Whispered Secrets • BrightWin

Three

THREE

The next morning, Xio woke up to the sound of the birds chirping outside his window. He stretched his arms and rubbed his eyes, feeling refreshed and renewed after his peaceful night with his son. As he got out of bed, he immediately went to his room to freshen up before he remembered his promise to take Ares out some time.

He walked back to his son's room and found him still asleep, snoring softly with his mouth slightly open. Xio smiled and quietly walked over to his son's bed, leaning down to kiss his forehead before he headed to the kitchen to ask his helper that he will be making their breakfast for today.

He decided to make pancakes, Ares' favorite, and brewed some coffee for himself. As he was cooking, he heard the sound of Ares' footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"Good morning, daddy," Ares greeted him with a smile.

"Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?" Xio asked as he flipped a pancake on the pan. Meanwhile, Ares scrunched his nose at the endearment.

"Yes, I did. Thanks for last night, dad, it was really nice," the boy said while pouring himself a glass of milk.

Xio smiled at his son, feeling grateful for the bond they shared. "No problem, mijo. We should do that more often," he said as he placed a plate of pancakes on the table.

After breakfast, Xio and Ares went out for a walk in the park. They walked hand in hand, enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine. As they walked, Xio couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and contentment. He realized that spending time with his son was the best therapy he could ask for.

They walked for a while, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature around them, and eventually found a quiet spot to sit down and rest. As they sat there, Xio thought about how much he had missed spending time in nature.

"Hey, dad," Ares started, breaking the silence between them, his hand occupied with a cone of ice cream. "Do you remember the camping trip we took a year ago?"

Xio smiled, remembering the trip they took when Ares was only 5 years old. "Of course, I do. We had so much fun, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did. I remember we went fishing, and you taught me how to build a fire," Ares said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Xio chuckled at the memory. "Yes, we did. We should go camping again sometime, what do you think?"

Ares' face lit up at the suggestion. "That would be awesome, dad. When can we go?"

Xio smiled, feeling grateful for the opportunity to bond with his son. "How about next month? We can take Friday off and make it a long weekend."

Ares' face broke into a wide grin. "Yes! That sounds amazing, dad!"

As they got up to leave, Ares felt a sense of excitement about the upcoming camping trip. Xio, on the other hand, realized that sometimes, all he needed was to step away from his busy life as a doctor and spend some time with the people he loved.

When they arrived home, Ares ran off to his room to continue reading his book, while Xio headed to the hospital for the inauguration ceremony of the new senior resident surgeons recommended by the higher ups.

As he walked through the halls of the hospital. He saw patients and colleagues rushing about their day, all with their own problems and challenges. He arrived at the auditorium and found a familiar figure near the lower flat area, talking to someone as they waited for the ceremony to start.

Xio's heart raced as he stood there, his gaze locked into Eros. The latter stood there, exuding a confidence and intensity that seemed to have only deepened over time. His features held a maturity that had replaced the boyish charm of their youth. His strong jawline, piercing eyes, and composed stance were a testament to the man he had become.