Kiss the Scumbag – Chapter 120

“Are you very sleepy, Angie?”

Winston asked as he watched the child yawn once more. Angela, with tears clinging to the corners of her eyes, shook her head.

“I’m fine. We’re going to see Daddy!”

Even with drowsiness filling her eyes, she spoke stubbornly. She truly was Yu-jin’s child. Winston couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at his lips as he reached out to gently ruffle her hair.

“That’s right. You’ll see him very soon.”

When he had called Yu-jin early in the morning to say they would be arriving soon, he had heard an ecstatic shriek from the other end of the line. It made Winston wonder when the last time was that he had made Yu-jin that happy.

Of course, it was a joy Yu-jin would never have experienced if Winston hadn’t imprisoned him on the island in the first place.

That bitter thought left a lingering taste in his mouth. Watching Angela rub her sleepy eyes yet stubbornly endure just because she was on her way to see her father made his heart ache even more.

“Were you very upset that Daddy wasn’t at your birthday party?”

When Winston asked, Angela hesitated before nodding. He had done everything in his power to make up for it, but it hadn’t been enough. The truth was, even if Winston hadn’t spent all that money and effort, Angela would have been perfectly happy just having Yu-jin there.

As the island grew closer, Winston’s emotions tangled in knots once again.

***

Since early that morning, Yu-jin had been pacing near the helicopter landing zone. Ever since he had heard that Angela and Winston would be arriving together, he had been unable to remain calm.

He had barely touched the breakfast prepared by the staff, his attention constantly flitting to the outside world. The moment he forced himself to finish eating, he had bolted out the door to wait for them properly.

Had the birthday party gone well?

It tore him apart that he hadn’t been there for her. It was the most important day of the year.

Even back when survival itself had been a struggle, he had never missed celebrating Angela’s birthday. He would scrape together what little money he had to buy a cheap slice of cake, light a candle, and celebrate together.

I should have just kept my mouth shut.

Winston had insulted him more times than he could count—so why hadn’t he just let it go this time? Why had he let his pride get in the way?

He exhaled a sigh without realizing it. At that moment, a familiar, deafening noise reached his ears.

His head snapped up.

From the distant sky, a dark shape was rapidly approaching.

Angie.

Yu-jin’s heart pounded so hard it left him breathless. Clasping his hands together as if in prayer, he stared at the helicopter in a daze as it closed in at alarming speed. The roar of the blades grew louder, dulling his senses, but he remained rooted in place.

The helicopter landed a short distance from where he stood, bracing himself against the powerful winds battering his body. It felt like an eternity before the roaring propellers finally came to a complete stop.

Then, at last, the door opened.

The first to step out was a security guard.

Yu-jin couldn’t wait any longer.

With every ounce of strength in his body, he sprinted forward.

“Angie!”

Yu-jin’s chest swelled with emotion at the thought of holding his child in his arms again. With a radiant smile, he spread his arms wide and sprinted toward the helicopter, his mind filled with nothing but thoughts of his daughter. The next person to step out would surely be Angela.

Or so he thought.

“Ah!”

The moment he saw who emerged next, Yu-jin let out a startled gasp, almost like a cry.

A man, taller than the bodyguards, stood still, watching as Yu-jin ran toward him. Panicked, Yu-jin tried to stop himself, but his momentum was too strong. His legs tangled together.

“Ahh!”

He flailed awkwardly as he lost his balance, this time letting out a real scream. As the ground rushed toward him, he reflexively shut his eyes, bracing for impact. He expected the harsh sting of pain any second now—

…Huh?

Instead of crashing down, his body suddenly lifted into the air.

Shocked, Yu-jin’s eyes snapped open, only to realize he was actually suspended midair. He blinked in disbelief before turning his head—

And met Winston’s gaze.

“You okay?”

The gentle smile that accompanied the question startled Yu-jin even more.

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

It had only been two days since Winston refused to come to the island, claiming he was too busy planning Angela’s birthday party. How could his attitude have changed so drastically in such a short time?

Yu-jin could only blink in confusion, unable to react immediately. Then, out of nowhere, Winston asked,

“What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”

“N-No…”

Yu-jin instinctively denied it, but his voice wavered as he hesitantly added,

“You just seem… strange.”

“Me?”

Winston furrowed his brows. It was the same face Yu-jin knew, yet something about him felt different.

What the hell is going on?

Still dazed, Yu-jin was about to say something when a voice rang out from below.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

“Angie!”

The moment he heard her voice, his expression lit up, and he instinctively turned toward the sound—only for Winston to swiftly tighten his arms around him.

It was then that Yu-jin belatedly realized—

He was being held.

Like a princess.

A deep flush spread across his face as he hastily blurted out,

“I-I’m fine now, so put me down!”

He was desperate to hold Angela, his heart aching with impatience. But Winston, infuriating as ever, simply tilted his head and feigned ignorance.

“What are you waiting for?! Put me down already!”

Yu-jin thrashed in frustration, only for Winston to suddenly say something completely absurd.

“I know a guy who always carries his son on his shoulders while holding his partner in both arms. Maybe I should try it too?”

“…What?”

What the hell is he talking about?!

Yu-jin stared at him in utter disbelief, but before he could protest further, Winston looked down at Angela and asked,

“Angie, want to ride on my shoulders?”

“A shoulder ride?”

Angela blinked in confusion. The expression on her face was identical to Yu-jin’s, and Winston couldn’t help but chuckle.

With a subtle glance from him, a quick-witted bodyguard stepped forward and lifted Angela into his arms. Then Yu-jin watched in horror as Angela spread her legs and settled onto Winston’s shoulders.

“U-Uwaaah!”

“Angie!”

Angela and Yu-jin screamed at the same time.

Winston winced as his ears rang from their simultaneous shrieks. He instinctively shut his eyes for a moment before reopening them. Judging by Yu-jin’s deathly pale face and Angela’s hands gripping his head in terror, it was obvious just how much he had startled them both.

“That was dangerous! What the hell were you thinking?! What if Angela had fallen?!”

“Daddy, I’m scared!”

“Put her down, now! Hurry! Angie, just hang in there. Daddy will get you down right away.”

“Daddy, Daddyyyy!”

The situation descended into absolute chaos—Angela crying in distress, Yu-jin yelling furiously. Faced with the stark contrast between his expectations and reality, Winston sighed and gave the order for his men to set them down.

Once Angela was safely lowered, Winston bent down and placed Yu-jin back on solid ground as well. The moment their feet touched the earth, the two immediately clung to each other.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

“Angie, I missed you so much!”

They hugged each other tightly, showering one another with kisses, only to hug again and repeat the cycle.

Winston simply stood there, watching in silence.

Yu-jin finally calmed down enough to look up at him—but the expression on his face was far from what Winston had hoped for.

“Never do something like that again! It was dangerous!”

Yu-jin glared at him with a mix of anger and resentment. But Winston merely shrugged.

What the hell is this guy thinking?

Yu-jin found him unbearably irritating, but he chose not to press the matter further. Winston could take Angela away at any moment. Every second spent with her was precious.

“Angie, should we go inside? I asked them to make a cake for you. You love chocolate cake, don’t you?”

“Yeah! I love it! Daddy, you’re the best! I love you!”

Angela clung to Yu-jin’s neck, covering him with kisses. Yu-jin, clearly used to this kind of affection, smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

……Haa.

Winston let out a quiet sigh. But Yu-jin and Angela, too absorbed in their own little world, didn’t notice him at all.

***

“Wow! The ocean!”

Dressed in a swimsuit, Angela dashed toward the beach, squealing with excitement.

The warm, fine sand beneath his feet lifted Yu-jin’s mood as he laughed and ran after her. Winston, on the other hand, simply lounged in a beach chair, watching them.

The beach was utterly tranquil.

To an outsider, they would look like the perfect, happy family.

But the reality was far from that.

If Winston were to disappear right now, they probably wouldn’t even notice.

No—maybe they would be relieved.

That thought weighed heavily on him, darkening his mood.

Yu-jin was supposed to be his.

But now, he wanted to win Angela’s heart as well.

Who would have thought there’d come a day when he’d feel this way?

With a serious expression, Winston silently watched them. Then, he noticed Yu-jin heading toward the mansion.

Angela, now alone, sat crouched on the beach, idly playing with the sand.

Before he even realized it, Winston was already moving toward her.

“What are you doing?”

Angela looked up at his voice and answered,

“I’m going to play in the sand. Daddy went to get the basket.”

“…I see.”

That was the end of the conversation.

Angela, too, seemed to think there was nothing more to say, as she simply returned to sifting through the sand with her small hands.

Silence stretched between them.

Winston cleared his throat before asking,

“Do you need anything else, Angie?”

“Nope.”

Her answer came quick and easy.

But Winston wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

“Nothing at all?”

Angela didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah. I’m okay because Daddy’s here.”

It was exactly the answer he had expected—but the one he had least wanted to hear.

As Angela lowered her head again, completely unaware of his growing frustration, Winston found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

“Don’t you need Papa?”

Author: Levia