#2 PARADISE | k.th (editing)

t h r e e

I can feel the sun blinding my eyes waking me up. It was 8 in the morning. I tried to recall what had happened last night as my mind was still in the hazy mode. Trying to get up from the bed, I sensed a movement beside me.

A small boy was sprawling, sucking his thumb, on the left side of my bed.

Boy?

Where did this boy come from?

"He is Jitae remember?" A voice behind my head told me. Last night's incident came flashing through my mind. The accident, the hospital, the paparazzi, chicken nuggets and chocolate milk!

We bonded over chicken nuggets and chocolate milk. I knew he is three years old, was staying in America since he was born with his mother. Only the two of them. We even talked about his favourite food and his favourite cartoon shows, which helped me to distract him over the accident occured a few hours before. It turns out he loves burger and chocolate milk, just like me! Thank God he wants to open up his heart to me. He even talked about his playmates back in America but sadly had to leave them.

Watching his peaceful looks, I got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to do my morning routine. I remember I promised him to go shopping for clothes and food today. I had asked my personal assistant, Kiyong, to bring me some clothes for a four year old to wear, this morning. Fortunately, Kiyong had offered his nephew's unused clothes.

I went to the kitchen and prepare some pancakes for us. Once I've done preparing breakfast, I woke him up to bath him. I guess, I'm lucky, since he been nothing but a good kid, I am sure his mother raised him well. I let him stand on the sink counter, after bathing, with his whole body leaning over mine to balance himself. To my surprise, he asked me to brush my teeth too, though I had already brushed mine, together. Since it was his habit to do it, with his mother, together every morning. I love seeing our reflections in the mirror, with the same parted black brown hair, our hands brushing our teeth, it felt like doing a morning routine with my own son.

Once he is all dressed up, I brought him to the kitchen and sat him down on the chair, near to kitchen counter. Giving him a plate of pancakes, I saw his eyes were gleaming in happiness.

"Strawberry jam or honey butter?" I asked.

"Honey and butter!" He squealed clapping his hands excited. "Here you go buddy! We do have the same taste, aren't we?" I said while squeezing the honey out from the bottles.

"I guess, with milk?" He nodded.

"Here's your milk!" I sat myself down to the chair next to him. "Let's eat!" I saw him looking at me and not eating.

"Oh, I'm sorry buddy!" I cut the pancakes into smaller pieces. "Yeay thank you, daddy!"

I froze. Daddy?

As if he was reading my mind, he said "Can I call you daddy? Mommy said my dad is somewhere far.I never met him." For a three year old, he is sure a smart kid.

I smiled hearing him. Poor kid, he must be needing a father figure in his life. "Sure!"

"Come on, finish up your pancakes! We'll go buy you some clothes and visit mommy, okay?" He nodded and munch all his pancakes quickly.

"Slow down, boy! You will get sick from eating quickly. You don't want your mommy to be worried, don't you?" I patted his back, and brought the glass of milk in front of his mouth, and assisted him, to drink the milk.

Having to walk freely in the mall, is truly not an easy task to do, especially today. The paparazzi are still following us, since we walked out from the penthouse. I don't mind having to walk around with paparazzi surrounding me, but I sympathised Jitae for having to experience this world of mine, treated harshly by the paparazzi with all those fraudulent rumours circulating in the tabloids and medias.

I can hear the camera shutter noises, and even the flashing lights surrounding us. There are even some approached us to get me interviewed on the spot!

"Is that your son?"

"How old is he?"

"Why are you keeping him from the public?"

"When did you get married?"

Some questions are even harsher.

"Is he your illegitimate son?"

"Are deciding to make him public as he is to announce to be the heir of your gallery?"

"Does your parents approve him as your son?"

"How is his mother? I heard she is in the hospital, recuperating."

I heard small cries coming as I felt two arms tugging my leg, with his head nuzzling the sides of my legs. I scooped him up into my arms, and his nuzzled his head into my neck, sobbing.

Pulling out my Gucci sunglasses from my eyes, pointing towards them using it's temple tip, I yelled, "Didn't you see a kid is crying? Don't you have better things to do than harassing a small kid? Let alone, my son?!"

Good! That shuts them up! I heard nothing but a small murmurs from the reporters.

Great! Trouble, that's what you get! My subconscious said.

"Okay listen to this. I won't tolerate those coming, surrounding us, taking pictures of us. I wanted to have some bonding time with my son, and yet you guys are scarring him. Listen and jot this down, or record this! Do whatever you want, but please stop bothering us! Any reporters bothering us after this will here from your management! I don't care which agency are you from!"

Silencing them, I soothed Jitae. Once he's sobbings had calm down, I started. "Yes, this is my son, my wife and I had decided not to exposed him to this world. We wanted him to have a normal life, without double standards, without the harsh treatment of the media. My wife is okay, she is still recuperating in the hospital. So, please, back off, I would like to have my moments with my son!"

With that, I walked off.