KTS 91

“Winnie!”

Winnie?

Yu-jin’s eyes widened even more at the unexpected nickname, but it didn’t end there. The woman named Evelyn smiled brightly and suddenly threw her arms around Winston’s neck. Yu-jin froze in place at the sight. To Yu-jin’s shock, Winston didn’t push the woman away but laughed out loud. What’s more, he hugged her back as if it were nothing. Yu-jin felt like he was going to faint and gasped for breath. Winston, completely unaware of Yu-jin’s state, rubbed his cheek against Evelyn’s. Yu-jin watched the whole scene unfold.

“What’s going on? How did you know I was here?”

From Yu-jin’s perspective, Winston, after engaging in all sorts of intimate acts, finally managed to pull away and asked first.

“You left the garage door open, I saw the car.”

Evelyn asked back in a cheerful voice with a hint of laughter.

“What about you? What brings you here?”

Winston replied simply to the returning question.

“Vacation, of course.”

“Alone?”

“As if.”

Winston burst into laughter and soon turned around. At the same time, his eyes met Yu-jin’s, who was watching. Unlike the startled Yu-jin, Winston wore a welcoming expression and said.

“Come here, honey. Why are you standing there?”

Evelyn looked up at Winston with a surprised look for some reason. Yu-jin’s heart was hurt once again by that reaction. What, am I not good enough for Winston?

Out of spite, Yu-jin quickly walked over and hugged Winston from behind. Winston, as if Yu-jin was just being cute, looked down at him with a smile on his face. Evelyn looked back and forth between the two with a bewildered expression before fixing her gaze on Winston and opening her mouth.

“Honey?”

Winston answered, his gaze returning to Yu-jin.

“Yeah.”

Yu-jin, clinging tightly to Winston, met Evelyn’s gaze. His heart was racing like crazy, but he didn’t want to back down. Winston, pulling him closer into his arms, said.

“Say hello, Yu-jin. This is my childhood friend Evelyn. We grew up together since we were little, so we’re like siblings.”

Not siblings. Yu-jin glared at Winston, feeling sulky for no reason. But Winston, still looking at Evelyn, continued.

“Let me introduce you, this is Yu-jin. My lover.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened even more. Winston’s arms around Yu-jin tightened even more, and Yu-jin clung even closer to him. With just that one word, the sulky feelings he had been harboring melted away at once, and Yu-jin smiled bashfully with a flushed face.

* * *

After Evelyn left and they were alone, Winston hugged Yu-jin as if he had been waiting for it and kissed him on the lips.

“Were you surprised that someone came suddenly? It’s okay now.”

“Oh, uh-huh.”

Yu-jin, who had answered absentmindedly, belatedly realized something he had forgotten. He turned his head slightly to avoid Winston, who was about to kiss him again, and muttered in a voice full of dissatisfaction.

“What was that, suddenly coming and hugging me…”

He had brushed it off earlier, but when he thought about it later, he couldn’t help but feel upset. Yu-jin, pouting without realizing it, saw Winston laugh out loud. Feeling even worse at the reaction, Yu-jin glared at him.

“What? Why are you laughing?”

“Don’t be jealous, honey. Evelyn isn’t even worth it.”

“Not worth it?”

Yu-jin protested at the dismissive attitude, and Winston gently coaxed him in a softened tone.

“Honey, I’ve known her since we were born. Seriously, even if she stripped naked in front of me, I wouldn’t feel anything. Evelyn is really like a sexless man to me.”

Does she think so too? Her surprised face when Winston called him ‘honey’ in front of her kept bothering him. But that didn’t mean he could keep insisting when he was denying it like this. Anyway, Winston says he’s innocent.

There wasn’t really anything to doubt…

Yu-jin, who had been thinking about this and that, still mumbled in a subdued voice.

“You called her Winnie.”

He hadn’t even thought of that nickname. After all, it was true that Evelyn and Winston were that close, wasn’t it? Winston answered so lightly to the last piece of evidence he presented.

“You can call me that too.”

Yu-jin stared up at Winston blankly. He was just looking down at him with a smiling face as if nothing was wrong.

Am I being narrow-minded?

Yu-jin suddenly thought. Was he getting angry over nothing like this? Are other people not like me?

“Honey.”

Winston continued kindly to the confused Yu-jin.

“If there’s anything bothering you, tell me, it’s okay. I can explain everything. So don’t keep it to yourself.”

“Huh?” Winston kissed Yu-jin on the cheek.

“If you hide it inside, it’ll build up and we’ll get worse. I don’t want that.”

His kind and sincere words gradually eased his mind. Yu-jin hesitated and carefully opened his mouth, “Actually…”

Once he had managed to say that, it was a little easier to continue. Yu-jin took a deep breath and continued.

“I don’t like anyone calling you Winnie…”

After finally getting the words out, the rest was a little easier to continue. Yu-jin took a deep breath and continued.

“You told me to call you that too, but then it feels like I’m just anyone. But I don’t like other people calling you Winnie either…”

He trailed off naturally, repeating himself. I don’t know what I want to say. Did Winston understand my feelings? Feeling unnecessarily intimidated, Yu-jin heard Winston say.

“Okay, I won’t let anyone call me that anymore.”

“Huh?”

Yu-jin looked up in surprise, and he smiled and continued.

“From now on, you’re the only one who can call me Winnie. I won’t let Evelyn do it either, and I won’t let anyone call me that.”

Winston stroked Yu-jin’s cheek and met his gaze. Yu-jin just stared blankly at his purple eyes. This easily? This simply?

Seeing the doubtful Yu-jin, Winston asked.

“Do you feel better now?”

It was as if he would do anything if he said no. For some reason, that belief welled up, and the small lump in Yu-jin’s heart melted away. Winston, noticing the change in his expression, smiled and urged him.

“Come on, say it now. Say Winnie.”

Winnie.

As he repeated the name in his mouth, his heart felt like it was going to explode. Yu-jin opened his mouth but couldn’t bring himself to speak easily, hesitating several times before whispering softly.

“Winnie…”

“Yes, honey.”

Winston responded immediately. Yu-jin was moved and covered his mouth with both hands, inhaling roughly. Winston, seeing the sight, laughed out loud again and hugged him. Yu-jin also hugged him back without hesitation and took a deep breath. Winston’s sweet scent filled his lungs. He felt joy and satisfaction spreading throughout his body.

…Huh?

Suddenly, one side of his body throbbed. It was a very small sense of incongruity, but he could definitely tell. Yu-jin blinked his eyes and tilted his head.

What is it…?

It passed quickly, making it difficult to judge what it was. As he stood there blankly, Winston spoke first.

“Shall we go out together? Buy a few more clothes to wear while we’re here.”

“Again?”

He hadn’t thought about it at all because he had brought the clothes he had bought last time. Yu-jin asked in surprise, and Winston replied nonchalantly.”Yeah, if you’re on vacation, you should dress accordingly.”

Winston detached Yu-jin from his embrace, naturally put his arm around his waist, and started walking first. As Yu-jin started walking alongside him, he continued speaking smoothly.

“Let’s look around for a decent restaurant on the way. We’ll have dinner there.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

Yu-jin soon smiled brightly and hugged Winston’s waist.

Winnie.

He murmured the nickname softly in his mouth, blushing red with embarrassment.

I like you, Winnie.

His heart was pounding as if it would burst. Yu-jin took several deep breaths to calm his excitement before getting into the passenger seat of the car.