Seol Yu-jin was at a loss for words.
Time kept slipping by as he stood frozen, mouth agape, just staring at the child.
Say something—anything! What the hell are you doing?!
The voice in his head screamed at him to act, but still, he remained rooted to the spot, dazed and silent.
Angela was sharp for her age—she had probably already realized something was off.
No, even the most oblivious child would have picked up on it by now. That Yu-jin was hiding something about her Papa.
But how could he possibly explain it now?
Barely five minutes had passed, but it felt like an eternity. Then suddenly, Angela broke the silence.
“It’s okay, Daddy.”
“…What?”
He reflexively asked again, startled. Only then did Angela shift her gaze from the window to look at Yu-jin.
“You don’t have to tell me about Papa. It doesn’t matter. I don’t have a Papa anyway.”
That’s not true.
He should’ve told her—should’ve said something, even now. But Angela didn’t wait for him to summon the courage. She darted across the living room and ran up the stairs.
“Angie…”
Yu-jin called out her name too late. All he heard in return was the sound of her door closing. That simple act—her shutting the door—felt like a rejection. Like she was shutting him out.
Growing anxious, Yu-jin glanced around in frustration, then hurried up the stairs after her. But even just knocking on the door took effort. He inhaled deeply, steadying himself, then knocked twice in rhythm.
“…Yeah.”
Only after hearing her voice did he finally open the door. Angela sat hunched on her bed, hugging a stuffed bear larger than herself.
“Angie…”
Yu-jin sat down on the edge of the bed, gently calling her name as he reached out and stroked her back.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Papa earlier. Were you really upset?”
Angela shook her head after a short pause.
“No.”
“Then…?”
He asked again, but Angela stayed silent, lost in thought. Yu-jin waited, hoping she’d speak on her own, but she showed no sign of opening up.
Over ten minutes passed before Angela finally muttered under her breath.
“…Mr…”
“…Huh?”
At first, he didn’t understand what she’d said. Puzzled, Yu-jin asked again—and then realization dawned.
Mr. Campbell.
The name came out of nowhere. Yu-jin froze. He hadn’t imagined in the slightest that Angela would mention him.
Why?
How?
“Mr. Campbell? Why are you bringing him up?”
Yu-jin asked as gently as he could so as not to make her wary. Angela didn’t answer right away. After a brief silence, she muttered quietly.
“…We’re not going to see Mr. Campbell ever again, are we?”
Yu-jin looked down at Angela’s face. But it was impossible to read what she was really thinking. Eventually, he gave up trying to figure it out and asked her directly.
“Angie, do you… miss Mr. Campbell?”
“Huh? Oh—n-no! It’s not like that, Daddy!”
Angela flailed, shaking her head so vigorously it almost looked panicked. But her overly forceful denial only made Yu-jin more certain of his guess.
“…Angie.”
He found himself at a loss. He hadn’t expected this—didn’t know how to respond.
He had sensed that she and Winston had grown much closer over time. But hadn’t Angela repeatedly told him she wouldn’t get attached to Winston? Was that just to reassure him? Maybe her real feelings were different.
Maybe, because she didn’t have a Papa, Winston’s efforts had actually reached her heart.
And maybe she kept denying it, worried about his reaction…
The more he thought about it, the more the guilt weighed down on him. The adults had been so caught up in their conflict, they’d completely neglected Angela. Just imagining how confused and torn she must’ve felt in the middle of all that—it made Yu-jin’s chest tighten.
“Angie… if you want to see Mr. Campbell, it’s okay.”
It wouldn’t be possible right away, but someday, he would have to tell her the truth. He had already been thinking he’d explain it all when she was older.
Maybe that time is now.
He took a deep breath and was just about to speak when Angela suddenly shoved her teddy bear aside and shouted.
“No, Daddy! I don’t want to see Mr. Campbell! I’m just worried about the baby!”
“…What?”
Yu-jin was stunned—again. He’d forgotten. Forgotten the lie he’d told.
Angela rushed to explain.
“Daddy, you’ve got my little sibling in your tummy. And Mr. Campbell is the Papa, right? So shouldn’t Mr. Campbell come see the baby? The baby has a Papa, doesn’t it?”
It felt like someone had struck him in the head. Yu-jin went completely blank.
And yet Angela kept firing off difficult questions.
“When is the baby coming out, Daddy? How much longer do we have to wait? Is it a girl or a boy?”
Despite the flurry of questions, Yu-jin just stared down at her wordlessly. He didn’t know how her thoughts had twisted down this particular path, but one thing was clear: the lie he’d used to deceive Winston had ended up hurting his own daughter too.
“…Haah.”
Yu-jin finally let out a deep sigh.
It was time to pay the price for what he’d done. To face the consequences—feel the shame and guilt each time he reflected on his actions.
But he couldn’t put it off any longer.
He should’ve said it sooner.
Bracing himself, Yu-jin opened his mouth.
“Angie.”
“Yeah.”
His daughter answered eagerly, as if she’d been waiting. Before saying the one thing that mattered most, Yu-jin had to take another deep breath. Looking into those wide eyes brimming with trust, he confessed with difficulty.
“I’m sorry. There’s no baby.”
Angela’s eyes widened as she stared at him in shock. Yu-jin’s chest ached as he forced himself to explain.
“Daddy was mistaken. I wasn’t pregnant.”
Even as he said it, part of him wondered if maybe she’d be relieved. She hadn’t seemed thrilled about having a sibling, and she’d made it clear she didn’t want Winston to come around.
But instead of relief, Angela’s shoulders sagged. Her face fell with visible disappointment.
Yu-jin blinked, flustered, then cautiously spoke.
“I thought you didn’t want a sibling?”
He tried to make it sound light, like a joke. Angela mumbled softly.
“I didn’t… but now that I know there’s really not gonna be one, something feels weird here.”
She pressed her hands over her chest and lowered her head. Maybe she was feeling empty, having finally come around to the idea—only for it to vanish just like that.
“I’m sorry, Angie. I should’ve told you earlier.”
Yu-jin pulled her into a hug, patting her back as he apologized. As she quietly leaned into his arms, she mumbled something again. Yu-jin took a second to catch her words.
“Then Mr. Campbell’s not gonna come, huh…”
Yu-jin stayed silent, holding her tighter. At least this time, she hadn’t seen his expression. Instead of sighing, he furrowed his brow as he caught sight of his reflection in the window and murmured,
“We’ll see him again, Angie.”
“…Okay.”
She answered faintly, her voice lacking any spirit. It was clear she didn’t believe him—just chalked it up as another pretty lie.
In her short life, Angela had already endured too much disappointment and heartbreak. Yu-jin knew she had a cynical streak unusual for a child. But right now, he had no other words to offer.
All he could do was hold her close.
***
“Mr. Campbell! Mr. Campbell!”
At the urgent call, Winston, who’d been sprawled across the sofa, grimaced and let out a groan. His butler, growing more anxious, spoke again as he watched his master knit his brow in pain.
“Please wake up, sir. I believe we’ve found Mr. Yu-jin. A message just came through.”
There was a two or three-second delay before Winston reacted. For a moment, he was completely still—like he’d frozen—Then, suddenly, his eyes flew open, and he shot upright.
“…What did you say?”
“P-please wait just a moment!”
Startled by the sudden intensity, the butler—rarely one to fumble—stammered as he hurriedly held out the phone.
Winston snatched it from his hand without hesitation and barked,
“You found Yu-jin? Where?”
There was a pause as he listened to the reply. His expression, at first unreadable, began to shift. And then—
“…What did you say?”
His face twisted into a grim scowl.
