By Zephyria Yu-jin inadvertently stared at Winston with a dumbfounded look. It didn’t end there. Winston turned his head, looked at Yu-jin’s face, and silently closed his mouth.
As if asking if there was anything else to do.
“Uh… that’s it.”
Yu-jin said hesitantly, and somehow felt strange. Should he pat his head for doing a good job in this case? No, that’s what you do to a dog. Winston is a person.
But Winston was still looking at him as if waiting for something. What is it? As Yu-jin blinked in wonder, Winston, who had been looking at Yu-jin like that for a while, unexpectedly smiled.
“Okay.”
Winston only said that to the surprised Yu-jin and turned his gaze away. Only then did he realize.
Was he waiting because he thought I might have something more to say but was hesitating?
He thought it was impossible, but he couldn’t find any other answer.
Could it be, really?
Winston is being that considerate? To me? That’s ridiculous.
That’s the only answer, but his heart still refused to believe it. Isn’t that right, Yu-jin had told the truth several times, asking Winston to believe him, but Winston had ridiculed him. But now he’s listening to me? Yu-jin must be mistaken. If not, Winston must have some ulterior motive.
That’s right, that must be it.
Thinking that way made him feel at ease. Yu-jin took a short breath and buried himself in the seat. Glancing out the window, he saw that they were driving on the one-way road leading to the mansion. Only then did his tension ease a little. It’s okay, we’re almost there. He comforted himself, but this time he was worried about something else. What happened to the reporters?
He had taken a helicopter when he left the house. But he couldn’t use the helicopter every time, and there was no room for argument with the principal’s words that he should refrain from using it as much as possible because the noise of the helicopter could interfere with the children’s classes.
I just have to put up with it.
Yu-jin decided to come back by car with that thought. Besides, he can’t just take a helicopter every time. He has to get used to cars anyway. As soon as possible.
He was determined with that thought, but unexpectedly, the surroundings were quiet. He was wondering why he couldn’t see a single person at the gate of Delights when Winston opened his mouth.
“The reporters have left. Something else happened on the other side.”
“The other side?”
Winston chuckled at the unintentional question.
“A school of piranhas always flocks to the side where there’s the scent of fresh blood.”
He didn’t know exactly what it was, but it seemed like a new incident had happened. Anyway, it was a good thing if they were less interested in him. Whew, as he let out a sigh of relief, Winston suddenly grabbed Yu-jin’s hand. Winston asked the surprised Yu-jin.
“Don’t worry. Nothing dangerous will happen, not again.”
The added words made him feel strange for some reason. For a moment, the two looked at each other. In the crossed gazes, Yu-jin recalled many memories. Winston, who had criticized him with cruel words, himself who had been kicked out onto the street with nothing, the time he wandered the streets and almost died, and the urgent and scary incident that almost sent him to prison.
Yu-jin lowered his eyes without saying anything and pulled his hand away. Only after seeing Yu-jin close his eyes did Winston speak to the child.
“Angie, let’s get your uniform fitted tomorrow. The designer will come to the house. Sounds good?”
“Yes!”
Angela immediately nodded and blushed as she gasped.
“When do I start going to kindergarten? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?”
He couldn’t hide his excitement, and laughter naturally came out. Winston felt the corners of his mouth crumble and replied.
“You’ll start going next week. We have to prepare in the meantime. We’ll get your uniform fitted and make your shoes.”
“Yay!”
Angela raised her arms and wiggled her butt before closing her mouth tightly with sparkling eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
Winston asked with a smile at the unusual expression, and Angela rolled her eyes, looking back and forth between Winston and Yu-jin.
“I’m so happy today. Winnie is here, and Daddy is here.”
The child seemed genuinely happy and didn’t know what to do. Yu-jin, who opened his eyes and saw that face, felt like something was weighing on his chest. But it didn’t end there. Angela added in an excited voice, her cheeks glowing.
“I have a Papa now too! Yay!”Winston turned his gaze to Yu-jin at those words. Yu-jin deliberately and quickly averted his eyes, avoiding his gaze. And with his head fixed out the window, he didn’t look at Winston once until the car stopped.
* * *
While Angela went into the house to prepare a snack, Yu-jin returned to their room with Winston. Whew, he let out a tense breath and took off his coat, which Winston promptly took from him. Yu-jin hesitated, but just let him take it and instead picked up the pot on the tea table and poured water. Winston suddenly spoke from behind.
“About what Angie said… what do you think?”
At the hesitant question, Yu-jin gulped down the water, put down the empty glass, and turned around. As if he was now fully prepared.
“What do you mean, what do I think? Is there anything to think about?”
At his sharp tone, Winston visibly flinched. That’s, he hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
“Angie wants us to be together…….”
“Winston.”
Yu-jin cut him off without listening further.
“I told you, I don’t have any intention of trying anything with you anymore. Have you forgotten what you said to me?”
“That was all my misunderstanding. Now I know…….”
“Does that make it like it never happened?”
Yu-jin snapped irritably. Taking advantage of Winston’s silence, he continued.
“It’s not like I haven’t thought about it. After all, you’re the father of the child, and I have to think about the shock Angie would receive. But it’s no use, I just can’t.”
“Yu-jin.”
“If the same thing happens again, can you be sure you won’t doubt me? Of course, you’ll say you can, because it hasn’t happened now. But when it actually happens, can you really do that? Winston, you told me that before too. That you would love and trust me no matter what. But you didn’t. And now you’re saying you won’t do it again? How can I believe those words?”
Winston listened silently. Yu-jin couldn’t tell if it was because he had nothing to say or because he wasn’t confident he could persuade Yu-jin, but what did it matter? The result wouldn’t change anyway.
“Living with you, I’ll always have to prove myself to you. My sincerity, my chastity, maybe for the rest of my life.”
He shook his head, looking exhausted.
“I can’t live like that.”
Having said that, Yu-jin closed his mouth. Suddenly, silence fell. Winston still just stared at him without saying anything. What was he thinking? No matter what he said, Yu-jin’s mind wouldn’t change. He braced himself and looked at him, and Winston let out a short sigh.
“You’re right.”
Yu-jin paused at the words, spoken with slumped shoulders. He hadn’t expected him to accept it so readily. He thought he would argue more. But instead of speaking, Winston rubbed his face with both hands and just let out a trembling breath. His listless shoulders seemed to speak for his heartbreak.
The silence continued. The quiet between them was different from before. Instead of tension, there was a sense of fatigue and pity. Yu-jin seemed very tired. Perhaps it was because the expression revealed after he lowered his hands showed an even deeper melancholy. Winston hesitated again, opening and closing his mouth before barely making a sound.
“……I.”
It was when he heard the voice, strained as if squeezing it out, that the phone suddenly rang. Winston, as surprised as Yu-jin, belatedly took his cell phone out of his pants pocket, and his expression hardened. Yu-jin noticed the caller as his gaze quickly turned to him and then quickly fled.
“Why don’t you answer it? I’ll get out of your way.”
“Yu-jin, this is.”
Winston tried to make some excuse, but Yu-jin left the room without listening further. Winston reached out to grab him, but had no choice but to lower his hand. With a deep sigh in between, he answered the phone and heard a woman’s voice from the other side.
“Winston, please believe me. I didn’t know anything about it.”
Winston groaned and replied to Evelyn’s urgent voice from the other end of the line.
“I know, I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
Evelyn must have been late to hear the news because she was volunteering in Africa. Winston walked into the bathroom while answering the phone and took out medicine from the cabinet. His head was starting to hurt again.