CHAPTER 5 "Master!" I heard the voice before I saw his face The voice was whimsical and boyish, higher than a man's, but more masculine than a girl's. I also heard some whispy whimpering and the soft sound of gurgling close by. "Ah, yes, yes?" I felt my hand move itself up to wipe my eyebrow free of its bucketload of sweat. "Oh Alice, he's awake!" The boyish voice, my butler June's voice, rejoiced. The whimpering paused for a moment, then continued to shakily breathe in and out. I opened my eyes to see the outline of a boy with medium-short, white hair and a pair of rectangular, darkened glasses. I looked around to find that I was inside my own bedroom. As my eyes focused, I could see petite Alice, my house maid, clutching her head, probably recovering from a relapse. I gazed across the room, following the sound of gurgling to Maroon, my steward. Maroon was standing alone in a corner, head gawked back inhumanly, his mouth wide open, slanted. His arms laid loose at his sides. A loud cracking sound erupted above my head on the next floor. "What happened while I was gone? Where's Ai?" I stuttered. "Well, to start off, apparently I can't take care of the house alone," June's arm reached up to the back of his head as his mouth stretched into a foolish grin. He even dared to let out a small chuckle. That's what I get for leaving a blind albino in charge. But it's either that or paranoia-stricken Alice, zombie-like Maroon, or schizophrenic Jacqueline. Come to think of it, I couldn't spot Jacqueline anywhere. "And to your other question, the young lady is taking a bath in the bathing quarters," June replied. I sighed in relief, at least the fool had managed to convince stubborn Ai to come with him. "And Jaqueline?" I added. "Jacqueline had a relapse, so she's in her room," Jacqueline's room was actually a yellow-padded room with multiple restraints that June locked her in whenever she relapsed and attacked one of this house's residents or guests. "So how'd you find us?" I asked, realizing that it was a miracle to even make it out of the motel room alive, let alone wake up back home. "Well, I had Jaqueline follow you, because you need more exercise, and when you got in trouble, she carried you home, Master," June explained. I was carried home by my own female stylist? How embarrassing. "So, Mr., you're finally awake," Aoi's voice rang through the room.