writing again. ‘Like you could ever survive one day without me.’ He smiled and finished tying the curtain back before leaving.
Dominique held his whiteboard to his chest, leaning against the door to his master’s room. I’m just an easily replaceable servant to you, right? Anyone can do my job, just as long as they’re willing to be your plaything. He sighed and headed to the dining room.
***
“Dominique, why aren’t you in your school uniform yet?” Damien asked, putting his fork down. “The one delivered here earlier this week?”
Dominique pointed at himself, wearing a confused expression.
“You’re coming to school with me,” he smirked at the shock that quickly replaced the confusion in his servant’s face. “You’ve always wanted to go to school, right?” An eager nod answered his question.
Dominique picked up his whiteboard and hastily scribbled something down. ‘But how? Why?’
“School wouldn’t be fun without you.”
Liar. You don’t need me to be around. Dominique kept the pang of sadness that he felt from showing in his face. Knowing his master as long as he had, he knew that Damien would immediately put up his nice guy façade and flirt with them.
‘Thank you so much,’ he scribbled down. He wiped the board clean and wrote something else. ‘But wouldn’t my being there cause trouble for you? I’m mute after all, and I can’t read or write Japanese.’
“I made sure you’re in my class, no need to worry about it. But don’t I get a thank you kiss?” Damien motioned for him to come closer.
Why do you keep treating me like this? You know I love you, yet you always do things like this to tease me. Dominique stepped towards the dark-haired male, kissing him briefly before straightening up and walking out of the dining room.
“Cheapass.” Damien picked up his fork again and stuck the last bit of his food into his mouth.
Dominique chuckled at the sight of his young master when he returned, shoulders shaking with inaudible laughter. He brought his hand to his mouth, trying to hide his smile. The spoilt side of Damien was starting to show.
“What are you laughing at?” Damien asked from his seat. The right side of his face was twitching in agitation, his fingertips drumming against the table. His chin was resting in his other hand. “How long does it take for a guy to change!?”
‘I was only gone for ten minutes. Really, you should be more patient, young master.’ The servant boy scribbled on his whiteboard.
“C’mon, before I decide to skip and drag you to bed.”
As your sex friend, never your lover. Dominique added in his mind. That’s all I’ll ever be to you.
“Dominique, what are you frowning at over there? Hurry up!”
***
“Nice to meet you all, I’m Damien Alwyn. I’m half-Japanese and half-French. I came back to study here after living in France for three years. I hope we’ll all get along,” Damien introduced himself to the class in Japanese. Dominique stood beside him awkwardly, unsure of what his master was actually saying.
Even if he couldn’t speak, introductions always made him nervous. He was even more nervous, knowing he was in a completely different continent. The students gawked at him and Damien like they were animals in a zoo exhibit.
“This is Dominique Leroy. He’s my servant from France. He can’t understand Japanese very well, so treat him nicely.”
‘Going to school here was a bad idea. How am I supposed to understand what we’re doing?’“Leroy-kun,” the teacher said in slightly-accented English. “You can take the seat in front of Masato-kun,” he said something in Japanese and pointed to the girl who had her hand raised. Damien was assigned to a seat near the front of the class.
As soon as he sat down, the girl asked him what it was like in France using English. He wrote his reply on his whiteboard and showed it to her. ‘I didn’t get out much, I like staying inside. But France is really nice.’
She stared at him, confused. “Why do you use a whiteboard?”
He erased the words and wrote something else down. ‘I’m mute.’
“Oh. That’s why. Is it hard? I can’t imagine not being able to talk.”
‘It’s alright. I don’t think I would be talkative like my young master, even if I could talk.’
“So Alwyn-kun wasn’t kidding when he said you’re his servant?”
Dominique shook his head. ‘I’ve been taking care of him since his family took me in.’ He took more time to wipe his whiteboard clean than usual.
The teacher walked up to Dominique. “Leroy-kun, if there’s something you don’t understand, you can ask Kato Ryuu-kun. He’s one of our top students,” the teacher gestured to the student sitting in front of him. The way his surname was pronounced fascinated him. The ‘l’ and ‘r’ sounded similar.
The long-haired boy in front of Dominique turned around in his seat. He pointed at his twin brother who sat in front of him, muttering something.
The teacher replied to Ryuu in Japanese, which made the entire class erupt into giggles. Dominique sat in his seat, confused. I really need to learn some Japanese…
***
I didn’t understand a word of that. Dominique stared at the board, which was covered in symbols that looked like gibberish to him. He looked down at the blank notebook on his desk.
“I copied it in English for you.” A notebook covered with writing was dropped on his desk. He looked up. “You’re welcome,” Ryuu said in English, stopping Dominique from writing his thanks.
‘I’m really sorry for causing you trouble.’
“It’s okay; I get practice for English if I write the notes for you.”
‘But you can already speak English fluently.’
“Hey, would he mind if I stole you for a bit?” Ryuu jerked his thumb back at Damien.
Dominique shook his head sadly. Damien was happily chatting with a female classmate, no doubt acting like a nice guy. Dominique felt his chest tighten, forcing himself to look back at Ryuu. I’m replaceable to him. What I do doesn’t matter to him, as long as I come back to take care of him.
“Grab your lunch, we’re eating outside,” Ryuu stood up, holding something wrapped in cloth. He said something to his brother as he stood up. The latter just made an irritated noise and went back to reading.
Dominique followed him outside. They stopped, reaching a bench located at the side of the school. The two boys sat beside each other. Dominique scooted closer to one end, uncomfortable with the sudden proximity.
“Do you mind if I call you chibi-tan?”
Dominique shot him a confused look.
“Your name has ‘mini’ in it, chibi means small and cute.”
‘I don’t really mind.’
Ryuu laughed at Dominique’s confused expression, his hair spilling over his shoulders. It was an odd color, appearing almost silvery in the sunlight. Unable to help himself, he asked about it through his whiteboard.
“Yeah, my hair’s naturally like this. Everyone in my family has this hair color. It’s weird.”
‘I think it looks cool. I just have boring blond hair.’
“It’s not boring,” Ryuu reached out to pet Dominique’s hair. “Pretty much everyone has dark hair around here. It’s nice seeing a different hair colour.”
Dominique turned pink at Ryuu’s touch. He looked away to hide his blush, his hands clutching his whiteboard to his chest.
“I’m gonna go buy some drinks, you want anything?” Dominique shook his head and smiled. It was nice, listening to Ryuu talk.
He leaned back into the bench, staring up at the sky. He wished that Damien would someday manage to love him. But you’d still stay by his side even if he got married to a girl. You’re hopeless.
His vision was blocked, someone standing over him. It was a boy. He said something, to which Dominique could only look at the speaker, confused. What did he say? Regardless of the fact that he couldn’t understand them, he knew he had to get out of there quickly. Two more students walked up. They spoke in their native language, the first looking irritated. He punched one of what Dominique assumed was his friends.
His shoulders were gripped in a way that reminded him of a clamp. Dominique panicked and began struggling. Damn his damaged vocal cords.
“You are one too,” the first boy said slowly. He leaned down, making Dominique move back instinctively. The boy’s brows were furrowed; he was struggling to translate his words. “A homo like the long-hair bastard.”
Does he mean Ryuu?
His chin was jerked up, making him look up at the boy. “Service us.”
“That’s not how you treat an exchange student.” Ryuu was standing behind them, smiling. A can of iced coffee was in his hand. “Fuck off before I decide to castrate the three of you.” The innocent smile was still plastered on his face, hiding the malicious intent. Ryuu’s fist made contact with the boy’s face.
“Bye bye,” Ryuu said, the previously hidden malice seeping into his voice.
“Sorry you had to see that. They didn’t hurt you too much, did they?” Dominique lowered his head, curling his fingers into fists. He was shaking. Ryuu grabbed his shoulders gently. “Does it bother you? That I’m gay?”
Dominique didn’t reply, too stunned to write anything down.
“I’ll take you to the infirmary. I’ll leave right after.” Ryuu stopped, looking at the hand on his sleeve.
***
Dominique slowly cut the meat into smaller pieces, his mind preoccupied. He jumped, feeling a hand clamp down on his shoulder.
“Hey, are you gonna be done soon?” Damien rested his chin on Dominique’s shoulder. When the servant boy shook his head, he sighed, his breath warm against Dominique’s exposed neck. The latter shivered, gently prying his master’s arms off his waist. He pointed at the island, trying to tell Damien to sit down and let him finish making dinner.
“So how was he?” Damien’s voice had a dangerous undertone to it. “The long-haired guy.” His hand found Dominique’s neck, squeezing it.
“Did you like fucking him? More than me?” the countertop dug into Dominique’s back as he was pushed against it. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you were both gone?” His master’s eyes were filled with cold fury, daring the servant to do something against him.
“You’re mine, Dominique. Don’t forget who bought you from those men.”
