Andrew, who had fled in a panic, came back to Yu-jin’s house just a few days later when he was alone again.
When Yu-jin saw his face through the intercom, he was so startled he nearly fainted. Frozen in fear, he couldn’t move, and Andrew began to speak.
“Hey, I’m really sorry for showing up out of nowhere… There’s something I need to say. I won’t do anything weird, I promise—can we just talk for a minute?”
Before Yu-jin could say no, Andrew quickly added,
“You don’t have to let me in. I’ll stay at the front door, so you can hit the emergency alarm if anything happens… okay?”
Andrew was practically begging, to the point it looked pathetic. Yu-jin had rarely ever had anyone cling to him or plead like this, and he was particularly weak to that kind of attitude. In the end, he gave in.
“Fine. Talk from there.”
As Andrew got off the elevator and stepped up to the door, Yu-jin spoke right away. He didn’t let him inside; Andrew stood outside the inner front door, hesitating and glancing nervously at him. Yu-jin had his hand hovering above the emergency alarm button on the wall, ready to press it if needed. His whole body was tense, shoulders hunched in anxiety. Seeing that, Andrew lowered his head and finally spoke.
“I must’ve been out of my mind.”
Andrew’s voice was full of defeat, his expression crumpled.
“I thought you liked me. I was deluded. I’m sorry. You’re Winston’s lover… and I didn’t realize you were just being kind to me. I completely misunderstood everything.”
Yu-jin was taken aback by his formal apology. For someone from the Campbell family to bow their head to him—it was something he never could’ve imagined. Sure, Andrew had been completely in the wrong, but Yu-jin never thought he’d actually come all the way here to apologize. He’d assumed Andrew would only spout half-baked excuses, but instead, he was clearly acknowledging the situation and owning up to it, which threw Yu-jin into confusion.
As the hostility visibly faded from Yu-jin’s face, Andrew continued.
“You treated me like a friend, and look what I did… I was such an idiot. You have no idea how much I regret it.”
Letting out a heavy sigh, Andrew then looked up at Yu-jin with a desperate gaze.
“Can’t we go back to being friends? I swear I’ll never disrespect you again. I promise.”
After everything that had happened, how could they? Yu-jin’s instinct was to reject him immediately, but another part of him hesitated. The guy had come all the way here just to apologize, and it felt heartless to coldly turn him away now.
Despite his age, Yu-jin still wasn’t mature enough to know what the right thing to do was in situations like this. Caught between conflicting thoughts, he hesitated, unable to answer. Seeing his silence, Andrew’s expression turned awkward.
“I know what you’re worried about. Of course you’re nervous.”
Then, as if he were being chased by something, Andrew hastily added,
“But you can trust me. Think about it—if I ever pull anything again, you’ll just go straight to Winston and tell him, right? You know that. Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to try something when I know that? No matter what, Winston would believe you.”
Looking back, his desperation should’ve been suspicious. But Yu-jin didn’t have the experience to read that deeply into things at the time.
He was too shocked and overwhelmed by the unexpected situation, his mind consumed just trying to figure out how to respond. There was no room left for anything else.
Well… he’s not wrong, I guess…
Yu-jin trusted Winston. He had not even the slightest doubt about their love.
Andrew knew that full well too—so why would he ever risk ruining everything? Besides, hadn’t he seen for himself how Andrew bolted the moment Winston’s name was mentioned?
Winston will believe me no matter what.
Yu-jin was certain of that. And that unshakable trust and love… was precisely what led him into the trap.
“…Alright.”
Yu-jin finally managed to speak, then hurried to add,
“But you can’t drink or take anything anymore. Do whatever you want anywhere else, but not in this house. And next time you visit, make sure you get Winston’s permission first. Then I’ll welcome you anytime. It’d be even better if you came when he’s here.”
“Got it. I’ll do my best,” Andrew said with a nod and gave a bitter smile.
“Thanks, Yu-jin.”
He didn’t say exactly what he was thankful for, but Yu-jin assumed it was for forgiving him.
“Just don’t do it again.”
Yu-jin, sounding genuinely thoughtful, added a soft smile—one that Andrew mirrored.
Yu-jin didn’t yet know that the expression on Andrew’s face was a smile twisted with guilt and unease—the kind only someone bearing a hidden sin could wear.
Later, Yu-jin would come to realize just how foolish he had been. But at the time, he was no different from a newly hatched chick, just out of the egg—someone who had spent his entire life in isolation, now suddenly exposed to the world.
And Winston’s blind, all-consuming love only left him more defenseless.
So when that moment finally came, Yu-jin had no way to fight it—he could only be swept away.
***
BANG! A deafening roar cracked right beside his ear, like thunder splitting the sky.
Startled, Yu-jin clapped his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. As he tried to open them again, another chilling blast pounded against his skull.
His head buzzed, dizziness crashing down on him in waves. His vision blurred. Blinking rapidly, Yu-jin barely managed to steady himself.
Only then did the memory return—panic hitting him like a freight train as he frantically scanned the room.
His face went pale. He gasped for breath.
His lover sat slumped against a wall, drenched in blood and gasping for air.
“Winnie!”
The scream burst from his lips, followed by uncontrollable sobs. Yu-jin scrambled over to him, calling his name again and again, hands desperately searching his body.
There was so much blood.
But tears were blinding his eyes, overflowing, distorting his vision. He couldn’t even tell where the bleeding was coming from.
“What do I do, what do I do… Winston, I’m sorry. This is all my fault, I’m so sorry…”
He apologized over and over, but Winston just looked up at him with a dazed expression.
“Are you hurt?”
His face was ghostly white, like every drop of blood had drained from his body.
“You’re not hurt, are you, baby?”
Wheezing for breath, Winston reached up and gently caressed Yu-jin’s cheek. Then, frowning in confusion, he looked down at his hand.
He rubbed his palm along Yu-jin’s cheek again, almost as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Then his arm fell limp, and he murmured,
“Why… why won’t it come off… Baby, where are you bleeding from?”
“You idiot, that’s your blood…!”
Yu-jin screamed through his tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Only then did Winston smile.
“Ah… is that so.”
He lifted the corners of his mouth in a faint, lifeless grin and whispered his final words.
“That’s a relief… that you’re not the one who’s hurt.”
“Open your eyes, Winston! Wake up! Don’t do this…!”
Yu-jin screamed until his throat gave out, but Winston soon lost consciousness.
All Yu-jin could do was hold him and cry endlessly.
***
“Hah…!”
With a sharp gasp, he jolted awake, eyes flying open as he lay there blinking blankly.
He’d come out of sleep, but his mind was still foggy.
For a while, Yu-jin just lay there, breath shallow and rapid, dazed.
Then, slowly, his memory returned—and with it, a bitter sigh escaped him.
It had been several weeks since Winston, gravely injured by the intruder who had broken into their home, was hospitalized.
In all that time, Yu-jin had been completely cut off from him—isolated, helpless, consumed by worry.
Back when Winston was unconscious and undergoing emergency treatment, Madam Campbell had found Yu-jin at the hospital—and unleashed a torrent of venom he still couldn’t forget.
“It should’ve been you! Why is my son the one lying there? It’s all your fault! You should’ve died—YOU!”
She slapped him over and over without restraint, screaming hysterically.
No one stopped her.
Yu-jin had done nothing but cry and beg for forgiveness. Since that day, he hadn’t stopped blaming himself.
Why had he insisted on living alone with Winston?
Why hadn’t he tried harder to stay on Madam Campbell’s good side?
If they’d stayed at Delights—none of this would’ve happened.
Winston wouldn’t have been attacked by that burglar. He wouldn’t be teetering on the edge of death now.
“Winnie…”
As the memories came rushing back, tears sprang up again. Yu-jin buried his face in the pillow, sobbing.
Another day began, drenched in grief and guilt.
Another meaningless morning with no word on the condition of the only man he had—his one and only love.
If Winston really did die like this… For a moment, Yu-jin’s mind went completely blank. Suddenly, he shot up in bed, trembling all over as he blinked rapidly.
This wasn’t the time to sit around in despair.
If Winston left this world… there’d be no reason for Yu-jin to stay behind.
Without thinking, he rushed out the door.
