KTS 40

“I missed you!”

It was all well and good that he shouted happily and ran to Winston. But as a fellow child of the same age, he simply didn’t have the strength to withstand it.

“Ah!”

Pushed by Yu-jin, Winston let out a short scream and fell backward. It was a fleeting moment, but even in the midst of it, Winston wrapped his arms tightly around Yu-jin, who had rushed into his embrace, and fell backward.

“Ugh…”

Following a dull thud, Winston groaned softly. Yu-jin, who had inadvertently fallen with him, blinked blankly before belatedly getting up in a fluster.

“Oh no! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

At the urgent question, Winston finally awkwardly got up, only to let out a short scream.

“Ouch!”

Seeing the boy wince with a frown, Yu-jin cried out in a panic.

“Did you get hurt because of me? Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Huh? No, it’s okay, it’s okay.”

At Yu-jin’s reaction, who was quickly becoming teary-eyed, Winston hurriedly waved his hands and smiled.

“I just lost my balance and fell. Really, it has nothing to do with you.”

At Winston’s repeated assurances that it was ‘really okay,’ Yu-jin looked at his expression with a doubtful expression.

“Really, I don’t lie.”

Except for faking his illness.

Winston added inwardly, as if telling him to believe him. Anyway, it wasn’t a lie to Yu-jin, so it was the truth. He successfully rationalized it quite well and smiled contentedly. Only then did Yu-jin stop crying and smile sheepishly. His small nose was red and so, so cute. Winston blushed and smiled back.

* * *

“I see, so you’re from Korea.”

Winston said, listening to Yu-jin’s story as they sat side by side in the clover field. Yu-jin nodded and continued.

“Harold brought me here.”

“Father?”

Winston asked without thinking, and Yu-jin readily replied.

“Yes, your father. Harold Campbell.”

Well, that makes sense.

Winston soon understood. If anyone could bring someone to the detached house, which was practically part of the mansion, it would be Harold, the owner of the property. It was obvious that Harold was behind Yu-jin. Besides, Winston had said his name the day before, so Yu-jin must have guessed. That Harold, who had brought him here, was his father.

“But why are you here? Aren’t you lonely all by yourself?”

“I am lonely.”

To Winston’s question, Yu-jin answered honestly and let out a sigh that didn’t suit a child.

“But I have nowhere else to go… This is my home, Harold gave it to me.”

Even then, Winston had no idea. The dark secret of why Harold had to bring Yu-jin to the mansion. He was too young for that.

“Then, what about school? Don’t you go to school?”

Seeing Yu-jin shake his head, Winston was startled. So, Yu-jin really spent all day in this detached house? Alarmed, he spoke hastily.

“Really? You don’t have any friends? Are you all alone?”

Yu-jin didn’t answer Winston’s question and just lowered his head. He might cry again. Momentarily flustered, Winston hurriedly shouted.

“I’m here!”

At the high-pitched voice, Yu-jin, who had been looking downcast, looked up at Winston with wide eyes in surprise. Gaining even more courage from that gaze, Winston repeated the same words, as if vowing to himself this time.

“You can be friends with me. Let’s do that, that’ll work.”

Yu-jin was in a daze at the sight of the boy even pounding his chest as if telling him to believe him. But Winston didn’t care about Yu-jin’s reaction and grabbed both of his hands. Winston, who grabbed Yu-jin’s hands even tighter as he flinched and tried to pull them away reflexively, looked at his face.

“From now on, I’m your friend, your only one.”

He subtly added the last part. Winston didn’t want to share this pretty angel with anyone. Affection diminishes when shared. Friendship was no different. He had learned that it was also a form of love.

“Friend…”

At the word Yu-jin repeated, Winston nodded and quickly continued.

“I’ll teach you too. I can teach you everything from math to Latin and Spanish. How about it?”

“Uh…”

Everything Winston said was overwhelming Yu-jin. Study? Me? When I can’t even go to school? Seeing Yu-jin’s clearly confused expression, Winston persistently persuaded him.

“There are many kids who are homeschooled, so you can do that too. And when you’re ready, you can take the GED. Then it’s no different from graduating from school.”

His words were plausible. Very plausible. Yu-jin hesitated and cautiously opened his mouth.

“But, don’t you study? You have to too…”

“Don’t worry, I can do it with you.”

Winston, who offered a solution as if he had been waiting for it, tilted his head and smiled. Yu-jin’s heart belatedly began to race. He had never wanted anything before. He had always lived thinking that even wanting something was greedy.

“Really… is it really okay? Can you really teach me?”

“Yes, it’s really okay. Trust me.”

Winston said that and smiled brightly. Yu-jin couldn’t hide his joy any longer and smiled in return. What a tremendous event.

He made a friend and he’s going to teach him too. Could there be anything more joyful than this? His heart swelled and a blush naturally rose on his cheeks. Yu-jin impulsively grabbed Winston’s neck.

“Thank you, thank you… I’ll never forget it, thank you so much!”

At Yu-jin’s excited shouts, repeatedly expressing his gratitude, Winston smiled happily and hugged him back. That’s how they began.

With a loud crash, Yu-jin and Angela, who had been fast asleep, were startled and almost fell out of bed. Fortunately, Yu-jin, relieved that no unfortunate accident had occurred, stroked his chest and turned to the front door a step late. The moment Yu-jin saw the man standing in the doorway, his eyes widened.

What was going on?

An unbelievable thing was happening before his eyes. The man who always wore a neat suit, complete with a vest. Whose hair was always neatly combed back without a single strand falling out, who mainly wore egg-toe straight tips, and whose attitude was full of composure. With his tall height, handsome face, and confident attitude, there was nothing to criticize. The man who never made mistakes in anything, who was cautious and calm, who was perfection itself. Even his mother’s favoritism, who doted on him especially among her children, even though he was the youngest, was understandable. The man who had always been considered flawless.

Surprisingly, that man was nowhere to be found now. Yu-jin raised his upper body halfway from the bed and blinked blankly. The man facing him was barefoot, and his legs, revealed under the roughly belted indoor gown, were also bare. His dark hair was a mess, his beard was quite long on his chin, and his fierce eyes, which had always calmly assessed the situation and drawn the best conclusions, were wide open in shock. His composed attitude, which had always been admirable, was also nowhere to be seen, and instead, he stood there panting, his face pale, staring at Yu-jin. It was a disaster in itself. Who on earth was that?

Yu-jin swallowed hard and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Winston, what… what’s going on all of a sudden?”

He was so surprised that he stuttered. That’s how great the shock was. Had someone kidnapped Winston overnight and was impersonating him? Such an absurd imagination even came to mind.

Waiting anxiously, Winston, who had been blank for a while, belatedly came to his senses. Seeing his eyes suddenly turn fierce, Yu-jin quickly covered Angela’s ears, who was still asleep, with both hands. Then Winston spat out in a rough voice.

“What are you doing in a place like this?”