The Story Has Just Begun pt. 2
Kurosaki growled into his pillow as wails ripped through the quiet night. He buried his head under the pillow as they grew louder, intent on trying to continue sleeping, only to have a cold foot kick his shin.
“It’s your turn,” she mumbled sleepily. He hissed as the kicks increased in frequency and strength. Throwing his pillow at her head, he slipped out of the warm bed and made his way to the source of the screams in the adjacent room.
“Hey little fella,” he greeted, voice rough from sleep. He leaned over the crib and scooped the howling bundle into his arms, almost gagging from the smell coming from the diaper. “Phew…no more beans for you.”
Hearing his voice, the baby’s cries subsided into whimpers. Smiling at his behavior, Kurosaki carried him to the table and laid him down. “Let’s see what you’ve got here…” He readied himself for the stinky assault to come. Sure enough, his offspring did not disappoint.
While cleaning him up, Kurosaki marveled at the squirming baby before him. He was so small and fragile. Sometimes he wondered how he hadn’t managed to somehow harm him yet. At times, he even forgot that he was a father. It all seemed to happen so fast, yet his time as a swindler seemed to last forever. The long, grueling six years before she came into his life and changed everything now seemed unreal. But the secret closet remained, along with his array of disguises. They reminded him, plagued him of what he had been, of how he had allowed his hatred and vengeance to overcome him.
He wondered if she remembered that rainy day so long ago, when she was the last person to show him any kindness. Of course, she hadn’t known that at the time. They were merely two strangers who happened to cross paths. Yet, in her innocence and kind nature, she had reminded him of the humanity everyone was capable of. If only he had understood that at the time….
He wouldn’t see her until six years later, when she was on the verge of death. He recognized her immediately, her large eyes and soft features were engrained in his mind after that encounter in the rain. Many times he denied that he saved her in hopes of being rescued again by her, instead making the excuse that he only wanted to repay her kindness. And being a stubborn man, it took him three full years to realize otherwise.
Seating himself into the rocking chair beside the window, Kurosaki cradled his son in his arms, listening to the nonsense he gurgled. Rocking the baby back and forth, he absentmindedly hummed a tune she had taught him. Glancing down at his son’s chubby cheeks and small mouth forming a yawn, he felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips.
He was unaware she had stood at the doorway watching him until her warm hand alighted on his arm. “Are you happy?”
Looking into her soft, kind eyes, he smiled. “Yes.”
“It’s your turn,” she mumbled sleepily. He hissed as the kicks increased in frequency and strength. Throwing his pillow at her head, he slipped out of the warm bed and made his way to the source of the screams in the adjacent room.
“Hey little fella,” he greeted, voice rough from sleep. He leaned over the crib and scooped the howling bundle into his arms, almost gagging from the smell coming from the diaper. “Phew…no more beans for you.”
Hearing his voice, the baby’s cries subsided into whimpers. Smiling at his behavior, Kurosaki carried him to the table and laid him down. “Let’s see what you’ve got here…” He readied himself for the stinky assault to come. Sure enough, his offspring did not disappoint.
While cleaning him up, Kurosaki marveled at the squirming baby before him. He was so small and fragile. Sometimes he wondered how he hadn’t managed to somehow harm him yet. At times, he even forgot that he was a father. It all seemed to happen so fast, yet his time as a swindler seemed to last forever. The long, grueling six years before she came into his life and changed everything now seemed unreal. But the secret closet remained, along with his array of disguises. They reminded him, plagued him of what he had been, of how he had allowed his hatred and vengeance to overcome him.
He wondered if she remembered that rainy day so long ago, when she was the last person to show him any kindness. Of course, she hadn’t known that at the time. They were merely two strangers who happened to cross paths. Yet, in her innocence and kind nature, she had reminded him of the humanity everyone was capable of. If only he had understood that at the time….
He wouldn’t see her until six years later, when she was on the verge of death. He recognized her immediately, her large eyes and soft features were engrained in his mind after that encounter in the rain. Many times he denied that he saved her in hopes of being rescued again by her, instead making the excuse that he only wanted to repay her kindness. And being a stubborn man, it took him three full years to realize otherwise.
Seating himself into the rocking chair beside the window, Kurosaki cradled his son in his arms, listening to the nonsense he gurgled. Rocking the baby back and forth, he absentmindedly hummed a tune she had taught him. Glancing down at his son’s chubby cheeks and small mouth forming a yawn, he felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips.
He was unaware she had stood at the doorway watching him until her warm hand alighted on his arm. “Are you happy?”
Looking into her soft, kind eyes, he smiled. “Yes.”