Kiss the Scumbag – Chapter 206

What the hell have I done?

Even after dinner, Yu-jin couldn’t stop berating himself. The kiss hadn’t lasted long. It hadn’t even been particularly passionate. All they did was press their lips together and lap gently at each other’s mouths. It was careful, hesitant, clumsy—like the kind of kiss shared by awkward teenagers experiencing it for the first time.

And yet, despite all that, Yu-jin’s heart had never raced like that before. No kiss he’d had in the past had ever made his chest flutter so wildly. He even found himself regretting how quickly it ended when the security team arrived to retrieve them.

Regret? What regret? I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.

Yu-jin scolded himself again. On the way back to the villa, his rational mind had slowly returned—bringing with it a wave of guilt and self-loathing. These emotions never came alone. They always arrived in packs, like a gang of close friends.

“Daddy, Daddy.”

Hoo… He sighed without thinking, only to hear Angela suddenly call out to him.

“Huh? Yeah?”

He turned in surprise. Angela tilted her head at him, puzzled.

“What’s wrong? What were you thinking about?”

“Oh? Uh…”

Snapping back to reality, Yu-jin realized everyone was looking at him. At some point, they’d all said their goodnights and come into Angela’s room to put her to bed. His face flushed hotly at the realization. Just then, Winston—who was standing beside the bed just like him—leaned in and murmured quietly.

“We were talking about kindergarten.”

“Ah.”

Finally registering the conversation, Yu-jin hastily opened his mouth.

“Right, Angie. It’s not something urgent, so you can take your time thinking about it. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to…”

In truth, he thought it would be safer if she didn’t go. But Angela’s own opinion mattered most, so he’d decided to ask her. He had tried to subtly nudge her toward not going, but Angela answered before he could say more.

“I want to go!”

“What?”

Caught off guard, Yu-jin blurted the question without thinking. Angela’s eyes sparkled as she continued.

“I want to go to kindergarten too! You have to go to kindergarten before you can go to school, right? Phoebe told me! I said I wanted to go to school too, and she said I had to start with kindergarten!”

That’s not exactly true…

Yu-jin wanted to correct her misconception, but Angela didn’t give him the chance. Suddenly energized, she sat straight up in bed and spoke in an excited voice.

“The kids from the party said so too! They told me to come to their kindergarten. They’ll be there, right? And I’ll make tons of friends!”

She was already completely sold on the idea of going to kindergarten. Maybe it would’ve been better not to bring it up at all. Yu-jin felt dizzy for a moment—but thankfully, he didn’t faint. Still, the worry gnawed at him.

Maybe his unease showed too clearly on his face, because Winston, after glancing at him, turned to speak to the child.

“You’re right, Angie. If you go, you’ll see your friends again, and there’ll be lots of fun things to do.”

“Yay!”

“But there are some things you’ll need to be careful about.”

Winston’s voice turned slower and sterner than usual, calming Angela’s excitement. The little girl immediately focused, her eyes wide and attentive as he continued.

“Remember how we saw a crowd gathered in front of the mansion from the helicopter? That’s going to keep happening. When you go to kindergarten, and even when you come home. Some of those people might be dangerous.”

“Are you saying… I could get kidnapped?”

Angela blurted the words before she could stop herself. The chilling word turned Yu-jin’s face ashen in an instant, but Winston responded with calm gentleness, ignoring the panic that gripped the man behind him.

“That won’t happen. There will always be bodyguards by your side to protect you.”

“Okay.”

Angela nodded with a nervous, but serious expression, clearly sensing the gravity of the situation. Winston stroked her hair gently as he went on.

“You don’t need to worry too much. All you have to do is stick with the bodyguards wherever you go. That’s all. Got it?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Angela gave a firm nod, full of determination.

“I’ll never go anywhere with strangers. I won’t even say hi!”

“Smart girl.”

Winston chuckled softly at her tightly clenched fists and firm promise. He helped her lie back down, pulling the blanket up to her chin, then looked straight into her eyes.

“We’re heading home tomorrow, so get some sleep. We’ll talk more about kindergarten once we’re back.”

“Okay. Good night, Winnie. Night, Daddy.”

“Good night, my girl.”

Yu-jin kissed her cheek and straightened up. After turning off the bedside lamp, he stepped out quietly, softening his footsteps. Only once he was outside did he finally exhale the breath he’d been holding.

“So, it’s decided, then?”

Winston’s question made Yu-jin immediately scowl.

“Do we have to send her now of all times? It’s not like she needs to go.”

“Yu-jin, social development is important. She needs to interact with kids her own age.”

Winston sounded like he was quoting straight from a parenting handbook. Sure, the logic was sound—but timing mattered too. As Yu-jin’s expression remained clouded with concern, Winston pressed on.

“I told you before, didn’t I? No matter what happens, I’ll protect you and Angela. And besides, this kind of life is going to become normal now. It’s better if she gets used to it early.”

“If only I’d just divorced you…”

“You think it’d all go quiet after that?” Winston cut him off with a scoff. Then, seeing Yu-jin freeze in shock, he continued without pause.

“Who do you think the world will hound if someone divorces the heir to the Campbell family? You’ll be dealing with the fallout for months—maybe for life. Reporters will constantly be on your case, begging for details about the Campbells. Can you handle that? And besides…”

“Besides what?”

Yu-jin jumped in impatiently when Winston suddenly trailed off. Winston stared down at him in silence for a moment before finally speaking.

“You’re a bestselling author.”

“What?”

The comment caught Yu-jin so off guard, his eyes went wide. Winston continued, his expression tight with frustration.

“You might not realize it, but your books are selling like crazy. Everyone wants to know who you are. And if it comes out that the bestselling author was actually the partner of the Campbell heir? That’s going to be a media firestorm.”

“Bestseller? What kind of nonsense is that…?”

Yu-jin shook his head, but then suddenly remembered—hadn’t Grant said it a few times too? That the book was selling incredibly well? If something sells that well, then sure… it is a bestseller, technically…

“Anyway, if Angie’s going to kindergarten, I’m going with her.”

The immediate concern had to come first. Yu-jin’s firm declaration made Winston hesitate, then he sighed like a man surrendering to the inevitable.

“Do whatever you want. It’s not like you ever listen to me anyway.”

“Of course not. And if you’re promising to keep Angie safe, then my safety better be guaranteed too. That’s what a perfect security detail means, isn’t it?”

Yu-jin’s tone was sharp, almost taunting. Winston said nothing for a long moment before finally replying.

“Of course.”

Then slowly, he smiled—calmly, almost pleasantly.

“You’re right.”

A chill ran down Yu-jin’s spine. He just agreed that easily? What is he planning? Suspicion stirred immediately, but there was no way to uncover Winston’s intentions right then. Yu-jin glanced sideways at him warily and reached for the door handle.

“…Good night.”

“Sweet dreams.”

Winston murmured the words as casually as ever. Yu-jin quickly stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. Pressing his ear against it, he strained to hear any sound. There were footsteps… then the soft sound of a door opening and closing.

Hoo.

Only then did Yu-jin exhale. Shoulders sagging, he trudged toward the bed. He collapsed onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. Silence pressed down on him, thick and suffocating—the same stillness that had descended on him hours earlier when he lay in the snow.

Baby…

A whisper, tender and low, echoed in his mind—along with the vivid sensation of soft lips brushing his own. It felt so real, as if Winston were leaning in to whisper by his ear right that moment. A pleasant shiver ran through him.

Stroking his lips slowly, he stayed there for a moment… then suddenly sat up and headed for the bathroom.

It was nothing. It didn’t mean anything.

He repeated the words over and over as he washed—again and again. He hoped the memories might rinse away like dust on his skin, but of course, it wasn’t that easy.

Author: Levia