Sighing softly, a spontaneous breath of excitent escaped. Yujin held tightly the man’s body that filled both his arms and then so.
I love you.
Yujin whispered quietly. Could anything be more perfect? Winston smiled and said,
“Father’s going to try to kill .”
“Are you scared?”
Winston let out a short laugh.
“Want to say that again?”
Yujin liked his answer very much. Smiling at each other, he cupped Winston’s cheek, and soon Winston tilted his head. Between their overlapping lips, he whispered,
“That’s why I lie beside you all night long.”
Their lips, which had softly touched, seed to part but then pressed together again, reversed.
“My love......”
With a soft breath, his voice seeped into Yujin’s mouth.
“My life......”
Reciting a line from Annabel Lee, Winston stroked Yujin’s cheek.
“By my bride’s side.”
Yujin lifted one leg and wrapped it around Winston’s waist.
“Winnie.”
After that small whisper, their tongues intertwined again. Why Annabel Lee? Did Winston know that the angel—or demon—jealous of their love had stirred a cold wind to kill that girl, and that’s how they parted?
If I had known that beforehand, I probably would have......
......Ah.
Sunlight poured in, and Yujin opened his eyes. The clock on the wall pointed to eight o’clock. Winston was already gone. This had beco a recent, recurring routine.
Yujin slowly rose from bed. Since that day, the two hadn’t fought even once. Winston’s proposal for a truce had not been refused by Yujin either. If they kept on with the daily tension like before, Yujin was sure he’d be the first to break. Anyway, as long as Winston didn’t bla or sneer at him, it wasn’t so bad. After all, Winston’s attitude was gentlemanly.
“Pregnancy is your duty.”
That day, Winston had said that and demanded they sleep together. Yujin had been ntally prepared but was surprised at how polite Winston held him. The sex was so indifferent it almost beca boring. Afterward, they slept apart without even a finger touching. Two weeks had already passed. When Yujin ca out of the bathroom, he heard knocking on the door as if waiting.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
Yujin caught Angela, who had rushed in like an alarm, and tenderly rubbed her cheek, asking,
“Did you sleep well, Angie?”
“Yeah! Did you, Daddy?”
Feeling an involuntary smile, Yujin showered his daughter with kisses. It was a peaceful morning.
“What shall we do today, Angie?”
He needed to start looking for a job soon.
Listening to his daughter’s voice, Yujin fell into thought. Before leaving this place and returning to his old life, he needed a plan. Without a recomndation letter, finding a good job would still be hard.
Was there sothing short he could take—a course on jobs or skills...?
Before, he never had the luxury to even dream about it, but now that his living was secured here, he could try anything. He didn’t feel thankful to Harold but decided to be grateful for this situation itself. Negative thinking wouldn’t help.
After a long ti, he connected to the internet on his phone and habitually checked his mail. As expected, he chanically deleted the piled-up spam, but sothing different caught {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} his eye down below.
“Huh?”
He muttered unconsciously, hesitating briefly before moving his finger. It was probably just more spam, but strangely, a curious excitent stirred as he clicked the subject. Skimming through the contents quickly, he went back to the beginning again. After repeating this several tis, his eyes grew wide, and he covered his mouth with one hand.
No way, this can’t be.
He was in a daze all day. Could sothing like this really happen? Was he dreaming?
Really, really?
“What’s wrong? Did sothing happen?”
“Uh, huh?”
Suddenly hearing the voice, Yujin turned sharply, startled. Winston was looking at him with a puzzled face. Realizing too late that he was having dinner with Winston, Yujin quickly averted his gaze to the plate.
“Ah, no, nothing happened.”
Hurriedly putting at into his mouth, Yujin chewed busily but sneakily glanced at Winston’s face. Whether Winston believed him or not, he continued eating. Chewing out of habit, Yujin fell back into thought.
Should I say sothing? Or...
After a mont’s hesitation, he gave up the idea. Not yet. It’d be better to wait until it’s more certain. Winston’s attitude had changed a lot lately, but it wasn’t back to how it was before.
It’d be embarrassing if I said sothing too soon and it all fell through...
He made up his mind and focused on dinner again. I shouldn’t expect too much. Maybe it’s just a eting after all. Anyone can make a proposal.
Right, since when was I ever that lucky?
Thinking so, his expectations deflated. Feeling it might be for the best, Yujin finished his al. And that night, as before, they chanically had sex and turned away, but neither could easily fall asleep for their own reasons.
On the promised morning, Yujin woke earlier than usual. Opening his eyes, it was still before seven a.m. The lunch eting was far off in ti.
“You’re already awake?”
Winston, preparing for work, sensed his presence and looked back. Yujin, half sitting up, rubbed his eyes and sat upright.
“Yeah... heading to work now?”
“Yeah.”
Winston, jacket over his suit, ca closer to the bed and bent down. Their eyes t briefly, and Yujin was montarily dazed. Those deep purple eyes stared right at him. For so reason, a mory resurfaced. Those were the days they always kissed naturally before parting. The kisses usually turned into deeper caresses, often leading them back to bed to finish. Afterward, Winston would give Yujin a final kiss before leaving, completely wiped out.
His eyes looked at Yujin just like that day. Lips parted involuntarily, breath slowing—like he was expecting sothing. Winston’s face approached to respond.
Sensing his intention, Yujin reflexively leaned back and sat down. An awkward silence followed, and Winston stared at him. With narrow eyes, as if suspicious, Yujin hastily looked away and made an excuse.
“We’re not close enough to be kissing like that.”
Not wrong. Winston agreed.
“......Yeah.”
He put space between them, speaking briefly before straightening again.
“Then, have a good day.”
Smiling gently at Yujin, Winston turned and left the room. Left alone, Yujin finally exhaled deeply. His heart began pounding.
What the hell, all of a sudden?
They have sex every day, yet suddenly his heart raced like this. It was probably because of the afternoon eting.
Yeah, that’s right.
Yujin cald his excited heart, repeating that to himself over and over.
The eting place was a recently popular French restaurant. Yujin dressed as neatly as possible and stepped into the restaurant right on ti.
“This way. They’ve been waiting for you.”
At the entrance, when Yujin ntioned the other’s na, the staff smiled and led him to the table. Yujin took a trembling breath and followed. The lavish interior reminded him of a palace; he had heard through the butler that the decor was like a French castle, moved brick by brick. He inwardly admired it.
Walking between tables not yet fully occupied, a man spotted them and fixed his gaze. After staring as if in disbelief, he slowly stood with certainty. When the staff reached the table, he extended his hand with a bright smile.
“Mr. Yujin Seol? Nice to et you. I’m Jay Grant, the one who emailed you.”
With a radiant smile, he offered his right hand.
“I’m the editor-in-chief of Grant Publishing. It’s an honor to et you.”
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