Ahem. The butler cleared his throat lightly to steady himself, then resumed speaking in his usual formal tone.
“Will you be going in person? Shall I prepare the car?”
“Right now…”
Winston, who had started to rise hurriedly as he spoke, suddenly froze. He ignored the butler’s puzzled glance and buried his nose into the stuffed toy he was holding, taking a deep, audible sniff—then promptly frowned. The plush was now steeped in that sweet scent—his scent.
“Wash this. Now.”
He shoved the doll toward his assistant as if tossing it aside, speaking in clipped, sharp tones.
“Wash it thoroughly so there’s not a trace of pheromone left, then dry it. Before I return.”
“Understood.”
Saying no wasn’t an option—even if it killed him. The butler responded with impeccable politeness, and Winston, who had at last turned to leave, absently stroked his jaw—only to flinch again. The unpleasant sensation on his palm soured his mood even further. The moment he imagined how he must look right now, irritation surged anew.
He changed course abruptly and strode, nearly sprinting, toward the bathroom. What greeted him in the mirror above the sink was worse than he expected. His cheeks had hollowed in, and dark circles clung heavily beneath his eyes. The bloodshot red in both eyes was a clear testament to his sleepless nights, but most of all—his chin was overrun with scruffy stubble, making him look no different from some vagabond loitering on the street.
As if his whole disheveled state were screaming how much his life had fallen apart since Yu-jin left.
Ha… A stunned sigh escaped him on its own. As he stood glaring at the reflection in the mirror, the butler—sensing the moment—spoke up hesitantly from beyond the bathroom door.
“Um… shall I prepare it now, sir?”
“…No.”
He paused before replying.
“In five minutes—no, ten.”
Without waiting for an answer, Winston shut the bathroom door and peeled off his clothes, flinging them onto the floor. Even when his mother used to scold him for it, he’d only found it annoying—but the thought of seeing Yu-jin again made it impossible to ignore. No way in hell was he going to let anyone think he’d ended up like this because Yu-jin had run away. His pride wouldn’t allow it.
Under the cold stream of water, he hurriedly squeezed soap into his hands and scrubbed himself down roughly.
***
“Welcome! Thank you so much for coming in today.”
The manager greeted him with a bright smile, leaving Yu-jin completely bewildered. All he was doing was cashing in a check—yet the manager himself had come out to greet him? Was this how they treated every first-time visitor? Yu-jin hadn’t had much experience with banks, so everything felt awkward and unfamiliar.
But a manager was still a manager. Despite Yu-jin’s clumsy manner and hesitant explanation, the man remained warm and patient, listening attentively and speaking in a kind, professional tone.
“I see. Don’t worry—Mr. Grant is one of our long-standing clients. We’ll do everything we can to ensure this goes smoothly for you.”
“Th-thank you…”
The excessive hospitality left Yu-jin stunned, and he could barely stammer out a reply. The manager gave a polite nod and gestured for him to follow her into her office. Crossing the spacious lobby, she opened a glass door set at the center of the glass-walled room, the entire interior on full display. With a wave of her hand, she invited him inside. Yu-jin obediently followed and sat down, at which point the manager struck up a friendly conversation.
“Would you like something to drink while you wait?”
It was a thoughtful offer, but he didn’t have the luxury of sitting around sipping water.
“Oh—uh, no, I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Daddy, I want milk.”
Despite the polite refusal, Angela had her own thoughts.
“Angie…”
“Oh, sure! A glass of milk? Cold?”
Yu-jin blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected response just as he was about to gently scold her. But Angela, completely unaware of his unease, nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile. Hehe. Her gleeful little face made it impossible to say no, and Yu-jin could only relent in the end. The manager chuckled along with them, and Yu-jin, feeling unnecessarily flustered, responded with a sheepish, crooked smile.
“Here you go. Be good and wait patiently, alright?”
The manager soon returned personally with the milk, flashing a gentle smile at Angie before turning her attention back to Yu-jin.
“She’s such a sweet girl. How old is she?”
“Ah… she’s four.”
“I see. She really takes after her daddy.”
The expected pleasantry earned only a vague, strained smile from Yu-jin. He glanced at the wall clock, and the manager, catching on, offered him a rueful smile.
“Please bear with us a little longer. It takes time to verify the check… the amount is quite large, you see.”
“Ah, right.”
Yu-jin nodded without complaint, though that didn’t mean he was feeling particularly generous with his time. He simply accepted that there was no choice. He tried his best to stay calm, to keep his nerves in check—but the manager spoke again.
“How has Mr. Grant been lately? He used to visit this branch quite often, but I haven’t seen him in a while…”
***
The car tore down the road at high speed, but to Winston, it still felt maddeningly slow. After his shower, he hadn’t even bothered to dry his hair—he just threw on his clothes and got into the car as soon as it was ready. Inside the sleek vehicle weaving deftly through the congested traffic, he anxiously tapped his fingers against the armrest.
This time, for sure.
The memory of losing him right before his eyes last time brought a fresh wave of fury crashing down. Rage coursed through his veins, pounding violently against his chest like a war drum. If he came face-to-face with Yu-jin now, even he couldn’t say what he might do. One thing was certain—Yu-jin would have to face the full brunt of this uncontrollable rage. And he would pay for it.
Once I see him again…
Just then, the driver spoke from the front seat.
“We’ll be arriving just around the corner.”
Winston’s fist clenched so tightly the joints turned white. Reflected in his golden irises, the large sign of the bank finally came into view.
***
“Excuse me.”
Yu-jin couldn’t take it anymore and finally opened his mouth. It had already been over thirty minutes since he arrived at the bank.
“Is something wrong? How much longer is this going to take?”
Angela had finished her large cup of milk, yet he still hadn’t received the cash. As the minutes ticked by, wasted and stretching unbearably, Yu-jin couldn’t hold back any longer. At his question, the manager—who’d been making idle conversation to kill time—offered an awkward expression.
“I’ll go check on it. It really shouldn’t be taking this long…”
Adding a clumsy excuse, she left the office. Yu-jin narrowed his eyes as he watched her retreating back.
It’s okay. Stay calm.
He exhaled, pressing a hand to his chest. Staying in such a public space this long was starting to gnaw at his nerves, but there was no way Winston would ever imagine him being somewhere like this. It’s okay. Reassuring himself again, he forced his thoughts to remain cool and focused on the next steps. Once he had the cash, he’d immediately buy a prepaid phone and check the train schedule for tomorrow. Then it was back to the motel to finish settling accounts and pack his things. He’d take the earliest train out, before dawn if possible.
How should I get to the station…? He had no choice—it would have to be Uber—
The mere thought of taking a taxi made his stomach churn, and dizziness came crashing in. Haa, haa… His shoulders heaved with shallow breaths as he tilted his head back, forcing himself to breathe deep. Once. Twice. Three times.
Fuu…
He finally calmed down enough to open his eyes. Is the manager back yet? Curious, he turned to look behind him—and then he saw it.
…What?
At first, he didn’t register what he was seeing. Of course he didn’t. The man standing there was someone who simply should not be here. Who could not be here.
The bank had fallen completely silent. Or perhaps Yu-jin’s ears had simply gone numb. Everyone in the spacious lobby had their eyes on them. And there, standing tall as always and impossible to miss, the man in question was surrounded by a few bodyguards in black suits, speaking with the manager.
Yu-jin blinked several times. His brain began to turn again, slowly—as if forcing the cogs of a rusty old clock to move.
And then he saw it—the man breaking eye contact with the manager, turning to look directly at him.
It was like watching a video in slow motion. Painfully slow.
“…Hiiik!”
Yu-jin let out a startled yelp and shot up from his seat in sheer panic.
Winston narrowed his eyes.
As if time had come to a complete standstill, Yu-jin found himself frozen—unable to move a single step.
***
His mind went completely blank.
Even as their eyes met, Yu-jin couldn’t move an inch.
None of it felt real. The only thing circling faintly in his head was the desperate, hopeless wish that this might all be a dream. But the one frozen in place was Yu-jin alone.
While his world had stopped entirely, Winston’s time began to tick forward—slowly.
Yu-jin could only watch as Winston turned toward him.
He started walking.
One step. Then another.
But to Yu-jin, it felt like Winston was moving through water—agonizingly slow.
His paralyzed brain couldn’t command his body. He just stood there, helpless, watching Winston draw closer and closer, until the distance between them made denial no longer an option.
“Winnie!”
A sudden shout snapped him back to himself.
Yu-jin’s eyes flew wide as he saw Angela cry out and dash straight toward Winston.
Angie I LUV U BUT WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY