6 Incident
--- Ren's Father's POV ---
For a while now, my life has been far from alright. I foolishly believed I could fix everything on my own, but I proved to be a failure.
I had sex with a woman and to my disbelief, she got pregnant. Talk about bad luck.
She insisted on keeping the child, and though I wasn't thrilled about the idea, I couldn't bring myself to ask her to abort. And so, an unexpected family was thrust upon me.
Love? I don't think we were in love. Perhaps there was a fleeting connection that brought us to sex, but what we had didn't fit the definition of love.
I tried to show some care, to play the role of a responsible father, but it felt like a burden. What if the child started calling me "Daddy" affectionately? The mere thought made me feel sick.
Time slowly passed.
When the child was about five years old, my work began to suffer. The negative impact crept into my life like a dark shadow.
For years, I had devoted myself to my job – it was my lifeline. If I lost it, I might as well be a walking corpse.
I desperately needed a solution, but no matter what I did, I seemed to make foolish errors and misguided decisions at every turn. One of our plays encountered multiple issues, and I became the scapegoat, tarnishing my reputation even further.
I felt myself teetering on the edge, falling into an abyss from which there'd be no escape.
But then, something unexpected happened. That child, my child, started showing a keen interest in the Entertainment Business.
He was a quick learner. Sensing my discomfort when he referred to me as "Daddy," he chose not to address me by any title at all. It was even better, actually.
"Can I be like the kids I see on TV?" he asked, his soft voice catching me off guard. Had we ever interacted like this before? I couldn't recall.
At that moment, a glimmer of hope appeared. If my child could become a rising star, maybe, just maybe, I could salvage my own reputation and career.
"Of course, you can! Are you interested?" I probed, knowing I was dealing with a child – an opportunity I couldn't afford to miss.
"Yes!" His swift and enthusiastic reply, along with the curiosity twinkling in his eyes, reassured me. The choice I made back then was the right one.
Sometimes, not abandoning your humanity and embracing unexpected turns of fate is the best course of action.
Life had finally chosen to smile on me, for once.
---
I took it slow, gradually introducing him to the world of acting, and to my delight, he surpassed my expectations. Like a little sponge, he absorbed everything I taught him, and in a short year and a half, I already felt he was ready to be judged by someone of higher authority than myself.
The sooner I could get him noticed by the higher-ups, the better. And true to his talent, my child did not disappoint. His acting was nothing short of brilliant, even catching the attention of the Managing Director, who now viewed me in a new light.
His innocent smile of approval, as if he eagerly awaited my praise, filled me with a sense of accomplishment and greed. It was exhilarating, and I couldn't contain the excitement on my face.
We were family, after all. His success meant my success too. My help wasn't even necessary to get him his first role;
I acknowledged he was also lucky that so many favorable conditions were stacked one on top of the other, but I felt even if that wasn't the case, my child would have gotten that role regardless.
Was this a father's pride and trust in their child? Perhaps.
In the blink of an eye, he would be on stage, showcasing his talent to the public.
I could already envision the success and recognition that awaited us, and it felt so sweet. Our reputation soared as me and that woman, Miyuki, worked together to guide this young prodigy. Colleagues even envied our seemingly perfect family dynamic.
Recently, she got a promotion, and I wasn't surprised. It was clear that the higher-ups wanted to bring our child into their fold and make him officially a Lala Lai child actor. Had they already seen his potential?
It was indeed unusual for the higher-ups to show their interest so openly. Such a blatant display could potentially weaken their position during contract negotiations. I couldn't help but wonder if this was a strategic move to showcase their sincerity first and then use it as leverage later. As a Director, I didn't have a full understanding of the inner workings of the higher-ups, but I was determined to ensure a fair transaction. If they attempted to bribe me with other benefits, well, I'd cross that bridge when I came to it, though I highly doubted such a scenario.
The fact the higher-ups took notice of my child's talent was beyond my expectations. It was gratifying to see others inquire about him, rather than me boasting about his abilities. It looked much better.
On the day of the play, I chose to be a spectator, opting to watch from the sidelines as I didn't participate directly in it.
Miyuki, on the other hand, stood behind the scenes to provide support and encouragement. After all, the pressure of one's first performance was not something everyone could endure, especially a child. Having a motherly figure like Miyuki could help alleviate any problems that might surface.
We cared deeply about our child, after all.
---
Author's Note:
I'm so tired, I will double-check it tomorrow, but for now, you can take it as is.
