KISS THE SCUMBAG Chapter 44

The room was incomparably larger than the one they had been sharing until now. The bed, too, was enormous in proportion to the room’s size, and what was surprising was the luxurious canopy draped over it. The magnificent, sheer fabric that broadly enclosed the four posts of the bed was the kind of thing one only ever saw in paintings. For three-year-old Angela, it was more than enough to strongly pique her curiosity.

“Daddy, are we living here now? For real?”

Angela whispered softly, putting her hand to Yujin’s ear. Her breathless voice clearly betrayed the excitement she couldn’t hide. Before Yujin could answer, the butler gave the answer from behind.

“This is the room your daughter will be using.”

Yujin and Angela turned to look at him at the same time. He’s going to separate Angela and me? Yujin’s face stiffened and turned pale, but Angela’s reaction was entirely different.

“My roooom?”

The butler nodded at Angela, who had shouted in a voice even louder than before. Surprisingly, a gentle smile hovered on his wrinkled face as he looked at the child. Yujin was flustered and unable to find the words, when Angela, who was in his arms, wriggled and shouted.

“Daddy, Daddy! Put me down, quickly, hurry!”

“Angie, Angie! It’s dangerous!”

Because she was shaking her whole body in impatience, Yujin was terrified that he might drop his daughter, so he hurriedly set her down. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Angela dashed around the room, shouting, “Wow! Wow!” again and again. It was only natural for the child to react that way. It was the first time in her life she had her own room, and the room was truly magnificent and, above all, exactly to her liking. It was probably the kind of room most children in the world would want. Yujin, while still feeling dazed, understood his daughter’s heart perfectly.

The walls were painted in different colors on each side, all of them bright and cheerful enough to lift one’s spirits just by looking at them. Most surprising of all was that the small living room connected to the large bedroom was filled with toys and play equipment that the child would love.

Among them, what captured Angela’s heart the most was a small house perfectly suited to her size. Built in a structure similar to a studio, the exterior was as cute and lovely as the witch’s house from Hansel and Gretel, and when you opened the cookie-shaped front door to go inside, it was charmingly furnished with a small sofa and even a kitchen. This room was a perfect world of her own for Angela.

After shouting repeatedly and going in and out of the house, the child crossed the room and climbed onto the bed. Shouting “Wow,” Angela rolled around on the neatly made bed before raising her arms high.

“Daddy, come here! Hurry! It feels like I’m on a cloud! Hurry!”

“Ah, okay. Just a moment.”

Yujin, who couldn’t take his eyes off his daughter’s joyful appearance, turned his hesitating gaze toward the butler. Angela was so happy that he should have been equally happy, but a grim suspicion still remained in a corner of his heart.

“Caine, if this is Angie’s room, then… do I have to sleep somewhere else?”

He steeled his heart and asked. It was as if the answer had already been given. He was prepared to stay in a place much worse than the room they had been using before, so that was fine. It was a relief, at least, that Angela would be staying in a nice room. The only thing he was worried about was how far away he would be staying.

Surely they aren’t planning to throw me out of the mansion…

Just as he was turning pale with the fear that they might be trying to control him so he couldn’t see Angela, the butler opened his mouth.

“Of course not. Your luggage has been moved to the room right next door.”

“…Pardon?”

Yujin, whose head was filled with all sorts of terrifying imaginations, was blindsided by the unexpected remark and asked blankly. The butler added an explanation in an extremely professional tone, as always.

“You must share a room with Mr. Campbell. Because you two are married.”

His words completely drained Yujin of his wits. They were certainly correct, yet they felt wrong. It was true that he was married to Winston, but the idea of having to share a room—it was a development he hadn’t anticipated at all, and his head couldn’t quite wrap around it.

“No, why… must you… why.”

He could only repeat words that failed to form a sentence, when a maid appeared outside the door and spoke up.

“Mr. Caine, could you come here for a moment? There’s a problem.”

The butler, who had turned his head, shifted his gaze back to Yujin.

“If you will excuse me? I believe I must attend to this.”

“Ah, yes.”

Yujin nodded hurriedly. The butler was just doing as he was told. The person who ordered all of this was someone else.

“Um, wait a moment.”

Yujin called out to the butler, who was about to leave, and swallowed hard before opening his mouth.

“So, you mean to say that Winston is the one who ordered for all of this to be prepared? Including the instruction that I share his room?”

“That is correct. Partners must share a room.”

The butler added as if it were a matter of course. Having received confirmation once again, Yujin had nothing more to say.

“…I understand. Thank you, I know you are busy.”

“I have only done my duty.”

Having said that indifferently, he glanced briefly at Angela, who was bouncing on the bed with a pleased expression, then quickly erased the look and added,

“Please let me know if you need anything else. If you pick up the receiver of the telephone and press 1, anyone will pick up.”

Pointing to the phone on the side table, the butler bowed briefly and turned away. Once he left and the door closed, Yujin was left alone with the child. Only then did he slowly look around the room again. He saw couches and sofas placed as if to invite them to roll around on them at any time. Furthermore, a small tea table by the window, perfect for Angela’s favorite pretend play, was bathed in full sunlight.

Yujin walked toward the window as if under a spell. When he unlocked the latch and gently opened the large latticed glass door, a cool breeze immediately blew in.

“Waaaah! Daddy, it’s amazing!”

Angela, who had come running, shouted as she dashed outside first. Yujin, too, stood frozen, captivated by the scenery before his eyes. The vast Delights estate unfolded endlessly beyond the balcony. Beyond the lush green forest, the city landscape was visible. When night fell, gorgeous lights would fill the earth like stars on the ground. Just imagining it made him feel breathless. How beautiful it would be.

“Daddy, I love my room so much!”

Angela, hanging onto the balcony, shouted. Tears welled up in Yujin’s eyes at the sight of his daughter’s happy face. He could not believe that the vain dream he had dreamt that night—when he first came to the mansion and had to sleep separated from his daughter—was now becoming reality.

“Daddy, Daddy?”

The child called to him repeatedly, but Yujin could not answer. Overwhelmed by emotion, all he could do was cover his mouth with one hand and take a deep breath. He tried not to cry in front of the child, but it was impossible to hold back the stinging sensation in his nose.

“Sorry, Angie. I’m just so happy because you’re happy.”

When he bent his knees to hug her tightly, Angela hugged Yujin back. Angela, who patted the back of his head as if to tell him not to cry, waited a moment before opening her mouth.

“Daddy, we have to leave here, don’t we?”

Yujin froze at the small voice. Considering the child’s mood, as she was enjoying herself, he wanted to tell a lie, but he couldn’t. If she grew comfortable and trusting of Yujin’s words, the disappointment and sorrow would only be greater when that day suddenly arrived.

“Yes, Angie. I’m sorry.”

Yujin apologized while looking at the child’s face. He had braced himself, thinking Angela might cry, but unexpectedly, instead of crying, his daughter asked with a cautious expression.

“Then I’ll have to be careful not to break anything, right?”

Yujin was startled by the unexpected words. Contrary to his expectations, Angela showed no signs of crying. Instead, his daughter was looking at her daddy with a face full of concern. Seeing that face, Yujin felt so sorry that he thought it would have been better if his daughter had cried instead.

“It will be fine if you break a few things—Mr. Campbell is rich.”