The Sinner

Butterfly 🦋

Sky hides behind a bush, only bearing to watch Star glance around briefly before he shows himself with his arms open. He revels in the way Star's eyes brighten and the boy runs towards him, jumping into his embrace.

"Happy to see me?" Sky asks to which Star looks up from having his face buried in Sky's chest and chirps, "Mm! But I thought mom said Aunt Frem is coming to pick me up."

"She was but I came home early and told her I'd come get you myself. Why?" Sky pretends to frown. "Do you prefer aunt Frem?"

At this, Star shakes his head vigorously and says, "I prefer you, papa! I wish we can spend more time together like this!"

Sky feels a flicker of guilt at that; his son deserves more from him. But what can he do other than...

"I'll try to spend more time with you from now on, Star. I promise." He gives the boy his word, then tells him cheerfully, "Should we get you a snack for the road?"

"Yeah!" Star chirps and Sky feels happy seeing him happy.

~~~

After learning of his condition, Ple's first instinct is to go and talk to Sky at his workplace. She just doesn't think she can wait until he gets home later in the evening.

But it's just one shock after another as she comes to find that Sky isn't there and why.

"Sir Sky left early after turning some of his projects over. You just missed him." A junior colleague of his reveals.

"Turning his projects over?" And with each reply from the young man, Ple only gets more confused. "Mm! He had to since he's gonna be on vacation leave. We didn't want him to go but I guess he needs a break after...you know, after his promotion fell through.

"You must be so upset." The naive boy adds. "We were honestly devastated too since sir Sky deserved it more. Imagine how he feels, losing his promotion to his superior who'd just been stealing his designs."

~~~

Sky and his mini-me are lined up in front of a crepe food truck. Both are excited as it seems promising given how many people are waiting in line and after a few more minutes, it's finally Sky's turn.

Star simply points to his choice of crepe; one with bananas, strawberries and Nutella drizzle, topped with whipped cream. Sky nods approvingly and orders one of that.

After handing Star his treat, Sky pays up. But as he's waiting for his change, Star points at a distance and chirps, "Papa, it's him!"

"Huh? Hold on, Star." Sky tells him while receiving his change but when he turns back to Star, the boy has already left his side and is hurriedly walking up to someone. "Star!"

He easily catches up to the boy and lightly scolds him, "Star, you can't just run off like that."

"Sorry, papa. But I saw a friend of mine."

"Really? Who?" Sky asks, following the boy's hand as he points to his friend and calls, "Over there, phi!"

Sky's heart drops at the familiar feeling he gets even just looking at the stranger from behind and even more so as the tall man standing off in the distance turns around and their eyes meet. And Sky could never forget those eyes.

"P'Pai..."

"Sky?" He says, almost as if he can't believe or trust his own eyes because he's conjured up the image of Sky many times before only to get disappointed. But then, he sees Star and it occurs to him that this is, in fact, real.

Moments later and the two men are sitting side by side at a park bench while Star is at a nearby swing. It's almost exactly like that time he met Rain by accident but at the same time, it's so different. Because this is Prapai.