But he wasn't letting go. The more I pulled the jacket the more he tightened the grip. I sighed and sat beside him and riffled his hair slowly. He moved his head in the direction of me ruffling his hair and hummed.
"Hmm."
"Link," I spoke in a soft quiet tone.
"Hmm." He hummed again.
"Let go," I said.
"What?" He replied in a sleepy tone.
"Let go of my jacket. I will cover you with the blanket so you can feel warm." I said while trying to pull my jacket as slow as possible.
"No, this is warmer." He said while covering himself fully with it.
I smiled and patted his hair slowly. He smiled in his sleep and pulled himself together so he can fit his whole body into the jacket. I pulled the blanket to cover his body over the jacket. He still acts like a kid.
"Still a kid," I said with a smile and stood up, that's when I heard the voice from my back.
"Yeah, he's still a kid."
I turned around to see who it is and found Link's mum by the door seeing her sleeping son and smiling.
"Sorry Aunt, I didn't notice that you were here." I apologized.
"Sorry? What for?" Link's mum asked.
"For calling him a kid and he came late because of me," I explained.
"It's fine, Kiet. But you were right earlier, he's still a kid at heart." She said with a smile.
I just smiled looking at him and turned towards her again.
"But there's always an exception." She added.
"On what?" I asked.
"He doesn't show this childish behavior of his in front of everyone. He shows it only to those whom he loves deeply." She explained.
"Oh," I said and smiled. Yeah, I learned to fake a smile in front of almost everyone.
"He stopped showing his childish behavior to us, but I'm glad he shows it to you." She added.
We both looked at Link who just turned to the other side and was sleeping soundly.
"Kiet, have you had dinner?" Link's mum asked.
"Not yet," I answered.
"Why don't you have it then? You must be hungry." Link's mum suggested.
"Thank you for asking Aunt. But mum must have made dinner at home." I replied with a nervous smile.
"Oh, okkay." Link's mum said while nodding her head slowly.
I checked the time on my watch and it's getting late.
"I should go, it's getting late," I said looking at Link's mum.
"Yeah, okkay." Link's mum said while moving away from the door.
I came out of the room and Link's mum closed Link's room door slowly. I was about to go towards the stairs when she called me suddenly.
"Um, Kiet?" She called hesitantly.
I turned around and looked at her.
"Can I ask you a favor?" She asked with her hands twitching and nervousness in her voice.
"Yeah, sure Aunt. What is it?" I asked with a smile.
"I get to know that... You and Kiet are gonna join the same university." She said.
"Yes, but getting into the University is totally depended on the marks we score in the entrance exam," I replied.
"Okkay, but if you get into the same university, then..... umm... can you take of him?" Link's mum asked with nervousness on her face.
"Aunt you are asking me to take care of him? He's the one who takes care of me usually." I answered after a chuckle
"But, Link's not like everyone, he acts clingy and goofy towards the person he likes and his clumsiness may get him into trouble. He's in college dorm's but the University is gonna be totally different than school. So, please take care of him for me." She asked pleasingly. I never saw her asking for help like that and I really can't say 'No' to her now as she's looking at me this way.
"If we get into the same University then for sure I will take care of him, Aunt. I promise." I assured her.
"Thank you, Kiet. That's enough for me." She said with a smile.
I came out of the house, started my bike, and went into my house. I opened the front door and saw the lights were still on. Well, that's strange, the lights were never on till this time. I went into the living room and found mum sitting on the couch and checking time and I had this strange feeling that she's waiting for me. That's not even true, I know her, why would she wait for me anyway?
I shook my head not to get any expectations from her and was on my way to the stairs when mum called.
"Kiet." She said with the same soft and melodic tone, she used to have when we were kids.
What the hell is going on here? she's never like this. I turned around thinking about the question and relating all the possible answers but none is making sense. The moment I saw her face, I was surprised. I was surprised to see her smile. The smile which I thought was a myth was now on her face, she didn't know how much I wanted to see it on her face.
I thought it was a dream and without her knowledge I pinched myself. But, I wasn't in a dream, the pinch hurts which means it's real and so is her smile and voice. Finally, my mum came back to me. I didn't know I was smiling unknowingly until I touched my face.
"Had dinner?" She asked coming towards me.
I didn't answer anything, I just shook my head indicating 'No'.
"Let's have dinner together then." She said and went towards the dining table. Like a 5-year-old follows his mum everywhere she goes, I followed her to the dining table. I was still in shock because of mum's sudden change in behavior, but the hatred on her was reminding me not to trust her smile and voice.
We reached the dining table and I sat at one of the chairs and on the dining table were all my favorite food items. Does she still remember them?. We both had dinner and I went into my room. I sat at my study table and opened the book to read. I didn't notice time, I wasn't sleepy so I started studying.
After one hour or one and half hours, I heard a knock on my door. I got up from my chair and started walking towards the door thinking 'Who might it be?'
I opened the door and it was mum. She was looking at me nervously while I was looking at her confused. After few minutes of staring, she spoke something which made me realize that what she was pretending and it was just to make me happy.
"H-Happy birthday, Kiet."
At first, I got confused and looked at my study table. The table clock on it showed 12:05 and the date turned was 11th February. It's my birthday today. That's why she was pretending that she's happy. The anger and sorrow in me started taking over, but I don't wanna show this to her.
"Thanks, mum," I said in a quiet tone, controlling hard not to cry.
She gave me a small smile and left me. I closed the door and went to my bed and sat on it with my back touching the wall. My tears started rolling and my anger grew on her. Why does she have to pretend? I realized that she did the same thing on my birthday. I hate her more now.
I would be happier if she just stays the same way and wishes me. Why make me expect that she's moved on from her past. Why? I started crying.
"Why do you have to do this? I hate you mum. I hate you." I said in a quiet tone in between my sobs.
I was lost in my tears when I heard the phone ring. I went towards my study table, sat on the chair, and took the phone. It was dad, I wiped my tears and answered the call.
"Hello, Kiet?" Dad said in a low tone.
"Yeah, Dad," I said and sniffed.
"Happy birthday Son." He wised me with a cheering voice.
"Thanks, Dad," I replied with a smile.
"I gave you some birthday present in your bank account. Don't drink too much okkay?" Dad said in a teasing way.
"Okkay," I replied.
"Good. So, what do you want for this birthday?" He asked.
"Will you give me anything I want?" I asked.
"It's your birthday Kiet, anything you want. What do you want then?" Dad answered.
"You. I want you, dad." I said in a quiet tone.
"What do you mean Kiet?" Dad asked me with confusion.
"I want you in my life dad," I answered.
"I am Kiet," Dad asked.
"No, you're not. You're present in my life but you weren't." I answered while shaking my head and saying in a quiet tone.
"What do you mean?" Dad asked.
"I want you to be a part of my life dad. I thought mum was in my life but she isn't. She left my life the moment she left yours. I lost her long ago and I don't wanna lose you too." I said with teary eyes.