KTS 30

“Yu-jin.”

Winston called his name. After hesitating, he slowly raised his head and met the man’s eyes looking down at him. The arm that had been holding his waist loosened. As if he knew that Yu-jin would no longer try to run away. Winston, who was holding his waist with one arm, brought his remaining hand to his face and gently grabbed Yu-jin’s chin, stroking his lower lip with his thumb. As if he really wanted to kiss Yu-jin, he looked at his lips with longing eyes.

Yu-jin felt the same way. More than anything, his body, which had been excited since earlier, was now throbbing. Winston might be at his limit too. If they were to kiss, would this man try to sleep with me here?

“Do you remember? Yu-jin.”

Winston whispered. There was no need to ask what memory he was talking about. Yu-jin opened his mouth, but his voice was hoarse and barely audible, fading like a breath.

“Yes.”

They had rolled around naked here. On the clovers that were spread out like the first humans.

Yu-jin tilted his head. Winston only had to put in a little effort to kiss him. It would have been enough to put just a little force on the hand holding Yu-jin’s head. When their breaths touched and Yu-jin lowered his eyelids and met Winston’s eyes with half-open eyes.

“If you want something, you have to pay the price too.”

Winston paused at the whispering low voice. Yu-jin continued, feeling his reaction with his touching bodies.

“If you want to sleep with me, pay me. Then I’ll have sex with you.”

He raised his head as if he was showing great generosity. This time, Winston didn’t hold him back either. Yu-jin, who quickly got up, hurriedly moved away from him, and Winston also got up with slow movements.The sweet atmosphere from just moments ago had vanished without a trace. They glared at each other in uncomfortable silence. Yu-jin wondered what Winston would say this time, but there was no time for that. A child’s voice echoed from afar.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

The atmosphere suddenly shifted. Yu-jin froze, and Winston’s expression hardened as well. He couldn’t let the child and Winston meet. Yu-jin was afraid that Winston might harbor even a shred of suspicion if he saw the child. He tried to leave quickly, but thankfully, Winston moved first.

“Why don’t you go? Your child, as precious as your life, is calling you.”

Winston, mimicking Yu-jin’s expression with a sneer, mounted his horse. He’s leaving, Yu-jin thought with relief, but it was too soon. Changing the horse’s direction, Winston added one last remark.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how the service differs depending on the payment.”

Leaving behind those sarcastic words without fail, he rode away. Yu-jin, watching the rapidly receding figure, snapped back to reality at the sound of the child’s voice and moved.

“Daddy, look! There’s a birdhouse!”

“It’s called a nest, Angie.”

Seeing the child overjoyed at the roughly made nest in one corner under the roof, Yu-jin gently taught her the word. It was fortunate, at least. That Angela had appeared at this moment.

If only she had been a little faster.

Yu-jin shuddered involuntarily at the chilling thought.

“Daddy?”

As if noticing his strange behavior, Angela called out to him. Quickly regaining his composure, Yu-jin stroked the child’s hair as if to say he was alright.

“Have you seen everything? Was there anything else you wanted to see?”

“There’s a family of squirrels living inside! I saw this big hole in the tree, and they were sleeping inside…”

The child excitedly began to list the things she had discovered. While listening to his daughter’s words, Yu-jin couldn’t help but be drawn back to his worries.

Two weeks later.

A chill ran down his spine. The hamster wheel had started turning. It was impossible to stop. All Yu-jin could do was hope that everything would go as planned.

Think of the good things. You’re going to have money now.

He tried desperately to turn his negative thoughts into positive ones. According to the will, Winston would generously support his life while he stayed here. He even said he would give him a checkbook, so he could breathe a sigh of relief.

Once he got the money, he would buy Angela clothes first.

He wanted to buy her all the things he hadn’t been able to buy her until now. Angela had never had abundance in her life.

How happy would she be?

“Daddy?”

Lost in his happy imagination, Yu-jin hugged the child tightly, and Angela called out to him, puzzled. Yu-jin smiled, kissed his daughter’s cheek, and asked.

“Shall we eat sandwiches and talk about what Angela wants, one by one?”

“Yes, I like that!”

The child nodded readily. They often had such conversations as a game. Angela seemed to think it was an extension of the games they had always played, but this time it was different. Yu-jin really wanted to buy Angela everything she wanted.

It won’t be long now.

Yu-jin fed the child a sandwich, listening to her stories with a contented expression. The faint sound of wind chimes mingled with the birdsong occasionally heard from the forest.

Several people were gathered in the spacious living room. The members of the Campbell family, except for Winston, sat scattered around, looking at each other with grave expressions.

“Is it really true that Winston is marrying that bastard? And even having a child?”

Unable to bear it any longer, the eldest son, Gordon, asked, and Mrs. Campbell replied with a stiff face.

“What have you been listening to all this time? I’ve explained it enough, haven’t I?”

“Ah, well, yes, but…”

Embarrassed, Gordon backed down, and this time Lady Catherine stepped forward.

“Even so, how can you just let it go? You should have opposed it more strongly!”

At the resentful tone, Mrs. Campbell glared at her daughter with a sharp gaze. When Lady Catherine hesitated, she finally opened her mouth in a stern voice.

“Has Winston ever gone back on his word? He told us after he had already made his decision. Who could stop him?”

“But, still…”

Lady Catherine couldn’t shake off her lingering feelings and trailed off. Mrs. Campbell turned her gaze from her daughter and declared, looking at her assembled children.

“This is the only way we can receive the inheritance. Don’t you realize that Winston has sacrificed himself for all of us? Everyone, be quiet. If you can’t be of any help, then don’t say anything!”

At her mother’s harsh scolding, everyone had no choice but to shut their mouths. There was nothing wrong with her words. Thanks to Winston’s decisiveness, everyone would receive the inheritance, so keeping quiet wasn’t that difficult.

But there was another reason why their hearts felt uneasy. It was the fact that the other party was that dirty male prostitute.

“Mother, even so, are you really alright with this?”

“What do you mean?”

At Gordon’s words, Mrs. Campbell asked with a frown. Gordon carefully gauged her expression and cautiously spoke.

“This means that Yu-jin, or rather, that thing’s child, will inherit our family. Because it will be Winston’s child. Are you alright with that? Is that really okay?”

It was the question that everyone was uneasy about but couldn’t bring themselves to voice. Amidst the anxious glances, Mrs. Campbell opened her mouth.

“Don’t worry. I’ve thought about that too.”

“How?”

Lady Catherine asked in surprise. Mrs. Campbell looked around as if to focus everyone’s attention before speaking.

“The easiest way is to get the inheritance after a year and then get rid of the child. There are plenty of orphanages in the world.”

The will didn’t mention anything about the child’s future. Once it was born, its duty would be done. Mrs. Campbell continued.

“After that, if Winston remarries Evelyn and has a child, wouldn’t all the problems be solved?”

Seeing her children’s faces brighten at that, she gave a faint smile.

“So, there’s nothing to worry about. We just have to wait for that thing to get pregnant.”

“As expected, Mother, you have all the alternatives.”

Gordon laughed out loud, and the other siblings followed suit. Mrs. Campbell, with a satisfied expression, poured herself some tea and brought it to her lips.

“But Mother, is there another way?”

Lady Catherine suddenly asked. Mrs. Campbell stared at her, and Lady Catherine, flustered, gave an awkward smile.

“You said it was the easiest way, so I was wondering if you had something else in mind. It’s good to consider a Plan B too…”

Mrs. Campbell quietly put down her teacup and smiled faintly. Everyone looked at her expectantly, and her calm voice continued.

And the sunny weather continued, and finally, the day arrived.