By Zephyria Epilogue
“Hoo-ah.”
Angela took a deep breath loudly in front of the door. Winston, looking down at his daughter, who was very nervous, asked with a smile.
“Are you okay? Do you need more time?”
Angela had been standing there for 15 minutes already. She had repeatedly stopped Winston from trying to open the door several times, repeating deep breaths. When he asked with a smile at the sight of his daughter sighing again with a trembling breath, Angela finally raised her chin as if she had made up her mind.
“I’m okay now. I’m ready, Papa.”
This time, Winston closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was because he needed time to calm the overwhelming emotion that inevitably welled up every time he heard the word ‘Papa’ from his daughter. Angela waited patiently for Papa to open the door, even though she was puzzled. Winston, who had barely calmed down, knocked, and soon a reply came from inside. As the doorknob turned and the door slowly opened, the first thing that came out was a strong scent of fresh flowers.
Wow.
Angela opened her mouth wide and let out a silent shout. In the wide hospital room, where the sunlight shone brightly, Daddy, whom she had wanted to see so much, was waiting for him. At the sight of Daddy’s face smiling brightly at her while sitting on the bed, Angela rushed to him urgently.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
“Angie, welcome. I missed you.”
Yu-jin stroked his daughter’s head, feeling sorry for her as she tried to hug his waist tightly by the bed. He wanted to hug his daughter, but it was impossible because he was holding a baby in his arms. Feeling sorry, Winston reached out his hand.
“Thank you.”
Yu-jin naturally and casually entrusted the baby to him and opened his empty arms to his daughter. Winston only silently watched Angela smile brightly and hug Yu-jin tightly.
He had the same experience before. At that time, he had to watch them as a complete stranger, but now it was different. When he lowered his gaze to the baby in his arms, the corners of his mouth relaxed on their own. As if seeing through his thoughts, Yu-jin said.
“Angie, this is your younger sibling. Say hello.”
“Uh-huh.”
Finally, Angela, who had moved away from Daddy, stood up straight, and Winston bent one knee and lowered his body in front of his daughter. Angela, who carefully looked at the face of the baby that Papa was holding, carefully touched her cheek. Seeing the baby move slightly, babbling a beat later, the child was soon excited and her eyes sparkled.
“It’s moving!”
“Yes, it’s your younger sibling.”
Winston said with a smile. Angela looked down at the baby with wide eyes. Her cheeks were full of blush.
This is my younger sibling.
The things that would happen in the future were unfolding brilliantly in her mind. Going to buy candy together holding hands, fighting to protect her younger sibling from a huge monster, or her younger sibling looking at her with eyes of admiration.
I finally have a subordinate!
Angela clenched her fists and gasped, and said to the baby.
“You have to grow up quickly, baby. So you can go out with me. You’re too young now.”
Seeing his daughter, who was still just a child herself, pretending to be an adult to a baby smaller than her, Yu-jin couldn’t help but laugh. But if he made a sound of laughter here, the child might get hurt, so he had to pretend to be serious and pretend not to know.
“We haven’t decided on a name for the baby yet.”
“Really?”
Angela was surprised by Winston’s words. Winston nodded with a smile.
“Do you want to name her? What would be good?”
“Wait, I can’t say it now!”
Angela hurriedly reached out her hands and said.
“Names are precious. You have to think about it and make it. You can’t just make it like this!”
Angela, with a very serious expression, asked.
“Is the baby a girl or a boy?”
“She’s a girl. Like Angie.”
Hearing Winston’s answer, Angela answered seriously, “Okay.”
“I’ll tell you in three days.”
“Three days? Why three days?”
When Yu-jin asked, puzzled, Angela told him the reason in a very serious manner.
“All magic takes three days. So I have to think about it for three days too.”
It was a phrase that appeared in Children of November. When Yu-jin blinked in surprise, Winston said with a smile.
“I’m surprised every time at how smart our daughter is.”Having said that, he returned the baby to Yu-jin. It was the only time of day he could hold the baby. As Winston readily conceded the opportunity, Yu-jin said, “It’s okay.”
“You want to hold the baby too. I’ve been holding him, so it’s okay.”
For a moment, Winston looked down at Yu-jin, seemingly flustered. Yu-jin couldn’t help but smile wryly at his reaction, still surprised and embarrassed whenever Yu-jin showed him such kindness. He wondered when he would get used to it, but then he also had the mischievous thought that he didn’t necessarily need to reach out first.
We can take it slow.
Thinking that to himself, he leaned back comfortably against the bed, when Angela asked Winston, “Can I see the baby?”
“Would you like to?”
Winston readily handed his daughter the baby. As soon as the baby was placed in the nearby crib, Angela immediately clung to it.
“Baby, I’m your older sister. From now on, you have to listen to me and do everything I say, okay?”
She instructed with dignity in a small voice, but the baby simply waved his arms.
“You have to listen quietly, concentrate.”
Angela then began to explain the rules one by one.
“From now on, I’m going to tell you the things you absolutely have to follow. First, obey everything your sister says…”
With each thing she said, Angela gave the baby a kiss on the cheek.
“Promise. Okay, next.”
Watching his daughter continue speaking so earnestly, Yu-jin muttered in a low voice.
“Doesn’t she just want to kiss the baby?”
“I think so too.”
Winston, who readily agreed, frowned and asked.
“I still can’t believe it. Are those two kids really my children? Yours and mine?”
“Yes.”
As Yu-jin readily answered, Winston let out a trembling sigh. The scent emanating from him grew stronger. Noticing that he was struggling to suppress his intense emotions, Yu-jin waited patiently for him to speak first.
“How was Angela? When she was born.”
“Do you really want to know?”
Yu-jin asked mockingly. Winston, who had momentarily closed his mouth, paused before letting out a sigh, this time with a different meaning than before.
“I need to know, because I have to do even more for them in the future.”
That resolve alone was enough for Yu-jin. And probably for Angela too. After all, even if Yu-jin said it was okay, Winston wouldn’t listen.
“I’ll tell you slowly.”
Yu-jin hesitated before gently taking Winston’s hand. When Winston looked down in surprise, he avoided his gaze and muttered.
“We have plenty of time.”
Winston simply stared at him in silence. Feeling his gaze focused on him, Yu-jin’s ears slowly turned red.
“Yes.”
After a long while, Winston spoke. His voice was faintly trembling, as if he was deeply moved.
“Tell me for a long, long time, for the rest of my life.”
Winston, who had been holding Yu-jin’s hand, adjusted his grip and squeezed it tightly. As if he would never let go again.
“I love you.”
Winston whispered in a low voice. Yu-jin clearly saw him leaning down, but he didn’t avoid it. Instead, seeing him gently close his eyes, Winston stopped his trembling breath.
Ah, finally.
As their lips finally met, a short breath escaped like a sigh. So we’ve finally come this far.
Yu-jin gently parted his lips and embraced his neck. Just as they were about to intertwine their tongues.
“Daddy, Papa! The baby grabbed my hand…!”
At Angela’s shout, they stopped kissing and turned to look at the children. Seeing his daughter smiling brightly with rosy cheeks, Yu-jin couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
As Yu-jin opened his arms, Angela immediately ran to him. As Yu-jin held his daughter tightly in his arms, the difficult days of the past flashed through his mind, but now it didn’t matter anymore. There couldn’t be a more perfect world than this.
“Come here, Angie.”