Yu-jin cautiously observed Winston’s expression. The man staring at him was wearing a look that could only be described as “dying of curiosity.” Yu-jin opened his mouth, but the words wouldn’t come easily. The persistent sweet scent in the air was also making his head spin. He swallowed dryly and instinctively leaned back in his seat. Winston, who had reached out toward him, now stood frozen, his face puzzled. However, he didn’t attempt to grab Yu-jin. Instead, he slowly lowered his hand and pressed his lips together in silence.
Yu-jin took a deep, trembling breath. Just thinking about repeating what he had heard was painful. But he had to say it. They had promised to be honest with each other.
“Winnie.”
Yu-jin barely managed to get the words out. He took another deep breath before finally speaking.
“Be honest with me, Winnie.”
Winston looked at him, as if asking, What are you talking about? Yu-jin met his gaze, his eyes wavering, before he finally asked the question he had been dreading.
“Have you slept with someone else?”
Winston didn’t respond immediately. He blinked once, his expression momentarily blank, before his face twisted in disbelief.
“What? Where is this coming from all of a sudden?”
“Just say yes or no. Did you?”
Yu-jin’s face had hardened, his voice pressing for an answer. Winston let out a sharp, incredulous laugh.
“Who the hell told you that? How could you believe such nonsense and doubt me? Yu-jin, are you saying you don’t trust me?”
Winston didn’t sound angry—just completely dumbfounded, as if he had never heard something so ridiculous in his life. But Yu-jin was desperate.
“Just answer me! Yes or no?”
His voice cracked as he demanded again, his face pale with fear. Winston finally let out a long sigh before answering, his voice lower than usual.
“Who else would I even sleep with besides you?”
There was nothing more frustrating than being accused of something so absurd. Who was the idiot that had started this ridiculous rumor? What kind of nonsense had Yu-jin been fed to make him doubt him like this?
But none of that mattered. What really tore Winston apart was seeing his beloved like this—shaking, afraid, and on the verge of tears. The mere thought of finding the bastard responsible and ripping out their tongue crossed his mind.
Then, Yu-jin’s trembling voice spoke again.
“Then… what about Evelyn?”
Winston froze.
Yu-jin pressed on, refusing to stop now.
“They said you’re engaged to Evelyn. That you’re getting married. Was that a lie, too?”
More than anything, Yu-jin wanted Winston to react the same way he had before—to sigh in exasperation, to laugh at how ridiculous it all was, to get angry that someone had dared to say such a thing.
But this time, Winston didn’t answer. He only stared at Yu-jin, looking completely flustered.
Yu-jin felt the strength drain from his entire body.
“…It’s true.”
His voice came out in a dazed whisper.
“I was just… someone to play with. And I didn’t even know…”
“No, Yu-jin! What the hell are you saying?”
Winston urgently blocked Yu-jin’s path, his voice rising in panic.
“I was just caught off guard, that’s all! Marriage with Evelyn? Who the hell is spreading that nonsense?”
“But you are engaged to her!”
“That has nothing to do with me!”
He insisted on his innocence again, but this time, it wasn’t so easily convincing. Yu-jin’s face was already filled with distrust. Winston let out a low, pained groan, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“My parents decided that on their own! It wasn’t an official engagement—just them talking nonsense when we were kids. If I was actually going to marry Evelyn, do you think I would’ve introduced you as my lover? Do you think Evelyn would have just stood by and let that happen?”
Of course, Yu-jin had considered that. But their relationship wasn’t like that of an ordinary couple. His friends had said it themselves—Winston wasn’t the type to marry just anyone.
“…Because it’s a political marriage.”
“That’s the kind of thing you only see in novels!”
Winston immediately shot back when Yu-jin muttered those words weakly.
“Think about it. Even if someone enters a marriage for political reasons, do you really think they’d just stand by while their spouse openly cheats right in front of them? Even if there are no feelings involved, do you honestly think they wouldn’t care? That wouldn’t just hurt—it would be humiliating. Yu-jin, no spouse in the world would tolerate that, no matter how the marriage came to be!”
Just like my mother didn’t.
Winston wanted to bring up Madam Campbell as proof, but he barely managed to hold himself back. No matter what, she was still his mother. He didn’t want to be the one to tear apart the pride she had fought so hard to maintain.
Yu-jin’s face was filled with doubt. He was clearly struggling, torn between wanting to believe Winston and the nagging fear that he couldn’t. His expression twisted painfully, and seeing it made Winston let out a sharp, frustrated sigh.
“Yu-jin, I swear. There’s only you.”
He was pleading now. There was nothing else he could do.
“I’ve loved only you my entire life. Evelyn and I were never officially engaged—it was just something our families talked about. And that was nearly a decade ago. More than anything, I feel nothing for Evelyn. The only one I love is you. Why the hell would I marry someone else?”
His confession was raw, filled with everything in his heart. But Yu-jin didn’t waver.
“You’re going to marry Evelyn.”
“I won’t!”
Winston almost yelled in frustration. He barely managed to hold back, but his voice was desperate now.
“What do I have to do to make you believe me? I’ve never lied to you, not even once. I don’t know what you heard, but it’s all lies. Just tell me—tell me what I have to do. I’ll do anything, anything, just please… believe me.”
If Yu-jin would only believe him, Winston thought he could rip his own heart out and place it in his hands. But Yu-jin only stood there, staring at him silently.
For the first time in his life, Winston felt true despair.
What else could he say?
He wanted to cry.
“…Your friends.”
Yu-jin spoke slowly. Winston hesitated, turning his gaze to him as Yu-jin stammered on.
“They said you wouldn’t marry just anyone. That you’d take a wife who’s suited for your family…”
“What the hell do they know? The only thing that matters is what I want.”
Winston interrupted urgently.
“I’m going to marry you. We’ll have children together. The only person I will ever love in my life is you. I swear it—on my life, on everything.”
In his desperation, he dropped to his knees right there on the floor. If Yu-jin had told him to jump into the ocean and wrestle a shark with his bare hands, he would have done it without hesitation. There was no moment in his life when he had been more sincere than now.
As he anxiously waited for a response, Yu-jin blinked, looking dazed. Then, slowly, he lifted a trembling hand to cover his mouth. His long, delicate fingers visibly shook. Seeing that, Winston instinctively tried to get up, but Yu-jin finally spoke.
“…Really?”
His voice was just as shaky as his hands.
“You really… want to marry me? You’ll only love me?”
“Of course, Yu-jin. I—Ah!”
Winston, who had been about to reaffirm his vow, suddenly groaned, closing his eyes tightly and pressing his hands to his head. Yu-jin’s face instantly paled. But before he could panic, Winston’s expression twisted, and he muttered under his breath,
“I was supposed to propose with a damn ring.”
Yu-jin’s eyes widened.
“A… ring?”
And—a proposal?
His brain completely stalled at hearing those words back-to-back. Unable to process it, he just repeated Winston’s words like an echo. Meanwhile, Winston, visibly bitter over his ruined plan, eventually gave up with a resigned nod.
“Yeah. I had it all planned out… And those bastards ruined everything.”
Not only had Yu-jin cried, but he had been forced to kneel on the damn floor, and now his carefully prepared proposal was utterly wrecked. He should have just shot those idiots when he had the chance.
Actually… it’s not too late.
“Winnie, where are you going?”
Yu-jin’s alarmed voice rang out as Winston abruptly stood up and bolted for the door.
With his hand on the doorknob, Winston turned back and said, “Just wait a bit. I have something to take care of.”
“…Something to take care of?”
Yu-jin asked urgently. He’s leaving? Right now? He just proposed! A mix of disbelief and confusion swirled in his chest as he looked at Winston, who was clearly about to storm off.
Then, with a dry swallow, Yu-jin asked the one thing on his mind.
“Is it… more important than me?”
A sudden silence fell between them.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, simply staring at each other.
Then, Winston finally opened his mouth.
“…What?”
