"Come inside," King said, his voice level and steady.
Win stepped across the threshold, but he didn't approach King. He kept a deliberate distance, his shoulders hunched. He was holding a bag that contained several carefully wrapped gifts. He walked toward the dining table, placed the items down, and retreated immediately to stand several feet away from King.
"After you came to pack your things with Charlotte," Win began, his voice barely above a whisper, "you told me you were moving here. I... I thought I should drop by and greet you."
He bowed his head slightly, the gesture formal and broken. "Hello, King. Welcome home."
King watched him, taking in the contrast between the powerful man he knew and the helpless figure standing before him now. The silence stretched until Win shifted uncomfortably.
"I was just passing by," Win murmured, his gaze still fixed somewhere around King's feet. "I'll take my leave now."
