After finally putting the child to sleep and returning to the room, Winston was lying on the bed. Yu-jin carefully approached, muffling his footsteps, and lifted the edge of the sheet before slipping in quietly. He thought Winston might be asleep, but of course, he was wrong.
As if he had been waiting, Winston’s arm wrapped around Yu-jin’s waist and yanked him in with such force that Yu-jin involuntarily gasped.
He could faintly feel the heartbeat against his back. As he pressed against the warmth of the man beside him, Yu-jin struggled to speak.
“Angie was really hurt.”
“And?”
As expected, Winston’s reaction was utterly indifferent. Yu-jin hesitated before speaking again.
“She could overhear us at any time. I just wish you’d be more careful with your words. You might regret it later.”
He deliberately added that last part, intending it as a warning, though he doubted Winston would take it that way.
“Me?”
As expected, Winston asked back. Yu-jin turned his head and looked directly at his face as he answered.
“Yes.”
What he got in return was nothing but a scoff. Winston let out a brief, derisive laugh, his brows furrowing.
“Darling, I don’t care what that kid thinks of me.”
Yu-jin stared at him silently before turning away. Of course, he wouldn’t. Lying there in the now-quiet room, he blinked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Even when Angie grows up, maybe it’s best not to tell her about Papa…
No matter how much time passes, Winston will never change. Just thinking about how his daughter would one day get hurt because of that already made his heart ache.
One person getting hurt is enough.
Yu-jin steeled himself and closed his eyes.
I will never tell her. No matter what happens, no one will ever know who Angie’s father is.
The arms around his waist tightened, and Winston suddenly pulled him in, practically caging Yu-jin’s entire body. Had his sleeping habits always been this bad? It didn’t seem this extreme before.
Yu-jin furrowed his brows but quickly abandoned the thought. From outside the window, the faint cry of an owl drifted in.
***
Hoo…
Winston exhaled deeply, running a hand over his chest. For the first time in his life, he had a wet dream. In a panic, he had scrubbed his underwear clean and stuffed it among his other clothes before rushing off to school. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling inside him.
Even during class, he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of Yu-jin all day.
What do I do?
He had promised to visit again today, but now, he wasn’t sure if he could face Yu-jin.
What if Yu-jin is disgusted with me?
Just imagining it terrified him.
To think that he had had an erotic dream about Yu-jin…
If Yu-jin found out that he had a dream like that, he would probably be furious.
No, but we kissed.
For some reason, Winston felt wronged. If they hadn’t kissed, he wouldn’t have had such a dream. Kissing naturally led to that next stage, after all. He already had a general understanding of these things from sex education.
They were practically lovers. No, they were lovers. They had kissed, hadn’t they?
If Yu-jin had disliked it, he would have rejected me.
That thought filled Winston with hope. Yu-jin had been flustered, but he hadn’t pushed him away. That must mean Yu-jin liked him too. Winston was sure of it.
I want to see him.
Just the thought of meeting him again made his cheeks heat up and his heart race wildly.
I can kiss him again today, right?
As soon as the thought crept in, his head felt like it was about to explode.
Wow, I’m such a pervert!
Even as he scolded himself, he couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his lips. He spent the entire day in a daze, floating as if his feet weren’t touching the ground. As soon as he got home, he didn’t bother with his assignments and immediately went out to ride his horse.
“What about your afternoon studies?”
The stable hand, who was preparing his horse, asked. Winston quickly brushed it off.
“Not today. Is he ready? I’m heading out!”
He leaped onto his horse before the man could say anything else and took off at full speed. It was earlier than usual. Yu-jin would be surprised, wouldn’t he? Just imagining the way Yu-jin’s eyes would go wide, his cheeks turning pink, was enough to drive him crazy.
“Faster! Faster, Lancelot!”
Impatient, Winston kept urging the horse on. Today, it felt unbearably slow. He rode and rode, desperate for the sight of the annex to appear in the distance.
Haah, haah.
Finally reaching the annex, Winston hurriedly dismounted and ran straight to the front door.
Yu-jin wasn’t outside like usual, but that was fine. He wouldn’t have expected Winston to come this early, so he was probably still inside.
“Yu-jin, it’s me! I’m here, it’s Winston!”
He knocked on the door without hesitation, calling out loudly. Even just saying Yu-jin’s name made his heart feel like it would burst.
“I came straight after class! Hurry and come out, I… I want to see you!”
He stammered over the last words. He was embarrassed, but his excitement left no room for composure.
I’ll see him. We’ll look at each other, we’ll smile… and then we’ll kiss.
The thought alone made his heart pound as if it would explode. But unexpectedly, there was no response.
Winston, who had been bouncing on his feet, gradually slowed until he stopped completely. Silence filled the air. It was so quiet it was unbearable. There wasn’t a single sign of life inside.
The excitement that had been rushing through him was now being replaced by a growing sense of unease.
What’s going on?
Winston stepped back, moving a few steps away from the annex. His eyes landed on a small window above the front door—the window to Yu-jin’s bedroom.
“Yu-jin! Yu-jin!”
He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted with all his might. His voice echoed faintly before fading away, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Could it be… Yu-jin isn’t inside?
A sudden wave of fear washed over Winston. What if he never saw Yu-jin again? The very thought sent a chill down his spine. Just then, something moved inside the window.
“…Yu-jin?”
He called out hesitantly. A moment later, the window opened, and the face he had been longing for appeared in his sight.
“Winston.”
His name was spoken in a trembling voice. Winston’s face lit up with relief, but then he noticed Yu-jin’s flushed cheeks and quivering tone, and he stiffened.
“Yu-jin, are you okay? Are you sick?”
Was it a cold? Anxiety flared in Winston’s chest as he hurriedly asked. But Yu-jin shook his head.
“I’m not sick… I just… I don’t know…”
His voice was sluggish, exhausted. He looked utterly drained, and that only made Winston more uneasy.
“Should I call a doctor? No, I will call one! Just wait here, I’ll be back soon—”
“Winston, no… I’m… I’m fine…”
Yu-jin reached out weakly as if trying to stop him. As he did, the partially opened window swung wider, revealing more of his upper body.
…Huh?
And then, a scent—something unfamiliar—began to spread through the air. Winston froze in place, staring up at Yu-jin. He had never smelled anything like this before.
Was it coming from Yu-jin?
A fresh yet soft forest-like fragrance, soothing and peaceful, erasing all his anxieties. His entire body relaxed before he could even think about why.
“I’m really fine, Winston,” Yu-jin reassured him.
“…Someone came by earlier… I’ve been like this since I woke up, but you don’t have to worry. The doctor said they’d come soon… But you shouldn’t come inside. If it’s something contagious, that would be bad…”
There’s no way it’s that.
Winston instinctively dismissed the idea. He had no proof, but somehow, he was certain—this wasn’t an illness.
Then what is this…?
Before he could make sense of it, Yu-jin let out a heated sigh, his breath shaky. He leaned against the window frame, making Winston’s heart leap in alarm. Was he about to fall? But thankfully, he didn’t.
“…Go home now,” Yu-jin murmured, his voice feverish.
“I’m sorry… I just don’t… feel well today…”
His words grew quieter and quieter. Winston had a bad feeling about leaving, but staying any longer might cause more trouble. Something about the way Yu-jin spoke made it impossible to argue. In the end, Winston gave in and took a step back.
“…Alright. I’ll come back tomorrow. Get some rest.”
“…Okay.”
Yu-jin gave a small nod before closing the window and disappearing inside. Winston assumed he had gone back to lie down.
His heart was still pounding. He didn’t understand why.
But one thing was certain—Yu-jin’s scent was making him restless.
Feeling his face grow hot, Winston climbed onto his horse. Before leaving, he glanced back at the annex—more precisely, at Yu-jin’s bedroom window—but there was no longer any sign of him.
With a mix of disappointment and worry weighing on his chest, Winston turned his horse and headed back to the main estate.