KTS 158

“Hic…”

Yu-jin, who had let out an unsightly scream, hurriedly raised his remaining hand to cover his mouth. Winston, who glanced at Yu-jin with a clearly flustered expression, spoke downwards.

“Angie, Daddy seems to need some rest. Would it be okay if we decorated the tree together?”

At those words, Yu-jin hurriedly looked down at the child. Angela was looking up at Winston, her face pale as if she had been shocked. It was clear that she was thinking the words she had said before. That Winston was trying to separate him and the child again. Yu-jin’s heart sank at the child’s expression, which revealed her emotions.

“I’m oka…”

“Butler.”

Just as Yu-jin was about to speak urgently, Winston called the Butler. He was cut off, and the Butler, who had appeared from somewhere, replied, Yes. Winston continued, still holding Yu-jin in his arms.

“Make a place for Yu-jin to rest, within a distance where he can watch Angie.”

At the unexpected words, not only Yu-jin but also Angela’s eyes widened. The Butler, without any change in expression, replied, I understand, and then instructed the employees to bring a classic rocking chair, put cushions on it, and cover it with a blanket, busily creating a place for Yu-jin to sit and rest.

“Here.”

Winston opened his mouth as he carefully sat Yu-jin on the chair.

“Is this okay?”

Yu-jin blinked, still feeling dazed by the unexpected situation. The child was the same. Yu-jin looked at Angela with a bewildered expression, and after finding the child looking back and forth between Winston and him with the same expression, he awkwardly opened his mouth.

“Uh… yes, it’s okay.”

As he replied, watching Angela’s reaction, Winston soon turned his gaze to the child.

“Are you okay, Angie? Would you like the chair to be closer?”

He was ready to grant her wish immediately if Angela nodded. There was no guarantee, but Yu-jin was sure of it. Angela blinked with a blank face and hesitated before nodding. Seeing her half-doubtful expression, Winston immediately moved.

“…Ugh!”

Suddenly, his body was lifted up along with the chair. Winston lifted Yu-jin up in the chair and moved without hesitation. In just a few steps, Winston went right in front of the child and asked.

“About this much?”

The child’s eyes widened again. Angela looked back and forth between Winston and Yu-jin’s faces again and nodded in a daze.

“Uh… uh, yes.”

With those words, Winston put Yu-jin down. Very politely, with a gentle motion.

On the other hand, Yu-jin’s heart was pounding, and he was gasping for breath. He realized for the first time how much stability it gave him to have his feet on the ground.

He hadn’t been this anxious when Winston had picked him up.

He suddenly thought, and then shook his head hastily. What am I thinking? Am I saying it’s better for Winston to pick me up and move me?

“Daddy?”

When he came to his senses at the child’s voice, Winston and Angela were looking at him with puzzled faces. Yu-jin felt his face flush quickly and gave an awkward smile.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

To get through the crisis, he said quickly.

“Why don’t you finish decorating the tree? I’ll watch from here.”

At those words, Winston looked into Yu-jin’s face as if trying to find out the truth, but it wasn’t for long.

“Shall we? Then.”

Soon he straightened his back and cast his gaze on Angela. As if to say let’s finish up. Only then did Angela, who had regained her energy, look up at Winston with a flushed face. At the gesture of flapping her small hands, Winston leaned towards the child, and Angela whispered something. Then Yu-jin witnessed an unbelievable sight. Winston gave the child a smile he had never seen before. As if he loved her, as if he was happy, as if he couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with happiness.

Yu-jin watched them with complicated feelings and sat there silently.

“What did you talk about with Angie earlier?”

Finally, after they were alone, Yu-jin asked the question he had been holding back. Even after making the tree, they spent a lot of time together. They ate together in the greenhouse, chatted about the flowers that would bloom in the garden in the future, and talked about what they would do in the new year. It was such a peaceful daily life, but Yu-jin couldn’t believe this peace. Peace between Winston and himself was nonsense.

Never let your guard down.

As soon as he returned to his room and lay down on the bed, Winston tilted his head in bewilderment at the question, which was asked with a lot of wariness.

“What do you mean? We talked about so many things that I don’t know what you’re talking about.”Feigning ignorance so brazenly, Yu-jin opened his mouth to press her again. But before he could speak, Winston leaned in close to him. Suddenly, a sweet fragrance washed over him. Yu-jin flinched in surprise, and Winston narrowed his eyes, asking,

“Honey, what’s got you so anxious?”

His low whisper seemed to tickle Yu-jin’s skin. Yu-jin could only blink, unable to form words, as Winston reached out and stroked his arm. The sensation of long, firm fingertips lightly brushing against his skin made Yu-jin’s breath catch in his throat. Winston intertwined his fingers with Yu-jin’s, teasing him slowly as he continued,

“We were just enjoying Christmas Eve. Like any other family.”

Family. The subtle nuance of that word filled Yu-jin with a profound sense of alienation. They were a real family, yet Yu-jin was the only one who knew it. What would happen if Winston really found out that Angela was his daughter?

That won’t happen.

Yu-jin pushed Winston’s hand away with conviction. There was no way this man would believe him.

“Don’t do anything foolish. Nothing like that will ever happen between us again.”

Winston smiled, crinkling the corners of his eyes at his cold retort.

“What’s wrong?”

His nonchalant reaction made Yu-jin’s anger flare up again. He impulsively grabbed a pillow and swung it, hitting Winston with a soft thud.

Gasp.

Yu-jin gasped, surprised by his own actions. He couldn’t believe he had actually hit someone.

“I, I thought you’d dodge it.”

Winston chuckled at his muttered, almost aggrieved words.

“Weren’t you trying to hit me?”

“Don’t act like you let me hit you on purpose.”

Yu-jin snapped, but he knew it was the truth. The only opponent who couldn’t avoid Yu-jin’s slow attacks would be a corpse. In the end, Yu-jin revealed his true feelings.

“Why do you keep letting me win?”

Winston tilted his head, a questioning look in his eyes.

“Do I?”

“Yes. I’m not stupid. What are you up to?”

Winston was silent for a moment as Yu-jin fired off the questions. Yu-jin couldn’t tell if he was choosing his words or simply dumbfounded. After a few seconds of silence, he casually changed the subject.

“Are you feeling alright? You still seemed feverish.”

He had hit the nail on the head. The effects of the suppressant he had taken in the morning had long worn off. The fever was still raging inside him, and Winston’s pheromones were only making it worse. Just dealing with him up to this point had used up all the energy Yu-jin had left.

“That’s right. I’m going to sleep now, so don’t bother me.”

Yu-jin deliberately spoke more coldly than usual and turned his back on him. Winston watched the back of Yu-jin’s head for a moment before turning away. Yu-jin could hear him humming as he headed towards the bathroom.

What is he plotting now?

Feeling a sense of unease, Yu-jin heard Winston enter the bathroom, and the humming stopped. Alone in bed, Yu-jin replayed the events of the day in his mind. It had been a bitter experience, but he couldn’t deny that he had enjoyed it as well. Even knowing that it was all an illusion.

Just one more day to endure.

He thought, forcing himself to sleep. He didn’t expect to fall asleep so easily, but he quickly drifted off into a deep slumber. When Winston returned, Yu-jin was breathing evenly, fast asleep.

* * *

Angela woke up suddenly from a deep sleep. She had a strange feeling. Still lying down, she blinked her sleepy eyes and casually turned her head. It was a few seconds later that she realized something was crouching in the darkness.

……Huh?

Angela rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed. What is that? A faint question arose in her still-sleepy mind. She rubbed both eyes again with her hands and blinked. As her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, she slowly began to recognize what it was.

It was a person.

……Gasp!

Angela gasped in surprise, covering her mouth with the hand she had been using to rub her eyes.