KISS THE SCUMBAG Chapter 31

Yujin, having avoided the kiss by a hair’s breadth, screamed and struggled to escape from Winston’s arms. Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Winston inadvertently let go of him.

“Ah!”

“Watch out!”

Yujin’s body swayed violently as he lost his balance, and Winston shouted. He squeezed his eyes shut, imagining the horrific sight of his entire body slamming into the floor, but surprisingly, that didn’t happen. Winston, having pulled on the arms of the falling Yujin, had embraced him and taken the impact against the floor instead.

Huff, huff.

It took a moment to realize what had just happened. Yujin just lay there blankly, gasping for breath. The ground, covered in countless clovers, was warmer and firmer than he had expected. Strangely, he could hear a rhythmic beating in his ears. It took a few more seconds for Yujin to realize it was the sound of Winston’s heart.

“W-wait!”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Realizing belatedly that he was wrapped in the other man’s arms and that Winston was lying on the floor in his place, Yujin hurriedly tried to lift himself up, but Winston was faster again. Yujin failed once more as Winston’s arms immediately restrained him by hugging his waist.

“Let go, I said let go!”

“Calm down.”

Winston, holding the struggling Yujin tightly without a gap, used one hand to pull the back of his head and bury it in his shoulder. Yujin resisted with all his might, but it was a futile effort from the start. Before long, his stamina was exhausted, and Yujin finally stopped moving, gasping for air.

For a while, they lay there without saying a word. Ironically, the sound of Winston’s heartbeat in his ears made Yujin feel at ease.

“We’ve done this before, too.”

As if he could see right through Yujin’s thoughts, Winston muttered. As he said, it was common for Yujin to be pinned under Winston. It always happened after they had been intimate. Winston would keep him on top of his body, fondling his hips or kissing every inch of his face, before laying him back down to start all over again.

Ah.

Was it because they were having the same imagination? Yujin could feel the man’s erect organ beneath him. Realizing that his penis, which had filled him countless times, was as hard as it had been back then, his own body became heated.

“Yujin.”

Winston called his name. After hesitating, Yujin slightly lifted his head and his gaze met the eyes of the man looking down at him. The arms around his waist loosened, as if Winston knew Yujin would no longer try to run away. Keeping one arm around his waist, Winston brought his other hand to his face, gently gripping Yujin’s chin and stroking his lower lip with his thumb. He looked at Yujin’s lips with eyes full of longing, as if he truly, desperately wanted to kiss him.

Yujin felt the same. More than anything, his body, which had been aroused for some time now, was aching. Perhaps Winston was at his limit, too. If they were to kiss, would this man try to sleep with him right here?

“Do you remember? Yujin.”

Winston whispered. There was no need to ask what memory he was referring to. Yujin opened his mouth, but his voice was stifled, reduced to a barely audible breath as he managed to say:

“Yes.”

They had rolled around here naked. Like the first humans, on the field covered in clover.

Yujin tilted his head. Winston only needed to put in a tiny amount of effort to kiss him. Just applying a little pressure to the hand holding Yujin’s head was enough. When their breaths touched and Yujin lowered his eyelids to meet Winston’s gaze with half-lidded eyes:

“If there’s something you want, you have to pay the price, too.”

Winston faltered at the low, whispering voice. Feeling his reaction clearly through their pressed-together bodies, Yujin continued.

“If you want to sleep with me, pay my fee. Then I’ll have sex with you.”

Speaking as if he were bestowing a great favor, he lifted his head. This time, Winston didn’t hold him back. Yujin hurriedly rose and moved away from him, and Winston stood up with slow movements.

The sweet atmosphere from just a moment ago had vanished without a trace. The two glared at each other in an uncomfortable silence. Yujin wondered what Winston would say next, but there was no time for that. A child’s voice could be heard from afar.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

The atmosphere changed abruptly. Yujin froze, and Winston’s expression also hardened. He couldn’t let the child and Winston cross paths. Yujin was terrified that if Winston saw the child, he might harbor even the slightest suspicion. He tried to get away, but fortunately, Winston moved first.

“Why don’t you go? Your child, who is as precious to you as your own life, is calling.”

Mocking him by repeating the expression Yujin had used, Winston mounted his horse. He’s leaving now, Yujin thought with relief, but it was too quick. Changing the direction of his horse, Winston added one last thing.

“I look forward to seeing how the service changes depending on the fee.”

Leaving behind that cutting remark, he rode away. Watching the shadow receding in an instant, Yujin regained his composure at the sound of the child calling him again and started to move.

“Daddy, look! There’s a birdhouse!”

“It’s called a nest, Angie.”

Seeing the child overjoyed at the sight of the messy nest built in a corner under the roof, Yujin gently taught her the word. It was a relief, at least. That Angela had appeared at this exact timing.

If she had been just a little earlier.

Yujin shuddered as a chilling thought crossed his mind.

“Daddy?”

Noticing his strange demeanor, Angela called to him. Hurriedly pulling himself together, Yujin stroked the child’s hair as if to say he was fine.

“Are you done looking? Was there anything else you wanted to see?”

“There’s a family of squirrels living inside! There was a hole this big in the tree, and when I looked, they were sleeping inside…”

The child began to list everything she had discovered with excitement. While listening to his daughter, Yujin couldn’t help but let his thoughts drift to one side.

Two weeks later.

A chill went down his spine for a moment. The wheel had started to turn. It was impossible to stop. All Yujin could do was hope that things would roll out exactly as scheduled.

Think of something good. You have money coming in now.

He tried to turn his persistently negative thoughts back into positive ones. According to the will, Winston would help him live comfortably as long as he stayed here. Since he said he would give him a checkbook, he could finally catch his breath.

Once I get the money, I’ll buy clothes for the child first.

He wanted to buy her all the things he hadn’t been able to afford until now. Angela had never lived in abundance, not once in her life.

How happy will she be?

“Daddy?”

As Yujin hugged his child tightly, happy just from the imagination, Angela asked with a puzzled expression. Yujin laughed, kissed his daughter on the cheek, and asked.

“Shall we talk about one thing Angela wants while we eat our sandwiches?”

“Yeah, I’d love to!”

The child nodded readily. They often had such conversations as a game. Angela seemed to think it was just a continuation of the games they always played, but this time it was different. Because Yujin really wanted to buy her everything she desired.

There isn’t much time left now.

Yujin watched his child eat her sandwich, listening to her talk with a satisfied expression. Mingled with the occasional birdsong echoing through the forest, the faint ringing of distant bells drifted through the air.

∞ ∞ ∞

Several people were gathered in the spacious living room. The members of the Campbell family, excluding Winston, sat scattered in various places with grave expressions, watching each other.

“Is Winston really planning to marry that bastard? Even after having a child?”

At the question from the eldest son, Gordon, who could no longer hold it in, Mrs. Campbell replied with a stiff face.

“What on earth have you been listening to until now? I must have explained it thoroughly enough?”

“Ah, well, that’s true, but.”

As Gordon backed down, feeling embarrassed, Lady Catherine stepped forward.

“Even so, that’s not right. How can you just let it slide like that? You should have opposed it more strongly!”

At the resentful tone, Mrs. Campbell glared at her daughter with sharp eyes. When Lady Catherine faltered, she finally opened her mouth in a stern voice.