By Zephyria “Are you very sleepy, Angie?”
Winston asked, watching the child yawn again. Angela shook her head with tears in the corners of her eyes.
“I’m okay. Because I’m going to see Daddy!”
Seeing her stubbornly say that even though her eyes were full of sleep, she was indeed Yu-jin’s child. Winston couldn’t help but smile and stroked the child’s head.
“Yes, you’ll be able to see him soon.”
When he called early in the morning and said that he would be going soon, Yu-jin screamed with joy on the other end of the receiver. Winston suddenly wondered when he had made him this happy.
It was also a joy that he would not have felt if he had not been imprisoned on the island in the first place.
Thinking that, his mouth felt bitter. Seeing Angela rubbing her sleepy eyes and stubbornly enduring just because she was going to see Daddy made him feel even more so.
“Were you very disappointed that Daddy wasn’t at your birthday party?”
When Winston asked, Angela paused and then nodded. He had done everything he could, but it wasn’t enough. Conversely, even if Winston hadn’t spent so much money and effort, the child would have been satisfied enough if she had been alone with Yu-jin. Watching the island gradually approaching, Winston once again recalled his complicated feelings.
* * *
From early in the morning, Yu-jin had been wandering around near the helicopter landing pad. From the moment he heard that Angela and Winston were coming to the island together, he couldn’t calm down at all. He barely ate the breakfast that the employee had brought him, constantly glancing outside, and as soon as he finished his meal, he ran outside and began to wait for them in earnest.
Did the birthday party go well?
He was so upset that he couldn’t be there with her. It was the most precious day of the year. He always made sure to celebrate Angela’s birthday, even when it was difficult to make a living. He would buy a cheap slice of cake, light the candles, and celebrate together.
He should have just said nothing.
It wasn’t the first time Winston had said harsh things to him, so why couldn’t he just let it go? What was so important about his pride?
It was when he inadvertently sighed. Suddenly, he heard a familiar, loud noise. When he quickly raised his head, he saw a black shape flying in from the other side of the sky.
Angie.
Yu-jin’s heart was pounding so hard that he was out of breath. He held his hands together tightly as if praying and stared blankly as the helicopter rapidly approached. The noise also became so loud that his ears went numb, but he stood there steadfastly. It felt like an eternity until the helicopter landed some distance away from him, enduring the wind that was hitting his whole body. And finally, the door opened, and the bodyguard got out of the car first. Yu-jin couldn’t stand it any longer and ran with all his might.
“Angie!”
His heart was overflowing with the thought of hugging the child. While running towards the helicopter with a bright smile and his arms wide open, his mind was full of thoughts of his daughter. He thought that the next person to get off would definitely be Angela.
“Ah!”
The moment he discovered the person who appeared next, Yu-jin let out a short exclamation like a scream. The man, who was taller than the bodyguards, saw Yu-jin running towards him and stopped in his tracks. Yu-jin tried to stop urgently, but he gained momentum and ended up tangling his legs.
“Ugh!”
This time, a real scream came from his mouth as he flailed awkwardly and fell. He reflexively closed his eyes at the rapidly approaching ground. He thought he would feel tremendous pain next, but the reality was not so.
…Huh.
Suddenly, his body floated in the air. Surprised, Yu-jin opened his eyes without realizing it, and he was really floating in the air. As he turned his head belatedly, not knowing what to do with his wide eyes, he made eye contact with Winston.
“Are you okay?”
Yu-jin was surprised once again by the question asked with a soft smile. Why was this man acting like this? It had only been two days since he hadn’t come to the island to throw Angela’s birthday party. What had happened in the meantime that his attitude had changed so drastically?
Unable to react immediately to the unexpected situation, he only blinked, but suddenly, Winston asked.
“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
“Ah, no…”
Yu-jin denied it without realizing it, then added with difficulty in a fading voice.
“I just think you’re acting a little strange.”
“Me?”
Winston frowned. It was a familiar face, but the atmosphere was still different. What was going on? He was still bewildered, but suddenly, he heard a voice from below.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
“Angie!”
The moment he heard the voice, he turned around with a bright expression, but Winston quickly hugged him. Yu-jin, who belatedly realized that he was being held by him like a princess, was flustered and blurted out urgently.
“I-I’m okay now, so put me down.”
He wanted to hug the child as soon as possible. He was dying of anticipation, but Winston teasingly tilted his head and pretended not to know.
“What are you doing? I said put me down!”
Winston suddenly said something out of the blue to Yu-jin, who was flailing his legs and shouting again.
“I know a guy who always carries his son on his shoulders and his partner in his arms, should I try that too?””What?”
What was he suddenly saying? I stared at him, dumbfounded, as Winston looked down at the child and asked,
“Angie, would you like a piggyback ride?”
“A piggyback ride?”
Angela blinked, looking bewildered. Her expression was exactly like Yu-jin’s, which made Winston chuckle. He gave a quick glance, and one of the quick-witted bodyguards stepped forward and picked up the child. Soon after, Yu-jin watched as Angela straddled Winston’s shoulders.
“Ugh, uwaaa!”
“Angie!”
Angela and Yu-jin screamed simultaneously. Winston, momentarily deafened, instinctively squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again. Seeing Yu-jin’s pale face and Angela’s hands gripping his hair tightly, Winston could easily tell how shocked they both were.
“What are you doing, that’s dangerous! What if Angie falls!”
“Daddy, I’m scared.”
“Put her down, now! Quickly! Angie, just hold on a little longer. I’ll get you down right away.”
“Daddy, Daddy!”
Crying, yelling, it was chaos from all sides. Winston, realizing the difference between his ideal and reality, had no choice but to order the bodyguard again. After Angela was taken off his shoulders and he bent down to put Yu-jin on the ground as well, they hugged each other as if they had been waiting for it.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
“Angie, I missed you!”
Winston simply watched silently as the two hugged tightly, showering each other with kisses, then hugging again and sharing more kisses. Only after finally calming down did Yu-jin look up at him. Of course, it wasn’t the expression Winston had expected at all.
“Don’t ever do that again, it’s dangerous!”
Winston simply shrugged at Yu-jin’s face, which glared at him with resentment and anger mixed together. Really, what was he thinking? Yu-jin was annoyed by him, but he didn’t press the issue any further. He didn’t know when Angela would be taken away. Every minute, every second was precious now.
“Angie, shall we go inside? I asked them to make a cake. You like chocolate cake, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I love it, you’re the best, Daddy! I love you!”
The child constantly expressed her affection for Yu-jin, clinging to his neck and showering him with kisses. Yu-jin, too, seemed used to it, smiling nonchalantly.
…Haa.
Winston sighed involuntarily, but Yu-jin and Angela were completely oblivious, lost in their own world.
* * *
“Wow! The ocean!”
Angela, wearing a swimsuit, ran wildly towards the beach. The warm, fine sand beneath her feet made her feel good, and Yu-jin smiled as he chased after her. Winston simply sat on a beach chair, watching them. It was such a peaceful beach. Anyone who didn’t know the truth would be amazed by how happy the family looked, but the reality was completely different. Maybe if Winston disappeared right now, they wouldn’t even notice. Or maybe they’d be happy. Thinking that, Winston felt endlessly depressed.
His goal was definitely Yu-jin.
But now he also wanted to win Angela’s heart. Would he ever have imagined this day would come? He was watching them with a serious expression when he suddenly saw Yu-jin heading towards the mansion. Seeing Angela squatting alone on the beach, playing with the sand, Winston impulsively got up.
“What are you doing?”
Winston asked, and Angela looked up and replied,
“I’m going to play in the sand. Daddy went to get the basket.”
“…I see.”
He had nothing more to say. Angela, too, seemed to think the conversation was over and went back to playing with the sand. For a while, silence flowed between them. Ahem, Winston cleared his throat and asked,
“Is there anything else you need, Angie?”
“No.”
The answer came out too easily, too quickly. But Winston didn’t give up.
“Nothing at all?”
This time, too, Angela answered without hesitation.
“No, it’s okay because I have Daddy.”
It was the answer he had expected, but also the answer he wanted the least. Winston silently looked down at Angela’s round head, who had lowered her head again, oblivious to his burning heart, and he opened his mouth without realizing it.
“Don’t you need a Papa?”