Killer Secret

Chapter 31

"Look Keiji! It's snowing!" Samantha brushed the little one's hair and pointed out the window. His eyes lit up like stars once he saw the small white flakes stick to the window. He clapped his hands and raced over to the front door. "Don't touch the knob!" Samantha said sternly and gestured for Keiji to walk back over to her. "You have to put on your coat and shoes first if you want to go play outside."

Samantha took down the coats handed by the door and began dressing her baby accordingly so he'd be warm once he went out in the cold weather. Keiji was born where it was warm all the time. He wasn't quite used to Japan's air and the weather difference.

Then she helped him put on his socks and boots and small mittens for kids and wrapped him in the biggest scarf for children she found at the nearby market the other day around his small neck. Then she put on her clothes and opened the door. Keiji bolted out before she could say anything, and she reached her hand out to grab him, but Keiji was too far out.

Keiji's little legs carried him closer to the street, and Samantha panicked. "Keiji! Stop! Don't move!" She raced after him and slipped on the ice forming on the patio.

Keiji ran out into the street, completely distracted by all the snow everywhere to hear his mother's cries. But before he could go any further, a random civilian dressed in a black hoodie grabbed Keiji by his arm and brought him back over to Samantha.

Keiji was confused by the strange act and began wailing while being dragged away. Once he was close to his mother, he ran into her arms and started crying.

Samantha was surprised by the civilian's behavior as well. She hugged Keiji close before scolding him. "Don't run off like that! You don't want to scare mommy, do you?" She wiped Keiji's tears away. "Next time, you will hold my hand." Samantha looked up at the local who stopped Keiji from getting into danger and stood up. She bowed to him and muttered out a soft yet mispronounced "arigato" to him. Kaito's mother had been teaching her basic greetings.

The civilian didn't reply, only stood there awkwardly. Samantha couldn't see his face, but his quiet behavior made her feel extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden. She was able to tell he was a guy, but he was a lot shorter than her husband and had very pretty eyes.

The man looked at Keiji one more time and back at Samantha before nodding his head and walking away. Chills went down Samantha's spine. Who in the world was that stranger and why was he looking at them like that?

~

"Daddy!" Keiji reached his small arms up the moment Kaito walked in the door. He looked exhausted again. Bags were forming under his eyes, Samantha could tell. It was apparent he was stressed out majorly. But instead of showing his vulnerability, Kaito smiled at Keiji and swooped him into his arms.

"Hey, buddy." He kissed Keiji's cheek, making the child giggle.

"You always come at the wrong times." Samantha stood up and sighed.

"Excuse me?" Kaito narrowed his eyes at her.

"I didn't mean it like that." Samantha frowned and grabbed Keiji. "I just washed his hair, and he was finally in a comfortable position so I could braid it. Now I have to start over."

"Just cut his hair." Kaito picked at one of Keiji's wavy curly strands. "It's growing too long anyways, about the time he gets his first cut."

"I will not have a blade go near my child's hair! His curls are beautiful." Samantha grumbled.

"He is starting to look like a girl." Kaito frowned. "I don't like it. I'll just take him to the shop nearby, he'll still have curly hair—"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Samantha heaved. "No offense, but I refuse to have a bunch of men who have never dealt with his hair type botch my baby's hair!"