𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙋𝙊𝙑

(Flashback)

Kenzo is a child living with his single mother, who was constantly working to provide for him. Kenzo would often be left alone at home, feeling lonely and isolated from the rest of the world.

"Ken?.." His mother called out for him softly, knocking at his door. As Kenzo hears his mother, he doesn't bother to open the door, too upset or heartbroken to get up.

"Ken baby?.. " Tears brim in Kenzo's eyes as he struggles to hold back tears while his mother cracks open the door and peeks inside, a gentle smile gracing her lips, but slowly fades when she sees her son's face.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She steps inside his room, closes the door behind her, and slowly walks to him. Little Kenzo turns away from his mother, clenching his fists tightly as he tries to hold back the tears. The loneliness and isolation weighed heavily on his young heart.

She looked at him for a moment before she scanned his room. It looks like he threw some things out of anger, of course. She looked back at him, he was still looking down. She sign. "You found out what your dad did, didn't you?"

A single tear rolls down Kenzo's cheek as he nods his head slightly, still unable to meet his mother's gaze. She realized that's the problem. She sat next to him, pulling him close. "Your dad chose this you know?"

Kenzo's voice trembles as he finally speaks. "But why doesn't he want me, Mom? Why did he have to leave?" She looked away, holding back tears, not wanting her son to see how vulnerable she was. "Because he is in love with.. another woman, Ken.."

Kenzo's face contorted in anger and hurt. "So, I'm not enough for him? He had to go and find someone else to love?" His voice shakes with emotion. "I hate him!" "Ken don't say that he is your father.."

"Kenzo turns away, his anger and hurt giving way to sadness once again. He whispers " I'm sorry.." "No, son. I'm so sorry.. "

Kenzo looks up at his mother with tears in his eyes, a mix of sadness and confusion in them. "Why does everyone leave me, mom?" The first time she didn't know the answer. "I don't know, Ken. I don't know.."

Little Kenji throws his arms around his mother's waist and buries his face in her dress, his small frame wracked with sobs. Clarie wraps her arms around her son kissing his head as he sobs in her arms. Kenzo stays in his mother's embrace, gradually calming down as she gently strokes his hair and whispers soothing words to him.

(Back to reality)

"Ken.. Ken!.. KEN.." His sister Layla shouted at him, who was clearly in a daze. Layla's voice snaps Kenzo out of his trance-like state, and he looks up at her with red, puffy eyes.

"You good bro? You were just telling us about dinner, and then you went into some daze," Malia was looking at her phone and then at the two. Kenzo takes a deep breath and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, forcing a small smile onto his face for his sister's benefit. "Yeah, I'm fine, Layla. Just... just thinking about some stuff, that's all."

"Okay.. so um.. what's for dinner?.." Kenzo shrugs, still trying to shake off his somber mood. "I don't know. I was thinking maybe we could grab some pizza"

"Pizza, really,? We had that yesterday; I mean, come on, now, you're a baseball player you have the money to get us more than just damn pizza all the time."

"Oh, Malia, give the old man a break; he can't just take care of us, be a baseball player, and make dinner all at once." "Um, hello, cooking for us is taking care of us?"