By Zephyria Yu-jin woke up with a start at the clear light and the roaring sound that seemed to smash the world. He lay there for a moment, blinking his eyes, then relaxed his shoulders as he heard the loud sound of rain.
Did I sleep too long?
Perhaps because the tension and fatigue of the past few days had washed over him all at once, he had fallen asleep without even dreaming. Fortunately, his body and head felt quite light. Feeling refreshed for the first time in a while, he got out of bed and suddenly checked the time. It was only 8 o’clock, but the world was already as dark as night.
“Angie?”
He called her name, feeling puzzled only then in the quiet room, but there was no answer. Maybe she went outside so that Yu-jin wouldn’t wake up. He felt sorry for the child and got out of bed.
“Angie! Angie, where are you? Are you here…”
He opened each door one by one, looking for his daughter, but she was nowhere to be seen. Knowing that Angela wouldn’t go into just any room on her own, he couldn’t stop opening the doors and checking, hoping against hope.With a slightly anxious heart, Yu-jin was about to head downstairs when he paused, noticing the busy movements of the servants as he stepped onto the staircase.
“Cain?”
At the call, the Butler, who was on the phone, looked up. Their eyes met, and he seemed to freeze for a moment. It was the first time Yu-jin had seen the Butler react like that, making him even more uneasy.
“Um, do you know where Angie is? I can’t find her anywhere. It’s past dinner time.”
Feeling his heart pounding, Yu-jin forced a smile, and the Butler hesitated for a brief moment before answering. It was only a second or two, but it was enough to send a chill down Yu-jin’s spine. “Well,” the Butler began.
“We’re looking for her too. She went out three or four hours ago and hasn’t returned yet…”
Another thunderous roar echoed. Yu-jin froze, staring down at the Butler, unable to fully grasp what he had just heard. The Butler looked up at Yu-jin and continued.
“Everyone is out looking for her, so she’ll be back soon. Please don’t worry too much and just wait…”
“What did you just say? Angie is missing? Angie is outside right now in this heavy rain?”
Yu-jin finally snapped out of it and shouted urgently. The Butler, with a dark expression, tried to say something more, but Yu-jin didn’t listen and rushed down the stairs.
“Mr. Yu-jin, it’s dangerous!”
The Butler shouted, but Yu-jin didn’t hear him. His mind was filled with Angela’s face. The deafening sound of the pouring rain made him dizzy. He couldn’t regain his composure.
“Ugh!”
“Mr. Yu-jin!”
He slipped and fell down several steps. The Butler rushed over, shouting in alarm, but Yu-jin didn’t even feel the pain. He tried to get up but lost his balance again and collapsed. The Butler hurriedly supported him, but Yu-jin shouted.
“Let go, I have to find Angie! Let go of me!”
“Everyone is out looking for her. Please, Mr. Yu-jin, calm down…”
“Let go! I have to find Angie right now, quickly… Angie!”
“What’s going on here?”
A frosty voice suddenly cut through them, causing both Yu-jin and the Butler to stop and turn their heads. Yu-jin blankly murmured his name.
Winston.
His dark hair and part of his coat were wet, as if he hadn’t completely escaped the rain. The raindrops sparkled, reflecting the light from the huge chandelier in the hall. Winston’s face was distorted in Yu-jin’s tear-filled eyes. The Butler spoke.
“I apologize, Mr. Campbell. For causing a disturbance…”
“What, exactly, is going on?”
Winston spat out each word. Another clap of thunder echoed. Yu-jin belatedly shouted.
“Angie is missing! The rain, it’s raining so hard… We have to go find her right now!”
He tried to push past the distracted Butler, but Winston easily caught him. He hugged Yu-jin, who was struggling, and asked.
“Explain what happened.”
“Well, that is…”
The Butler was flustered but quickly replied.
“Angie went out three or four hours ago and hasn’t returned yet. So everyone is out looking for her.”
“Went out? Alone?”
“Yes.”
Winston frowned, and the Butler, embarrassed, added an explanation.
“I saw her earlier, but I thought she might be feeling cooped up inside, so I let her be. I told her to come back soon since it was going to rain, and she often plays alone near the mansion, so I didn’t think she would go far, but…”
“Let go of me, I have to go find Angie!”
Yu-jin shouted before the Butler could finish. Winston held him tightly with one arm as he struggled with all his might.
“Calm down, everyone is looking for her, right?”
“She’s my child!”
Yu-jin screamed.
“It’s been hours since she left, and it’s raining so, so hard outside… She’s only three years old, if she hasn’t come back yet, Angie, my daughter…”
The thought made his heart stop. Yu-jin covered his face and burst into tears.
“If anything happens to Angie, I’ll die too…!”
Winston simply watched him wail. A bright light flashed through the mansion, followed by a thunderous roar.
“Prepare the horses.”
“Pardon?”
Winston’s quiet voice was heard amidst the lingering thunder and the relentless rain. The surprised Butler looked at him in confusion, and Winston ordered again.
“Did you not hear me? Prepare the horses.”
“But Mr. Campbell, that’s…”
The Butler tried to say more, but Winston glared at him, and he had no choice but to bow his head and leave to prepare the horses.
“Let go of me, let go!”
“I said calm down.”
Winston forcibly held Yu-jin, who had started struggling again, in his arms, preventing him from moving.
“Fine, I’ll go look for her, so you stay here.”
“I’m going too!”
“Stay.”
Winston crushed Yu-jin’s will with his still cold tone.
“What if you go out looking for her and your child comes back in the meantime? Is it your daughter’s turn to go looking for you this time? Don’t be stubborn and wait. You need to reassure her when she comes back.”
His words were perfectly rational and valid. Yu-jin struggled to suppress the urge to run out immediately, but he couldn’t deny that Winston was right. Feeling Yu-jin’s body go limp, Winston also loosened his grip.
“I can’t live without Angie.”
“I know, so stop it.”
Winston said in an indifferent voice as Yu-jin couldn’t hold back the tears that welled up again. He took out a handkerchief from his coat pocket, but put it back when he saw it was wet.
“We’ll find her soon. Don’t think negatively, because if you give up, it’s really over.”
Yu-jin wiped away tears with the back of his hand and looked up at Winston. His face was still expressionless, and he couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“…You wouldn’t give up, would you?”
Winston opened his mouth as he asked in a sobbing voice.
“If I thought it was a futile effort, I would give up. But you don’t think finding your child is a futile effort, do you?”
“Never.”
Winston concluded briefly to Yu-jin, who answered in a strong tone.
“Then that’s enough.”
“Mr. Campbell, it’s ready.”
Yu-jin wanted to say more, but he missed the timing when the Butler returned. Winston immediately turned in the direction he had come from and ordered.
“Contact the family doctor and tell him to come immediately and be prepared to administer first aid. The child may suffer from hypothermia or have other problems, so be ready to respond immediately.”
“Understood.”
“Winston…!”
Yu-jin shouted urgently from behind Winston and the Butler, who were walking away. Winston stopped and turned around, and Yu-jin opened his mouth in a trembling voice.
“Please, please find Angie…!”
Winston looked at his face without a word as he pleaded with all his heart, then turned back around. Soon after, the front door closed, leaving only Yu-jin behind. All he could hear was the loud sound of rain.