“He’s just an inexperienced man.”
“Inexperienced?”
He seemed quite skilled when it came to condemning others. Yu-jin barely swallowed back the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue. Sam gently patted the back of his hand again, trying to soothe him.
“Yu-jin, if both sides are stubborn, no conversation can take place.”
“I’ve tried to talk so many times. The one who refuses to listen is him.”
His voice sharpened involuntarily, and he flinched at his own tone, but Sam only gave a wry smile. Yu-jin, however, felt no inclination to soften his stance.
“If you’ve come all this way just to persuade me on Winston’s behalf…”
“I’m on your side, Yu-jin. I just don’t want you to have regrets.”
Just as he was about to speak again, unable to suppress his raw emotions, Sam shook her head. Seeing no choice, Yu-jin closed his mouth, and she continued in a calm, gentle voice meant to console him.
“Right now, you feel wronged, like you’re losing, and that makes you angry. But later, you’ll realize you did the right thing. Tell me, my dear, which would leave you with more regret—being the one who at least tried to have a conversation, or being the one who stubbornly refused and only clung to anger until the end? If you give it your best effort, you won’t have any lingering regrets. And who knows? Maybe someday, you’ll find yourself thinking, I should have tried a little harder back then. That’s why I’m telling you to make that effort now—so you won’t feel that way later.”
Yu-jin remained silent for a moment. His expression grew complicated, and Sam watched him with warmth as she gently concluded,
“I know how kind and tender-hearted you are. Just talk to Mr. Campbell one more time. Think of it as your last chance.”
Sam’s gentle persuasion struck a nerve, shaking Yu-jin despite himself. He opened his mouth as if searching for words, then closed it again. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before finally sighing.
“…What did you and Winston talk about? You must have heard something—otherwise, you wouldn’t be saying all this to me now, would you?”
His voice had lost much of its edge, sounding more subdued now. Sam, still calm, replied quietly,
“It wasn’t much. We just talked about how you’ve been doing and what kind of relationship you two have.”
She could still picture Winston’s expression from that moment, as if it were right in front of her. His words had been hesitant and scattered, his demeanor full of uncertainty. After confirming twice that Sam was indeed the police officer who had helped Yu-jin back when he committed the crime, Winston had slumped into a chair, rubbing his face with both hands as though the weight of it all had finally hit him.
“What happened to Yu-jin?”
His voice had been laced with a heavy sigh. But Sam had kept her response brief.
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
There had been a long pause before Winston finally answered.
“Yu-jin won’t talk to me anymore.”
“This time, I think he’s finally ready to listen to you.”
As she recalled his utterly defeated tone, Sam spoke softly. Yu-jin met her gaze, his skepticism evident.
“If you can’t bring yourself to trust my words, then trust the man you once loved. If he was someone truly worthy of your love, wouldn’t it be worth trying one more time?”
Yu-jin still didn’t respond. Sam gave his hand a reassuring pat before smoothly changing the subject.
“Angie, have you already finished that much? My goodness, you really are quick with your hands.”
Sam immediately shifted her focus as if the conversation had come to an end. She showered the child with praise, engaging her in lighthearted conversation. Angela, though initially awkward, responded well enough. Watching them interact, Yu-jin remained seated in place for a while.
***
So that he wouldn’t have regrets.
After putting the child to bed, Yu-jin sat alone in his bedroom, lost in thought. Sam had stayed until after dinner before leaving. He had offered to drive her back to her accommodations, but she had firmly declined and called a taxi instead.
“I just want you to be happy. If things get too difficult, you can always come to me.”
Those were her parting words before she pulled him into a firm embrace and got into the car. Only after he was left alone did Yu-jin start to fully process what she had said.
There had never been any room for reconsideration when it came to Winston’s words and actions toward him. He wouldn’t believe him no matter what he said. Wouldn’t this just end with him feeling empty all over again? He was almost certain of it. And yet, Sam’s words continued to weigh on him.
For some reason, she sounded so sure. She truly believed that this time, Winston would listen.
That must have been why she had come to see him in the first place.
This time was undeniably different. Instead of clinging to hope, Yu-jin reminded himself of Sam’s advice. It was just one last effort. Nothing more. Just to make sure he wouldn’t have any regrets.
Resolving himself, he waited for Winston to return. And he did—just before midnight.
“Didn’t you say you’d be back as early as possible?”
That was the first thing Yu-jin said as Winston walked through the door. He hadn’t meant to sound accusatory, but even to his own ears, his words carried an odd tone. He regretted it almost instantly, but before he could take it back, Winston responded.
“This was the best I could do. I had to force time into my schedule, and now everything’s a mess.”
His voice held no particular emotion. Yu-jin studied him cautiously, noting how he handed his suit jacket to the butler with his usual, unaffected expression. The lack of hostility made Yu-jin subtly exhale in relief.
Once Winston disappeared into the en-suite bathroom in just his shirt, Yu-jin turned to the butler, stopping him before he could leave.
“Um, could you bring some wine?”
“Understood. Which one would you like?”
The butler’s voice was neutral, but Yu-jin hesitated. He knew absolutely nothing about wine. After a moment’s pause, he gave the safest answer he could think of.
“Something Winston would like. And two glasses, please.”
Fortunately, the butler didn’t ask any further questions and quietly left the room. Yu-jin let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He could faintly hear the sound of running water. Taking a seat, he went over what he wanted to say in his mind, taking deep, steady breaths.
***
By the time Winston emerged from the shower, the butler had just finished setting up the wine and glasses on the table. Winston halted in his tracks, momentarily taken aback.
Yu-jin cleared his throat before speaking.
“I, uh… I thought we could have a drink before bed.”
His voice came out cracked from the tension, so he quickly cleared his throat. Winston silently observed Yu-jin’s face for a moment before moving to sit on the opposite sofa. The butler poured wine into both glasses, briefly checked if anything else was needed, then discreetly exited the room.
Now, it was just the two of them.
Winston was the first to move. He picked up his glass naturally, bringing it to his lips as he leaned back against the sofa, sipping comfortably. Yu-jin watched him quietly before hesitantly asking,
“…How is it?”
Winston answered briefly, “Good.”
Following suit, Yu-jin picked up his glass and said,
“Kane asked me what to bring, but how would I know? I just told him to get something you’d like.”
As he brought the glass closer, the rich aroma of aged grapes filled his senses. He cautiously wet his lips with the wine, and just then, Winston spoke.
“If you’re interested, you could do a tasting sometime. Hmm… I should have some free time next weekend—how about then?”
“Oh… uh, yeah.”
It wasn’t a bad start. Maybe it was the alcohol, but the atmosphere felt surprisingly decent. Yu-jin nodded.
“Sure, that sounds fun. I’ll give it a try.”
A faint smile touched Winston’s lips as he took another sip. Yu-jin swallowed the small mouthful of wine he had been holding in his mouth and let out a slow breath. He already felt warmth rising to his face.
“Don’t push yourself. You’re not a good drinker.”
Winston’s words weren’t meant as criticism, just an observation. And he was right. Yu-jin had barely taken a sip, yet it felt like the walls he had built up in his mind were already crumbling.
“…Do you remember that time?”
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized what he had brought up. Anxiety crept in, but then he saw Winston’s lips curve slightly in amusement.
“When you got drunk and clung to me? Of course.”
Yu-jin’s face instantly burned red. The embarrassing memory of getting completely wasted after just half a can of beer resurfaced, making him want to disappear.
But it hadn’t been a bad topic to bring up. Soon, they were laughing and reminiscing about the past—how Yu-jin had almost drowned while swimming, how Winston had nearly crashed into a tree while teaching him to drive, even the night they had spent alone in the desert.
Somehow, they had emptied an entire bottle of wine and were already onto the second. Winston remained unaffected, but Yu-jin’s brain was turning to mush. Still, the loosened atmosphere made it easier for him to finally say what he had been holding back.
“I think you should stop drinking now.”
Winston took the bottle from Yu-jin just as he was about to pour himself another glass. Yu-jin let out a small sigh of disappointment and sank deeper into the sofa. The world spun pleasantly around him, and for the first time in a long while, the things he had agonized over felt insignificant.
Yeah… maybe it’s not that big of a deal after all.
His whole body felt warm as he finally spoke.
“Whether you listen or not, I’m going to say it anyway.”
