Kiss the Scumbag-Chapter 86

“...Sam was your savior, wasn’t he.”

After a long silence, Winston finally spoke. His voice was hoarse and heavy with exhaustion, and Yujin answered casually.

“Yeah, the only one.”

Winston looked up and gazed at Yujin. But Yujin didn’t look at him and continued speaking.

“If Sam hadn’t been there, I’d have starved to death on the streets. Or maybe I’d have died in prison or been killed.”

A bitter smile twisted at his lips.

“Either way, I would have died.”

Winston kept his mouth tightly shut. He rubbed his lips with his hand as if searching for words, then glanced down at his clasped hands. His movements were somewhat restless, but Yujin didn’t care and went on complaining.

“Sam told me to try believing in you—the one I loved.”

Yujin thought he must be quite drunk. His mouth moved on its own, beyond his control.

“But you don’t believe me.”

For some reason, he laughed. Chuckling, Yujin rested his head against the sofa’s backrest.

“Maybe you never loved me.”

“I...”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Only then did Winston open his mouth. He seemed about to say something, but Yujin didn’t want to listen.

“I just didn’t want to regret it.”

There was only one reason Winston had spoken at all: so he wouldn’t blame himself later for not saying it.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

Yujin gave Winston a chance. He thought it was only fair after telling everything himself that now it was Winston’s turn to speak.

Though he hadn’t done that until now.

With a sigh, Winston rubbed his eyes and, after a moment’s thought, spoke.

“Couldn’t you find a job? Even part-time?”

Yujin burst out laughing at the ridiculousness. Winston looked at him, bewildered. Yujin still lying sideways on the sofa glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and asked.

“Who would hire me?”

Still chuckling, Yujin continued.

“Winston, I had no education, no ID. I was just a ghost. A beggar-looking ghost with nothing. Who in the world would hire someone like me? Would you have?”

And on top of that, I was pregnant.

Angela is still much smaller than kids her age because she was so malnourished back then. Honestly, Yujin thought the baby had died in the womb. Thinking of his daughter curled up silently without moving made him want to cry with guilt.

Winston sighed deeply.

“Yeah, that was a stupid question.”

He looked like all the strength had drained from his body. He probably read the incident report and was prepared in his own way. But no matter how much he imagined the worst, reality easily surpassed that. Yujin didn’t even try to guess how Winston felt now. Those feelings belonged only to Winston himself and no one else could ever know.

“...Why.”

Winston finally spoke, seeming to have somewhat pulled himself together.

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth when I asked?”

His tone wasn’t accusatory. He genuinely seemed curious, and Yujin answered indifferently.

“You never believed me anyway.”

A forgotten memory suddenly came back. Yujin mumbled without much thought.

“You always doubted me whenever I was with a man.”

Winston closed his mouth again. He seemed about to say something, but Yujin was already overcome by drowsiness.

“You probably won’t believe me from now on either...”

“Yujin?”

At the fading end of his words, Winston called his name. But this time there was no answer. Winston realized he had quickly fallen asleep and sighed deeply.

“Yujin.”

Winston stood up from the sofa and approached him, calling again while raising his hand. After a brief hesitation, he carefully grabbed Yujin’s shoulder and shook him. Yujin breathed evenly and remained asleep, unresponsive. Winston looked down at him, then suddenly bent to pick him up. His painfully thin body was easily lifted into his arms. Too light, Winston nearly staggered. He looked down at Yujin’s face and then turned toward the bed. As he walked, slippers slipped off Yujin’s feet, falling onto the floor.

After gently laying him on the mattress, Yujin was still asleep. Winston carefully stroked his face before withdrawing {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} his hand and straightening up. Only after pulling up the sheet to cover him did he finally return to his seat. He summoned the butler to bring another bottle of wine and, while drinking the remainder of his wine, fell into thought.

You always doubted me when I was with men.

That was petty jealousy. Everyone lost their minds when they saw Yujin. Even knowing Yujin was innocent, Winston wanted to kill every guy who talked and smiled at him.

Still, back then, I believed in you.

Winston knew Yujin was blameless. The flies buzzing around him were the bad ones. He had trusted Yujin’s chastity so firmly.

Winston.

Even now, when the memory of that day comes up, his heart feels like it’s being torn apart. The face that smiled at him. Yujin kissing his father. Even the two tangled together in bed.

I saw it.

Winston covered his face with both hands.

I clearly saw it with my own eyes, you sleeping with my father.

I remember your mocking laughter clearly.

There was no doubt about that. Yujin was right. No matter what he said, Winston would never believe him.

Because he saw it with his own eyes.

And yet you even lied that you were carrying Winston’s child. Extreme alphas control fertilization. Winston never impregnated him and always used condoms. It’s impossible for Yujin to be pregnant. Saying he came carrying another man’s child, spouting nonsense—how much must he have been looked down on as a fool and idiot? Winston thought he’d never forgive Yujin for that until he died.

But he never knew Yujin had suffered such a horrific experience afterward. Though he hated Yujin to death, he never wished for that outcome. Maybe Yujin was used and abandoned by his father. Probably so. Because after that, the father never once sought Yujin again. Still, that didn’t mean the father gave him nothing at all.

Of course, Winston assumed he’d caught another man and was living a debauched life.

Suddenly, the pain on his back flared up. It wasn’t raining, and he hadn’t done anything to strain his body, so what was this pain?

Thinking it might be phantom pain, he went to the bathroom and opened the shelf. He grabbed a handful of painkillers, took them with a glass of water from the sink, and only then looked at his reflection in the mirror. A man with a pale, ghostlike complexion was staring back at him.

What will you do now?

The man in the mirror whispered.

Winston Campbell, so what will you do from now on?

He stood there for a long time without moving. The face staring back seemed to be mocking him.

“Ugh...”

His head ached as if it would split. Yujin groaned softly, his face twisted in pain. Slowly raising his eyelids, he blinked blankly while still lying down.

It was a few seconds before he realized he was lying in bed. He sighed and sat up. Of course, Winston was nowhere to be seen. He had long since gone to work.

His head was foggy, but all memories remained vivid. Thinking of Winston’s reaction brought a bitter smile to his lips.

Maybe that man got quite a special experience thanks to me.

Thinking that way felt easier. Leaving the bed, he headed to the bathroom when he heard a knock and shortly after the door opened.

“Ah, you’re up.”

The butler, opening the door, greeted him.

“Angela is waiting to have a snack with you. You already had breakfast.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll be there soon.”

“And one more thing.”

Just as he was about to hurry into the washroom, the butler stopped him again.

“Mr. Campbell would like to have dinner. Angela will join as well.”