By Zephyria “Are you tired?”
Winston asked Angela, who was lying in bed after getting ready for bed. The child changed into her pajamas and rubbed her sleepy eyes, answering obediently.
“A little. Because a lot happened today.”
“But you did really well. See, I told you it wasn’t a big deal, right?”
Winston smiled and stroked Angela’s hair. Unexpectedly, Angela did not reject Winston’s hand. Feeling a surge of emotion at such great progress, Winston said.
“You made a lot of friends too.”
“Do you think so?”
Unexpectedly, Angela sighed at those words. Seeing the child’s unexpected reaction, Winston stopped his hand, puzzled, and Angela opened her mouth with a serious expression.
“I don’t know if those kids really like me. I hit that boy because I misunderstood.”
“They must have played with you because they all thought it was okay.”
Winston continued in a gentle tone.
“Have confidence because I’m here. Even if they don’t really like you, there’s no one in the world who can do bad things to you.”
He said it hoping that the child would rely on his presence, but Angela’s reaction was different from what he had expected this time as well.
“That seems like a cowardly thing to do. They’re just pretending to like me because of Mr. Campbell.”
The child denied it with her own reasoning, but Winston frowned and tilted his head instead.
“What’s wrong with knowing how to use what you have? Whether they’re pretending to like you or really like you, it doesn’t change anything for you.”
In that moment, the child almost stepped into the adult’s trap. Winston waited silently, watching Angela ponder, momentarily tempted and shaken by those words. After hesitating for a moment, Angela confessed honestly.
“I’m sad if they don’t like me sincerely.”
It was an obvious thing to say, but Winston thought differently.
“You don’t know if they’re sincerely liking you or pretending. Can you tell the difference?”
Angela flared up and retorted in a sulky voice, as if she thought he was mocking her.
“Of course I know.”
“You don’t know.”
Winston immediately denied it. He continued to speak to Angela, who was opening her mouth and making an absurd expression.
“No one in the world can know that. If they’re pretending to like you and they get caught, then that person is stupid, and dating a stupid person is a waste of time. It’s good if you cut them off, and if they hide it well until the end, then it was either sincere or they’re that smart.”
“You’re saying it’s smart to deceive others?”
Angela frowned, but Winston instead twisted the corners of his lips and sneered.
“Wouldn’t it be a problem with their intelligence if they couldn’t even think that there would be no benefit in turning me into an enemy?”
If Angela had been just a little older, she would have been dumbfounded by this man’s absurd arrogance. But the four-year-old child was completely taken in.
“That’s true.”
Seeing the picky child nod obediently, Winston smiled gently again and said softly.
“Then there’s no problem now, right? Is there anything else bothering you?”
Angela mustered up the courage to open her mouth at the large hand stroking her cheek.
“Um, actually… those kids told me to come to the kindergarten they go to.”
“Kindergarten?”
Winston, who had unconsciously repeated the word, soon smiled.
“Do you want to go too?”
Angela hesitated and nodded. It was only natural that she wanted to make friends her age. Moreover, the curiosity and friendliness towards the children she had just met would be an irresistible temptation for a child of this age.
“Okay, then you should go. Don’t worry, I’ll look into it.”
“Really? Can I go to kindergarten too?”
The child shouted in surprise at Winston’s reaction, who readily nodded. Seeing the child’s cheeks quickly turn red and her eyes light up, Winston once again thought of young Yu-jin. Then, feeling an unbearable loveliness, his expression naturally softened and a bright smile spread across his face.”Of course. There’s nothing you can’t do. You’re my daughter, after all.”
Angela couldn’t answer right away and just gaped. Her heart, overwhelmed with emotion and unable to speak, was plain to see.
“T-Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Campbell!”
Angela repeated, overjoyed, kicking her feet while lying down. Winston almost hugged the excited child, who was even breathing heavily, but he barely managed to restrain himself. If he rushed too much, Angela’s wariness, which had only just subsided, might build a higher and more solid wall than before. Instead, he clenched his fist tightly where the child couldn’t see and held back, offering another suggestion instead.
“Call me Winnie.”
The child, who had been rejoicing for a while, opened her eyes in surprise and asked.
“Winnie?”
“Yes.”
Winston readily nodded. This much should be okay, instead of hugging the child.
“Yu-jin used to call me that, so you can call me that too.”
I want to be the only one to call you that.
Yu-jin had said that once, but this time was an exception. Angela was Yu-jin’s daughter, so it was only natural for her to call Winston Winnie. His words were in the past tense, but the child didn’t notice. After pondering the rather persuasive suggestion for a moment, Angela nodded slightly. Winston was overjoyed by that alone, but he didn’t back down there. While he was at it, he took another step forward.
“Say it, Angie. Say Winnie.”
At Winston’s words, the child hesitated for a moment, rolling her eyes, then cautiously opened her mouth.
“Thank you, …W-Winnie.”
His heart felt like it would burst with indescribable loveliness. Winston felt like he had the whole world in that moment. Without realizing it, pheromones overflowed, and he was belatedly surprised and tried to hide the scent, but it had already spread thickly around him.
“Sorry, are you scared?”
He asked, feeling frustrated that he had barely made it this far, and Angela, who had pulled the sheet up to her nose, replied with a pause.
“No, it’s okay.”
The child added clearly.
“I’m not scared today.”
“Okay.”
Winston was relieved inwardly. It was fortunate, but he had to be more careful in the future. Should he take suppressants instead?
“Then Angie, go to sleep now. Aren’t you sleepy?”
“Yes. Good night, Winnie.”
This time, she called his name clearly without stammering. Winston barely suppressed the pheromones that he almost released again in that instant.
“Okay, sweet dreams.”
Winston turned off the bedside lamp and got up. Leaving the child, who was closing her eyes and trying to sleep, behind, he left the room. The Butler was standing in the hallway, waiting, as he had been doing since some point.
“All the guests have returned.”
“Good work.”
Winston said in response to the businesslike report as usual, but there was a strange emotion mixed in his tone. Without needing to think about the nuance, he continued speaking to the Butler.
“I am always grateful for your hard work. Thank you again this time.”
There were several meanings hidden in those words. The fact that Winston had become so close to Angela was also thanks to the Butler. When he had decided to try to improve his relationship with Yu-jin, the Butler gave him unexpected advice when he was worried about what to do.
‘To catch the enemy, you must shoot the horse.’
‘How? That child hates me?’
The Butler’s intention was clear, but it was impossible for Winston. The Butler offered an unexpected solution to him, who had scoffed without fail.
‘Mr. Campbell has tremendous advantages, does he not?’
The Butler added with a blank face to him, who had inadvertently frowned.
‘Money.’
And after that, Winston tried tirelessly to win the child’s heart, but Angela didn’t budge at all with gifts. He knew the reason today. He had been spending money on the wrong things all along.
He should have bought her friends.
Today, Winston’s tremendous advantage, as the Butler had said, finally shone. The Butler replied with a faint smile to the owner, who was smiling with unusual satisfaction.
“It’s nothing. It’s my job.”
Winston lightly patted the Butler’s shoulder and headed to his room. Tomorrow was a day off. He would take Angela to Yu-jin. How happy would they both be?
While showering under the showerhead, drenching his whole body in hot water, he recalled Yu-jin’s smiling face. Had he ever smiled like that since they had met again? He couldn’t remember. If Angela was happy, he would smile too. Winston smiled again as he recalled the child smiling with rosy cheeks.
The child of the person he loved.
Suddenly, a forgotten memory was revived. It was the child of his lover, not just any child. The pleasant feeling he had felt until now was ruined in an instant.
How could he harbor desire for such a pitiful and lovely being?
Suddenly, he wanted to spit on Harold’s grave.