Kiss the Scumbag

“That sounds great. Yu-jin won’t have any time to mess around. If it works out that way, it’ll be good for everyone.”

George eagerly agreed. As the gathered individuals all turned to Mrs. Campbell with expectant expressions, she cleared her throat briefly, not displeased by the attention. Then, after deliberately pausing for effect, she spoke.

“Not a bad idea.”

“Alright, then let’s move forward immediately.”

The moment Mrs. Campbell finished speaking, Gordon stepped forward without hesitation. He immediately launched into a flurry of questions—how they would arrange for Evelyn and Winston to meet, when the best time would be, and who should make contact. It was as if all their problems would be solved the moment the two met.

As she listened to the lively chatter, Mrs. Campbell thought to herself.

To think it would come back again.

She clenched her teeth in secret. This was all Harold Campbell’s fault. From the moment she discovered that he had included that name in his will, she had been plagued with relentless migraines. The chaos had started the day her husband had brought that ridiculously young affair into their home. Thinking back, there was only one true source of all this disaster.

Mrs. Campbell sincerely hoped her husband would never make it to heaven.

***

The train slowed as it approached the platform. Beyond his daughter’s small head, pressed against the window, Seol Yu-jin stared at the scenery—both familiar and foreign. Just knowing he had returned to this city made cold sweat bead on his skin, his breath coming in short gasps.

He had sworn never to set foot here again.

The moment he caught sight of the station’s name in the distance, dizziness overtook him. He shut his eyes, leaning the back of his head against the seat, and took deep, deliberate breaths. Slowly, his pulse steadied, and his mind cleared. When he finally opened his eyes, he found his daughter had moved away from the window and was now watching him.

“Daddy, does your head hurt again?”

Her face was filled with concern. Yu-jin forced a smile and shook his head.

“No, I’m fine now.”

“Don’t just endure it—take your medicine. Holding in pain isn’t good for you.”

His daughter, Angela, chided him in a tone far too mature for her age. Yu-jin gave a small nod.

“I will. Once we get off the train.”

Just then, the train came to a full stop, and the announcement played over the speakers. Rising from his seat, Yu-jin reached up to the overhead rack and pulled down their small suitcase. He extended a hand to his patiently waiting daughter.

“Come on, let’s go, Angie.”

“Okay.”

Angela grasped his hand firmly, following his lead. At the steps, Yu-jin hefted the suitcase in one hand and lifted his daughter with the other as he stepped onto the platform.

The moment his feet touched solid ground, he took in a deep breath of fresh air, feeling his chest loosen just a little. He set Angela down and exhaled once more before taking her hand again.

The station was busy, people bustling to and fro, but of course, no one recognized him. And yet, every time someone brushed past him carelessly, he flinched. His shoulders tensed, and he shrank in on himself, as if at any moment, someone would call his name and drag him back into the past. Even after all these years, the memories of leaving this place were as vivid as if they had happened yesterday.

It’s okay.

Yu-jin fixed his gaze straight ahead and repeated the words in his mind.

It’s been five years. I’ve moved on.

Holding his daughter’s hand, he walked forward, reminding himself of the vow he had made time and time again—he would never let anyone hurt him again. Things were different now. He had someone to protect. And for Angela, there was nothing he wouldn’t do. That was the one and only belief he had clung to since the moment he first held her in his arms.

The only reason he had returned to this place—despite swearing he never would—was for Angela. If not for his daughter, no will, no inheritance, nothing in this world would have convinced him to come back. He would have sooner starved to death on the streets than return here.

But now, he needed money.

And if Harold, the man who had so cruelly cast him out, had chosen to show a shred of kindness at the very end by leaving him even a small portion, he would take it.

Pride was a luxury he could no longer afford.

Two months ago, a massive fire broke out in the old, run-down apartment complex where Yu-jin had been living. The flames, which started in the unit below, spread rapidly, leaving the walls blackened with soot before they were finally extinguished. Several families were left homeless as a result.

Unfortunately, Yu-jin’s apartment suffered the second-worst damage. He had woken up in the middle of the night, grabbed his daughter, and rushed out with nothing but the clothes on their backs. In an instant, he had lost everything. The only small relief was that aside from a minor burn on his back, he had escaped unscathed. More importantly, Angela hadn’t been hurt. But that was where their luck ran out.

To make matters worse, the restaurant where he worked laid him off, citing financial difficulties. Why did misfortune always strike all at once? That night, after seeking shelter at a church, he had curled up in an empty pew with his daughter in his arms and, for the first time in years, let his tears fall.

He caught his first glimpse of salvation when he returned to the burned-out apartment, hoping to salvage anything that might have survived. As he sifted through the waterlogged ashes, someone approached him.

“Excuse me, hello. Would you happen to know… Yu-jin Sol?”

It was Seol, not Sol, but he had long stopped correcting people. He didn’t have the energy for that now, anyway. Straightening his back, he turned to look at the stranger.

“That’s me. What’s this about?”

“Ah! I thought so!” The man’s face lit up with relief. He quickly fished through his wallet and pulled out a business card, handing it over.

“My name is Joseph Brown. I’m an attorney. You have no idea how difficult it was to find you. Just when I thought I had, I showed up to see the whole building had burned down. I was starting to panic, wondering what to do next, but I decided to check again—and here you are! I must be incredibly lucky.”

The man let out a hearty laugh, but Yu-jin simply stared at him, expressionless. The laughter gradually faded, and the lawyer cleared his throat awkwardly. Only then did Yu-jin speak.

“I don’t know why you were looking for me, but as you can see, I’m not in a position to pay anyone a cent.”

“No, no, you misunderstand, Yu-jin. It’s the opposite, actually.”

The lawyer waved a hand dismissively, still smiling. Seeing Yu-jin’s skeptical expression, he quickly continued.

“You know Harold Campbell, don’t you? He passed away recently… and he left a will.”

Yu-jin froze.

The name Harold Campbell instantly brought back a flood of memories, and his heart pounded wildly.

That man was dead.

Should he feel indifferent? A twinge of sorrow, at least? He wasn’t sure which reaction was appropriate, so he hesitated, torn between the emotions warring inside him. His last memory of Harold still haunted him, but the truth was, Harold had once been his benefactor—the man who took him in when he was left orphaned with nowhere to go. Harold had cared for him deeply, and Yu-jin, in turn, had adored him.

Until that happened.

Pushing back the bitter memories, Yu-jin forced himself to remain composed as he waited for the lawyer to continue.

Joseph glanced around, as if looking for somewhere to sit, but seeing no suitable spot, he instead looked back at Yu-jin with a slightly awkward expression before asking,

“Is there a café nearby where we can talk? Or should we get in the car and find one together?”

“There isn’t. Let’s just talk here.”

Yu-jin’s response was curt. The lawyer seemed to expect him to take at least a moment to acknowledge Harold’s passing, but Yu-jin had neither the reason nor the time for that. He had left Angela at the church and needed to return quickly. If this man wasn’t here to hand him money, there was no point in wasting any more time.

Sensing Yu-jin’s impatience, Joseph Brown cleared his throat and shifted to a more businesslike tone.

“Your name is in the will. You need to attend the reading after the funeral. We need you to come to Delight within three days.”

Yu-jin’s expression faltered for the first time.

Delight.

The estate’s full name was The Most Perfect Delight. It was the grandest of the Campbell mansions, the main house on the property, though the name was often used to refer to the entire Campbell estate.

Going back there…

The thought alone made his mind reel. He hadn’t even considered the possibility. It took him a moment to gather himself.