“You didn’t keep your promise to me!”
Out of nowhere, the voice of that older woman echoed in his mind—one he had long forgotten. Winston’s brow furrowed instinctively, and Sam’s voice came back to him like an auditory hallucination.
“Didn’t you say you’d listen to that child? I convinced him only because I believed in that promise. But what did you do instead? Yu-jin leaving you—that’s all on you.”
Her words, laced with unfiltered hostility, deepened the lines etched into Winston’s brow.
“I was a fool to trust you. There’s nothing more to say. Live the rest of your life regretting it—just like I do.”
And as if casting a curse, she added:
“Just like me.”
With those final, bitter words, Sam turned and walked away. Winston made no move to stop her. Somehow, he didn’t even feel like he could.
You think this is my fault?
Ridiculous. Absolute nonsense. This was all Yu-jin’s fault. He betrayed me—again—and left me—again. Even when I said I’d forgive him.
“Goddamn it.”
Cursing under his breath, Winston rubbed his face with his hand. That’s when a book on the table caught his eye.
Children of November
As expected of a children’s book, its title was written in a round, playful font with cute illustrations, drawing attention whether one wanted it or not. He hadn’t opened it even once since bringing it home. It sat there like a monster under the bed he’d imagined in childhood—something he simply couldn’t bring himself to touch. He had a vague idea why, but chose to ignore it. And yet, against his will, the words printed on the back cover forced their way into his eyes.
The child of November, the child of Thanksgiving, the child of the year’s final harvest—everyone envies that child.
A child who knows nothing of lack sets off on a journey.
On that long road, which month’s child will he meet first?
An uneasy feeling crept over him.
As far as Winston knew, Yu-jin was someone who had nothing. No proper education. Always alone, holed up in that isolated annex, waiting for the one visitor who ever came.
And remembering who that visitor had been made a bitter smirk tug at Winston’s lips. Once again, he realized just how mistaken he’d been. Yu-jin had a father. And not just a father—there were plenty of other men too. To think he had nothing—that was just Winston’s own delusion. And even knowing that, here he was, letting himself be shaken all over again.
That’s why he had no intention of reading that book. Novels are all lies anyway. Just a dazzling sleight of hand with words to deceive people. If anything, this one was probably especially well-written.
Winnie…
Don’t let yourself waver.
He clenched his jaw and shook his head. This was all because of the insomnia—it had scrambled his brain. Maybe it was the pheromones. Either way, he swore:
I’ll never fall for you again. Never.
Never.
I’ll never let myself get hurt again.
Then what exactly is it about that book that you’re afraid of?
The thought came out of nowhere, like a surge of defiance. Provocative and insistent, the idea took hold of his mind. Winston glared at the book for a moment. Either way, he wouldn’t falter. He was confident that no matter what Yu-jin said, he wouldn’t weaken again. Never. Not ever again would he fall for Yu-jin’s words and end up in that pitiful state.
Slowly, Winston reached out his hand. Like a child checking under the bed to confirm nothing was hiding there, his fingertips trembled faintly—but he was an adult. In the next moment, he grabbed the book and flipped it open abruptly. The very first line on the first page caught his eye and froze him in place.
To my beloved daughter, Angela—my entire world.
He stayed there, motionless, staring at the dedication as if it had seized him. For some reason, he couldn’t turn the page. Several more seconds passed in silence before he finally moved again. He flipped through the typical prefatory pages without much care until the story itself began.
And then, for the next several hours, Winston didn’t move an inch as he read.
By the time he closed the last page, midnight had long passed and dawn was fast approaching.
Haa… He rubbed his tired eyes with his fingers and let out a sigh. His fingertips were wet. That’s when Winston realized—he had been crying.
A child who had everything. Yet also a child who had nothing.
And still, the child of November found happiness in the end. Could he, in the real world, also find happiness?
The child of November was unhappy because there was no peanut butter to mix into their milk. Just that—something so small.
If only Winston’s life were that simple.
I have nothing.
He let out a hollow sigh. There’s nothing left for me.
That was when he noticed it—a large teddy bear staring at him.
Winston looked at it in silence, then slowly reached out. Holding it in his arms felt like cradling a child.
Yu-jin, himself, and Angela.
As he thought of the three of them, he buried his face in the teddy bear’s fur. Strangely, his heart eased. The scent was long gone, and yet… Winston sat there, hugging the bear, not moving for a long time.
Hours later, the butler carefully peeked into the room and gasped in surprise. The master, who had battled insomnia for years, had fallen asleep on the sofa—tightly hugging that giant teddy bear.
***
For some reason, he hadn’t felt well since morning. His body felt heavy, and he struggled to fight off the fatigue as he got ready to head out. Most of his money was nearly gone. If he didn’t start preparing soon, things were going to get difficult. And the only place he could turn to for funds was all too obvious. Shame or not, he’d have to ask Grant if he could get an advance on his royalties.
Yu-jin went down to the front desk and asked if he could use the phone. Just in case, he’d left his prepaid phone behind when he fled the last place.
“Of course.”
Grant picked up the phone immediately, answering with enthusiasm. When Yu-jin, grateful and relieved, gave him the address of the motel where he was currently staying, Grant jotted it down and continued with a bright tone.
“Yu-jin, I’ve got good news. Your book is selling like crazy. It’s been at number one on the bestseller list for over a month now.”
“Huh? Really?”
Yu-jin blurted it out louder than intended, then quickly lowered his voice and asked again.
“Really, Grant?”
“Of course. Why would I lie?”
Grant let out a hearty laugh and continued.
“When you see the check, you’re going to be shocked. Honestly, I’ve been anxious about figuring out how to get it to you—I’ve been meaning to pay you right away. How’s Angela doing?”
“She’s doing well, thanks to you.”
Yu-jin answered with a smile, and Grant responded with a warm That’s good to hear, followed by a short sigh.
“I’m sorry. My daughter made such a mess of things…”
“Ah, no, not at all. I’m the one who’s caused you trouble…”
“No, no. This is money you absolutely deserve…”
After exchanging several rounds of No, it’s okay, No, I’m sorry, You don’t need to apologize, and the like, they finally ended the call. Yu-jin also made sure to thank the motel owner for letting him use the phone.
Once I get the check, I’ll go to the bank, cash it…
“Daddy, are you okay?”
Back in the room, Yu-jin let out a sigh, prompting Angela to look up with concern. Yu-jin forced a weak smile and nodded. If he got sick now, it’d be a disaster. They couldn’t even go to the hospital.
Yu-jin watched as the child sat nearby, happily drawing in her sketchbook, and his mind drifted.
We can’t keep running forever. That’s just not realistic.
There were only a few months left on the statute of limitations. If they could just avoid trouble until then…
But how?
Suddenly, a thought struck him—if they kept heading north, couldn’t they cross into Canada?
It was a brilliant idea. Why hadn’t he thought of it sooner? If they’d gone to Canada from the start—
We would’ve been caught right away.
Yu-jin stopped the thought there, his expression turning bitter. Still, it was a relief to hear that the book was selling well. Maybe they’d end up with more money than expected. If so, he could start looking for a new home for him and Angela…
“Daddy?”
Angela, who’d been coloring in a flower, tilted her head curiously and looked over her shoulder. At some point, Yu-jin had fallen into a deep sleep. She watched the steady rise and fall of his peaceful breath and tilted her head again before gently pulling the bedsheet up over him.
“Lullaby, lullaby…”
She softly patted her daddy’s arm, then watched him for a while before turning her head. The door remained tightly shut.
For some reason, she felt like any second now, a really big man might come through that door. Bringing with him that sweet scent that always lingered around him.
But no matter how long she waited, no one came. In the end, Angela gave up and crawled in next to Yu-jin.
And two days later, the check arrived.
***
“…Mr. Campbell, Mr. Campbell!”
The sensation of someone shaking him, calling his name over and over, finally pulled Winston out of sleep. Bright sunlight was pouring into the room, flooding every corner with golden light. He instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes. Still groggy from sleep, his mind was hazy, thoughts sluggish and disconnected.
He blinked several times, groaning softly, still not fully aware of where he was or what was happening. The butler quickly spoke up again.
“They’ve found them. Shall we depart immediately?”
It took Winston a few more seconds to fully process the words. But the moment they finally registered in his brain, he shot up like a spring.
“Ah!”
In his sudden movement, the teddy bear he’d been holding nearly tumbled to the floor, and he hastily caught it just in time. The butler’s eyes shifted to the oversized bear, lingered for a moment, then returned to Winston.
