"KIM"

17

Kornwit

Excited to share the gift he received from Kornwit, Nat hurriedly made his way back home, clutching the box of cookies tightly in his hands. As he approached the house, he spotted his papa, Jeff, hard at work in the garden.

"Papa!" Nat called out, his voice tinged with excitement as he bounded towards Jeff.

Jeff turned at the sound of Nat's voice, a warm smile spreading across his face at the sight of his son. "Hey there, Nat," he greeted, wiping his hands on his pants as he straightened up.

Nat reached him breathlessly, thrusting the box of cookies towards Jeff with a grin. "Look what I got from a nice man at the cafe!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.

As Nat excitedly presented the box of cookies to Jeff, his father's brow furrowed with concern.

"Nat, where did you get these?" Jeff asked, his voice tinged with caution.

Nat hesitated, sensing the shift in Jeff's demeanor. "A nice man at the cafe gave them to me," he replied, his enthusiasm dampened by Jeff's serious tone.

his father's expression shifted to one of concern.

"A man named Kornwit gave them to me at the cafe," Nat replied, his excitement tempered by Jeff's serious tone.

Jeff's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of the stranger's name. "Kornwit?, do you know him?" Jeff asked, his concern deepening.

Nat shook his head. "No, Papa, but  he was just being nice," he explained, though he could sense Jeff's apprehension.

Jeff sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Nat, I'm glad you accepted his gift, but remember, it's important to be cautious around strangers," he reminded him, his tone gentle yet firm.

"I understand, Papa," Nat replied earnestly, his eyes reflecting his father's concern.

As they continued their conversation, Jeff couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on Nat in the future, knowing that as his father, it was his duty to protect him from any potential dangers, no matter how small.

As Jeff and Nat sat down to enjoy the cookies, the sweet aroma filling the air, Jeff's phone suddenly rang, breaking the tranquility of the moment. With a sigh, Jeff reached for his phone, his brow furrowing in concern at the unexpected interruption.

"Hello?" Jeff answered, his voice tinged with curiosity as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line.

As Jeff waited for the person on the other end of the line to speak, a heavy silence hung in the air, filling the room with tension.

And then, finally, a voice broke the silence, sending a shiver down Jeff's spine. "Jeff."

The sound of that voice, once so familiar yet now tinged with a mixture of emotions, brought Jeff's world to a standstill. It was a voice he had once loved and cherished, a voice that had filled him with joy and comfort. But it was also a voice that had caused him pain and heartache, a voice he had learned to both love and hate.

For a moment, Jeff was frozen in place, unable to find the words to respond. Memories flooded his mind, both happy and painful, as he grappled with the flood of emotions that washed over him at the sound of that voice.

With trembling hands, Jeff hastily ended the call, the sound of the dial tone echoing in the silence of the room. His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to steady his shaking hands, his mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions.

In a swift motion, Jeff blocked the number, his fingers moving almost instinctively as he sought to cut off any further contact. The action brought a sense of temporary relief, a barrier between himself and the past that threatened to engulf him.

But even as he blocked the number, Jeff couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of his stomach. The unexpected call had shaken him to the core, stirring up memories and emotions that he had long buried.

But even as he blocked the number, Jeff couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of his stomach. The unexpected call had shaken him to the core, stirring up memories and emotions that he had long buried.

he felt his eyes stinging with unshed tears, his hands still trembling with the intensity of the moment. He glanced up to see Nat looking at him with concern etched on his face, his eyes wide with curiosity and worry.

"Papa, what happened?" Nat asked, his voice filled with concern as he reached out a hand to touch Jeff's arm.Jeff took a deep breath, trying to compose himself before responding. "It's nothing, Nat. Just... an unexpected call," he replied, his voice wavering slightly despite his efforts to remain calm.

Nat's brow furrowed in confusion. "But Papa, you look scared," he pointed out, his concern deepening at the sight of Jeff's distress.Jeff forced a weak smile, though he knew it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm okay, Nat. It's just...  I'm okay "he explained, his voice tinged with sadness.

Nat nodded, though the worry didn't leave his eyes. "Do you want to talk about it, Papa?" he asked softly, his hand still resting on Jeff's arm in a gesture of comfort.

forcing a reassuring smile despite the turmoil inside him. "I'm fine, don't worry about me," he added, hoping to ease Nat's concern.But Nat wasn't convinced, his eyes filled with empathy as he squeezed Jeff's arm gently.

"Papa, you don't look fine," he said softly, his voice filled with compassion.Jeff sighed, knowing he couldn't hide his feelings from Nat.

"I'll be okay, Nat. It's just... His voice was vulnerable as he said, "Something I do not want to talk about you about right now."

Nat nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. "You don't have to face it alone, Papa. I'm here for you," he said, his words a comforting reminder of their bond.