HEART OF THE MAD

the bomb dropped on me

Well, here I am again. Two chapters in one day. Damn, our dear author really has no social life. And guess what? He starts his day by roasting me—except I’m the one writing this. Maybe I really am going crazy.Anyway, let’s get back to my life.We’re in my room. It’s nothing like those boring, soft-colored, warm-lit rooms ordinary people have. No, my room is more like a war zone decorated with elegance. A massive black bed rests in the middle, surrounded by walls covered with sharp weapons—knives, daggers, katanas—each polished to perfection. If someone ever broke in, well… it wouldn’t be me getting robbed. The silver gleam of the blades catches the dim morning light, making the whole room look both terrifying and expensive.A sharp knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts.Knock. Knock.Ugh. Not again.“Kuroya-sama,” a servant’s voice calls from outside. “It’s time to wake up.”I let out a groan before dragging myself out of bed. This is how I wake up every single day—not to the annoying sound of an alarm clock like some peasant, but like a prince, with a servant politely summoning me from my slumber. If I did have an alarm clock, I’d have thrown it out the window by now.“Coming,” I mutter, stretching my arms as I walk to the door.I swing it open, greeted by a bowing servant. I don’t bother with formalities and just give a slight nod before heading toward the bathroom. After freshening up—brushing my teeth, splashing cold water on my face to wash away the last traces of sleep—I step out, dressed in a loose black robe. My usual attire.Breakfast is already waiting for me in the dining hall. The table is packed with food—freshly baked bread, an assortment of fruits, perfectly cooked eggs, and of course, a juicy steak. Because why not? I live a life of luxury, after all.I grab a fork and take a bite of the steak, enjoying the rich flavor. But before I can take my second bite—“Kuroya-sama,” a servant speaks up, standing by the side of the table.I glance at him lazily. “What?”He hesitates for a second before finally dropping the bomb. “Your father is coming today.”Clatter.The piece of steak I was chewing falls right out of my mouth.“…What?”I blink a few times, hoping I misheard him.“Your father is coming,” the servant repeats, bowing slightly. “He said he has something important to discuss with you. He will be here by lunchtime.”I feel my appetite vanish. That old man… seriously, what does he want now?“Ugh,” I groan, rubbing my temples. “Why? He’s so damn annoying.”The servant, of course, remains professional. “You shouldn’t say that, Kuroya-sama. He is still your father.”“Tch.” I lean back in my chair, arms crossed. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”But inside my mind, I’m already plotting. There has to be a way to escape this. If I just—“He also told me to remind you not to think about running away,” the servant adds with a blank expression.I freeze.Damn it. That old man really thought ahead. Well, I guess he is my dad, after all.I sigh, completely defeated.“Fine,” I mutter. “I’ll be here.”But that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.Acting Like a Rich PrinceTo kill time, I decide to go outside and play some golf, like a prince should. And guess what? I’m good at it. Too good, actually. If I weren’t already rich, I’d probably have gone pro.After hitting a few perfect shots, I get bored and decide to check out my car collection. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce… yeah, my life is the kind that people dream about. I sit in one of my cars, rev the engine just for fun, and then get out. Why? Because I can.To pass more time, I go to the private gym in my house. After doing one set of push-ups, I declare my workout complete.I wander around, playing this and that, dodging any unnecessary social interactions. But of course, time has a way of ruining my fun.Lunchtime arrives.A Family Reunion (That I Didn’t Ask For)I sit at the dining table, waiting for the inevitable. Outside, I hear the sound of cars stopping and multiple voices chatting.Here we go.The front doors open, and in walks the man himself—my father. Dressed in a sharp black suit, carrying the aura of a powerful businessman, he looks at me like he’s already disappointed. Which, honestly, isn’t new.He steps forward and raises an eyebrow. “Not going to greet your father?”I glance around at the army of servants already bowing to him.“There are already so many people here to greet you. What difference would my greeting make?” I say, resting my chin on my palm.His lips twitch into what might have been amusement or annoyance—hard to tell with him. “You don’t know how much it means for a father when his son greets him.”I fake a thoughtful look. “Yeah, yeah.”He sighs but doesn’t push it further. Instead, he takes a seat across from me as lunch is served.The Bombshell“So,” he starts casually, cutting into his meal, “are you being a good boy?”I smirk. “Yeah, Dad. I’m the goodest boy ever.”A thick silence falls over the room. For some reason, all the servants suddenly leave.Huh. Weird. Maybe they wanted to give us some space?I take another bite of my food, waiting for him to say something important. And then—“Son,” he finally speaks, his tone serious.I pause. “Yeah?”“You’re getting married.”The food in my mouth stops moving. My brain crashes like a computer hit with a virus.“…What.”“You heard me.”The food I was chewing falls out of my mouth for the second time today.“Married?! With who? And why? And who?! I feel like I should ask that one twice.”My father sighs, taking a sip of his drink. “All will be explained later.”“No, no, explain now—”“To be continued,” he says, cutting me off, like he’s the one writing this story.I stare at him in horror as the chapter ends on a dramatic cliffhanger.