I don’t want to go.
Winston urged his horse to move faster, trying to suppress the urge to turn back to Yu-jin. Left standing there, Yu-jin could only watch as Winston’s figure grew smaller in the distance before finally vanishing from sight. Silence settled over him, broken only by the lonely sound of rustling leaves.
“Are you playing around too much these days?”
During dinner, Madam Campbell suddenly broke the silence. Winston, in the middle of cutting his meat, paused and looked up at her. His mother gave him a gentle smile as she continued.
“Your tutors say you’re keeping up well with your studies. But still, you should be careful not to indulge in too much leisure.”
“Is that all?”
Jason, who had been listening, cut in. Their mother’s expression hardened immediately at her second son’s defiance.
“What are you talking about?”
The stark contrast in Madam Campbell’s demeanor when addressing Winston versus Jason was unmistakable. Meeting her cold gaze, Jason faltered for a moment but quickly regained his nerve.
“Aren’t you playing favorites? Winston gets to do whatever he wants, while the rest of us—”
“I have no complaints, Mother.”
The one who abruptly interrupted was the eldest son, Gordon. Jason turned to him, gesturing incredulously as if to ask what he was doing. But Gordon, ever shrewd, smoothly continued.
“Winston is still young. As long as he’s not causing any trouble, does it really matter? If not now, when else will he have the chance to enjoy himself? Isn’t that right, Winston?”
He even added a bright smile in Winston’s direction. Jason was left speechless at his older brother’s impeccable ability to navigate their mother’s moods. Satisfied with Gordon’s response, Madam Campbell withdrew her sharp gaze and spoke with a solemn air.
“Winston takes full responsibility for himself. You should all do the same. Especially you, Jason.”
“Mother—”
Jason called out in frustration, but there was nothing more he could say. His lips jutted out in a pout as he reluctantly fell silent, and the meal continued. After cautiously observing the atmosphere, the eldest daughter, Lady Catherine, finally spoke up.
“Father is quite late today, isn’t he? He must be busy with work.”
Harold was not the most affectionate father, but he never neglected his duties. One of those duties was dining with the family—no matter how busy he was, he always made an effort to join them for breakfast and dinner. His absence tonight was unusual enough to be worth mentioning. At the remark, Madam Campbell’s expression instantly turned icy.
“He said he would be dining in the annex tonight.”
“Ah…”
Catherine let out a quiet sigh, momentarily taken aback. Gordon and Jason also stiffened, instinctively gauging their mother’s reaction. Jason, in particular, cursed his timing—of all nights, why did he have to challenge her today?
The annex?
Winston was the only one who didn’t understand the meaning behind it. The atmosphere at the table grew heavy, as if everyone else was in on some secret. The only thing Winston knew was that Yu-jin was there.
“Is there some kind of problem with the annex?”
At his question, all eyes suddenly turned to him. That reaction alone told him something was off. Frowning, Winston waited for an answer, but his mother simply smiled at him as usual and spoke.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
That was the end of it. Everyone averted their gazes and resumed eating. He was still curious, but it was clear that now wasn’t the time to press further. Winston had no choice but to drop the subject.
I’ll just ask tomorrow.
Yu-jin would tell him. Thinking that made him restless—he could hardly sit still. He wanted to see him right now. Before he even realized it, he had finished his meal without even tasting what he was eating.
By nightfall, everything was silent. It was his first time sneaking out at this hour. The only sounds in the still night were the rustling leaves and the eerie hoots of an owl. Moving cautiously across the garden, he made his way to the stables. As expected, no one was around. Winston glanced around before stepping inside.
“Lancelot, Lancelot.”
Keeping his voice low, he called out, and his horse responded immediately. Winston approached his beloved steed and gently stroked its muzzle.
“You’re still awake. Can you take me somewhere for a bit?”
Lancelot bobbed his head as if he understood, stomping the ground twice with his front hooves. Winston carefully led him out, saddled him up, and climbed onto his back. His height, much taller than others his age, was especially useful in moments like this. Walking quietly at first, he only urged Lancelot into a gallop once he was sure it was safe. The horse surged forward, slicing through the night air.
Riding down the familiar path at such a late hour felt strange. But the thought of seeing Yu-jin sent his heart pounding. Soon, he would see him. He was on his way to Yu-jin.
I can’t wait to see him.
His mind was filled with nothing but Yu-jin’s face. He didn’t even consider the possibility of being caught sneaking out at night or getting scolded. None of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was that he was going to see Yu-jin.
Wait for me, Yu-jin. I’m coming.
By the time he finally arrived in front of the annex, he was breathless, his shoulders rising and falling with each gulp of air. He briefly worried that Yu-jin might already be asleep, but that concern vanished the moment he saw the light on in the second-floor bedroom. His face instantly lit up with joy.
Hurriedly dismounting, he ran to the annex and banged on the door, calling out.
“Yu-jin, it’s me! Winston! I’m here, open the door! Yu-jin!”
His voice naturally grew louder with desperation. It didn’t matter how loudly he shouted—there was no one else here except Yu-jin.
Just as he expected, it wasn’t long before he heard footsteps from inside. Then, the door swung open.
“Winston!”
Winston’s lips curled into a smile as he looked down at Yu-jin, who was staring up at him with wide eyes. It seemed Yu-jin had been getting ready for bed—he was dressed in lightweight pajamas, short-sleeved with matching shorts. How could he be this cute?
Winston’s grin brightened instinctively, and Yu-jin, confused by his reaction, asked, “What’s going on? Why are you here at this hour…?”
But when Winston opened his mouth to answer, no words came out. The moment he saw Yu-jin’s face, he forgot everything. Or rather, everything else felt so trivial that it didn’t even seem worth mentioning. What did it matter? Yu-jin was right in front of him.
Flustered for once, Winston managed to stammer, “Uh… I heard my father came here.”
“Oh, yeah. But he already left a while ago. Were you looking for Mr. Campbell?” Yu-jin asked cautiously.
Winston already knew he was gone. Of course he did—he had waited until his father had returned to the main house before coming here.
“No, that’s not it.”
Taking a deep breath, Winston exhaled slowly, as if releasing something that had been weighing on his chest. Then, he confessed.
“I came because I wanted to see you.”
“What?”
Yu-jin’s eyes widened even more in shock.
Winston felt his heart swell and repeated himself. “I missed you so much. I couldn’t stand it.”
Yu-jin just stared at him, speechless, but Winston couldn’t wait for an answer. He pressed further.
“What about you?”
He didn’t even give Yu-jin time to respond before continuing. “Didn’t you miss me? I—every day, no, every single moment, I think about you.”
Yu-jin’s face instantly flushed pink at Winston’s passionate confession. His embarrassment only made him look even more adorable, and Winston could hardly contain himself. His heart felt like it might explode.
“Then, I’ll go.”
“Huh?”
Yu-jin blinked in surprise as Winston suddenly stepped back. Taking another step away, Winston said, “I just came because I wanted to see you. That’s enough.”
The belated embarrassment hit him hard. Feeling his face burn, Winston hastily covered it with his arms and turned around. But just as he was about to retreat, Yu-jin suddenly grabbed his clothes from behind.
“Wait, Winston!”
Winston nearly stumbled as he turned back, only to find Yu-jin standing barefoot in front of him. His voice trembled as he spoke.
“I… I… I missed you too.”
Winston’s eyes widened.
Yu-jin, unable to bear his own embarrassment, covered his face with both hands and mumbled softly, “I think about you all the time. I always want to see you.”
Ah, Yu-jin…
Hearing Yu-jin finally say those words, Winston felt his chest tighten so much he couldn’t breathe. His hands, which were gripping Yu-jin’s arms, trembled. Slowly, he pulled Yu-jin toward him, and as he did, he saw that Yu-jin’s face was just as red as his own.
Winston couldn’t tear his gaze away. He grasped Yu-jin’s hands firmly, and in Yu-jin’s large eyes, Winston saw his own reflection.
Chu.
A small sound accompanied the soft touch of their lips meeting.
At some point, they had both squeezed their eyes shut. A breeze, as gentle as the warmth between them, passed by, brushing softly against their skin.
