By Zephyria He says he wants to improve their relationship, but he still doesn’t listen to a word Yu-jin says, yet he’s trying to get close to Angela. It doesn’t make any sense. Could he have realized that Angela is his child? Why is he suddenly acting like this? Is it possible to have a friendly relationship with someone you don’t trust?
Maybe he can, but I can’t.
Yu-jin frowned and watched them. As if Winston would put Angela in danger if he took his eyes off them for even a moment. He definitely has an ulterior motive.
I won’t let my guard down.
Yu-jin stared at them with wide eyes. The peaceful atmosphere could be shattered at any moment. It’s all a lie. He firmly believed it.
But reality was different. Yu-jin was the only one with his hackles raised.
“Kyaahaha! I floated, I floated!”
Angela’s delighted laughter rang out. The child’s joy at finally succeeding in floating on the water was greater than ever. It was the first time Yu-jin had heard his daughter laugh so cheerfully. Yu-jin was bewildered, but there was something even more surprising.
“See, Angie? I knew you could do it. Because you’re my daughter!”
At Winston’s words, Yu-jin felt his heart drop to the floor. Haa, haa. Even as he pressed his hand against his chest and gasped for breath, he stared intently at them. What is that man saying? Does he know? Is that why he’s doing this? Is he trying to take Angie away from me?
He was too terrified to move a finger. He was frozen in place, just gasping for breath, but they, unaware of Yu-jin’s agitation, were still laughing and talking in the water.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Just move forward little by little. That’s it.”
Winston’s peaceful voice was heard. Yu-jin watched them without blinking, his whole body tense. The sight of the child, with a serious face, holding a kickboard and kicking her feet, and Winston, with his hand on the child’s waist, helping her move forward slowly, was nothing more or less than a normal father and daughter.
Calm down.
Yu-jin took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. If he really knew, there’s no way Winston would let it go so quietly. He would just take Angela away.
A chill ran down his spine, but he managed to calm his racing heart. Winston doesn’t know. Yu-jin watched them with conviction. Winston’s gentle voice, mixed with the child’s bright laughter, continued intermittently.
Then why is he doing this?
Yu-jin watched them for a long time after that. The question returned to square one, but the answer still didn’t come. He could only sit there, stewing in his own thoughts.
* * *
“That was so much fun!”
Angela, who had come out of the water for lunch, shouted as she sat on a chair in her swimsuit. For their lunch, the servants had prepared a table next to the pool where Angela and Winston had been just a moment ago. Yu-jin silently watched Winston drape a gown over the soaking wet child’s shoulders as a matter of course and sit in another chair. It didn’t end there. Once seated, Winston began to act like a father in earnest. He picked up a bowl first, put salad on Yu-jin’s plate, then on Angela’s plate, and finally on his own plate before putting it down. In front of Yu-jin, who was dumbfounded and only blinked in the unexpected situation, Winston also served butter and handed over jam, meticulously checking that nothing was missing on the table.
But he wasn’t just indulging Angela’s whims. When the child shook her legs under the table while drinking soup, Winston gave her a stern warning, but without losing his gentle expression.
“Angie, you shouldn’t shake your body at the table. That’s bad.”
Angela paused and glanced at Yu-jin. Yu-jin was momentarily embarrassed, but he couldn’t teach her something wrong just to rebel against Winston.
Reluctantly, he scolded the child with a feeling he didn’t like.
“That’s right, Angie. Table manners are very important. A princess should act more dignified at the table.”
When he spoke in line with the princess role-playing that Angela was currently obsessed with, the child soon straightened her posture. Winston smiled faintly at the sight of the child sitting up straight and fixing her legs as instructed and finishing her soup. Seeing that face, Yu-jin felt strange again.
If that hadn’t happened…
If they had given birth to the child without any problems and raised her together with Winston, would this have been their daily life? Yu-jin wouldn’t have felt any resistance to Winston’s discipline, and he would have sometimes agreed and sometimes stepped back, doing his best to raise the child.
It wasn’t hard to imagine. It was right in front of him, a reality.
But this isn’t real.
Yu-jin quickly changed his mind. One harsh experience was enough. Whatever this man is thinking, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, Winston and Yu-jin are over, and running away from this man as soon as possible was all he had to think about.
Pull yourself together and don’t waver.
Yu-jin urged himself. He shouldn’t ruin things with pointless delusions. He’s an adult who knows the world now. Maybe this is just Winston’s whim. He must have some ridiculous idea about me again. Nothing will change, absolutely.
Thinking that, Yu-jin ate his meal while Winston and Angela emptied their plates in a pleasant atmosphere. When he came to his senses, they had finished eating. Yu-jin blinked, momentarily flustered by the two pairs of eyes looking at him, and Winston spoke.
“Angela wanted to go back in the water, so I told her to wait until you finished eating.”
“Ah, um…”
He stammered without realizing it and met Angela’s eyes. Seeing the child looking at him with a pleading face, he soon softened.
“Ah, you don’t have to wait… It’s not good to swim right after eating.”
“Don’t worry, we’re going to go in the jacuzzi.”
Winston, who readily solved the problem, turned his gaze to Angela and said.
“You can’t go in the cold water, but there’s a bubble bath with warm water. Let’s play there for a little while and that’s it for today, okay?”
“Bubbles?”
Winston easily succeeded in capturing the child’s attention. Leaving behind Yu-jin, who was dumbfounded and only blinked, Winston smiled and continued.
“Yes, the water keeps coming up like this. Do you want to see?”
“Wow, yes!”
Angela readily agreed and raised both arms high. It was a cheer, but Winston misunderstood the action. Or maybe he didn’t miss the opportunity. Anyway, that’s how it looked to Yu-jin. Winston readily picked up the child, placed Angela on one arm, and readily started walking. For a moment, Yu-jin thought a startled cry would erupt, and he stood up without realizing it, but that didn’t happen. In his wide-open vision, he caught a glimpse of Winston’s back as he walked towards the jacuzzi and the top of the child’s head nestled quietly in his arms.
Soon after, Winston pressed a button on the remote control to activate the machine, and the water immediately rose up with bubbles. When Angela exclaimed “Wow,” Winston looked at the child and asked.
“Angie, you can’t go in the water right away. What did I tell you to do?”
“Um… warm-up exercises?”
“This is warm water, so we’ll skip the warm-up exercises. What else?”
“Um…”
The child pondered for a moment and soon remembered and answered.
“Put your toes in first.”
“That’s right, good job.”
Angela was soon proud and blushed at Winston’s praise. And Winston didn’t miss that timing.
“Then Angie, how about this?”
Yu-jin saw Winston’s large back leaning forward. Why is he doing that? Is he trying to put Angie down? While wondering and feeling uneasy, an unbelievable situation unfolded before Yu-jin’s eyes. Winston, holding the child’s body, lifted Angela behind his neck, and the child spread her legs and settled on Winston’s shoulders. And Winston, in a truly stable posture, with Angela on his shoulders, entered the jacuzzi.