Tale of Two Broken Souls

Chapter One

Children tend to wish their lives away, they aspire to become older, more independent in their life that they forget to spend their childhood enjoying being a child. As they grow older, they soon realise all the things they had taken for granted in their youth. They learn things that are said are irreversible and can lead them to live with some regrets. Mistakes are often made and are what helps to shape them as an adult, and it was something Goku was learning now in his mid-twenties.

His parents always said to not live with any regrets, but it seemed no matter what path he took in his life it often led to something that he wished he had deliberated over rather than making such rash decisions. Not that he regretted all the events in his life, he adored his children and it was the only positive that came from his marriage.

Putting all his emotions aside, Goku sat on the floor by his son's bunk bed to read their favourite book to them. Gohan, his eldest, would place a cushion for his father to sit on in hope to make it somewhat more comfortable than sitting on the floor. Though Goku reassured he didn't mind sitting on the soft carpeted floor as he never wanted his children to worry, Gohan was always persistent that he sat on a cushion while reading them a story.

On ensuring his children were lying comfortably in their beds, and sitting down on the small cushion Gohan had given him, he started to read his youngest son's favourite story for it was his turn to pick. It was the usual cliché story about a damsel in distress being rescued by her knight in shining armor. Goku could only chuckle and shake his head at this. All these fairy tales had a happy ending, if only life was as simple as that. Nonetheless, his youngest son Goten loved them and would always listen intently whilst sucking his thumb.

Regardless of how silly these stories were, they always gave his sons some comfort and hope for a happy life. It's something all children usually wish for, to be happy, healthy and more independent. No matter how stressful life was for him, Goku always made sure his children's happiness came before his.

"And they lived happily ever after," Goku softly spoke as he looked back at Goten slowly nodding off to sleep. He smiled and closed the book before leaning towards his son to plant a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Dad," Gohan whispered from the top bunk as Goku finished tucking Goten into bed.

"What is it, son?" Goku carefully rose to his feet and glanced back at Gohan.

"Why do those kinds of stories always lie?"

Taken back by his son's comment, Goku blinked at him in bewilderment before clearing his throat. What could he say? His son was right, it was something he repeatedly questioned himself.

"Well," Goku sighed rubbing the back of his neck, "life is what you make of it, if you spend your life thinking negatively, then you will feel sad all the time."

He swallowed back the hard knot forming in the back of his throat as his son stared back at him while taking in what he was saying. If only life was as easy as flicking a switch. He carefully placed the book on the bedside table before continuing.

"But—" he smiled widely at Gohan and tucked him in, "if you think more positively in life, and are grateful for all that you have like your family, your friends and other things that make you happy, you won't feel sad all the time."

Gohan knitted his brows for a couple of seconds, and he looked back at his father in slight confusion, "Then why do you look sad all the time, do we not make you happy?"

Goku stared back at him with his mouth ajar, Gohan was always good at observing all that was going on around him. And although Goku did his utmost best to mask how he was feeling, he couldn't fool his son.